First game, we put the “Ugh” in “Ugly”. Worst case of team butterflies I’ve ever seen. Apparently, I’ve forgotten how to coach football.
In the past, I’ve seen kids get worried over something and it become a self-fulfilling prophecy and once they make the error they are afraid of, they can’t seem to stop making it over and over again. I believe this was the case in this game.
1st play, our buck short, massive hole, HB picked up a nice 6 yd gain, before he got caught from behind (we are pretty slow this yr). 2nd play lost a fumbled snap. Pretty much the tale for the rest of the game.
The good news, our Oline was opening enormous holes. Bad news, didn’t matter, we couldn’t snap the ball. Fumbled the Center-QB exchange more often than we completed it. In all my years in the game, I’ve never had this happen
Pre-game snaps were good, at half-time the Center and QB spent the whole half-time taking snaps. Never a bobble. Game starts back up… the ball is on the ground time and again.
Last yr we went to the Wyatt snap, and it was the best ever. This yr….
As often happens, when things go south, it gets worse, kids stopped playing their assignments trying to make a play of some kind. Which made things worse…
I kinda expected to meet a lynch mob of parents after the game. Didn’t happen, but we gotta get this straightened out fast.
It was particularly frustrating because our Oline was opening great holes, while the QB was kicking the ball around trying to fall on it. When we did get the ball off the ground and the FB (Almost took the correct steps) on Belly, it was clear sailing all the way to the end zone. No one got even close to him. Should been that way the whole game.
We are switching Centers, moving a skinny SE to C because he wants the job - and he's a poor receiver. Our C – newbie to sports, 4th grader – had a great game on DLine. Consistently in their backfield and several TFL. But pretty sure he’s done at C. No confidence. We don’t yell at our kids, but I think he feels he is being blamed. Sensitive kid. I believe, if we can just get the snap, we’ll be fine.
Oh, Killer Bee still managed to force more 4 and outs than 1st downs. The bad guys did their damage on plays where we missed the tackles. Even as poorly as we executed the Bee, I’m seeing great potential in this Defense. They shoulda hung 60 pts on us, we gave them the ball several times on fumbles, with great field position, and they were trying to run up the score (they’re kinda mad at us for whooping them badly last season when they had a great roster) attempting to pass and run outside even on their last series of downs. But on the scoreboard we only lost 30-6, tho it wasn’t that close.
Time to roll up the sleeves and coach ‘em up even harder.
“Can’t trade ‘em, can’t cut ‘em, can’t kill ‘em, so we’re gonna have to Coach ‘em.” – Bo Schembechler
Last yr we went to the Wyatt snap, and it was the best ever. This yr….
How are you teaching it? I'm kind of a scientist-geek-fanatic about the snap/exchange. Is your QB using "bird hands" (parallel thumbs)? Or "gator hands?" Is he separating his hands in anticipation of the impact? Is he looking the ball into his belly? Is the Center one-handing the snap? Or two-handing? Was your Center covered/uncovered?
--Dave
"The Greater the Teacher, the More Powerful the Player."
The Mission Statement: "I want to show any young man that he is far tougher than he thinks, that he can accomplish more than what he dreamed and that his work ethic will take him wherever he wants to go."
Last yr we went to the Wyatt snap, and it was the best ever. This yr….
How are you teaching it? I'm kind of a scientist-geek-fanatic about the snap/exchange. Is your QB using "bird hands" (parallel thumbs)? Or "gator hands?" Is he separating his hands in anticipation of the impact? Is he looking the ball into his belly? Is the Center one-handing the snap? Or two-handing? Was your Center covered/uncovered?
No, but when you make a bird’s silhouette on the wall, you make it using “bird hands.” So there…
—Dave
"The Greater the Teacher, the More Powerful the Player."
The Mission Statement: "I want to show any young man that he is far tougher than he thinks, that he can accomplish more than what he dreamed and that his work ethic will take him wherever he wants to go."
