Football Motivation: A Master Example

Navy Football team running on to the field carrying american flags. Football motivation at its best.
The service academies are steeped in college football tradition and it is still an awesome sight to see the Navy football team storm the field carrying American Flags. Photo from the U.S. Navy Flickr feed.

Football motivation. The idea is pervasive in football culture. There are videos, quotes, posters, and over 30 million results for the Google search. It’s also big on Twitter. There are also scholarly articles written on motivation and sport psychology.

Motivation is an integral aspect of any endeavor requiring hard work. This is especially true in the off-season. Players and coaches must be motivated to put in the work necessary to get better. This involves study and a great deal of training. It involves breaking down game film, learning from past mistakes and implementing new ideas. It involves hours in the weight room building strength and power. Then it requires many more hours on the track or in the gym to improve flexibility, speed and agility. All of this requires discipline and motivation.

Then there is also the emotional aspects of the game. Football and emotion are deeply entwined . We see this emotion on so many levels. It manifests itself in the passion of fans, in the joy of victory, and in the agony of defeat. We also see it at the close of each season, often with tears. Tears of joy after claiming  a title, or tears of grief when falling short of the goal. As such, it is possible to motivate by invoking emotion and inspiration. This is often done with music and narrative. Most of us have heard the great motivational speeches of Vince Lombardi and Knute Rockne. Many of us have also witnessed the effect of the music and voice overs in an NFL Films production.

So I want to showcase some of the best football motivational work I’ve seen. In my mind, the 2012 motivational campaign implemented by Navy’s football program is one of the most cohesive and effective I’ve seen. Plus they run the Flexbone, so as a coach of an option offense it is even more meaningful.  Navy released the following videos last spring and throughout the 2012 season. I’ve posted a few of them before, but wanted get them all up. The list includes a video entitled “The Journey,” a motivational video for each game, and a 15 minute highlight video for the 2012 season. Check them out and let me know your thoughts in the comments below.

Football Motivation Videos

Navy Football “The Journey” from Navy Football Video on Vimeo.

2012 Friday Night Motivational vs Notre Dame from Navy Football Video on Vimeo.

2012 Friday Night Motivational vs VMI from Navy Football Video on Vimeo.

2012 Navy Football Motivational vs San Jose State from Navy Football Video on Vimeo.

Navy Football Motivational 2012 vs Air Force from Navy Football Video on Vimeo.

2012 Navy Football Motivational vs Central Michigan from Navy Football Video on Vimeo.

Navy Football Motivational 2012 vs Indiana from Navy Football Video on Vimeo.

Navy Football Motivational 2012 vs ECU from Navy Football Video on Vimeo.

Navy Football Motivational 2012 vs FAU from Navy Football Video on Vimeo.

2012 Friday Night Motivational vs Troy from Navy Football Video on Vimeo.

2012 Friday Night Motivational vs Troy from Navy Football Video on Vimeo.

2012 Navy Football Motivational vs Army from Navy Football Video on Vimeo.

2012 Navy Football Motivational – ASU from Navy Football Video on Vimeo.

2012 Navy Football Highlights from Navy Football Video on Vimeo.

Another 5 Myths about Option Offenses

Bad Weather Option Offense by Kiyotaka Okami Crop
Option offenses are often associated with a number of myths that have become conventional wisdom. Most of them, however, are easily busted.

In my last post I started a top 10 myths about option offenses list and have finally found the time to wrap it up. In the last post, I argued against commonly held beliefs that option offenses are risky, gimmicky, and vulnerable against defensive speed. Today I will talk about option football in bad weather, long yardage situations, and efficacy in the NFL. So once again, lets wade through the B.S. and get on with some mythbusting.

Myth #6 – Option Offenses Don’t Work in Bad Weather

Option offenses have been used in all types of weather and are no more susceptible to the elements than any other offense. A wet ball is hard to handle whether you are engaging in a mesh and pitching it, or if you are trying to throw the ball down field. In bad weather, just getting the snap to the quarterback can be a challenge. Once again, this is just a function of being prepared and working on the fundamentals. Incorporating wet ball drills, and practicing in inclement weather will help prepare any team to handle poor playing conditions when necessary.

