"Receive my instruction, and not silver; and knowledge rather than choice gold. For wisdom is better than rubies; and all the things that may be desired are not to be compared to it." (Proverbs, Chapter 8, Verses 10-11)REAL FOOTBALL IS BACK! (See"NEWS")
HEY NFL- LEAVE LABOR DAY ALONE (See"NEWS")
August
31, 2007 -
"One of the greatest and most
honorable compliments that can be paid to a player is,
'He is a good sport.'" Jake Gaither, legendary coach
at Florida A & MALL NEW! CST's Feature Story on the Black Lion Award 
Back in the spring, following the Chicago clinic, I took
part in a "Ride-along" with a team of plainclothes
Chicago policemen. Click on the "Chicago Police" seal to
read more about it and see some exclusive photos, shown
only on "News You Can Use"- *********** I recently launched a free e-mail newsletter, aimed specifically at those of you who love and respect the game the way it's seldom seen on TV these days, and still believe that it's possible to play football other than the way the NFL plays it. The second issue went out this past week. To get on the mailing list, e-mail me your name, location and e-mail address at: oldschoolfootball@mac.com (your information will never be given to anyone else)
Watch the Kansas State-Auburn game Saturday night, and look for K-State's Number 98, Ian Campbell. He's a 6-5, 245-pound linebacker from Cimarron, Kansas, and he's the Wildcats' Black Lion, their first ever. Based on the following letter nominating him, he sounds as if the award was designed with him in mind:
- *********** Coach Wyatt, On behalf of Coach Prince and the Kansas State football team, I would like to nominate Ian Campbell for the Black Lion Award.
- As a freshman in 2004, Ian chose to join our football program as a non-scholarship member. With hard work and determination he quickly grabbed the attention of his team mates and coaches and was honored with the Purple Pride award following his redshirt freshman year. This award is given to the walk-on player who, through his effort on and off the field, best represents Kansas State football with quality play, leadership and work ethic.
- In the spring of 2006, Ian was awarded a full scholarship and emerged as a strong team leader. Along with the multitude athletic accomplishments Ian has acquired to this point, his true gifts are his work ethic, his unselfish attitude, his leadership skills and a 'what's best for the team' mentality.
- Ian was chosen as a team captain for the 2007 season for a litany of reasons. Ian's leadership skills are second to none. He has a high standard of expectations for himself and his teammates and will not settle for sub-standard performances. He demands the best from himself and those around him whether it is on the field, in the classroom, or working with kids in the community. Ian has been active in Junior Cats, Senior Cats and Read and Achieve. He has become a true role model for the youth of Manhattan.
- On the field, Ian strives to keep the practice intensity at a high level by demonstrating a high energy work ethic and challenging others around him to perform at a higher level. Whether he is being a vocal leader or leading by example, Ian has the respect of his teammates to lead and be followed. His unselfishness and desire for the success of his team and teammates became very apparent this past spring. As the defense changed, Ian was one of many players who had to switch positions. Ian led the charge by verbally and physically addressing the changes as a positive and 'better for the team' change. In his previous position, defensive end, Ian was named a consensus first team All Big 12 selection.
- I believe Ian Campbell is truly an exceptional nomination for your Black Lion Award and would be an excellent recipient to receive this prestigious award.
- If you have further questions concerning Ian please feel free to contact me at 785/587-7742.
- Sincerely,
- Sean Snyder
- Director of Football Operations
- Kansas State Football
- Manhattan, Kansas
- http://www.kstatesports.com/ViewArticle.dbml?SPSID=3062&SPID=212&DB_OEM_ID=400&ATCLID=67107&Q_SEASON=2007
AND IF YOU ARE ABLE TO GET THE ARMY-AKRON GAME ON ESPN REGIONAL OR "GAMEDAY" - WATCH ARMY'S BLACK LION, #33 MIKE VITI, AT FULLBACK - *********** YEE-HAW! COLLEGE FOOTBALL IS BACK!
- AFTER THE SCHLOCK THE NFL HAS BEEN OFFERING UP THE LAST SEVERAL WEEKS, REAL FOOTBALL IS BACK!
- IT HAS TO BE KILLING THE POOHBAHS OF THE NFL TO SEE ALL THIS ATTENTION GOING TO THE COLLEGES.
- IT'S THE NFL'S OWN FAULT, OF COURSE - THEY'VE HAD THE FOOTBALL FANS OF AMERICA ALL TO THEMSELVES FOR THE LAST MONTH, AND THEY'VE INSULTED THEIR AUDIENCE BY SERVING UP STARS THAT BARELY PLAYED - OR DIDN'T PLAY AT ALL - AND TEAMS THAT DIDN'T CARE ONE WAY OR THE OTHER WHETHER THEY WON. (AND AT FULL PRICE, IF YOU HAPPENED TO BE A POOR SUCKER WHO OWNS SEASON TICKETS.)