Our QB is under center, thumbs crossed, hands (fingers) spread wide - bird hands - tight against the C. He may have been letting his hands separate in the game, but I couldn't see it from my position. This is our 1st choice for QB, but the 2nd QB we've had. The Jamboree we had to use our WB at QB since the QB had been on Vacation and missed 3 of the prior 4 practices. Our WB (also a newbie) wants nothing to do with the QB position after the Jamboree, had some trouble with the snaps as well, but mostly I just don't think he wants to be a QB.
Center was uncovered, his first step is w/ the leg nearest his block. We prefer one-hand over the nose of the ball, ball almost vertical, but the C felt insecure with it, so we let him go with two hands. Ball still vertical, put him closer to the ball than we'd like, but the refs are pretty lenient on the Centers' positioning regarding the ball.
We had problems in practice from time to time - the C tends to bring the ball up very hot, one of the reasons we like him at C, is the speed of his snap. We had him take some of the juice off the ball and that seemed to take care of it. In warm-ups no bobbled snaps, during half-time we worked on it, and it was fine. It's seems to be a game thing. I think it got in the QB's head, but nerves may have boosted the Center's adrenalin and he may be bringing it up too hot, again. The C is taking it personally, thinking its all being put on him. So, he doesn't want to play C anymore. Confidence is shot. For his sake, we'll likely move him to one of the OT's, and try to build him back up again. He blocks well and is our biggest kid.
Looks like open try-outs for the C position tonight. Gotta get the QB comfortable as well. We really don't have another candidate for the QB, all we really need is someone to "deal the cards" as someone recently put it. I think our Backs are all in their natural positions, and this kid can throw the ball, OK.
FWIW, this week we'll be playing an eagled 50 front. Our league rules put the Nose one yard off the ball, to give the C time to get his head up. I don't recall anyone in the league using a NT since I've been back in the game. This is the New HC who is bringing in the Beast.
I'm open to suggestions, consider this a cry for help.
Since this issue seems to appear in games, I'd bet money that it's your QB. 9/10 times, he's trying to start his footwork before the ball is in his hands. Center is snapping to an empty crotch. To remedy this, I coach the "3 P's."
Press your hands up and forward into the center's nether regions.
Push forward when you call for the snap (most important part of this)
Pull the ball into your belly/crotch (whatever you teach)
Making the Push a habit goes a long way to fixing mishandled snaps. It forces him to stay under a fraction of a second longer before going off on his adventure. A "hot" snap is something I covet. Wish I had that problem.
Game plan? I got your game plan. We gonna run the bawl some. We gonna throw the bawl some. We gonna play some defense. We gonna run some special teams, but we better not run kick return but one time and we sure as heck better not punt.
Our QB is under center, thumbs crossed, hands (fingers) spread wide - bird hands - tight against the C.
--I would never cross (overlap) the thumbs. That just puts one thumb out of position and makes the "clamp-action" of the other 4 fingers on that hand shorter and weaker.
the C felt insecure with it, so we let him go with two hands.
--My pref is two hands, because the ball comes in hotter.
the C tends to bring the ball up very hot, one of the reasons we like him at C, is the speed of his snap.
--Sounds like my kind of Center. If he's snapping to his butt-hole, it shouldn't matter how fast the snap is; his butt acts like a bumper-stop. It's the QB's hands on either side of the football that should provide the clamping action. Even though the QB's thumbs should be touching parallel to each other, they are essentially taking the snap by covering the ball at 10 and 2 o'clock (on an end-over snap).
--QB's parallel thumbs should raise and lift the Center's butt before each snap so that the Center can feel where the target is.
--If your Center only gets snaps-on-air in practice, you aren't doing him any favors. When our Center/QB get their 50 snaps 3 times per day/practice, our Center goes 1-on-1 with a NT from snaps 31-40 and if there a no glitches, the Center gets doubled by 2 NT's from snaps 41-50. If there are no glitches caused, the NTs have to run or do up-downs after practice. But if they cause a glitch, the Center/QB have to start over from zero. Our Center faced far more heat at practice than he ever did in a game.
--Dave
"The Greater the Teacher, the More Powerful the Player."