This myth is a function of relativity. Obviously an offense that just takes a snap and hands the ball off to a running back will probably have fewer problems with ball security than other offenses, but they will also be predictable and will have to face a stacked box without the advantage of a horizontal space. As usual, execution is more relevant than scheme.

Myth #7 – Option Offenses Struggle with 3rd and Long

All offenses struggle with 3rd and long. It doesn’t matter if you are throwing the ball, running a power scheme, or optioning the defensive end. The numbers don’t lie. If you need to gain a larger number of yards in one attempt, your odds of converting go down. The problem here is perception. People believe that throwing the ball on 3rd and long is more effective than running the ball. This comes from average yards per play. People see that a pass, on average, will gain more yards than a run. What is rarely considered is that the chance for a completion is also reduced and you also run the risk of throwing an interception. Another overlooked aspect of this myth is that option teams tend to average more yards per carry than more conventional offenses. Football is a complicated game with many variables. As such, one-off statements about effectiveness are problematic and not easily verified. Conventional wisdom isn’t always true.

Myth #8 – Option offenses can’t play from behind

This myth is similar to the idea that option offenses struggle on 3rd and long, and are run-only offenses. The truth is nobody wants to play from behind and all offenses face certain challenges when trying to overcome a large lead. Again, the problem is one of perception. Conventional wisdom states that running teams are less likely to mount a comeback and that passing the football is more likely to result in quick scores. In reality option offenses often lead statistical categories such as points scored, total yardage, and explosive plays. When playing from behind, the game changes in many ways. I assert that defensive stops and turnovers are far more relevant to staging a comeback than the style of offensive play involved.

I will concede, however, that clock management are a bit tricky when running an option bases system. Additionally, when throwing the ball, a team can attack the defense nearer the sideline and an incomplete pass kills the clock. I again assert (a theme perhaps?) that option teams can be efficient as a 2-minute offense if they drill tempo and fundamentals like getting out-of-bounds and ball security.

Myth #9 – Option Offenses are Easy to Defend if a Long Prep Period is Involved

This is another idea that has firmly rooted itself in the conventional wisdom of commentators. I could spend some time laying this one out, but TBuzz over at SB Nation has done an excellent job of it in his excellent article on dispelling the extra time to prepare myth. In this article he breaks down the statistics for Georgia Tech games and finds that length of prep time has a “weak to negligible” correlation to winning and losing games. The article also offers further anecdotal evidence from when Tom Osborne used an option offense to dominate college football and win several national titles. The article pretty much sums up the idea that, in general, good rushing defenses slow down option football, not the amount of time for preparation.

Myth #10 – Option offenses won’t work in the NFL

RG3 by Keith Allison
Until recently, conventional wisdom held that option offenses wouldn’t work in the NFL. Over the last two seasons we have seen evidence to the contrary. Photo by Keith Allison.

Finally we come to Myth #10. We’ve all heard this one. Option football will never work in the NFL. The defenses are just too fast and the scheme is too gimmicky to really be viable in the League. The past couple of seasons have seen some very successful implementation of option football with athletic quarterbacks like RG3, Colin Kaepernick, Cam Newton, and Russel Wilson. The reality is option football can work in the NFL. Just like any offense, with proper execution, can work in the NFL.

Finally there is a lot of talk about whether the read option is just a fad, or if it is the “offense of the future.” Additionally, many are saying defenses will be more effective after studying the offense in the off-season. So once again, it comes down to execution. Is option football here to stay in the NFL? The answer is easy. If teams can execute the offense better than opponents can execute a defense for it, it will continue to thrive. In other words, some teams will run it and run it well, while other teams will be shut down by good run defenses.