- AND ALL THE WHILE WE READ ABOUT MILLIONAIRE PLAYERS WHO WRECKED $350,000 LAMBORGHINIS, AND BET THOUSANDS ON DOG FIGHTS - AND WANTED STILL MORE MONEY.
- SO NOW, WHILE THEY OFFER US YET ONE MORE WEEKEND OF WORTHLESS "PRESEASON" GAMES, THE COLLEGES HAVE TURNED LABOR DAY WEEKEND INTO ONE TRULY GREAT ADVENTURE FOR FOOTBALL FANS.
- THE NFL WILL NOT STAND IDLY BY AND LET THIS CONTINUE. THEY INSIST ON DEFINING FOOTBALL FOR THE AVERAGE PERSON, AND IT GALLS THEM TO THINK THAT COLLEGE FOOTBALL JUST WON'T GIVE UP THE FIGHT.
- MY PREDICTION: THEY WILL ADD A GAME AT THE FRONT END OF THEIR REGULAR SEASON (DROPPING ONE PRE-SEASON GAME) AND THEN THEY'LL MOVE ALL THEIR ROCK CONCERTS AND PHONY "OPENING GAME" FESTIVITIES IN TIMES SQUARE TO LABOR DAY WEEKEND AND TRY TO CLAIM IT AS THEIR OWN.
- *********** Watching the LSU-Mississippi State game...I realize that Mississippi is a small state... I know that "Mississippi" and "Mississippi State" sound almost the same...
- And I also I know that there are people at ESPN who don't care about college football as much as I do and couldn't be bothered with learning the difference between Mississippi and Mississippi State.
- Which probably explains one of the biggest f--k ups I've seen in a long time, when they ran the obligatory PSA (public service announcements) for the two schools - LSU and The University of Mississippi.
- Oops.
- *********** Based on the LSU-Mississippi State telecast, ESPN games this year are going to include lots of cutesy features designed to appeal to the sort of people who don't care much about football and don't know what a game's supposed to look and feel like. Expect all sorts of "guest" announcers introducing the starting lineups. LSU had former Clinton hired gun James Carville doing it, and Mississippi State had Miss Mississippi. And expect more clever camera angles, too, including lots of shots from the ground-level camera, and closeups of the QB's face right up to the moment the ball is snapped. (So much for seeing the offensive and defensive alignments.)
- Give ESPN this - they had Doug
Flutie and Craig James in the box. Those guys know their
stuff and know how to get it across.
*********** Uh, coach Friedgen - would you like to revise this before we send it out over the Internet?
- Talking about his team's season-opener against Villanova, Maryland coach Ralph Friedgen said the Terps could find themselves in a "dogfight."
- *********** The AP story, picked up in all the papers, read like this: "Houston Rockets guard Rafer Alston was charged with slashing a man's neck during a ruckus as a Manhattan nightspot - his second brush with the law this month."
- Wait a minute. He slashes a guy's neck - and that's a brush with the law?
- Would he have had to decapitate the guy to get them to call it a "scrape?"
- *********** The latest Sports Illustrated runs a men's underwear ad by Calvin Klein that sure looks as if it's aimed at gays.
- *********** Arkansas coach Houston Nutt, no doubt recognizing that someone had stolen the name "Wildcat" from me (just kidding - although I have my suspicions), announced on TV that its direct-snap package would henceforth be known as the Wild Hog. He said "Coach Broyles" (the Arkansas AD) got a lot of mail and e-mail about calling it the Wildcat. (None of it was from me. Honest.)
- *********** Best line of the week (so far) -Asked by Tony Kornheiser what he thought about the announcement that the PGA Tour would begin testing its golfers next year for performance-enhancing drugs, Phil Mickelson answered, "I think I'm going to have to cut back."
- *********** Here's the story...
-
- Spartanburg, South Carolina High head football coach Doc Davis announced Monday that he will resign at the end of the season after 18 years at the school.
- Coach Davis announced his resignation on the same day that a quarterback who had quite the team before last week's opening game was allowed by administrators to return to practice.
- The quarterback then had a change of heart and asked to be allowed back, but team rules - which he had agreed to and signed before the season, made it clear that any player who quit the team could not return.
- Administrators, however, ordered the player reinstated (although he was suspended for the next three games).
- And so, a coach who compiled a 176-53 record with five state championships at his high school is moving on, so that we can "save" one misguided individual.
