What Guides Your Decision

Q1-Do you call a timeout to ice the kicker? Why or why not?
Q2-What guides your decision to go for 2? Are you a chart follower?
Q3-You’re the road team, and you can tie the game to go to OT with a kick, or you can win IF you get the 2pt conversion. What guides your decision?
Q4-Never punt, or punt and flip the field?
Q5-4th and goal, anywhere inside the 10…take the points or go for the TD?
Q6-Pre-game coin flip…Do you elect to receive or defer? What is your reasoning?
Q7-Game in hand, your ball to run out the clock, 2 minutes…victory formation or get extra plays for your backups?

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Coaching Inspiration

Q1-Who or what events inspired you to become a coach?
Q2-How do you use that inspiration to help you impact your athletes?
Q3-How would you define your coaching style?
Q4-Where do you look for current coaching inspiration?
Q5-How does your coaching style fit your current coaching position?
Q6-What style of football inspires you the most?
Q7-What is one thing about your coaching that has changed over your career? What is something that has stayed the same?

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Ball Security

What terms do you use to emphasize ball security across the program?
How many minutes during practice do you emphasize ball security?
How does your staff evaluate whether someone has good ball security?
Does your film guy tag loose balls or just fumbles?
Do you grade each ball carrier on each play in addition to Assign, Alignment, Attitude, etc…Ever had players grade themselves? T.E.A.M. pt for each (T=technique, E=exposure of ball, A=awareness, M=of Movement)
What opponent tendencies do you put into scouting report regarding ball security?
What’s the craziest consequence you have seen or done because of fumbling?

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The Structure of Your Offense – No Huddle No Mercy

Q1: In the book, Coach Liotta starts off the implementation of his offense with it being a fun system to be in. How is your offense fun for players and the community?
Q2: Coach Liotta speaks of the critical nature of practice organization. How does the tempo and organization of your practice reflect the style of football you play?
Q3: Communication is key in any offense. How is the play communicated from coach to player and from player to player?
Q4: How does your offense stress the defense?
Q5: How does your off-season reflect and prepare for the style of offense you play? Not just physically, but also culturally
Q6: One of the ways Coach Liotta prepares for an opponent is by looking for matchup advantages. Where do you begin breaking down the opponent’s defense?
Q7: What nuances do you have built in to your offense to give you an advantage in the game?

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Opponent Preparation

Q1: You’ve put together your plan, and now it is time to implement it. What is the first thing you present to your athletes?
Q2: How do you incorporate the opponent into your individual skill practice?
Q3: Do you have a scout team coach who to get your scouts in the right place?
Q4: Do you have specific focus for each group and team session of practice?
Q5: How many times do you want to see your plays and calls against something the opponent does?
Q6: What have you done to simulate the tempo of the opponent?
Q7: What is something that you do that you believe really helps prepare your team for each game?

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Program Scenarios by @kdawgswift

Q1: You have a talented & experienced team going into the season. What do you want to show in your non-district games as a distraction away from your base offense or defense for coaches to prepare for? Explain why.
Q2: Game 5 of the season, against a district/league opponent. You’re the HC/OC, and your talented, but young DC just made a call that resulted in the D giving up a cheap TD to take the lead 21-17 at the half. What do you say to your DC as you meet with him?
Q3: State Championship game, and you’ve got the ball on the plus 35 yard line, with about 55 seconds left in the half. You’re up 28-0 over the most prestigious program in the state. What is your plan of attack and why?
Q4: You’re a coach with a family, and your eldest daughter or son has showed a liking to what you do all those hours away from home and mom. At what age or grade would you allow to travel & be on the sidelines with you? Reasoning?
Q5: You’re on your way from a date night with your wife, and as you’re driving through town, you observe 3 of your student-athletes coming out of a tavern (no minors allowed) at 9pm. What are you going to do?
Q6: Two student-athletes who missed all the summer workouts and fall pre-season practices come to you after two games to see if they can join the team. 1 is a junior who played the last two seasons as a backup. The other is an incoming freshman. What is your response and why?

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A Great Coaching Staff

If you have ever been part of a great coaching staff, you know how remarkable it is.  These men you work with become a family. You enjoy being together, and share the highs and lows of your teams and seasons. Each of us supporting the other through thick, and thin. Good relationships are built by…

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