Some drama at the organization where I had coached at for 10 years ended with me being out. Its a long story but essentially the schools picked up the modified teams which were previously in our private youth league. I had been the HC of the modified team but now the entire board of "my people" stepped down as all of them were parents of modified players. The new board had a plan in place to keep the other teams' coaches in place rather than having me displace any of them. I tried to work with them but the new regime was committed to "Power I, block the guy in front of you" style of football. After some heated arguments and some losses where we were the more talented team, I moved on. 

After 1 year with the new organization I was made DC of the 9u team who has a brand new HC this year (has been with the organization for years but this is his first time as a HC). We have a good relationship. He knows I have experience, he knows I put real effort into becoming a better coach, he considers my input and it feels like a joint effort. Its a much better situation for me than with the previous organization once we were without a modified team. 

I am running a very bastardized version of the DC46 (league rules forced a lot of changes, I guess it really looks more like a 7 diamond). After realizing exactly where we are after week 3, we may look to expand with some other looks as well. 

Game 1: We played a very poor team. We learned nothing about ourselves. We were more talented but they were horribly coached as well. They struggled getting snaps and handoffs. We cause 6 turnovers and held them to a negative yardage total on the day. Offensively we scored on our first 3 drives, took our starting backs out (league rules) then scored 2 more times with our backups in.

W 35-0

Game 2: Big test. From all of our scouting we expect this game to have championship implications. They beat their first 2 opponents by at least 2 TDs. They are a well coached, physical downhill team. Defensively they are sound and physical up front. Our kids came ready to play. For a 9 year old team, we played as close to mistake free football as you can ask for. Few missed assignments, few missed tackles, few negative plays. By halftime we were up 3 TDs. We didn't push them around but we didn't make mistakes. Our drives didn't stall, theirs did, that was the difference in the game. I was disappointed we didn't get the shutout but even the 2nd team defense played well. We thought we had a good team but after this game anything less than a championship will be a disappointment.

W 28-6

Game 3: Came out flat. After last week the kids know they should win every game and for a group of 9 year olds that can be tough to keep out of their heads. We played solid team with a really good RB. He is fast, cuts well and breaks tackles. He is the only real threat that they have, but he is a threat to take it to the house every time he touches it. Not sure if we underestimated his speed or were just flat in general but he ran for a few big plays against us on the opening drive. Before you knew it they were down to about our 25 yard line. We either figured out the angles with his speed or got our heads out of our behinds, and we made the stop. Our (1st team) offense hasn't been stopped all year, and they stayed true to form with an opening drive TD. Defense looks to have tightened up but gives up a 1st down with a penalty before making the stop. Offense keeps rolling, defense was lights out for the rest of the game and the rout was on.

W 27-0

Game 4: Most physical game yet. Playing a 1 loss team with some big hitters on defense. We were missing our starting RB/MLB who is out quarantining due to a COVID close contact. We still have a good team but obviously that is a big hole to fill on both sides of the ball. Defense starts strong with a 3 and out. Offense scores on their first possession. Defense with another 3 and out. Offense is driving and we think the rout is on. Not so fast, those big hitters jar the ball loose and they recover. Luckily the defense continued to be rock solid pitching their 3rd shutout in 4 games. The offense really struggled and our opponent was the more physical team when we had the ball. Our offense managed to score again but the physicality of the defense took its toll. All of our backs came out for a number of snaps at some point or another after being shaken up. 

W 16-0

Game 5: Dominated a poor team. These games aren't fun. I honestly don't know what these teams practice all week. We are 10 weeks in since the first practice and these guys are still struggling with snaps and handoffs. They aren't as talented as us but this should be ironed out by even the least talented teams by now. We held them to negative yards all day and forced several turnovers. We score on our first 3 possessions and its 21-0 at the end of the 1st quarter. From there on out its a game between our second team and their starters, our second team wins that battle 13-0. 