The Mission Statement: "I want to show any young man that he is far tougher than he thinks, that he can accomplish more than what he dreamed and that his work ethic will take him wherever he wants to go."
Yes, exactly. Always. That is NOT a problem with the Center. That is a goal. Regardless of the type of snap or whether we are UC, Pistol or Gun.
--Dave
"The Greater the Teacher, the More Powerful the Player."
The Mission Statement: "I want to show any young man that he is far tougher than he thinks, that he can accomplish more than what he dreamed and that his work ethic will take him wherever he wants to go."
Man, I'll be glad when you start coaching again...
--Dave
"The Greater the Teacher, the More Powerful the Player."
The Mission Statement: "I want to show any young man that he is far tougher than he thinks, that he can accomplish more than what he dreamed and that his work ethic will take him wherever he wants to go."
One of my pet peeves is the Center getting blamed for a QB problem on exchange. Too bad you don't have film, but from your explanation, the QB could be pulling out early, or the C may not be putting the ball in the same spot consistently. If he is snapping really hard he could be splitting the QB's hands. I always teach to make sure under Center they are snapping "Up" and not "Back".
Other things I have seen screw up a center, mentally, is everyone starts to overcoach him. Make sure just his position coach is working with him.
Also, is the center taking a large first step? Or short power step? the exchange should be done and ball out by the time his first step is planted.
I love Dave's approach! Dave, when in the practice plan do you work 50 good snaps?
Man, I'll be glad when you start coaching again...
--Dave
LOL...how are things going with you? Did you hook up with your friends youth team? Me? Nobody is going to miss me. You? I cant think of a single person that should be on a football field more than you. Kids need you. ?
I love Dave's approach! Dave, when in the practice plan do you work 50 good snaps?
Depends on the coach and how important you think it is. For me, my Center and QB got 50 snaps at the beginning of practice, 50 snaps somewhere in the middle of practice and 50 snaps against a force player at the end of practice. Since my practices are scripted, fitting them into whatever space I wanted to was easy. If they aren’t scripted, then it becomes a chore to fit it in.
Keep in mind you have the backup Center and QB to get reps, too. If you go UC and Gun, then you need to work that out, too.
Another thing to remember that even against air (the first 130 snaps), the Center is still practicing his footwork to the right, middle and left. It’s a pretty grueling workout, but since the Center is the captain of my offense, he understands and embraces the opportunity.
—Dave
"The Greater the Teacher, the More Powerful the Player."
The Mission Statement: "I want to show any young man that he is far tougher than he thinks, that he can accomplish more than what he dreamed and that his work ethic will take him wherever he wants to go."
Posted by: @mahonzDid you hook up with your friends youth team?
—Yes, coaching DW with my long time arch rivals. As a matter of fact, We beat them in the conference title game twice over the years and now here I am coaching for them.
Nobody is going to miss me.
—You’d be surprised.
I cant think of a single person that should be on a football field more than you. Kids need you.
—I was “retired” for 6 days. I think I need them far more than they need me. lol
—Dave
"The Greater the Teacher, the More Powerful the Player."
The Mission Statement: "I want to show any young man that he is far tougher than he thinks, that he can accomplish more than what he dreamed and that his work ethic will take him wherever he wants to go."
I love Dave's approach! Dave, when in the practice plan do you work 50 good snaps?
Depends on the coach and how important you think it is. For me, my Center and QB got 50 snaps at the beginning of practice, 50 snaps somewhere in the middle of practice and 50 snaps against a force player at the end of practice. Since my practices are scripted, fitting them into whatever space I wanted to was easy. If they aren’t scripted, then it becomes a chore to fit it in.
Keep in mind you have the backup Center and QB to get reps, too. If you go UC and Gun, then you need to work that out, too.
Another thing to remember that even against air (the first 130 snaps), the Center is still practicing his footwork to the right, middle and left. It’s a pretty grueling workout, but since the Center is the captain of my offense, he understands and embraces the opportunity.
—Dave
Thanks for always having a thorough answer to questions.
