how many here currently coach youth football?

[OU_Sooners75]

After about 5 years of not coaching any level, I have decided to coach my nephews 7th grade youth football team.

Just wanted to hear what most teams his age group are running on defense?

My offense will be a mix of power rushing.

Double tight I, power I, I, diamond, and even wishbone. But tryng to figure out the best defensive scheme to use.

The high school runs a 4-3.

[8timechamps]

Coached youth football for about ten years, until my oldest son went to high school. I was lucky enough to be asked to join the freshman staff, and have been at the high school level since.

What I can tell you about 7th grade football is to keep it as simple as possible. Do you know anything about the team, are they a returning team? Many first/second year players? What have they run in the past?

If the high school runs a 4-3, then you should run a 4-3. Keep it consistent, and that will really help the kids down the line.

What kind of questions do you have? I'll help you where I can, but it's been a while since I coached youth ball.

[Tulsa_Fireman]

You're gonna see a LOT of hat for hat running stuff. Real straight forward, but there's a few schools (Skiatook for example) that actually try to spread the field a bit. You'll probably see a buttload of shotgun too as INFC rules (probably consistent across the state) prohibit engaging the center (or even lining up within the pads) from shotgun until the ball transfers from snapper to QB. But essentially this means tons of sprint draw with lead blockers, everything trying to hit the kickout on C gap or the log for the edge.

In other words, 4-3 will get you slaughtered on the corners unless you have absolute studs at the DE spot. And you'll probably still get dinged on a regular basis. Any OL coach worth his salt can teach the combo, especially the chip to the 2nd level to get that playside OLB and that BEGS for B and C gap leads on the 4-3. Play 1 or 2 technique on your DTs and I'll take 11 crippled kids and hit you in the B and C for 5 yards a carry if not more. The trick, the truth to youth football defense isn't necessarily in formation but in the basic principle of keeping your LBs clean and level. LBs will stay clean and level with read and react on the front and good coaching emphasizing lateral movement. This suggests 2 things.

4-4. Straight 2 technique at the tackle, 3 at the end. OLBs play contain with secondary contain by the CB. ILBs play stack and playside primaries off the FB OR lead HB strong side. In balanced sets like the diamond, let 'em make the read off the QB. But whatever you do, the ILB that doesn't attack the FB in the belly MUST stay lateral. They can't undercut angles, they can't step up. Plays like a 6-2 but your OLBs are freestanding with the sole responsibility of contain. Makes it simple on young minds.

3-5. This is gonna pose problems against shotgun teams (see earlier rules) but if you A gap the NT (strong or weak), you can play your NT to earhole the center for penetration or have him gap shoot. Personally, I'm a big fan of letting that NT wad the A gaps up into a mess of crap by earholing the center and letting him catch the downblock from the backside guard. It eats up 2 OL, trainwrecks both sides of the A, and keeps your MLB clean as a whistle. DTs play straight up 2 and again, read and react. You'll more than likely get the playside guard into the 2nd level but if your mike is skilled, odds are he'll meet this block at the line of scrimmage off the FB read, again turning the A (and B) gaps into a body-filled mess, essentially becoming that 4th down lineman but in space. OLBs are just like before, likewise with CBs. Will and Sam play outside eye B gap or stack, whichever keeps 'em cleaner.

Granted, you're probably gonna see very few teams that truly wing it around the yard, let alone spread the field. Most that do only do so to get you to honor the coverage, giving more space and fewer bodies to contend with running the football. To address this, I had a standing fire call for the OLB should a team give you wide twins. CB plays 5 yard pad, inside eye, safety rotates to the over. On the snap, CB jumps the under with a shiver, safety stays in the deep third reading the QB, and the OLB (as mentioned) crashes. HArdly any pass pro to worry about except from the RBs, and either way, on pressure a 7th grader is gonna wing it in a hurry forcing A) a poor throw (AKA most throws at this level), B) a sack, or even C) a coaches adjustment to hit the under to get the ball out of the QB's hands, which your CB should be sitting there just waiting to lap up. Given a true spread, keep your safety honest and have his primary read be the QB. Most QBs will stress very basic fundamentals in taking the snap, setting their feet, and aligning the shoulders. Let your safety read this and haul *** to cover the deep third on this read.

