(OT) MIDDLE SCHOOL football trick play

[PASabreFan]

the most reprehensible example i've seen yet (via deadspin):

 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rNQGfM6a3-Q

 

Wow. Reprehensible is a good word. What lesson is being taught to these kids, that cheating pays?

[Patty16]

Wow. Reprehensible is a good word. What lesson is being taught to these kids, that cheating pays?

 

 

Lighten up people.

 

Trick plays have been around forever. If any of you have been around youth football you know how much kids enjoy practicing and running these plays.

 

Play until the whistle, we were always coached to spot trick plays.

[That Aud Smell]

Lighten up people.

 

Trick plays have been around forever. If any of you have been around youth football you know how much kids enjoy practicing and running these plays.

 

Play until the whistle, we were always coached to spot trick plays.

i get the "lighten up" thing here, i do. i also think there's an outside possibility that, if i talked with the coach about his call of the play, i would come away with a different perception of what was going on -- like, maybe he'd have a sense of fun about the play that is not apparent to me from watching the clip, maybe these plays are called to create "teaching moments."

 

i think it's far more likely, though, that i would come away from the conversation even more convinced that a youth-league coach who calls that sort of thing is a complete and total d-bag.

[Patty16]

i get the "lighten up" thing here, i do. i also think there's an outside possibility that, if i talked with the coach about his call of the play, i would come away with a different perception of what was going on -- like, maybe he'd have a sense of fun about the play that is not apparent to me from watching the clip, maybe these plays are called to create "teaching moments."

 

i think it's far more likely, though, that i would come away from the conversation even more convinced that a youth-league coach who calls that sort of thing is a complete and total d-bag.

 

Maybe he is a dbag, but whether he is or not the kids love this stuff. And its a very good coaching opportunity for the other team.

 

Its youth football, its supposed to be fun and trick plays are a lot more fun than running 42 dives 35 times a game. Now if they were running up the score with that play theres an issue.

[thesportsbuff]

i'm just really confused as to why, in the first video, he just walked forward with the ball? right through all those players? i mean sure they were probably confused but wtf else would he be doing??

 

to me the worst part about this is how unfair it is to 10-12 year old kids trying to win a football game. okay, it's a trick play, it's "fun" for the team running it-- what about the other team? Even if they catch on to the trick play, I'm sure nobody wants to be the one to lay the guy out. I never played football but as a 10 year old, I was a good kid. The last thing I wanted to do was get in trouble, get yelled at, hurt someone, etc. So what are you supposed to do when you want to win the game but don't know if this kid is running a trick play or there's really some kind of issue? What happens if I go and crush this QB and there really was some kind of issue and then I'm getting yelled at, possibly penalized, who knows?

[Patty16]

i'm just really confused as to why, in the first video, he just walked forward with the ball? right through all those players? i mean sure they were probably confused but wtf else would he be doing??

 

to me the worst part about this is how unfair it is to 10-12 year old kids trying to win a football game. okay, it's a trick play, it's "fun" for the team running it-- what about the other team? Even if they catch on to the trick play, I'm sure nobody wants to be the one to lay the guy out. I never played football but as a 10 year old, I was a good kid. The last thing I wanted to do was get in trouble, get yelled at, hurt someone, etc. So what are you supposed to do when you want to win the game but don't know if this kid is running a trick play or there's really some kind of issue? What happens if I go and crush this QB and there really was some kind of issue and then I'm getting yelled at, possibly penalized, who knows?

 

 

I hear ya but 10 yr olds arent dishing out bone crunching hits and injuries at that level are very minimal.

 

You're right too, no kid wants to take a penalty for doing that but there was no whistle. Play until the whistle.

A good coach will have them honed onto this stuff. From the video it looks like this isnt their first year of football. And probably not the first time theyve seen a trick play.

 

Football is a game of deceit, from play action, draws, screens, to disguising coverages. This is no different.

 

Do you think these kids are gonna let another trick play like that get by them ? do you think they will play until the whistle now?

[That Aud Smell]

Football is a game of deceit, from play action, draws, screens, to disguising coverages. This is no different.

:blink:

 

it most certainly is different. creating confusion on the field with what the players do on the field in terms of formations, misdirections, delays, sleights of hand is one thing; creating confusion on the field with what a coach (and authority figure) is doing outside the field of play is quite another.

