New Middle School Coach

Question
My middle school I teach at just got a full contact football team for the first time. Our season starts in August. I am new to coaching. I played football for many years, but have never coached. I am the head coach and have a few questions about kids this age group and what type of formations works best and how many plays to have. Can you please help me with this. What type of defensive formations should I use and what type of offensive formations works best with 13 and 14 year olds? How many plays do i need? Thank you.  

Answer
Hello Coach,

Let me apologize for the slow reply.

Ok, congratulations on the new team. You have your work cut out for you, but fortunately football is not rocket science. Offensively and defensively, the plays and formations depend greatly on your player's talents. But, it depends even more on your ability to teach those plays and formations.

I personally prefer the 4-3 defense for those ages. But I have also come to learn that the 5-2 defense is also a good defense for that age group. Although the 3-4 defense looks good, it puts a lot of responsibility on the front 3 linemen.

The offense is really dependent on their talent level. But keep it simple, and add plays as you move forward.

My first year of coaching, we won a championship on basically a five play-play book. Seriously! Now if you take all five of them plays and run them to the left, you have ten plays. Then I took those five plays and learn to run them out of 5 different formations, now I had fifty plays.

Some coaches come out with a hundred play-play book and can't run any of them right. You come out with ten plays that you have perfected!

My play book went something like this; Slot-right- "I"- 34 blast, Slot left "I" 34 blast, Pro right-stack right- 34 blast, pro right-slot left-2 motion-34 blast. Four different formations, same play, 34 blast. Then off that play I can fake, reverse and play action. I preach this at all of the seminars I speak at.

Coach, if there is any other way I can help you, feel free to ask.