team philosophy

We begin and end all conversations about the type of team we will be with our Trust, Attitude and Effort Foundation. The game will be “48 minutes of heck” for our opponent. This means mentally and physically pushing them on every play. Our attack will feature an equal balance of importance on all three phases of the game. We will practice and preach the importance of Defense, Offense, and Special Forces as equal thirds. It is often said that “Defense Wins Championships”. While that may be partially true, it is our belief that Teams win championships. Our commitment to playing all three phases of the game with great passion, intensity, and effort is what will separate us from other teams. A few of the items that will further define us as a team are:

Competitive Environment

We will create a competitive environment around our program. We will create opportunities for our student athletes to compete every day. Fostering a competitive spirit is an all the time event. Providing athletes with the opportunity to compete gets them to believe in that sense of competitive dominance in all they do. One of the keys to us winning football games is winning individual matchups. We will develop awareness for the game inside the game on each and every play. If we are competing with ourselves or with an opponent we will consistently be reminded that competition is great.

The best Player will play

We will attempt to play players on one side of the ball, but if a player is talented enough to help on the other side of the ball they will. This will take a team effort from our coaches managing that players snaps effectively.

Use unique players in Unique Situations

Throughout a game there are many unique situations that arise. We may come upon a defensive 3rd and 25. This calls for one heck of a pass rush. We will be in the practice of having a special unit that needs to be on the field to go get the quarterback in that situation. That may involve a receiver or safety going in at defensive end. We will be accustom to thinking outside of the box to put us in a position to win football games.

Playing Time

Due to our “48 minutes of Heck” style of play we will need more players to step up and be ready to go. The majority of the positions on the field will have two starters ready to go. If a unique player comes along and can benefit the team by being on the field more, then they will be on the field.

We will try to limit players to participating on only three starting units each game. This means that each starter on offense will only be expected to be a starter on two Special Forces units. If a player happens to be a starter on both offense and defense then they are only to be on one Special Forces unit.

On the varsity level we will play as many players as we can to still compete at the highest level possible.

On the sub-varsity level every player will play in the games if they have been at practice, and are in good standing concerning discipline and academic progress.

Player Division

We will try to divide all players with a primary and secondary position as a freshman. This will be done by allowing the offense the first four picks. They get a quarterback, running back, receiver and a center. The defense then follows with the next eleven picks. The defense will fill out an entire first unit, and then the offense will pick its remaining seven players to round out their lineup. We will then go to a one for one draft until all players are chosen.

As players progress through the JV and on to Varsity the placement is continually evaluated. Players can move if it is agreed on by the staff that it is the best move for the team.

At the beginning of each Varsity season we will evaluate each and every player in our program. At this point we will compile a list of the top twenty-two players in the program. We will then see if there is a way to get the majority of those twenty-two on the field as starters for that season.

The base concept is that we are a team. We are not an offense or a defense. This requires coaches to be flexible with “their players” and for players to be open to helping where ever they can.