AFM RSS Feed Follow Us on Twitter       
AMERICAN FOOTBALL MONTHLY THE #1 RESOURCE FOR FOOTBALL COACHES
ABOUT |  CONTACT |  ADVERTISE |  HELP  



   User Name    Password 
      Password Help





Article Categories


AFM Magazine

AFM Magazine


Crystal Ball

© More from this issue

Click for Printer Friendly Version          

Ever wonder what the future holds for the game, sport and business of football? Will attendance increase? Will stadiums continue to expand to the point where Michigan Stadium will be the "Little House?"

Will the new millennium bring with it unimaginable technology that will enhance the game? No doubt, in a scant few years, we will see revolutions in equipment that will be as drastic as the change from leather helmets to the modern battle armor.

Will the game prosper? Will it continue to increase in popularity at all levels? Do you agree with the pundits and harbingers of doom and gloom who seem to insist that football is on the decline? Or, are you convinced football has far surpassed baseball as America's pastime?

Rather than look into our own crystal ball, we contacted coaches from across the nation and asked them, "What does the future hold for football?"

Below are some of the responses we received.

"I believe that American football on the collegiate and professional levels is the greatest team sport of all sports. It teaches teamwork above all, and I think that will continue if the game is to continue to be a great success.

"The biggest problem I see is that the game is becoming a big business on both levels. We must be careful we don't take the sport out of this great game and make it all about economics.

"Also, we must continue to impress on the people playing the game that the game is more important than the people in the game. It was here before us and will be here long after we are gone."

Mike Ditka
New Orleans Saints

"We will continue to develop young men of outstanding character because of our continued responsibility to the history of the game in our wisdom of what the game has done for all of us."

Tyrone Willingham
Stanford University

"A few things that the future holds for the game of football are an increase in the use of the spread philosophy on offense, the continued development of 'super conferences,' and, eventually, the implementation of a true national championship tournament in college football.

"With defenses becoming more and more athletic, the spread offense will continue to increase in popularity because it forces defenses to defend the entire field, thereby creating more one-on-one match-ups in the open field. The spread also opens up running lanes for the ground game and allows playmakers on offense to make plays.

"The number of super conferences, such as the SEC and Big 12, will continue to increase as sponsorship and corporate money increase. This will eventually lead to a true national championship tournament, such as the Final Four in basketball, where the top eight or 16 teams at the end of the season will play in a single-elimination tournament to determine the national champion. Corporate sponsorship and public interest will eventually drive this change."

Tommy Bowden
Clemson University

"Anticipation of a national playoff, I think, is inevitable because of the revenue involved. And it's the only way to declare the true champion.

"I think the future holds for the game of football a faster and more wide open game, and a more skilled game, because of the increased abilities of the athletes and the training they are receiving in great high school programs.

"I think the future holds for the game of football bigger and expanded stadiums because of the excitement and support college football generates."

Fisher DeBerry
Air Force Academy

"As technology change occurs daily, football remains the greatest opportunity to learn life's most important lessons. The disciplined football environment will always provide young men the opportunity to build character, gain self-esteem, and work together to achieve success."

Mike Whipple
University of Massachusetts

"I think the future of college football will continue to grow. I think crowds will continue to grow, stadiums will be enlarged, and the brand of football will get better and better - unless we delete it with restrictions of scholarships. On the negative side, the way our society is going, I am afraid our off-the-field problems will become more complex. It seems that events that occur in our society carry over into everything else and does not exclude college football. To me football is so important to young men because, at least, it is an attempt to demand discipline which our society lacks so much today."

Bobby Bowden
Florida State University

"A few things that the future holds for the game of football are that computers will play a bigger part in all areas of the game. And cameras will be used in quarterbacks' helmets to help teach young quarterbacks how and what to look for."

Dan Reeves
Atlanta Falcons

"With the level of the athletes now playing the game, records are being broken almost every weekend on the field. Also, due to the excitement created by these fine student-athletes, new attendance records are being established frequently. Another major contributor to the advancement of college football into the millennium is the Internet. Fans from across the globe are able to follow their favorite team via the Internet and are able to have up-to-the-minute news and statistics available on every player involved in each college football game. Hopefully, moving into the new millennium, there will be a playoff system established that is more beneficial to everyone involved. This is an important step to the advancement of college football."

Phillip Fulmer
University of Tennessee

"A few things that the future holds for the game of football are truly based on the great athletic ability of current recruits. You will see more and more athletes used in dual roles on offense, giving offenses much more formation and play flexibility than in past years. Along with that thinking, defenses need to have players who have dual roles in rush and coverage."

George O'Leary
Georgia Tech

"There will be increased interest and increased attendance. The problems will be fewer, but more severe, particularly involving gambling and professional agents."

Bruce Snyder
Arizona State University

". . . more games with fewer players, thus necessitating more two-way players and true freshmen competing. Truly year-round training regimens and enhanced rehab protocols for the inevitability of more frequent and serious injuries. Better and more reasonable compensation for scholarship athletes, possibly tied to a national playoff system. More computer/Internet involvement in recruiting, game-planning and general information access. Advanced technology (helmet speaker for coach/quarterback communication) will become more of a factor both on and off the field."

Mike Bellotti
University of Oregon

"I believe that the future of football will bring about an even more wide open game as the athletes get bigger and faster. It seems that rules changes in recent years have been aimed at increasing scoring opportunities for offenses. I see this trend continuing to create a more wide-open contest. The fans in the next millennium will enjoy a faster game with more scoring."

Jim Fassel
New York Giants






NEW BOOK!

AFM Videos Streaming Memberships Now Available Digital Download - 304 Pages of Football Forms for the Winning Coach



















HOME
MAGAZINE
SUBSCRIBE ONLINE COLUMNISTS COACHING VIDEOS


Copyright 2024, AmericanFootballMonthly.com
All Rights Reserved