- Not to imply in any way that this kid is a criminal or is likely to become one, but I'll bet that if you could go back into the lives of the criminals who infest the NFL, you'd find an awful lot of enabling exactly like this. So here we had a group of kids blessed with a coach with the stones to draw a line and hold them to it, and up step the usual aw-give-him-a-second-chance administrators to demonstrate in the most graphic way possible that rules can be bent, and kids aren't going to be held accountable for their actions; that there will always be someone to bail them out, no matter how stupid their decisions - if they are football players. Let that happen to a kid often enough and by the time he makes it to the NFL, he believes that God should have to pay for his autograph.
- *********** And verily, it came to pass that a foreigner named David arrived on our shores.
- This one, they said, was unlike all the others who came before him.
- This one, they knew, would finally take them and their Beloved Sport to the Promised Land. The Land of Big Time Sports.
- Har, har, har.
- Only one problem. David Beckham, the latest in a long line of saviours who everyone said would finally convince people who can't watching soccer that there is something wrong with them, is suffering from assorted boo-boos that will keep him from playing any more soccer this year.
- I love the thought that he is taking millions away from soccer people, because otherwise there's no telling what mischief they might do with all that money.
- And for all those fools who keep arguing that because soccer is beloved in so much of the rest of the world we should discard the things we hold dear and clutch it to our breasts, I have two words for them to keep in mind: Metric System.
- *********** Coach, I have 3 questions for you.
- 1. We have great success with our tackle-over alignment. Most teams do not adjust which opens the SuperPower hole even wider. Is the any further advantage to be gained by bringing 2 men over? What are the risks?
- It is best not to do this as a steady diet, but just to slip it in there from time to time. The benefit is that this way you catch people unprepared... the risk of doing it on a regular basis is that if they know what you're doing and prepare for you, they will probably catch you unprepared, because you can't predict what you might see. Defensive people are not stupid, and if you give them a half a chance, they will design some things that you have never seen before.
- 2. We can not get timing down on our screen pass. We give Super Power look with full back blocking back side and then releasing. Should the pass be forward? Backward? Behind the LOS? How deep should QB get? Would it be better to the tight end?
- I recommend running a play from the play book. I don't recognize this play. I hope you understand that I am unable to help with plays that other people have designed.
- 3. I know your strong feelings about running vs. passing. I think I can win all my games without ever passing. But am I doing a disservice to the boys by not teaching them the passing game? The teams we play line up wide and deep and never adjust ,so we could wedge, SuperPower,Counter and Trap forever. One day a team may stack the box and we may need at least the threat of a pass. Your feelings please.
- You should always have the ability to pass. You need an infantry, and you need armored, but you also need airborne and artillery.
- PS. I believe our league paid you a compliment this year due to our team's success. 3 Teams in our age group, and one entire program have switched to the Double Wing Offense. There are probably others but I do not follow the other age groups closely enough to know. The one program had every boy attend the Archbishop Curley Double Wing Camp which teaches your system. Another coach flew to Texas for a clinic to try and learn to stop it. We beat him 18-6 last Saturday. The 105 degree heat and the refs slowed us down, but not his defense. Apparently he coached the refs into 5 "assisting the runner" penalties, which were bad calls after reviewing the tape. Thanks for everything.
- *********** It is of course great that college football is underway. To help kick things off, and only incidentally to promote their first TV game of the year (LSU-Mississippi State), ESPN made a big deal of non-top, 25-hour coverage, starting at 4 PM Pacific and running right up to the game.
- The truth-in-advertising folks out to get on this one. A 25 hour show? Make that a three-hour show recycled eight times. I like Andre Ware and all that, but Wednesday night I heard him say that USC had better watch out for Oregon, and I saw it twice more on Thursday morning, before muting ESPN and turning on the sound at the US Tennis Open...
- ... where I heard some weenie Frenchman telling us that he had to forfeit his match because he had... laryngitis. I did not make that up.
- *********** I am going to install 88-G Reach tomorrow, and have one question regarding the blocking rules for the playside wingback, tight end, and tackle. If we are facing a defense with a DL head up over the guard, another DL head up over the tackle, a LB off the ball and over the TE, another LB off the ball over the wingback, and a defensive end outside the wingback how should we identify #1, #2, and #3? In this case, I would suspect we would need to make the LB over the wingback #1, the LB over the TE #2, and the DL over the tackle #3. If we made the DE #1, and the two LB's #2 and #3 we would have an unblocked DL (the center would not be able to reach as he would be picking up the DL over the pulling playside guard). Would this be the most appropriate way to adjust to such a defense?
- This is about the weirdest defense I have ever heard of. That is 5 men to the right of center and, I assume, five men to the left. I count 10 men "in the box" and I don't know where the 11th man is.