Personal preference? The 4-4. There's a lot less thinking involved for the boys. The most you have to stress is again, contain for the OLBs and the ILBs MUST stay level until closing the attack VERTICALLY on the ball carrier. If you get jumpy ILBs, you're a seam away from someone gaining a metric **** ton of real estate. And if you ABSOLUTELY must go with a 7 man front, I'd actually recommend a 3-4, again for those very basic principles of contain. I'd rather have a TE or RB trying to manage a kickout on an athletic LB or failing miserably to set a log block on a wide set than trying to get a DE free and up the field THROUGH a TE/OT double to set contain, with an RB coming to seal your Sam.

Last bit of advice. Use the hell out of counters but don't bite on the crap they tell you about the supposed gold nugget that is a fake. And if you run the option, run it triple. The ILBs will have to stay honest to the belly, letting you seal the edges easier. And whatever you do, don't scoff the T. It's fast, you can motion like crazy out of it, you can run a bitchin' lead AND load option out of it, and you can run crossbuck counters all day long because at FB depth, it's a son of a beeyotch to read for ILBs. Aaaaaand with motion from a Power-T, you can strong side, forcing a defensive shift and either hit it with numbers amidst the confusion or counter the **** out of it as they load the strong side. And there's something deadly about a wingback reverse from the Wing-T, especially if you got a speedster.

Either way, good luck!

[stoops the eternal pimp]

I do 3rd/4th grade flag along with 5th/6th grade tackle..In the past, I've done up to 8th grade.

In 5th/6th grade and 7th we run a 3-3-5 which usually ends ends up resembling a 5-2-4 after the offense sets..

Offensively, we ran a unbalanced single wing and the diamond formation with a little different twist..

[8timechamps]

I do 3rd/4th grade flag along with 5th/6th grade tackle..In the past, I've done up to 8th grade.

In 5th/6th grade and 7th we run a 3-3-5 which usually ends ends up resembling a 5-2-4 after the offense sets..

Offensively, we ran a unbalanced single wing and the diamond formation with a little different twist..

There is a youth program that we used to play every year (they always fielded 2 or 3 division 1 teams), and they all ran the single wing. Without fail, they would all make the play-offs and usually two of the three would play each other in the championship game. The funny thing was that their high school team ran a spread offense, and weren't overly successful.

I've run everything from a 4-3 to a GAM (8 man front). In the end, it's all about what kind of players you have and coaching good fundamentals.

[stoops the eternal pimp]

Fireman talking about counters, we would spend tons of time running counters/midirection because it would confuse the heck out of the defenses...The quarterback would spend at least a week on handoffs and finishing the sequence out..

The unbalanced wing worked a lot because I would draft 2-3 lineman before getting a skill guy...We would run right all the way down the field and then if I wanted to pop something big, counter/misdirection left...Get a RB who can make 1 guy miss and he'd go yard

[PeoriaSooner]

Unless you have an OL that will learn proper run block technique (footwork mostly) to open a hole, a fullback that wants to KILL ILBs and then safetys, and a couple of tailbacks that will follow right behind that fullback (exactly through the hole the play is called), the power I is easy to defend. If you have those players, though, no one can stop it. The proper OL technique is just a matter of teaching. You need natural talent at FB and RB.

Your scheme should depend on your personnel. Don't be married to any particular off / def scheme until you see what players you have. I agree with poster above that T formation is hard to defend unless opponent has LBs that are quick to read point of attack and be able to get there with force. I was fortunate to have power I personnel, but I still utilized a lot of T / veer / pro-set and had my FB lined up as TB or wing and blow a lead hole with the actual ball carrier close behind. Also, this strong PoA sets up counters really well. The LBs and safetys will start keying on the battering ram FB.

The only things teams could do was waste 6 players in A B & C gaps. When they did, we went around or over them. It also beats the hell out of a defense. My FB was a foam-at-the-mouth kid that by the 3rd qtr had ILBs 70 lbs heavier backing away and giving him the ole move on his way to pancaking the quivering safety.

