I would take notes.

I want to know where their d line align.  I would look give brief evaluations to their D personnel.  Same thing with their offensive line.

I will note their very first offensive play.  That is usually their play callers favorite play, and is the play you have to stop. 

I would note the first play they run in a 3rd or 4th and short. 

I would ID the counter off their first play. 

Pay attention to personnel at eligible spots, such as tight end or split end, and if those jersey numbers change, why?

What do they do defensively for goal line/short yardage situations.  Does it make it tough sledding for your favorite short yardage play?

What do their linebackers do? what is their first step, how well do the play downhill.

The way they do things in that game is goingto be different than how they approach your team.  So I want to spend a lot of time understanding the non-variables. 

We cannot videotape

Formations
Go-to guy
Go-to play

--Dave

Formations - Aggression and discipline - strong and weak players - substitutions

We also cannot video, and we cannot take pictures...

I bring a notebook and a pen and a large latte...I will try and stay behind the team I am scouting, behind their offense and behind their defense...

Defense - I look at the front, alignment and look for players they are hiding or protecting. I also look at what coverage they appear to be in. This will tell me what plays I should be able to run successfully against them. I will watch their force player and see how he is coming up the field, does he squat and sit? Does he come flying up out of control, does he try to avoid leads or take them on? This will tell me what type of blocking tags I will need (GUT for example). I will watch their DBs to see how they support the run and if I am lucky, how they play the pass...are they in a soft coverage or are they trying to press? Zone or Man? How do they adjust to unbalanced formations, do they adjust at all?

Offense - Like SWG said, look at their first play from scrimmage. Figure out how their counter action works. Are they right or left handed? Do they run field side or boundary side? Do they like to run to their sideline. Look at their oline play, are they aggressive? How is their technique? Are they hiding anyone on their oline? I look at formations, if they have wideouts, do we have to account for them. Do they always run a certain play out of a certain formation. What do they like in long yardage?  What kind of arm does the QB have? Can their line protect him? If they throw the ball, where/who do they like to throw it to? Do they unbalance the formation? Do they run any "trick plays"?

Special Teams - Where do they like to kick off too? Deep? Onside? Who in their KOR team do I want to kick it to? What KOR formation do they align in? Punt team, can the kid punt? How do they align their gunners? Where are they coming from? PR, who is covering the gunners? Who is their return guy? Should I be afraid to kick it near him? PAT, do they have a kid who can kick a PAT? How is their protection for the PAT? Which side should I load?

Sideline - Are the coaches overly demonstrative? Are they prone to friction? Can I do something that will cause friction on their sideline? What kind of calls are they making from the sideline? What do those calls mean?

Other - Are they doing anything outside of the rule book? If so, I want to know so I can ask the crew to watch for it before the

Offense - formations, go to plays, players we need to stop, trick plays, do they run BCR (if so, what?)

Defense - how many on the line, coverage (man, zone, etc.), do they blitz, what areas can I attack, do they contain/rush, how do they hand BCR, etc.  I also want to know if the put MPP out there in certain situations that I can exploit.

Special teams - onsides (can they execute, can they recover when we kick), do they kick XP

I usually have a pre-formatted sheet to collect all of this info on 1 page (2 sides).  I will sometimes just enter it into my phone as I can type faster than I write and it is more legible. 

Formations
Go-to guy
Go-to play

--Dave

This for Both Sides of the Ball.  The Go to Guy on Offense is also likely to be one of their better/best defensive players as well. 
Of some importance is Play Direction and success each way.     

We have a first round bye in the playoffs and I was hoping to go catch our future second round opponent in action during the first round. Here's my question - How do you go about scouting your opponent while watching them in person. We cannot videotape so I am wondering what will allow me to get the most bang for my buck. Do you take pictures? Bring a notebook and log their formations? Try to ID personnel weaknesses? All the above? I just figured you experienced guys would probably have an organized approach that would help. Thanks!

Sit as high up in the stands as you can so you can see better--ideally the very last row on the 50 yard line.  Take a notebook and a few pens.  Use shorthand--lots of it.  Double or even triple space so you have room to make even more notes later.

When they're on offense, write down the D&D, formations, play, direction, and ball carrier's number used on each play--start this as soon as the previous snap is over by recording the D&D.  This is important for identifying tendencies used later.  This is a lot to record, so use shorthand for formations and your own terminology whenever possible (P for Power, C for Counter, S for sweep, maybe BS for Buck Sweep, JS for Jet Sweep, etc.).