W 34-0

Game 6: Mud bowl win. This was a fun game. Its been raining all week and the field was slop. All the uniforms were brown by the end of the game. Our opponent moved a lot of players around since the start of the season and really found what works for them, going into the game they were #2 in the league standings. Both offenses struggled a bit given the conditions, but our defense continued to play lights out. Our opponent is built on getting big plays outside with their waterbug of a runningback and pounding the middle with their FB who is right at the weight limit to be a back. My ends and corners played an outstanding game and the RB was never able to get anything going. My nose tackle is probably the best lineman in the league and shut down anything up the gut. We post our 5th shutout in 6 games.

Offensively things were a tougher to come by than they have been most of the season. The head coach is in his first year and used the same offensive system as the coach he took over for. As the season has gone on he has mixed in some of the stuff I used at my old organization. On our first drive we were faced with a 4th and goal from the 8 after running off tackle down their throat but their DEs started cheating in to stop it. I suggested we could get the edge with jet sweep and it went for the TD. Late in the 2nd quarter it was still 6-0, he called jet sweep again. It got a good gain but I told him jet QB counter was wide open. He called it and our QB went 35 yards for the 2nd score of the game. It was a lot of fun for me for the defense to dominate and have a lot of my offensive stuff carry the day. 

W 18-0

Game 7: Cross town rival for the Championship! Win this game and we are the champs, lose it and we have to share the championship with our opponent who is our biggest rivalry. Our league doesn't have a championship game but for all intents and purposes, this is a championship game. Our opponent is big and physical. They like to come downhill on offense and they are tough to block up front on defense. We start on defense and they are running the ball right down our throat. They are taking their time, the refs obviously aren't calling delay of game penalties today. We knew they would try to lean on us and it was now obvious that they were going to try to use the whole playclock (and then some) to try and limit the possessions of the game. They are driving it on us but no big plays. One of my DEs gets impatient, crashes and causes a big loss. Its a hole they can't get out of and turn the ball over on downs. Our offense has scored on every opening drive this year and does so again. The opposing coach saw my end crashed to stop them on their first series, and tries to take advantage of it. They were slowly bleeding us between the tackles before, now they are gashing us for big play after big play on the outside. They score, they convert the extra point, they are winning 7-6. This is the first time we have trailed all season, gut check time. I coach up my ends while the offense gets us the lead back. From here on out, we do our job defensively. Outside guys locked down the outside and the interior tightened up. They are able to move the ball a little bit, but never threaten to score again. I think they brought an intensity to start the game that they weren't capable of keeping up for the duration because after their first 3 drives or so we started to really take over. We clinched the championship but we have one more game to go and undefeated champs is way better than 7-1 champs. 

W 24-7

Game 8: Grudge match. Final game of the year against my former organization. The coaches who took over and I have known each other a long time and we don't like each other. They have a talented group, luckily for us they are garbage coaches. They have a collection of plays and BoB block everything. I have a good idea what they are going to run as soon as I see their formation. Every 3rd down I call a stunt and they have no answer. Offensively, they go no where. When we are on offense their talent makes things difficult for us but we are able to move the ball. We score once in each of the first 3 quarters to go up 19-0 going into the 4th quarter. Now its a stalemate for the entire 4th quarter as our backup RBs are in per league rules. As time in running out on them they decide to go for it on every 4th down in the final quarter, keeping the field position battle in our favor as this stalemate goes on. With time running out, we are content to pound the middle and run the clock out even though we are deep in their territory. With under 30 seconds left and the clock running, we are getting our guys lined up at the 50 to shake hands and they decide to call time out. Not sure how they expect to score 3 TDs in under 30 seconds, but fine. We've been hammering the middle, they've moved all their best players to the middle, we fake it up the middle and go outside. The kid we give the ball to doesn't hit the hole like our starters, but he is fast. He gets the edge and goes about 15 yards for a TD. They are obviously looking to pass to get on the board, but with our starting backfield out on offense they are free to play at corner and safety. I stunt my most athletic DL to the C gap expecting them to roll out their QB. He comes through unblocked and hits their QB causing a duck of a pass, picked off and returned for a TD, and we score 12 points in 2 plays. They are free to use their timeouts however they wish, but in my opinion they played a stupid game and won a stupid prize. Either way, we are undefeated league champions and it feels good. The handshake at the end of the game with those guys was very satisfying for me even though one of them walked by and refused to shake my hand. 

W 31-0