Similarly, if you only have 1 or 2 stud DL that can penetrate and disrupt the LoS, play a 3-4 and tell your SS to knock any TE that releases off the LoS down as he attacks the point of attack on a running play. Have your most athletic and angry kids be your LBs. Your corners should ATTACK the WRs at the LoS to disrupt routes and play sweeps. FS needs to watch QB eyes (7th grade QBs don't look off and almost always throw to their favorite WRs) and play deepest threat. This will get you through most down and distance scenarios. For obvious passing situations, jailbreak your front three, blitz from CB or OLB, drop your ILBs & SS back and roll your underneath coverage from the side opposite your blitz. NO 7th grade QB will beat you deep unless your safetys absolutely fall asleep. The QB will most likely bail the pocket and run or throw a pick into underneath coverage to a DE or LB that he is not expecting to drop into a short zone away from the blitz.

If you have 4 very good DL, shade them to strong side to control LoS and play a 4-4. Your DEs will have to be very athletic and DISCIPLINED and your LBs will have to know how to read, move, and destroy the point of attack before the ball passes the LoS. Your SAM backer should knock any TE that releases on his butt as he attacks the run (a TE that can't release, doesn't catch any passes). Your weakside DE and WLB need to stay home for counters, reverses & misdirection and not pursue until the ball is past the LoS when playside is away from them. With any defense, teach sure, safe form tackling and pursuit angles. Do not ever bury your worst players on defense. Any decent coach will exploit that weakness with every playcall. Inexperienced /under-motivated players should mostly play non-playside WR or OL until they get some experience.

[OU_Sooners75]

Thanks for all the info. Much appreciated.

A little about what I am contending with as far as personnel wise and league/schedule.

1. We have a weight limit for backfield only. Its set at 155, which doesn't hamper us at all. But is it nice to know that now our defense can intercept or return a fumble if the player is over 155.

2. There are just four teams in the actual city league. Each team is comprised of just 13 players as of draft day. We will also be playing teams from stillwater and enid. With about 13 or 14 games.

3. Our league is not sanctioned by the school system. Enid ans Stillwater is. This is why we lifted the weight limit on defense and te/wrs.

4. Our draft went really really well. We well have a line that averages close to 170 if the weights on the draft roster were correct.

Our smallest kid is about 100 pounds.

All the players that I know of have played at least 3 seasons, so they should have an idea what they are doing, but we'll be stressing fundamentals fundamentals fundamentals all season long.

Our offense is mainly a run oriented offense. We will line up in different sets. I, power I, Diamond, split back.

The playbook has isos, traps, counters, options, pitches, sweeps, waggle passes, and floods, among other pass plays.

I think we have settled for a 4-4 defenxse given the size and speed of our roster.


Before draft the high school held a clinic/camp for all kids. They had to attend. And from that we got a very good mix of size and speed. So much so that one of the coaching staffs was kind of in awe that we drafted a lot of the players they wanted....lol

I told them all that I used to coach college for 10 years, so I am used to evaluating the players....lol

Its going to be fun, just wish I had at least 20 kids instead of 13.

[picasso]

My advice is to do what my team did when I was a 7th grade QB. We lined up this man-child at TE and I threw a 7 yard strike to him just past the LBs. He would scamper home the rest of the way.

Y dump. That play was money.

[8timechamps]

Thanks for all the info. Much appreciated.

A little about what I am contending with as far as personnel wise and league/schedule.

1. We have a weight limit for backfield only. Its set at 155, which doesn't hamper us at all. But is it nice to know that now our defense can intercept or return a fumble if the player is over 155.

2. There are just four teams in the actual city league. Each team is comprised of just 13 players as of draft day. We will also be playing teams from stillwater and enid. With about 13 or 14 games.

3. Our league is not sanctioned by the school system. Enid ans Stillwater is. This is why we lifted the weight limit on defense and te/wrs.

4. Our draft went really really well. We well have a line that averages close to 170 if the weights on the draft roster were correct.

Our smallest kid is about 100 pounds.

All the players that I know of have played at least 3 seasons, so they should have an idea what they are doing, but we'll be stressing fundamentals fundamentals fundamentals all season long.

Our offense is mainly a run oriented offense. We will line up in different sets. I, power I, Diamond, split back.

The playbook has isos, traps, counters, options, pitches, sweeps, waggle passes, and floods, among other pass plays.

