Game Planning
If you know the enemy and know yourself, you need not
fear the result of a hundred battles.
If you know yourself but not the enemy, for every
victory gained you will also suffer a defeat.
If you know neither the enemy nor yourself, you will
succumb in every battle.
Sun Tzu – Art of War
Why Prepare A Game Plan?
• Determine who/what we are
– Not who/what we think we are
• Determine who/what they are
• Calculate and compare strengths and
weaknesses
• Identify areas that we can attack and exploit
• Set game-specific goals, objectives, and
specifics
• Identify the base plays to take advantage of
their expected actions and personnel
Game Planning
• Determine size of the scouting package
• Develop a weekly schedule for game
planning
• Game Planning Skills (GPS’s)
• Develop Concepts to Attack
• Create Game Ready Sheet
• Plan Practice Schedules
• Post-Game Analysis
Game Planning Skills (GPS’s)
• Scouting the
opponent
• Build concepts to
attack coverages
and fronts
• Build package of
plays around 1
formation
• Build 1 play into
package of
formations
• Build play-action
passes
• Build openers - 1st
25 plays
• Build 2nd and short
• Build 3rd downs
• Build red zone, goal
line, 2 pt., overtime
• Build “Backed up”
• Develop 2-minute
philosophy
• Build QB checks
and packaging
concepts
• Game Plan Card
• Practice Schedules
• Post Game Analysis
Must Haves
• Determine size and uses of package - How much is
enough?
• Schedule and ordered process
• Method of film breakdown and scouting
• Philosophy/concepts of how to attack fronts and
coverages
• Ready List of potential plays. Address situations
• Practice schedules based on Ready List/concept
• Build a Game Plan Card, without pressure
• Possible half-time adjustments
• Plan post-game analysis
Scout the Opponent
• 3 Goals:
– Determine Personnel Strengths and Weaknesses
– Determine Defensive Structures
– Determine Defensive Tendencies
• Build scouting manual
Products of Scouting and Game Plan
• 4-page player package
• Coaches game plan package
• Practice
–
–
–
–
Practice objectives and schedule
Scout offense plays
Scout defense fronts and coverages
Scout kicking team
• Game
– Ready sheets – offense, defense, kicking
teams
– What-If adjustments
Notes
• Always look at how the opponent played us
last season. That will be a better indicator of
what they will do than what they did against
other teams that may/may not be similar to
what we do
Scout Report Process
iMovie
O-D-K
Game Data
Cutups
Reports
Game
Excel
PlaymakerPro
iDVD
Scout
Report
Duplicate
DVD(s)