I failed to mention a procedure we follow which we think is highly desirable. During the week of the game, the assistant coach who scouted Saturday’s opponent lives in the football dormitory with the players. From 7:30-10:00 P.M. nightly, when we do not have squad meetings, he will show films of the opposition in the dormitory. He will answer questions and give the players any information they are seeking on our opposition. We find our players do a better job when they understand why we ask them to do something. On the field many times we do not have the time to explain why. The assistant in the dormitory does have the time to explain why and as a result the players do a more intelligent and better job of playing.
GRADING THE GAME FILM
Grading the game film is a very definite part of our planning. If we do not know who is doing what during a game, we can’t do an intelligent job of planning and coaching. I am sold on our grading system, and we feel that through the study of films we can determine who to play, and also who not to play, in critical situations. Knowing this information in advance has won a number of football games for us.
Our procedure for grading films is for one coach to take one position and grade every player in that position offensively and defensively. It is possible for a player to get one of three possible scores, plus (+), minus (-), or ungradable (U), on each play. Our criteria is as follows:
Plus (+)—If the boy carries out his assignment and gets his job done properly, his coach will give him a plus. His technique of execution might not be the way he was taught, but we are concerned with the fact either he did or did not do his job.
Minus (-)—If the player failed to carry out his assignment and/or his man “whipped” him, then he is graded minus (for the particular play).
Ungradable (U)—If a player is not shown in the picture or he does not have the opportunity to help out on the play, he is ungradable and would receive (U). An example would be the defensive right end when the play goes away from him and in all probability he will not have an opportunity to take part in the play.
After getting a grade for each play, like symbols are added together, and the total number of offensive (or defensive) plays participated in to determine percentages. Divide the sum total of plus and minus signs into the total number of plus signs in order to arrive at the percentage of plays that got the job done. We have found that a player must grade at least 61% on offense and on defense in order to be a winning football player.
We grade the offense and defense separately. If a player consistently makes a good grade on defense and a poor grade on offense, we know either we have to play him only on defense or we must give him more offensive work.