- With all due respect - why would you be trying to force a sweep against a defense that is geared to stop a sweep?
- But if you insist - you have to leave the DE for the B-Back, because that "DE" is really a rolled-up corner. Actually, since they have only one man in the secondary, you might be better off just running "rip 88 reach" and not even pulling the playside guard, and instead just reaching across the entire playside (and leaving the "DE" for your B-Back).
- *********** Writes Adam Wesoloski, of Pulaski, Wisconsin, in sending me a nice article about Chippewa Falls' QB Brad Meade, "Who says DW QBs can't play college ball?"
- Meade, a 6-3, 200 pound senior, is ranked as WisFootball.net's No. 3 quarterback prospect. He has recorded a 4.72-second 40-yard dash, 275-pound bench-press max, 325-pound squat max, and 30-inch vertical jump. AND- he has a 3.8 GPA.
- Last year, he was 78 of 133 passing for 1,088 yards and 11 touchdowns. He rushed for another 175 yards and three touchdowns.
- http://wissports.net/sports/football/article.asp?nid=14487
- Yes, running is our deal, but... a good quarterback can be a huge asset to a Double-Wing team. For example, Jey Yokeley of South Mecklenburg High in Charlotte was five-of five for 99 yards and two touchdowns in last week's 47-0 win over Wardell. I think he is a genuine D-IA prospect. In this past summer's North Carolina-South Carolina Shrine Bowl combine, he ran a 4.62, 40, and had a vertical jump of 30.6. And trust me - he has a gun.
- Finally - a lot is expected of Washington's redshirt freshman QB Jake Locker, as the Huskies play Syracuse on national TV Friday night. Locker, 6-3, 215, is one terrific athlete who as a Wing-T quarterback led his Ferndale (Washington) High team to a near upset of mighty Bellevue in the state title game two years ago. The kid can run and throw, and turned down a major league baseball contract to sign with Washington. He's been considered the one who could lead the Huskies back to glory, and it took monumental self-restraint for coach Tyrone Willingham not to take Lockers' redshirt off last year, when Huskies' starting QB Isaiah Stanback went down in midseason. Just remember, when you watch Jake Locker - he played in a high school offense that "didn't prepare him for the next level," yet there he is on national TV. Moral: if you got it, they'll find you.
- *********** Watched the film of the first scrimmage for the HS last night with the coaches....I'm not going to say that they are only going to run spread......but on the video (shot from behind) you could never see more than 7 offensive players on the screen at one time. Quite a bit different from my scrimmage with Plymouth last week when there was 22 players on the screen...nearly all of them in the Free Blocking Zone! Rick Davis, Duxbury, Massachusetts
- Coach, The best thing about this feature is that when I want to, I can capture the offense on video just by setting up a tall stepladder about 10 yards back of the B-Back!
- LOL! Molly is going to be on such a stepladder tomorrow filming my scrimmage...
- *********** A coach wrote...
- We were discussing why "aiding the runner" is not called that much in football.
- I was explaining to him it's just a rule the refs do not enforce that often. I also gave him the example of how holding is not called as the rules defines it. See rule 9-2-1c in your (NFHS) rule book:
- "An offensive player (except the runner) shall not…(c.) Use his hands, arms or legs to hook, lock, clamp, grasp, encircle or hold in an effort to restrain an opponent."
- I will concede the fact that offensive linemen at all levels are now taught to grab the breast plate inside. But, per 9-2-1c, "grabbing" any part of the defender even if the hands are inside is illegal. Not called, but still illegal. The rule does not make an exception for keeping the hands inside.
- Also, there are no cases that allow for grabbing jersey or breastplate inside. It has just become an accepted practice. I believe this has trickled down from the NFL because they want more points and passing and allow more holding.
- My point was that even though the refs allow it and are told to allow it by their supervisors, by definition, it is against the rules.
- Also, read this from a referee chatroom:
-
- "Suppose two opponents are facing off at the line of scrimmage. The offensive player grabs a handful of jersey inside. The two continue to face off as the runner passes by them. If the defender is happy to just stand there in an embrace with his opponent the flag will not be thrown. But, if the defender in this scenario makes a move toward the runner and a real restriction to his movement is obvious, you should throw the flag even if the offensive players hands are inside. "
- You have done a masterful job of explaining exactly where we are in today's game, thanks to activist officials, who think they know what's best for the game, despite what the rules say. (Are they taking their cues from activist judges?)
- There are rules committees who work to writes the rules, and there are officials who are expected to enforce them, but more and more the officials seem to be copy-catting our so-called activist judges, who decide for themselves which laws they're going to honor, even though they are sworn to uphold them all.
- The rationalizations, such as the one placing the onus on the defensive kid to show that he is trying to escape, are disgusting.
