Offensive Game Planning: A Week-Long Schedule to Success

Game Week Schedule - Sunday

Our game week schedule is designated from Sunday to Friday. Our main objective for Sunday is to have a final breakdown of our previous game by 4:00 pm. Our breakdown consists of players’ grades on assignments and team goals. We also determine individual awards for our players from the previous game. Following our team meeting, our players divide into groups and watch film with the position coaches. Their night ends with position lifts. At about 7:00 pm., our staff begins the initial breakdown of our opponent’s recent film. This breakdown consists of yard line, down and distance, series and hash.

Monday

Our staff reports to work by 7:00 am. We immediately begin working on our scouting report assignments. As the offensive coordinator, I begin the final breakdown of our opponent’s most recent game. During the breakdown, I’m concentrating on fronts, pressures, and coverages. Our staff is using the editing system to prepare reports from the two previous games of our opponent, which were completely broken down by Friday of the preceding week. Our coaches use Playmaker Pro to develop top defensive alignments, stunts, and 5 and 6-man pressures.
Then, as the offensive coordinator, I will develop a page for defensive coverage. As a staff, we develop a cover page for the scouting report and make enough copies for every offensive player. I then begin using our editing system to develop cut-ups of specific pressures and situations for our players and film session.

Outline for Scouting Opponent’s Defense

1. Personnel
1. 3-4
2. 4-3
3. 4-4
4. 3-3
5. 30 Nickel/Dime
6. 40 Nickel/Dime
2. Runs over 5 yards
3. Passes over 10 yards
4. Blitz Board ---- Select best protections
5. Two-Back formations

Sort by normal down (1st and 2nd)
1. Formation by front
2. Formation by coverage

Sort by 2nd and long +7
1. Formation by front
2. Formation by coverage

6. One – back formation

Sort by normal downs (1st and 2nd)
1. Formation by front
2. Formation by coverage

Sort by 2nd and long +7
1. Formation by front
2. Formation by coverage

7. Third Down

Sort by 3rd and short – 3 or less
1. Man Percentage
2. Zone Percentage
3. Zone Pressure Percentage
4. Man Pressure Percentage

Sort by 3rd and Medium – 4 – 6 yards
1. Man Percentage
2. Zone Percentage
3. Zone Pressure Percentage
4. Man Pressure Percentage

Tuesday

At the early morning meeting, we go through the weekly scouting report on the opponent with the offensive coaches. We then begin to develop our practice schedule. On Tuesday, we concentrate on fundamentals and will have more individual and group time during this session. We emphasize normal 1st and 2nd down situations throughout practice. During our sessions of 7-on-7 and inside drill, we work on all normal down runs and passes. We then conclude practice against our scout team and work on normal down runs and passes, but concentrate on screens and perimeter plays. Tuesday night we have a 30-minute film session with our players. Fifteen minutes will be spent on several key points from practice, and the other fifteen will be spent watching the opponent’s base defenses on normal downs.

Wednesday

During practice,we concentrate on 3rd down plays during 7-on-7 and inside drills. During our session of team vs. scout, we concentrate on 3rd and short (0-3) medium (3-6) and long (7 – over). We have three runs (which could include screens) and three passes scripted to go against our scout team for each situation. Following practice, our players eat and come back for their second workout of the week and another 30-minute film session. During our film session, we concentrate exclusively on our opponents’ 3rd down defensive pressures and coverages.

Thursday

On Thursday, our staff reports at 8:00 am and finalize practice for the day. Thursday’s practice consists of our 2-minute drill, and situational offense. We work on our Green Zone plays which are from the +30 - +15. We usually have four runs and four passes for normal downs in these situations and then focus on 3rd and long, medium, and short in the Green Zone. We have two runs or screens, and two passes for each 3rd down situation. Then we move on to our Red Zone. The Red Zone is from the +15 - +5. We concentrate on three runs or screens. Then we work our goal line package of +5 - +1. These plays are usually very similar to our 3rd and short plays that we use for our game chart. During Thursday’s practice, we also review all of our special or trick plays.

Friday

Friday is a big preparation day for our staff. We finalize the initial breakdown of our next opponent in the morning. I also make sure that our game-day call-sheet is complete. During practice, we review our openers for Saturday’s game. Following this, we go through a mock game in which we practice sudden change, all special teams units, and 16-second field goal. Following practice, our staff attends local high school football games.

Last fall Bethany finished 15th or higher in three separate NAIA categories. They were:

#4 ranking in yards passing per game (263).

#11 ranking in yards passing for the season (2631).

#14 ranked wide receiver in receptions per game (6.6).

Our staff at Bethany College gears our preparation toward success on Saturday. We practice plays and situations throughout the entire week so our athletes know what we are trying to do in all situations. If you have any questions about game-week preparation please contact us (scheuflerj@bethanylb.edu).

Offensive Game Planning - Day by day Schedule

Monday

• Complete scout reports
• Prepare top fronts, blitzes, personnel breakdown, coverage
• Review pass protections against fronts and blitzes
• Review offensive line run rules vs. defensive front/stunts/blitzes
• Finalize base runs/base pass/screens

Tuesday

• Team take off: new install
• Screen period
• 7 on 7: field passes
• Blitz pickup: field blitzes
• Inside drill: base field runs
• 1 on 1: GL routes
• Team: field base runs/base passes
• 4th quarter drill

Wednesday

• 7 on 7 (3rd down sh/med/lg passes)
• Blitz pick-up 3rd down/red-zone blitzes
• Inside drill: short yardage/GL
• 1 on 1’s field routes
• TEAM: 3rd down package Run/pass/
screens vs. short/medium/long situations
• 4th quarter drill

Thursday

• Mayday (2 minute drill)
• 7 on 7: Scripted situations
• Scramble drill
• TEAM: specials: tricks/coming out
• TEAM: red zone
• TEAM: goal line

Friday

• Walk through/openers
• Mock game/openers/situations

Sunday

• Film – significant plays video
• Game video
• Lift and run

About the Author:

Jeremy Scheufler became the offensive coordinator at Bethany College in 2009. He previously coached at two Kansas high schools, Wichita South and Sterling. Scheufler played for Bethany and holds a Bachelor’s Degree from the college as well as a Master’s Degree from MidAmerica Nazarene University.