In order to get to your desired destination, you need to have some sort of road map to follow. In football, one part of that road map is called an insertion plan. You need to keep in mind, no insertion plan should be cast in bronze. You might be making unforeseen changes almost daily. But, at the very least, you have an idea where you are today and where you would like to be tomorrow or even next week.

This plan also keeps you up to date on how much defense your players have learned and how much they have yet to learn. As their coach, you must be able to determine when they have reached critical mass. Remember, you knowing and them knowing are two very different things. There is a fine line between confusion and comprehension and you have to make the determination between the two. I have always believed a coach should never sacrifice quality for quantity. It is better to do a few things with precision than to do many in a haphazard manner.

However, it is also true that something is confusing only until you understand it. Don’t sell your players short when it comes to how much they can learn. Again, the key here is can they execute what they have learned?

When you think about it, you realize kids growing up today are exposed to a lot of football early. Many youth football teams are doing what high schools were doing just a few years ago. If you add the factor of better coaching and teaching, you can see why we have freshmen stepping in as starters on major college teams.

In drawing up your plan, one of the first things you do is determine what it’s going to take to beat your toughest opponent. Then you compile a list of strategies you need to win. (make him have to throw on first down, create third and long. Etc, etc.) Then you list specifically all those fronts, stunts, blitzes, coverages and drills that fit into your strategies. Now you’re ready to draw up your insertion plan. I’m sure there are many good plans out there. The one I use works for me and is as good as any and better than most. I suggest you formulate one that works for you.

SAMPLE DEFENSIVE INSERTION PLAN:

WK# DATE FRONTS STUNTS BLITZES COV/ADJ DRILLS

1 8/15 3-3 #1 #1 3 & 7 4 ¼ EAGLE

8/16 3-3 #2 #2 3 & 7 4 HIT PROG.

8/17 E-RT/LT #3 #3 3 & 7 4 TACKLING

8/18 E-RT/LT #4 #4 3 & 7 4 5 MAN SLED

8/19 DBL-E #5 #5 3 & 7 4 FIT

SCRIM 8/20 ALL ALL ALL ALL

2 8/22 DBL-E #6 #6 3 & 7 PURSUIT Etc., etc., etc.We usually formulate a plan that takes us right up to our first game. You can do it daily, weekly or even monthly. Obviously it’s your call to do what’s right for you. But, don’t just make up a plan and throw it in a drawer. Put it where you can see it everyday and refer to it.

Practice planning As we all know, when we’re dealing with players, we have to give them direction. When it comes to our practice plan we tell them the following:

1. Get up on time (set your alarm clock ½ hour early)

2. Show up on time (always be early) There is never an excuse for being late.

3. Show up as a football player (dressed properly, no earrings, etc). Look like an athlete

4. Learn what to do.

5. Learn how to do it.

6. Practice hard.

7. Practice fast.

8. Be a team player.

SAMPLE DAILY PRACTICE PLAN

20 minutes early outs: punters, centers, kickers, holders, returners, etc. (individual skills). this time is not included in total team practice time.

10 min stretch in position groups

5 min ¼ eagle in position groups

5 min stance and start in position groups

5 min agility in position groups

10 min hit progression

10 min tackling

10 min read drills

10 min secondary: skelly/fit/pursuit drill

defensive line: one on one, three on one

30 min 7 on 7/inside run

30 min team

20 min *Conditioning: make it an exercise in discipline. put the stop watch on them. Run them in groups. L.B.’S, D.B.’S, and D.L. Each group has a set time to make. If one person doesn’t make the time, all start over. Do the same if they jump or don’t touch the line. etc. Your in-season program should stem from your off-season running program.

5 min announcements

On Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday we have 21/2 hour practices. As the season goes on, we will take some of the conditioning time and add it elsewhere as needed. However, anything over 21/2 hours becomes counter productive in my view.

If, for whatever reason, you’re not having a good practice, don’t be afraid to cut it short. The old saying of “you can’t slap a fart out of a dead mule” really does apply. Therefore, don’t throw good money after bad by trying to resurrect a practice that died. It rarely works. Just pick it up the next day. Your players will usually respond favorably by your next practice.

SAMPLE IN-SEASON WEEKLY PLAN (COLLEGE LEVEL)

SUNDAY

AM: COACHES: GRADE PLAYERS.

COMPILE STATS SHEET.

BEGIN CHARTING UPCOMING OPPONENT.

EXCHANGE TAPES WITH UPCOMING OPPONENT.

DUPLICATE AND CUT UP OPPONENT’S TAPES.

PM: PLAYERS:

TRAINING ROOM THERAPY

HELMETS/SHORTS PRACTICE

STRETCH/RUN STRIDERS, “WORK UP A SWEAT”.