- Officials have allowed themselves unwittingly to become engaged in a conspiracy with cheating coaches to supersede the actions of the rulesmakers.
- If they want more respect - and I'm all for that - they could start by getting back to merely enforcing the rules as they are written. The rule on holding is quite clear.
- *********** Steve Kelley in the Seattle Times wrote a great article about Terry Ennis, coach of Washington powerhouse Archbishop Murphy, of Everett. (Everett could fairly be described as a football town. Not so very long ago, three Everett natives were head coaches in the Pac 10: Dennis Erickson at Oregon State, Jim Lambright at Washington, and Mike Price at Washington State.)
- Archbishop Murphy is a powerhouse due almost entirely to the efforts of Coach Ennis.
- Coach Ennis had retired after a successful high school coaching career and was out of coaching for a year before taking on the task of building the program at Archbishop Murphy from scratch.
- How successful? In 1999, he was named Washington "Coach of the Century" for the winners he produced at Bellarmine Prep of Tacoma, at Renton, and at Cascade High of Everett.
- At Archbishop Murphy, he faced challenges that small school coaches will identify with - he mowed the practice field, and he painted the yardline stripes on the game field. There were no locker rooms, so players and coaches alike dressed in their cars. There was no weight room.
- In his third season, Archbishop Murphy won the state Class 1A title (4A is the largest), and is now a perennial contender in class 2A.
- Along the way, Coach Ennis was faced with another challenge - In 2003, he was diagnosed with prostate cancer. This past summer, he underwent chemotherapy while managing to get his kids ready.
- He spoke with Steve Kelley about the lessons all of us learn when we are trying to build a winner at a stage when it is simply not reasonable to expect to win every game: "You celebrate little successes. You don't wait for a win. You try to pick little things that you can measure and say, 'Here's where we are. Here's where we were. Here's where we want to go.' I think that's really important."
- *********** "I strongly urge you to return your video for a full refund and continue to teach tackling as you always have. "
- Coach this is an absolutely PRECIOUS response! You get a "know it all" ask you a question that he believes has you "stumped" if you answer it in any form. A no-win question. You then throw the know-it-all a simple response and case closed. Excellent work counselor! John Torres, Santa Clarita, California
- *********** "I strongly urge you to return your video for a full refund and continue to teach tackling as you always have.."
- Hugh, This made my day. What more could you say? I'm still chuckling.
- Frank Simonsen, Cape May, New Jersey
- *********** Coach, As far as the coach who was unsure of your tackling video. This is the first, last, and only tackling technique I have ever or will ever teach. I had a starting linebacker at 130 pounds last year that could absolutely destroy players 100 pounds heavier than he was. Once you rap and roll the hips, the ball carrier is done. Hard to run over a defender on your tip toes. The incredible safety of the technique is of course the best reason to teach it, everything else is a great bonus.
- Richard Cropp, Brunswick, Georgia
- *********** Second year with your DW. I took a back seat this year for personal reasons. No longer head coach, just running the O. Head coach is good friend of mine &endash; he was running my D two years ago so all is well &endash; lets me do what I want. Last night we had our last scrimmage. We ran 25 plays and gained 150 yards. Our first unit did a great job with the powers, wedges and counters, our second group can run the wedge but is still having some problems with the power &endash; but I guess that's what I'm here for. Our first game is a week from Saturday so I'll be working on putting in the "super" and 6G.
- One thing that really bothered me was the behavior of the opposing team's "coach". Our offense had their way with his defense and our defense was in his backfield busting up plays all night. I ran one formation "tight", he ran an encyclopedia of formations (which was probably why the quarterback pitched the ball to air on several plays). Of course he blamed his 10 year old players for their bad play…loud enough for everybody to hear him. "where were you on that play?", "What's wrong with you???", "you need to block!", "get off the field, you're not doing anything" &endash; just a few of his loud comments. Then he complained that our defense was off-sides every play &endash; "no wonder I can't get a play off" and our wedge was "illegal"; "you can't do that", "that play is chicken-sheet". Of course everybody was to blame for his inability to prepare his team. Guys like that are what give coaching a bad name &endash; and teach kids that if things go bad, don't take responsibility for your actions, just find somebody else to blame. AAARRRRGHHH!! Sorry for the rant. NAME WITHHELD, Pennsylvania
- *********** Coach, Wanted to share a few things with you about our scrimmage today.
- 1) The officials kept throwing the flag because my o-linemen were "too far off of the ball." Keep in mind this is our 10th season running this offense. We've done it the same damned way for ten years. At first I told my guys to double check their alignment. When the flags were thrown again I knew we were up against the other team AND the officials ignorance. So I did what any of us would do...I went to the official, stood right next to him and watched what he was watching. When my guys set up and he asked me if I understood the problem I told him "I sure do" and walked away. My guys were fine, he was an idiot. That was the problem. I explained the issue to the head official and two minutes later the problem was solved.
