Eight Communication Errors to Avoid when Coaching in a Triple Option Program
December 4, 2013
Assistant Coaches play a HUGE role in the development of the Triple Option program.
The information they educationally communicate to players make all the difference between winning and losing.
There are eight communication errors to avoid when coaching the Triple Option.
These errors are the following:
1- Coaches jumping to conclusions
If a coach is unfamiliar with the Triple Option, he cannot assume that the offense is going to look like Navy on day 1, day 5, day 10, or day 15. This is a process-based offense requiring techniquing assignments.
2- Rushing to judgments
When problems occur during the Triple Option installation process, coaches must refrain from assuming the offense does not work. They cannot judge the offense based on one bad practice or game performance.
3- Speaking those judgments
Here is where the problem gets huge. The disgruntled coach does not agree with the offense and looks to start a clique of haters who are on his side about the Triple Option offensive strategy.
4- Giving unwanted advice
Coaches provide players with irrelevant information. For example, a new Offensive Line coach tells the Tackle to “give the 5-technique a little push” before he veer releases. This coach does not understand the concept of a veer release and believes that this is going to help the quarterback make a better read. Coaches must know all the techniques and WHY the techniques are executed in the specific, non-negotiable fashion.
5- Moving prematurely to problem solving
Coaches are adding unnecessary detail to fix an error in Quarterback’s Triple Option footwork. They need to follow the information provided by the Triple Option Football Academy and not improvise. All the answers are right here.
6- Changing the subject
When Triple Option does not work on the first play of the game due to a singular error, this should not result in coaches “scrapping” the Triple Option and running constraint runs the rest of the game–this offense cannot sustain itself with constraint runs.
7- Talking about yourself
Coaches, nobody cares what you did on offense when you played for Polk High in 1976… this is a totally different offense with cutting-edge alignments, assignments, and techniques. This offense is designed for the military. It’s BETTER than what you did in 1976…
8- Talking about other similar cases
Coach, there’s nothing to compare this offense. Stop attempting to treat this as a case study and just coach the alignment, assignment, and technique for Friday-night success.