I think we have settled for a 4-4 defenxse given the size and speed of our roster.


Before draft the high school held a clinic/camp for all kids. They had to attend. And from that we got a very good mix of size and speed. So much so that one of the coaching staffs was kind of in awe that we drafted a lot of the players they wanted....lol

I told them all that I used to coach college for 10 years, so I am used to evaluating the players....lol

Its going to be fun, just wish I had at least 20 kids instead of 13.

Sounds like you have a good handle on things. The best is when you have a couple of kids that just love to hit.

I don't know if your league his mandated play, but in Colorado, we had to play every kid at least 15 plays. The last year I coached youth, we had 22 kids, and that rule hurt our overall record, but in the big picture really helped some of the kids develop. In other words, having only 13 players isn't necessarily a bad thing.

Above all else, make sure the kids have fun (and you're allowed to have fun too!).

[MamaMia]

Does calling the coach on his cell from the bleachers count?

[8timechamps]

Does calling the coach on his cell from the bleachers count?

That's funny Mama, because that's happened to me (well, it was a text, but close enough).

[OU_Sooners75]

Yes we have to play every kid. At least one half. The only discipline we can do is first half suspensions.

But with 13 right now, we may end up getting a couple more before the season it won't be a problem. But if I had at loeast 20 it would make practices easier to run.

[8timechamps]

Yes we have to play every kid. At least one half. The only discipline we can do is first half suspensions.

But with 13 right now, we may end up getting a couple more before the season it won't be a problem. But if I had at loeast 20 it would make practices easier to run.


Yeah, I didn't think about it affecting practice. Surely someone that posts here coaches in your area and knows other coaches in your grade, maybe you could set up a scrimmage or two.

[ashley]

I don't know what to say.

[8timechamps]

I don't know what to say.

You've said it all. :D

[FaninAma]

Is blitzing allowed? Most of the leagues I have seen do not allow blitzing below the 7th grade level.

[stoops the eternal pimp]

I know we could blitz actually starting with the 4th graders..but yeah, I blitzed about 50% of the time.

[PeoriaSooner]

Yes we have to play every kid. At least one half. The only discipline we can do is first half suspensions.

But with 13 right now, we may end up getting a couple more before the season it won't be a problem. But if I had at loeast 20 it would make practices easier to run.

You can run effective practices with 13 kids. Run your technique drills, a lot of iso drills, run Oklahoma drills, then when your get up to running offense vs defense scrimmage, just do half-line scrimmages (left-side of center / right side of center, etc). Finally, if all the teams only have 13 kids and similar talent, conditioning will be the biggest difference. Work duration of reps up gradually and run them a lot, but within the context of other drills so they're conditioning while learning, not just laborious wind sprints. A perfect example are field-length pursuit angle drills where all players rotate positions in the pursuit drill so they know the right angles regardless of where they find themselves on the field when containment is broken. You want them to have fun conditioning. Plus, what they learn will prevent a few long TDs over the season. I guarantee it.

Here's a link to a youth football pdf that has a crap-ton of fun & valuable youth drills, including how to run a half-line scrimmage.

http://www.gregorydoublewing.com/football_drill_book.pdf

PM me and I'll email or fax you a diagram of the pursuit angle drill we used to run.

[SoonersEnFuego]

I coach 7th grade. I've been coaching for about 10 years.

Mostly you want to stick with what your high school runs so they'll be on board with the High School coach when they get there.

But...
You have to run what your talent allows. If you've got some hosses up front, run a 5 man front. Not many teams at this age will be passing every down.

We're running a 4-3 this year, but last year we ran a 5-3 and a 4-4. Gotta figure out how many legit linebackers you've got and go from there.

[PLaw]

Two thoughts:

1) I would go talk to the HS D-coordinator about his approach to the 4-3 and understand what he is looking to see as kids come up through the system. I would get on the same page with him with respect to their terminology and technique drills they use. If school hasn't started, then I would also get some of the kids to together to go watch the HS practice or scrimmage. The coach and the parents will love it and it will get you started off on the right foot.

2) If you are more into winning and less concerned about developing players for the next level, then I would run a 5-2. It all about speed to the corner and plugging up the middle.

BOOMER