Calling defense with an offensive mind

Playing football in high school, I always played offensive tackle or offensive guard, also rotated at defensive end or tackle. We ran the option from under center with 3 running backs. While playing in that system as a offensive lineman, we had to know who not to block, who to double team to, where do we want to take this defensive player and this and that. We didn't care much about what the quarterback, full back, half back, tail back, or wide receivers were doing. We had too much to worry about trying to block 300 pound guys or get to those freaking fast line backers. But, the longer we were around the offense, and watching film, we figured out what they were doing out of each play. Especially for me, offense just came to me and made more sense than when the coaches would explain how the defense was working.

After I was done playing football, I turned to coaching and helped out at my high school for 3 years. I played in the system which was a easy transition when it came to coaching. Again, seeing the whole offense from the coaching side just came easier to me. I could understand defensive lineman, but when it came to combo blitz or coverages or this or that, it just didn't come easy. I knew the basic of the basic because I had to for the offensive side of the ball to know what to attack, but that's where the train came to a halt. So, I would help out the offensive lineman during camps or practices, but I understood what everyone else had to do in the offense.

I told myself the goals for me coaching would be to become a offensive coordinator, head high school football coach, then if I get lucky enough to be a position coach in college. When I really knew that this was 100% what I wanted to do was during two a days my second year helping coach at my high school. There was 2 new freshman coaches joining the staff. One was very defensive minded so he took the defense. The other was never a coach before and had to take the offense. I was told to go help them one day during their team time to make sure things would go okay. I was watching the offense and saw how the quarterback was making the wrong read, the wide receivers blocking the wrong person or this or that. I told the coach and he basically asked me if I could call the plays during their team time and coach and he can watch. I didn't hesitate and took it. I had to coach the quarterback how to open up and who to read and what to do and help with every poisiton. That's when there was no question that I wanted to be an offensive coordinator.

The next year would be my head coaches last year coaching at our high school after he was let go after the season. So, I had to turn coaching in Charleston Illinois while I was going to Eastern Illinois University. The head coach there was let go as well, and the school hired the defensive coordinator as the new head coach. I was coaching track at the time when he was hired. One day I just approached him and asked him about coaching football. After we talked to awhile he said he was interested and asked me what I wanted to coach. I said I am good with offensive players and that's what my mind works better with. A couple days later he came to the school and told me was going to be with the varsity and junior varsity, and I was going to call the defense for Junior varsity games and help coach with linebackers and running backs. As well as help with the varsity defense as well. After walking away my heart and mind raced saying, oh crap.

I went home and got on hudl and spent all night into early morning looking at the defense we were going to run that season. He was a 3-4 guy and was going to keep it that way while he was going to make changes to the offense. This would make things easier on the players. I had to look at our defense, look up different ways to run the 3-4 defense, and messaged other coaches I knew. You could say I was freaking out about it. With offense coming so easy to me, it made me frustrated to know this defense when it didn't come easy to me. Especially having to learn a 3-4 which can have a lot going on. You need to blitz from everywhere, stunts everywhere, combo coverages and everthing like that.

Going into the first varsity games, I was probably more nervous than the head coach or defensive coordinator. Both in their first year at their new positions. Now, I was just there to tell what I am seeing and give different ideas. After that game I felt better, but with our junior varsity game coming up on Monday, I started to let the nerves get to me. I made this a bigger deal than I should of, but I didn't want to look like an idiot and I didn't want those kids to look like an idiot. Monday rolled around and it was about an hour before the game. The head coach came in and told him about my worries and everything that was going through my mind. He told me to take it slow, don't be afraid to call the same defense two or three times in a row, but add a blitz with it. Its just like offense, call the same play many times in a row, but add a little twist to it. Look at it from an offensive mind set.

I walked out to the field for the game and we were on defense first, of course. First play I called a straight cover 2, we sacked the quarterback with only 3 rushers. Next play, I do a cross blitz with cover 2, fumble and its our ball. Any nerves or doubts I had were gone. Ever since that game, defense came easier to me. It didn't come as easy as offense, but now I started to understand how the 3-4 defense works. I then started to research the 4-3 defense and fell in love with it. Which led me to look at the 4-2-5 defense as well as the 3-5-3. Then I started to think about being a defensive coordinator after researching everything. (Yes, I might have been losing my mind)

After the season, I asked the head coach why he had me coach positions that I never have before, and work with defense when I was better with offense? Because during the season, even though I was a defensive coach, I would talk to him about his offense and learn that as well. He told me because he wants me to be a head coach, and wants to do everything in his power to do so. He told me I needed to learn defense so I could become a better offensive play caller. Also needed to learn defense so if I get a coaching job, and the head coach makes me a defensive coordinator because that is what he needs me from me, I could do it.

To this day, I am so thankful for him having me call defense and learn it. I now understand how to set up an offense to battle a defense. I also understand so if I am ever lucky enough to get a head coaching job, that I know exactly what defense I want and how everything will work in it as well as the offense.

You young coaches or new coaches, don't be afraid to get out of your comfort zone. Don't be afraid to learn an new spot, or a new offense or defense. This will help you be able to market yourself when you need or want to find a new coaching job. It also makes you think more and it expands your football knowledge. Its also helpful when you get into twitter "debates" against other coaches. It will also help you become a better offensive or defensive play caller once you fully understand how the other side of the ball works.