On defense, try to write down the offensive formation and defensive adjustment, as well as coverage and blitzes if possible (this is usually easier).  Try to figure out what their adjustment rules are to your basic stuff or formations you might want to use.  Make notes of that, too.

On special teams, mind the punt and KOR formations.  Look for the punter's range and tendencies (does he always kick to one side?).  Look at how deep the kicker is putting it on KO, too, so you know where to put your returners.

Draw a line to mark off when each quarter ends so you can keep track of which sideline they're running towards.

After a few series, pay more attention to matchups, particularly in the front or in the open field.  Also, look at how the backside LB, DE and secondary play runs away from them.

While you do this, make notes about what they have and try to figure out how they're playing.  Are they flipping people around?  How do they handle motion?  Do they have any obvious tendencies that jump out at you?  Any weak sisters?  Who are the studs?

Finally, when you've got your notes... look through and try to identify their top 5 run plays and maybe top 3 passes (include PAP) and look again for tendencies that may not jump out at you.  You can do this by D&D, by situation, by field/boundary, by their sideline vs. opponent's sideline, etc.

It doesn't have to be perfect.  You'll miss some stuff.  But you can get a lot of great info from this.

Sit as high up in the stands as you can so you can see better--ideally the very last row on the 50 yard line.  Take a notebook and a few pens.  Use shorthand--lots of it.  Double or even triple space so you have room to make even more notes later.

When they're on offense, write down the D&D, formations, play, direction, and ball carrier's number used on each play--start this as soon as the previous snap is over by recording the D&D.  This is important for identifying tendencies used later.  This is a lot to record, so use shorthand for formations and your own terminology whenever possible (P for Power, C for Counter, S for sweep, maybe BS for Buck Sweep, JS for Jet Sweep, etc.).

On defense, try to write down the offensive formation and defensive adjustment, as well as coverage and blitzes if possible (this is usually easier).  Try to figure out what their adjustment rules are to your basic stuff or formations you might want to use.  Make notes of that, too.

On special teams, mind the punt and KOR formations.  Look for the punter's range and tendencies (does he always kick to one side?).  Look at how deep the kicker is putting it on KO, too, so you know where to put your returners.

Draw a line to mark off when each quarter ends so you can keep track of which sideline they're running towards.

After a few series, pay more attention to matchups, particularly in the front or in the open field.  Also, look at how the backside LB, DE and secondary play runs away from them.

While you do this, make notes about what they have and try to figure out how they're playing.  Are they flipping people around?  How do they handle motion?  Do they have any obvious tendencies that jump out at you?  Any weak sisters?  Who are the studs?

Finally, when you've got your notes... look through and try to identify their top 5 run plays and maybe top 3 passes (include PAP) and look again for tendencies that may not jump out at you.  You can do this by D&D, by situation, by field/boundary, by their sideline vs. opponent's sideline, etc.

It doesn't have to be perfect.  You'll miss some stuff.  But you can get a lot of great info from this.

I like this answer better than mine....

--Dave

Great stuff as expected! Thanks everyone. This will help me be as prepared as possible when I get there so I can gather as much data as I can. We don't do any live special teams in our league so that will cut back on some of the things I will have to get down.

Lots of great stuff.
I have to admit I skimmed through the thread.
Only thing I can add is I pay close attention to what jersey number is making tackles. and what jersey number is carrying the ball. My wife wrote down those while I wrote D&D and formations and plays

Good luck coach

Lots of great stuff.
I have to admit I skimmed through the thread.
Only thing I can add is I pay close attention to what jersey number is making tackles. and what jersey number is carrying the ball. My wife wrote down those while I wrote D&D and formations and plays

Good luck coach

WOOOOOOAHH  I am hijacking this thread now.  Sorry OP. 

We need to discuss how you got your wife to go and scout with you.  I cant even get my wife to let me go scout without her. 

WOOOOOOAHH  I am hijacking this thread now.  Sorry OP. 

We need to discuss how you got your wife to go and scout with you.  I cant even get my wife to let me go scout without her.

She was the president of the club.

My wifes a different breed. We've been married for almost 25 years, we met at the Nascar racetrack where I was racing. she loves racing, football and basketball (in about that order). she loves to cook and she believes there is a big difference between men and women and she doesn't try to change me. I am truly a blessed man.

Back to the originally scheduled thread  ;D

She loves racing, football and basketball (in about that order). she loves to cook

You’ve got one of those, too?  You are blessed!

—Dave

You’ve got one of those, too?  You are blessed!

—Dave

Yes I am

DeAnna is my second marriage. I actually knew what I was looking for the second time around.
Glad you got one also.