Coaches in attendance at the 4th Down Sports High School Coaches Football Clinic on Friday night were treated to a 90-minute talk with University of Virginia coach Al Groh. Groh, once described by Bill Parcells as “smart, tough and focused”, did not disappoint in a speech that focused on winning football from the perspective of a head coach. Those in attendance that are not head coaches were still able to extract valuable knowledge from the speech because, according to Groh, position coaches should think of themselves as the head coaches of their position.

High school and youth coaches have more to worry about than wins and losses. Academics, citizenship, sportsmanship, character building and more are all areas that football coaches must emphasize, especially in the developmental stages of football players’ lives. But football is a game, and we play to win. Groh’s talked focused on that topic – winning.

According to Groh, when you focus on winning championships, it sets the standard for the entire program. A winning record and impressive stats are nice, but the focus should always be on winning a championship. Raise the bar and remember to focus in on the bullseye, and, as Groh says, “The bullseye is winning”.

Groh talked about three factors in winning:

Be innovative and creative: This doesn’t mean you have to try a new offense or implement the ‘defense of the week’. It means using your best players in new situations. If your running back has the best hands on the team, maybe put him in the slot or line him up as a receiver from time to time. If your tight end can throw, then take advantage of his skills and utilize a play where he can throw the ball downfield. Being innovative and creative means to think outside the box. Good coaches do this.

Be willing to take risks: Every once in a while you will have an opportunity to gamble. If your strengths amount to a good percentage rate of success in that scenario, you might want to go for it. Maybe you have a talented youngster on your team who you know has talent but no experience. Sometimes you need to take a risk, take a chance on players like that. Groh relayed a story about his coaching days at Wake Forest when he had to make a major decision late in the 4th quarter of an important game. Up by 4, on his own 23, the Deacons faced a 4th and 1. That year, Wake’s offense was its strong suit, and if they converted on fourth down then they could run out the clock and seal the win. If they don’t make it, then their opponent has a golden opportunity to score late and win the ballgame. Groh took the calculated risk; they got the first down, and won the game. Sometimes you have to gamble.

If it’s not working, try something else. Don’t let ego get in the way of trying new things when what you have in is not working. Listen to your gut – if at the end of a game you know that your team needs to do better out there on the gridiron, then don’t be afraid to make adjustments to your game plan. Whether it be personnel, a nuance of your scheme, or any other facet of your game, if it’s not putting you in the best position to win games, then try something else.

HOW TO HIT THE BULLSEYE

Groh says that there are three facets to “hitting the bullseye” from the perspective of a head coach.

Winning starts with leadership. The difference between a leader and an administrator is that administrators organize, and leaders set standards, communicate with emotion and build cohesion and unity amongst their team. To put it another way: “The supreme function of the leader is to set standards and demand compliance to them.” The standards that you set for your team have to be yours. They can’t be just what is appealing to yourself and to others (parents, boosters, players), but they must be ones that reflect your value system and be ones that you are willing to enforce. This is extremely important in earning respect and credibility from your players. If you have to make a tough decision with your star player because of a situation that you have been preaching about since the first day of camp, then you have to stick to your guns and make that decision for the overall good of the team. Without adherence to your standards, your team will be lost.

Be the person that your team needs. You need to be able to ‘read’ what it is your team needs in certain situations. It isn’t always about yelling. Your players want to win as much as you do. If you’re down at halftime by 21 and your team is beaten up physically, maybe you need to let them know that you still believe in them and that you know they can win. Work on strategy, be a cheerleader, do what’s necessary at the moment to give your team what it needs you to be. Be flexible.

Create the best team you can every week. One of the great things about football is that every Sunday is the start of a new week of preparation for a new opponent. Give your team the best chance it can have at winning by assembling the best unit that week to beat that team. It’s your system vs. their system, your players against theirs. Examine your opponent’s weaknesses and create the best opportunity to attack them. Give yourself the best game plan with the best personnel for that opponent. Think of your team as being reborn and reshaped every week. You’re not playing the same team week in and week out, so it makes sense that you shouldn’t be the same exact team every week either.

Lastly, Groh talked about the importance of setting the agenda for your team each week and throughout the season. Don’t let the parents, fans, teachers or media dictate what it is you are trying to accomplish. This is your team, your group of players. Keep everyone on the same page, and try to anticipate things that can cause division from within. Playing time, schemes, personnel decisions – to those outside of your locker room, all of these things and more are constant fodder for debate. Don’t let them affect or alter your team’s psyche. Maintain a positive ‘collective mentality’ amongst your team and don’t let outside distractions become an issue.