- 2) Opposing coach of the team (perennial state championship contender) wanted to know how WE would stop our offense. I hope you don't mind, but I referred him to you. :)
- We're running almost exclusively out of Over, Under, Lee and Roy because of personnel issues (if you have an extra OT laying around looking for something to do, please give him my number). I was somewhat encouraged today because we looked pretty good with our base stuff. And we played tough D. We have a long way to go, but we will keep climbing.
- It sometimes helps to have a rule book clipped to the pertinent pages. It would be cool to ask a guy like that to show me the appropriate rule he was quoting, and then, when he stammered and hemmed and hawed, continue, "because I can show you where what we're doing is legal." (Wonder if he's seen the tackles on passing teams who get "set" in two-point stances, with only their front feet "penetrating" the center's waist.
- st kidding. I wouldn't tell him anything, but I'd get his money, and then I'd take all the Double-Wing guys across the street to The Shannon View and set up the house.)
- Tell the coach the best thing he can do is bring his entire staff and all the youth coaches in town to my Providence clinic. (Just kidding. I wouldn't tell him anything, but I'd take his money, and then I'd take all the Double-Wing guys across the street to The Shannon View and set up the house.)
- As for the formations - you gotta do what you gotta do. I personally think you'll do fine.
- *********** Here comes the All American Football League, a -sort of - professional football league.
- From the Web site: http://www.allamericanfootballleague.com
- Teams will initially operate
as divisions of League whose football operations will
be run by a quasi-independent board and General
Manager. Some of the League's teams will be hosted by
universities with Division IA football programs and
other teams will play in independent venues. Games
will be scheduled in the spring and early
summer.
- League teams will employ only those players who have both completed their college football eligibility and earned a four-year degree. This policy is expected to have a very positive impact on universities' NCAA Graduation Success Rate and their Academic Progress Rate. To the extent practical, graduates of host universities will play for the team hosted by their alma mater.
- Whoa... I know I shouldn't be joking about this, but if they've earned a four year degree - can they be any good?
- A brief examination of the subject of eligibility... Players' eligibility starts from the time they enroll in a college or junior college, and lasts five years, during which time they are eligible to actually play for four seasons.
- The year during which they do not play, and therefore do not use up one of their four years of eligibility, is normally the first year, while the players are learning the ropes, adjusting to college life, and getting faster and stronger. But they do practice with the team, often playing the role of upcoming opponents of the so-called scout teams, which traditionally have worn "scrimmage vests" over their jerseys, in a different color from that of the varsity. At one time, about the only color scrimmage vests wear available in was red, hence the term "red shirts" for the scout team players. A player who is practicing but not using up a year of eligibility came to be known as a redshirt. From this came an adjective ("redshirt year"), and then a verb ("he is being redshirted.")
- After five years from enrollment, though, their eligibility is up, no matter how many years they actually play.
- There are certain extenuating circumstances under which the NCAA may allow a player an additional year or more of eligibility outside the five-year limit. The most common is an allowance for the two-year mission that many young members of the LDS Church go on. (This explains why the average BYU players is older than his counterparts at most other schools.) Military service is another acceptable reason for an extension of eligibility. Players who lose a season to injury may appeal to the NCAA for an extra year, and certain family hardship situations may also be grounds for appeals.
- *********** The New Jersey State Interscholastic Athletic Association (NJSIAA) implemented preseason practice guidelines for fall sports this year, designed to help the athletes get used to training in hot weather and avoid serious injuries.
- The NJSIAA's medical advisory committee of physicians, certified athletic trainers and department of education officials recommended the guidelines with the intent of preventing fatalities or catastrophic injuries.
- The first three days of practice, dubbed the "acclimatization period" by the NJSIAA, were limited to no more than three hours. Helmets were allowed on the first two days, with shoulder pads on the third day.
- Teams are no longer allowed to practice on more than six consecutive days. In addition, only five hours' of practice are permitted on any single day -- including warm-ups, stretching, conditioning, weight training and a cool-down period. A five-hour practice day may not be followed by one greater than three hours, leading to a 3-5-3-5 format. In addition, a "recovery period" of at least two hours should be added after any practice longer than two hours, and a one-hour break before a walk-through, in which "no protective equipment or strenuous activity" is permitted.
- Notice that these are called "guidelines." That means they are not mandatory, unlike other in other states. But coaches be forewarned: you wouldn't want to have a kid hurt under any circumstances, but certainly not if you'd chosen to ignore your state association's "guidelines."