WEIGHTS: VERY LIGHT

SATURDAY GAME TAPE EVALUATION/HANDOUT GRADES

MONDAY

AM: COACHES: COMPLETE CHARTING OPPONENT

FORMULATE TENTATIVE GAME PLAN

WRITE MONDAY 3^RD DOWN SCRIPTS

DRAW UP 3^RD DOWN PLAY CARDS.

PM: PLAYERS: UPCOMING OPPONENT’S GAME TAPE.

WEIGHTS: AUXILLIARY LIFTS, IN MAINTENANCE MODE

TRAINING ROOM: REHAB/TAPE

MINI PRACTICE 1 HR.: HELMETS/SHOULDER PADS.

3^RD DOWN OFF./DEF.

TEAM PUNT

TEAM F.G./PAT

CONDITIONING

PM: COACHES: FINISH OPPONENT’S SCOUTING REPORT.

TUESDAY

AM: COACHES: REFINE TENTATIVE GAME PLAN.

WRITE PRACTICE SCRIPTS.

WRITE PRACTICE PLAN. 21/2 HRS.

DRAW UP PLAY CARDS

PREPARE SCOUTING REPORT FOR HANDOUT

PM: PLAYERS

SCOUT. REPORT/OPPONENT’S TAPE

WEIGHTS: CORE LIFTS, MAINTENANCE MODE.

TRAINING ROOM: REHAB/TAPE.

PRACTICE: 21/2 HOURS FULL GEAR.

PM: COACHES: REFINE GAME PLAN. LAST DAY TO ADD.

WEDNESDAY

AM: COACHES REFINE GAME PLAN. NO ADDS.

EVALUATE/REVISE/WRITE SCRIPTS.

WRITE PRACTICE PLAN. 21/2 HRS .

TRADE TAPES FOR FOLLOWING WEEK’S GAME.

PM: PLAYERS

SCOUT. REPORT/PRACT. TAPE/OPPONENT’S TAPE.

WEIGHTS: AUXILLIARY LIFTS, MAINT. MODE.

TRAINING ROOM: REHAB/TAPE.

PRACTICE: 21/2 HOURS FULL GEAR.

PM: COACHES: FINALIZE GAME PLAN. ONLY SUBTRACT.

THURSDAY

AM: COACHES: CONTINUE TO FINALIZE GAME PLAN.

WRITE SCRIPTS WITH MINIMUM PLAYS.

DRAW UP MINIMUM NUMBER OF PLAY CARDS.

WRITE PRACTICE PLAN. 21/2 HOURS.

PM: PLAYERS:

SCOUT REPORT/PRACT. TAPE/OPPONENT’S TAPE.

WEIGHTS: CORE LIFTS, MAINT. MODE.

TRAININGRM.: REHAB/TAPE

PRACTICE: 21/2 HRS. FULL GEAR.

PM: COACHES: FINALIZE GAME PLAN/PREPARE READY SHEETS.

FRIDAY

AM: COACHES: LAST MINUTE GAME PLAN SUBTRACTIONS.

WRITE UP “READY SHEETS”.

REVIEW BOOTH AND FIELD ASSIGNMENTS.

WRITE UP ORDER OF ROTATION OF PLAYERS.

WRITE UP SPECIAL TEAMS DEPTH CHART.

WRITE UP PRACTICE PLAN. 11/2 HRS.

PM: PLAYERS:

SCOUT. REPORT/PRACT. TAPE/OPPONENT’S TAPE.

TRAININGRM.: REHAB/TAPE.

PRACTICE: 11/2 HRS. UNDER LIGHTS. UNIFORM W/O PADS.

SPECIAL TEAM SCRIPT.

WALKTHROUGH OFF. AND DEF.

SATURDAY (GAME DAY, GAME TIME: 7:00 PM)

AM: COACHES AND PLAYERS OFF.

PM: COACHES: FINALIZE ANY AND ALL PREPARATIONS.

SET UP ALL DUPLICATING EQUIPMENT.

OPPONENT’S TAPE COLLECTION AND RETURN.

PLAYERS: TEAM MEETING.

POSITION MEETING.

TRAININGRM.: TAPE

DEF/OFF WALKTHROUGH.

DRESS.

EARLY OUTS.

TEAM OUT.

GAME TIME.

POST GAME: TEAM MEETING

PM: COACHES: POST GAME INTERVIEW

POST GAME/COLLECT UNIFORMS.

COPY TRADE TAPES FOR SUNDAY AM.

DUPLICATE CUTUPS OF OFFENSE/DEFENSE

Obviously there are many different plans. Formulate a plan of your own that fits your program and run with it. Thanks for taking the time to read this article. Feel free to leave a comment, and if you would, please take the time to click an ad next to the article.