Defense - Mid Season Practice Adjustments - Jeremy Hawkins, Chris Kappas, and Vince DiGaetano

In this episode, we explore the challenges and strategies around keeping practices fresh and effective during the mid-season grind. Our guests, Georgia State Defensive Line Coach Jeremy Hawkins, Louisville HS (OH) Head Coach Chris Kappas, and Fordham Defensive Assistant Vince DiGaetano, share insights on how they approach practice routines, drills, and maintaining peak performance as the season progresses. We dive into key aspects such as keeping players engaged, refining drills and ensuring that fundamentals are not neglected while adapting to game situations.

Key Topics Discussed:

Keeping Practices Fresh (Jeremy Hawkins)

• Importance of introducing new drills to maintain player engagement.
• How to effectively use a "drill menu" and organize practices to prevent stagnation.
• Regularly updating and refreshing the "football bible" with new drills and techniques learned from experiences like internships (e.g., Tennessee Titans) or networking with other coaches.
• Balancing prescribed drills with flexibility to adjust based on team needs.

Adapting Drills for Continuous Improvement (Chris Kappas)

• Focusing on fundamental skills such as tackling, ball security, and blocking, while adding new layers to keep drills fresh.
• Combining different skills in drills (e.g., pursuit and block destruction) to challenge players further.
• The importance of timing for high-energy drills to set the tone for practice, usually placing them at the beginning when players are fresh.

Mid-Season Self-Scouting and Tactical Adjustments (Vince DiGaetano)

• Understanding the value of self-scouting during the mid-season to identify and address weaknesses.
• Anticipating opponent adjustments and how they leverage trends to expose gaps in your defense or offense.
• Making adjustments based on in-game performance, such as emphasizing takeaways and ball security drills when necessary.
• The significance of monitoring contact in practice as the season progresses to avoid injuries and fatigue.
• Balancing heavy contact drills with tapering practice intensity towards the end of the season.

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