- So what's it all about?
- Why, preventing fatalities, of course. That's what they say.
- Uh, I would like to submit the suggestion that perhaps - just perhaps - that "medical advisory committee of physicians, certified athletic trainers and department of education officials" is trying to solve a problem that doesn't exist.
- The public could get the impression that football is a deadly game, because on those rare occasions when a football player does die, the story is in every newspaper in the United States. But here are the facts: there are a million kids playing high school football in America. Last year, according to an annual survey by the National Center for Catastrophic Sport Injury Research at the University of North Carolina, there were 16 indirect fatalities of football players, that is, deaths caused by reasons other than physical contact. 12 of those 16 were high school players.
- Of those 16 deaths, only three were from heat stroke, the problem that the New Jersey guidelines are aimed at.
- Eight deaths - half of them - were heart-related.
- Now, not to try to sound overly critical of doctors, but you would have hoped that a thorough physical might have detected that problem in advance. Or is that now the coaches' job?
- So, uh... how exactly is that sort of fatality - which makes up half of all indirect football deaths - going to be prevented by practicing for three days without shoulder pads, or practicing for a maximum of two hours followed by a two hour recovery, or for a maximum of three hours one day followed by five hours the next day followed by three hours the next day, blah, blah, blah?
- Thanks to Scott Russell for the heads-up
- *********** A coach told me a little while ago that the mother of one of his kids threatened to sue him, claiming her son was injured because the coach was not teaching tackling correctly.
- Wrong, She picked on the wrong coach, a guy who is as professional in his coaching as a youth coach can be.
- His attorney, a guy familiar with such cases, told him that the woman had no case, and sure enough...
-
- It looks as if our little "legal" problem we had has gone away. The attorney for the plaintiff has withdrawn and Mrs. Lawsuit can not find an attorney to pursue it. For all the starving attorneys we have in (our state) to not take this case means either their case was real weak or your tackling methods are REAL STRONG. I think the latter.
- I wrote him back...
- I'm sorta sad that your antagonist couldn't find an attorney, because I was looking forward to being an expert witness. I'm told some of those guys make $500 an hour plus expenses.
- But I'm not that sad. You don't need that crap, and you never know how a jury might be manipulated.
- I'm sure that your coaching and your reputation would speak for itself in any court of law, but having the video does serve as documentation, and does demonstrate that you take your responsibility seriously.
- *********** Thanks Coach Wyatt. I enjoyed reading your comments (in your newsletter) about Coach Leahy at Notre Dame. I have a wonderful old book written by Frank Leahy, published in 1949, titled "Notre Dame Football -- The T Formation" that has some great pictures of several of the "lads" you mentioned in your newsletter. After reading this book, and another written by Don Faurot in 1950 on the same subject, I was tempted to run the "T" with my 6th-7th graders (just to be contrary). But, after running the Double Wing for so long I just couldn't bring myself to make the change. I love watching the thundering herd going through the off-tackle hole for one first down after another.
- Thanks again for all you do to help keep the "old" game alive.
- Eddie Hughes, Blessed Trinity 6th-7th grade feeder team, Roswell, Georgia
*********** Coach -- it's really amazing how many concepts of Coaching translate into the business world. Coach Lombardi was spot on in that regard, that's for sure. Reading this information about Frank Leahy just affirms this premise.
- Great Leaders aren't afraid to make a change, even when things are going well. Risk is required if you want to be GREAT! (Switching formation after going 8-0-1)
- Great Leaders put their people in a position to be successful. (Getting the "best 11 on the field")
- Great Leaders reward their top performers. (Top performers made the road trips, while the bottom guys fought it out)
- Great Leaders surround themselves with great talent. (third string players having NFL careers)
Just a few examples in this one story alone!!
Good stuff, Coach -- even though I'm not Coaching, the info is VERY applicable! Thanks for sharing!
Scott Barnes, Rockwall, Texas (Coach Barnes is a longtime youth football coach as well as a strong supporter of youth and high school wrestling. In his spare time, he serves as an executive with Perot Systems, in Dallas. HW)
*********** It's the LSU-Mississippi State game, and "Soccer's time has come!" says a commercial for a certain sporting goods company whose name is most appropriate.
*********** OK about Michael Vick. My only comment - First when I used to patrol around Overtown (a high-crime section in Miami) I observed a sparring pit bull session. It was so horrific that years later I still can see it. I do not know how people get into it. Two I always pray that more people get saved. I believe in hell. But his apology sounded like to me like this,"Damn- I got busted." Period. Now pay your price."Period."When he learns more about the Bible he will understand ,"We reap what we sow."Now there are way more important things in the States and the world than Michael Vick. Hope you are well. I still prepare myself for someday be OC at high school or HC in rec. But like your old high school coach, even if I m not currently coaching I still consider myself a coach. Best to you and Connie. Armando Castro, Roanoke, Virginia
*********** Ben Rushing, on the subject of New York's legislation requiring high school and youth leagues to use wooden bats, asks...
