Platooning Part 2

I wrote a post in Aug. of last year about how I was sold on platooning.  Well after this last 2009 season and state title I am sold on it even more.  Let me explain a few reasons why last year sold it even more for me.


At the start of the 2009 year we had questions on offense about our starting QB.  In fact first couple games of the season we were rotating QB's (Trevor Brown and Jeremiah Burr) as we tried to figure out the starter.  In the first game of the year we lost our starting back and had to move one of the QB's to the running back position.  Here was a kid that had no experience playing running back and was placed into the starting job immediately.  As the year progressed and he kept getting reps and reps he got better and better and was significant in our title run.


In the second game of the year we lost Bronson Kaufusi an Under Armour All American/ESPN Top150 player for the entire season.  Most teams would crumble losing a player like that.  However once again because of the reps those players who replaced him stepped their games up and got better as the season progressed.


Finally in the 4th game of the year we went into the game seriously banged up on the defensive front 7.  We were out 5 of our starting front 7 and then during the game lost another starter to be down to basically our 4th string backer.  We were thrusting young sophomores into a varsity game against a running team.  Sure we gave up 21 points in the game but we won by 20 and were able to get multiple defensive stops during the game.  Because of this these kids this coming year have game experience and will be better this coming season.


Why do I share these stories?  Well it's because those are just some of the reasons I am sold on platooning.  This team this coming season does have a chance at a 5-peat.  One of the things about this coming season that is interesting is that this will be the first group that will have at least 3 years mastering a position compared to other kids which have had two positions to worry about.  Which kid do you think will be better in a game?


I am not saying you have to platoon but I have seen so many coaches blow it off immediately without giving it a total thought.  So think about platooning and some of the reasons that platooning could work for you.

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Platooning

I am sold on platooning at the high school level. At Timpview we platoon and have had success. Now obviously it is going to depend on the school you are at. If I am at a small school where we gotta work to get kids out, I am not going to be able to really platoon. However I think you get the most out of your kids when you coach them up. Also it does depend on your needs but I really think that the more reps your kids get, the better they get. Also if you have kids getting a lot of reps then have to put them somewhere else you can spend time teaching them the new position but they can remember their old position as well with the technique.

While platooning if you work 2.5 hours for practice daily. Your offensive and defensive players get that full practice in getting reps at that position. When the time comes for game my players have spent about 8 hours working on defense and offense. If you don't platoon your players get maybe 4 hours per side of the ball. Our offensive players get the full time to look at different fronts. Our defensive players get looks at formations for the full time.

Last year to a man you ask our coaches why we were able to win region and only lose one game at the sophomore they would say one reason. We platooned our players. We worked them and coached them up. They got better and with all the reps they were able to get better game by game. That is why we started to blow teams out end of the season because our players got better. I know this doesn't apply to all coaches but I know that I favor it. Just some things to think about with platooning.

But again this isn't a system for everyone. We do it and it has been successful for us. If you have your system and it works that is alright. I just wanted to post about my opinion and give some thoughts that others might want to think about. Don't dismiss platooning quickly but look at it and see what it can do for you.

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