Developing an Offensive Game Plan

The purpose of this book is to provide a basic overview of the steps involved in setting up and implementing an offensive game plan. Although the scope of variations facing a coach in high school, college, or professional football can be quite diverse, it is my experience that the basic fundamentals used in installing an offensive structure and game plan remain the same. The first edition of this book was written in 1995, and obviously, a great deal has change with regards to offensive football: or has it? Even with the advent of spread and no huddle offenses of the last 10 years, the principles and numbers addressing the scope and focus of offensive game planning have changed very little. The primary focus of this book is to outline a very special structure as to how to determine the size and scope of the offensive scheme you may be using, how to focus that package into a weekly game plan and practice format, and then finally, how to lay out that plan in as direct and simple a manner as possible for both coaches and players. My coaching experiences range from high school to small and major college to the National Football League. After leaving the Baltimore Ravens in 2007, I spent the next five years doing game analysis for Fox. This assignment provided me unique access to visit virtually every team in the NFL and meet with coaches, players, general managers, and owners, all the while being allowed to watch practice, and in some instances, sit in meetings. These experiences have shown me that in spite of the unique problems and advantages encountered at each competitive level, the game has certain qualities that carry over from one level to the next. You should keep in mind that even though the text includes several examples of teams I have been associated with that have had success, coupled with my observations of the current level of play in the NFL, they serve strictly as examples. It is not my intention to suggest a specific style of play or even a run/pass ratio. Likewise, while this book will focus on laying out an offensive game plan, it can equally be used to structure the needs on the defensive side of the ball. Indeed, many of the principles I am outlining in this book began with my working with Tony Dungy when we were coordinating together with the Minnesota Vikings in the mid-90s. I learned a great deal about structuring and offensive game planning based on Tony showing me how he approached preparing for an offense and the different situations he felt he had to address in his defensive game plans.