A thought about the continual 2nd and 3rd stringers getting game reps.....

[Westdawg]

As a coach, i have taken time in past seasons to get as many in-game LIVE reps for my 2nd and 3rd stringers. The school i was last at has won 17 or 18 state titles ( at that point, its just a lot) , and is always going deep into the playoffs. Prior to my arrival, the previous staff would only play its 1st team on both sides all game, and ended up with a lot of starters hurt, and when it came time - particularly the playoffs - for those younger guys to HAVE to play, they had no experience in games at all. sure they had some jv games that we played, but not in games that REALLY MATTERED. when i arrived, the HC stressed to me that i had to make sure to play as many guys as possible...not only to keep starters fresh, but because when we got deep into the playoffs, we were going to NEED those younger guys to take crucial snaps during that meat grinder of games. It paid off. and lots of guys understood that they were indeed crucial to the program and actually stuck around.

I have talked to my old HCs from the past two schools i was on staff, and both of them told me basically the same thing: your coach at State is making sure they will go deep into the new playoff format. nobody else is really doing that, and when your team gets to those kinds of games, it is going to show with that quality depth and experience in big games.

I think this staff came in with this plan from the get-go. they intended, and not just giving coach-speak, but really intend on having these boys go all the way. Let's steamroll Bama !!!

[CadaverDawg]

As a coach, i have taken time in past seasons to get as many in-game LIVE reps for my 2nd and 3rd stringers. The school i was last at has won 17 or 18 state titles ( at that point, its just a lot) , and is always going deep into the playoffs. Prior to my arrival, the previous staff would only play its 1st team on both sides all game, and ended up with a lot of starters hurt, and when it came time - particularly the playoffs - for those younger guys to HAVE to play, they had no experience in games at all. sure they had some jv games that we played, but not in games that REALLY MATTERED. when i arrived, the HC stressed to me that i had to make sure to play as many guys as possible...not only to keep starters fresh, but because when we got deep into the playoffs, we were going to NEED those younger guys to take crucial snaps during that meat grinder of games. It paid off. and lots of guys understood that they were indeed crucial to the program and actually stuck around.

I have talked to my old HCs from the past two schools i was on staff, and both of them told me basically the same thing: your coach at State is making sure they will go deep into the new playoff format. nobody else is really doing that, and when your team gets to those kinds of games, it is going to show with that quality depth and experience in big games.

I think this staff came in with this plan from the get-go. they intended, and not just giving coach-speak, but really intend on having these boys go all the way. Let's steamroll Bama !!!

Good post. I agree. It's frustrating at times, and would have been a killer if it had cost us a game....but right now, it looks brilliant. And if we make the playoff, we will without a doubt be the freshest team in it.

[GTHOM]

As a coach, i have taken time in past seasons to get as many in-game LIVE reps for my 2nd and 3rd stringers. The school i was last at has won 17 or 18 state titles ( at that point, its just a lot) , and is always going deep into the playoffs. Prior to my arrival, the previous staff would only play its 1st team on both sides all game, and ended up with a lot of starters hurt, and when it came time - particularly the playoffs - for those younger guys to HAVE to play, they had no experience in games at all. sure they had some jv games that we played, but not in games that REALLY MATTERED. when i arrived, the HC stressed to me that i had to make sure to play as many guys as possible...not only to keep starters fresh, but because when we got deep into the playoffs, we were going to NEED those younger guys to take crucial snaps during that meat grinder of games. It paid off. and lots of guys understood that they were indeed crucial to the program and actually stuck around.

I have talked to my old HCs from the past two schools i was on staff, and both of them told me basically the same thing: your coach at State is making sure they will go deep into the new playoff format. nobody else is really doing that, and when your team gets to those kinds of games, it is going to show with that quality depth and experience in big games.

I think this staff came in with this plan from the get-go. they intended, and not just giving coach-speak, but really intend on having these boys go all the way. Let's steamroll Bama !!!

I agree 100 percent. Too many teams, especially at the high school level dont play enough guys when they have the depth especially at the 6A 5A level to do it. I'll admit i didnt agree with rotating Dak at the beginning of the year but it will help Damien and you are always smart to rotate your defense. You cannot have enough depth defensively. I think we will roll the tide. Great post man

[TrapGame]

As a coach, i have taken time in past seasons to get as many in-game LIVE reps for my 2nd and 3rd stringers. The school i was last at has won 17 or 18 state titles ( at that point, its just a lot) , and is always going deep into the playoffs. Prior to my arrival, the previous staff would only play its 1st team on both sides all game, and ended up with a lot of starters hurt, and when it came time - particularly the playoffs - for those younger guys to HAVE to play, they had no experience in games at all. sure they had some jv games that we played, but not in games that REALLY MATTERED. when i arrived, the HC stressed to me that i had to make sure to play as many guys as possible...not only to keep starters fresh, but because when we got deep into the playoffs, we were going to NEED those younger guys to take crucial snaps during that meat grinder of games. It paid off. and lots of guys understood that they were indeed crucial to the program and actually stuck around.

I have talked to my old HCs from the past two schools i was on staff, and both of them told me basically the same thing: your coach at State is making sure they will go deep into the new playoff format. nobody else is really doing that, and when your team gets to those kinds of games, it is going to show with that quality depth and experience in big games.

I think this staff came in with this plan from the get-go. they intended, and not just giving coach-speak, but really intend on having these boys go all the way. Let's steamroll Bama !!!

Awesome post!

This is one of the reasons I love this board.

[MetEdDawg]

Here's the other thing to piggy back. We have no one on our team that has experience being at the top. The whole team is learning about how to deal with that high ranking as we go.

But how many of these second and third stringers will be getting starting minutes next year? A ton because we lose a lot of seniors and a lot of minutes, especially on defense. We will start next year highly ranked and these guys need playing minutes with that target on their back because it's not going to change any time soon if we want to stay at the top.

You have to integrate the players in as best as possible. People wanting style points against teams like UK and Arkansas and UAB don't understand the long term goal we have. We are a RS system. A lot of the guys we bring in aren't ready to play immediately. They need time in the system, but they also need real time experience in games because many of them aren't called on to be starters immediately. They have to learn how to be starters and leaders. You don't just turn a switch and automatically become a starter and a leader. That takes time for most guys and we realize that.

[starkvegasdawg]

I agree with this post, but I have to say I hope that we massively limit that come this game against Alabama. As soon as our entire 1b secondary comes into the game you know Kiffen is going to go air raid with Cooper. I know you're never supposed to deviate what has worked but this is just too big of a game with too much on the line to make sure everybody plays.

[Jack Lambert]

I agree 100 percent. Too many teams, especially at the high school level dont play enough guys when they have the depth especially at the 6A 5A level to do it. I'll admit i didnt agree with rotating Dak at the beginning of the year but it will help Damien and you are always smart to rotate your defense. You cannot have enough depth defensively. I think we will roll the tide. Great post man

Brad Peterson at Brandon plays a lot of guys. Maybe that's why he has won big every where he has coached.

[Westdawg]

I agree with this post, but I have to say I hope that we massively limit that come this game against Alabama. As soon as our entire 1b secondary comes into the game you know Kiffen is going to go air raid with Cooper. I know you're never supposed to deviate what has worked but this is just too big of a game with too much on the line to make sure everybody plays.

here's the thing, however. At some point the possibility of a starter getting hurt or needing a breather or sickness...anything.....it is going to happen.
we have to prepare for the long term. and Mullen and staff have done just that. I honestly think that they have play called in some of these games to MAKE these guys be forced to react.