Is it the league's job or the government's job to set up rules for our sports? Even if it is something that you might agree with? http://www.usatoday.com/sports/preps/baseball/2007-08-28-ny-metal-bat-ban_N.htm
If it is a safety issue and the research is clear-cut, I can see the potential for government intervention.
As a precedent, I point to President Roosevelt's (Theodore Roosevelt's) concern about deaths in college football, and calling in the presidents of Harvard and Yale and "suggesting" they make football safer.
I do prefer that sort of approach to the grandstanding of passing laws to eliminate a problem that may or may not actually exist.
The metal-bat thing may certainly be a safety issue, but the research does not appear to be conclusive. I mean, everyone knows the benefit of hitting with an aluminum bat, but how do you prove that a kid hurt by a ball hit by an aluminum bat would not also have been hit by one off a wooden bat?
Certainly, the aluminum bat people are not taking this lying down, producing research of their own and even going so far as to hire former White House press secretary Ari Fleischer to lobby for them at the Little League World Series.
All
football programs are invited to participate in
the Black Lion Award program. The Black Lion
Award is intended to go to the player on your
team "Who best exemplifies the character of Don
Holleder (see below): leadership, courage,
devotion to duty, self sacrifice, and - above
all - an unselfish concern for the team ahead of
himself." The Black Lion Award provides your
winner with a personalized certificate and a
Black Lions patch, like the one worn at left by
Army's 2005 Black Lion, Scott Wesley, and at
right by Army's 2006 Black Lion, Mike Viti.
There is no cost to you to participate as a
Black Lion Award team. FOR
MORE INFORMATION
ALL NEW! CST's Feature Story on the Black Lion Award 
BECOME A BLACK LION TEAM 
GIVE THE BLACK LION AWARD TO ONE OF YOUR PLAYERS!
Will Sullivan, Army's 2004 Black Lion wore his patch (awarded to all winners) in the Army-Navy game
(FOR MORE INFO) The Black Lion certificate is awarded to all winners 
Take a look at this, beautifully done by Derek Wade, of Sumner, Washington --- http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8Yy6iA_6skQ
***********
Got a call the other night from Chuck Raykovich, in
Chippewa Falls, Wisconsin. "Rayko" is a true Double-Wing
veteran, who started running my system back in 1997, and
in the summer of 1998 hosted a camp in Chippewa Falls
attended by at least six other schools. Lost two
conference games in the last two seasons.
Edward
B. Lawless Sr., 80, formerly of Dresher, a retired
football coach, died of complications from dementia
Monday at Alterra Wynwood, an assisted-living facility in
North Wales.
In
adopting the width of the Canadian field (no need to add
any length), the NFL would expand its field from its
present 160 feet to 195 feet, an increase in width of
almost 12 yards. With the same 11 men (no, I do not
advocate going to the 12-man Canadian game) having to
cover the wider field, the defense would be under
enormous pressure to cover a considerably greater
area. 
***********
My wife and I had the great pleasure of having lunch in
Vancouver, Washington last Wednesday with General Perry
Smith and his lovely wife, Connor. 
***********
While his counterparts at many big-time college football
programs are frequenting nightclubs until the early hours
of the morning, Army's Mike Viti will be catching up on
some precious sleep. Mike, Army's Black Lion and starting
fullback, returns for his senior year with a lot on his
shoulders. Not only is he one of the team captains,
charged with helping new coach Stan Brock turn the
program around, but he's just been named one of West
Point's four regimental commanders. The position is more
than just honorary - think of it as a supercharged
student council rep - adding additional duties and
responsibilities to his already-crowded schedule. The
appointment is further confirmation of the good judgment
used by the Army coaching staff in selecting him Army's
Black Lion last season. Note the Black Lion patch on
his jersey - Mike will be wearing it all season long!
(Which, come to think of it, is a possible reason for
other coaches to consider selecting a junior as their
Black Lion!)
***********
It's a little early for Christmas, but it's never too
early to start planning... The teddy bear shown here is a
Jane Hinger Original, hand-made for my wife by my buddy
Doc Hinger's wife, Jane, who in addition to working
full-time keeping Doc on his best behavior is also a
teacher in Winter Haven, Florida. Jane has been making
and selling the bears for several years, and really got
started commercially when a couple of major league
baseball players' wives found out about her while in
Florida during their husbands' spring training.