BlueBear

I combine a silent snap count with coded play calling. My players do not huddle, but look to the sideline for the next play while walking to the new LOS. It was pretty ominous at first as we would run a hurry up offense in complete silence. A change in league rules this year mandates the silent count go away, but I intend to have my QB yell out "ready" once everyone is in position, and the center hike the ball when ready. The implementation of the silent count has all but eliminated off sides penalties as the team is well trained to fire on ball movement.

Looking for some suggestions for an effective defense in an 8 on 8 league. (7/8 yr olds) Some of the rules specific to our league: 3 down linemen must line head up with offensive C, RG, LG. Must be at least 1 yard off line. 3 linemen are only players that can rush the pocket. Defensive ends may cross the line of scrimmage, but cannot enter pocket until ball carrier breaks out. From past experience, there is little problem getting a rush from the front 3 defenders. Kids this age either don't block well, or are not taught to block well. Rarely does a middle run cause any problems. The main problem I see is containing on outside runs and reverses. I plan on coaching up the end position to contain the outside run at all costs. Beyond this however, I am without any solid strategy for my 3 remaining players. My first thought is to play 2 linebackers wide, reading the gaps inside and outside the ends. That leaves one safety who I would play deep and have read pass first, then find the ball in run support. Another idea was to have one of my defensive tackles crash down on the center to hopefully free up the nose for a clean rush. I would then have my other tackle drop into the middle center of the field and flow to the ball. The purpose for this is to provide more coverage in the center of the field where I think a weakness occurs with 5 of 8 players crashing the opponents backfield. Any input or additional suggestions anxiously awaited.

Our league (7/8 year olds, 8 on 8) mandates the use of the shotgun. We rush 3 down linemen who have to line up directly over the offensive line (no gaps). It becomes apparent quickly which teams do not practice the snap enough. My plan this year is to implement a direct snap to the ball carrier. My feeling is that the level of difficulty does not increase much for the center to snap the ball at a slight angle versus directly to the QB. The direct snap will eliminate the awkward handoffs and timing issues that often ensue after a poor snap. I plan on running a type of option out of this formation where the backfield executes the same running routes whether they have the ball or not. I feel this will help simplify the responsibilities of each backfield position and enable more players to rotate through. In fact, even if the center snaps the ball to the wrong back, he will still be aware of his assignment and will have a chance to make a positive play. Once this system is ingrained, I plan on expanding the offense. But I think fewer well-executed plays is important with kids this age.