I would love to hear your thoughts. Agree, disagree, or have something to share? Please join in the conversation and thanks for reading.

Option Football carries Navy to Another Victory

Option football and Keenan Reynolds leads Navy to their 5th win in a row. Photo by the Official U.S Navy

The Midshipman win again. This time in a come from behind 24-17 victory over FAU. Freshman quarterback Keenan Reynolds ran for a career high 159 yards and a touchdown. That’s 5 in a row for Navy. All coming after Reynolds was given the starting job.

Below you can see the most recent Friday Night Motivational video Navy watches before their games. It features a phenomenal speech and a soundtrack that includes the orchestra version of Metallica’s One. Gotta love Metallica. I’ve embedded it below, check it out. I’ve also embedded a few highlight videos, all from the Navy Football Videos Vimeo page.

Continue reading Option Football carries Navy to Another Victory

Split-T Flexibility Is Why We Have Option Football

Don Faurot’s Split-T concepts on flexibility within his offense have evolved into modern option football. Navy Photo by Russ Walker.

In the last post we explored the ideal player characteristics identified by Don Faurot for his Split-T offense. Today we will close this series by illustrating how the flexibility of the Split-T and Faurot’s vision of implementing fast break concepts into football paved the way for more modern and complex option football schemes.

Faurot opens this section of his book with the following words:

The term “flexibility” is applied to a resourceful offense, one capable of adjusting quickly to any changes made in the defense while the play is under way.

This sentence embodies the very essence of option football and clearly illustrates why his ideas evolved into the option concepts used today by the Flexbone, the Spread Option, and other Option heavy offenses.

Continue reading Split-T Flexibility Is Why We Have Option Football

Option Football History: Split-T Player Characteristics

While great players aren’t necessary in many of the T-Offenses, it is important for players in different positions to have certain skill sets.

In the last post we explored the stances developed by Coach Faurot for the Split-T backfield. We will continue to explore the mechanical aspects Faurot named as being important to the success of his scheme. Today we will discuss positional requirements for the Split-T.

1. Line Splits
2. Quarterback Path
3. Center/QB Exchange
4. Play Sequence
5. Backfield Stance
6. Ball Handling
7. Position Requirements
8. Flexibility

As previously stated, the Split-T does not need exceptional players at each position to be successful. That being said, there are a few desirable characteristics that will help to make the offense more effective.

Continue reading Option Football History: Split-T Player Characteristics

Option Football History: Split-T Ball Handling

In the last post we explored the stances developed by Coach Faurot for the Split-T backfield. We will continue to explore the mechanical aspects Faurot named as being important to the success of his scheme. Today we will discuss ball handling for the Split-T.

1. Line Splits
2. Quarterback Path
3. Center/QB Exchange
4. Play Sequence
5. Backfield Stance
6. Ball Handling
7. Position Requirements
8. Flexibility

Within the context of the Split-T, Faurot taught techniques that varied greatly from other “T” offenses. The most notable difference being the quarterbacks use of the pitch while moving laterally down the line of scrimmage. Faurot taught the quarterback to make a two-handed pitch that is easy to catch for the pitch back. He also taught specific techniques for the handoff.

Continue reading Option Football History: Split-T Ball Handling

Option Football History: Split-T Stances

In the last post we explored the play sequence developed by Coach Faurot for the Split-T. We discussed how his concepts and ideas were integral to option football development. We will continue to explore the mechanical aspects Faurot named as being important to the success of his scheme. Today we will discuss the backfield players stance’s and alignment.

1. Line Splits
2. Quarterback Path
3. Center/QB Exchange
4. Play Sequence
5. Backfield Stance
6. Ball Handling
7. Position Requirements
8. Flexibility

Faurot believed in putting his backfield players in a three-point stance to eliminate motion penalties while still giving them quickness on the snap count. He accomplished this by emulating the start position of track and field athletes. The primary difference is width of the feet and the placement of the off arm on the thigh.

Continue reading Option Football History: Split-T Stances