[Patty16]

:blink:

 

it most certainly is different. creating confusion on the field with what the players do on the field in terms of formations, misdirections, delays, sleights of hand is one thing; creating confusion on the field with what a coach (and authority figure) is doing outside the field of play is quite another.

 

The ball was snapped, there was no whistle, so why are the players looking at the coach on the other team?

 

These kids know the coach cant change footballs like that. again this only uncalled for if they were running up the score.

 

I bet you the kids on the green team were talking about this for weeks and the other team learned a very valuable lesson about football. Play hard until the whistle.

[Ohiofan]

:blink:

 

it most certainly is different. creating confusion on the field with what the players do on the field in terms of formations, misdirections, delays, sleights of hand is one thing; creating confusion on the field with what a coach (and authority figure) is doing outside the field of play is quite another.

I agree completely! These kids did not run a trick play...the authority figure (coach) on the sidelines ran the play. What kid of that age does not immediately heed an adult in charge? I'm not against that type of play per se...but not when the coach is the one deceiving the kids.

[shrader]

If the team running the play was trailing big time, I say go for it. Any other time it's questionable. And if they're up big? Well then the coach is asking to be punched out by someone.

[Patty16]

I agree completely! These kids did not run a trick play...the authority figure (coach) on the sidelines ran the play. What kid of that age does not immediately heed an adult in charge? I'm not against that type of play per se...but not when the coach is the one deceiving the kids.

 

 

The coach didnt talk to the other team, he talked to his. i see your point though and understand it completely.

 

But some of these kids have been playing ball for a few years if they're 10, and know better than this.

 

No whistle from the ref? the ball was snapped they should have made some movement to get the QB.

[Weave]

I won't judge whether this play is OK from a sportsmanship POV but....

 

This play is all about the coach. And football (or any other sport) at that age is supposed to be about the kids. A middle school football coach's job is to teach and develop skill sets and begin teaching the school district's offense and defense. This stupid play does neither, unless they use that kind of silliness at the high school level in that district.

[Patty16]

I won't judge whether this play is OK from a sportsmanship POV but....

 

This play is all about the coach. And football (or any other sport) at that age is supposed to be about the kids. A middle school football coach's job is to teach and develop skill sets and begin teaching the school district's offense and defense. This stupid play does neither, unless they use that kind of silliness at the high school level in that district.

 

 

A coach of players that age is supposed to be teaching the fundamentals of the game. How to run block tackle etc. Youre right they dont learn schemes for the most part until middle school but they should know to tackle the guy with the ball until you hear a whistle.

 

Football is all about the little things, footwork, effort etc. Thats one reason on saturday and sunday you see players picking up every ball thats on the ground unless they hear a whistle, they were taught to play 100%.

 

This play ISNT about the coach, but hes part of it. The coach doesnt call that play for himself, he calls it because his kids will love it and im sure they did.

 

Has anyone been around youth football?

[Weave]

A coach of players that age is supposed to be teaching the fundamentals of the game. How to run block tackle etc. Youre right they dont learn schemes for the most part until middle school but they should know to tackle the guy with the ball until you hear a whistle.

 

Football is all about the little things, footwork, effort etc. Thats one reason on saturday and sunday you see players picking up every ball thats on the ground unless they hear a whistle, they were taught to play 100%.

 

This play ISNT about the coach, but hes part of it. The coach doesnt call that play for himself, he calls it because his kids will love it and im sure they did.

 

Has anyone been around youth football?

 

Been around youth sports all my life as coach and player. This play was all about the coach. The kids don't get anything of real substance out of a play like that one. No fundamental was taught to the kids playing offense there. (I will admit, the kids on "D" did learn from it, but that wasn't the intent of the coach that called the play)

 

BTW- the thread title says "Middle school trick play" so these kids are at the point where they should be learning the high school scheme, not silly trick plays. Save that for Pop Warner leagues.

[Patty16]

Been around youth sports all my life as coach and player. This play was all about the coach. The kids don't get anything of real substance out of a play like that one. No fundamental was taught to the kids playing offense there. (I will admit, the kids on "D" did learn from it, but that wasn't the intent of the coach that called the play)

 

BTW- the thread title says "Middle school trick play" so these kids are at the point where they should be learning the high school scheme, not silly trick plays. Save that for Pop Warner leagues.

 

THese kids dont look like middle school to me.

 

The D did learn. The offense had fun with it and btw the offense also learned that you play til the whistle, since at that age most play both sides of the ball.

 

Even if it was for the coach, and i dont think it was, it was not an inappropriate play to call.

[nobody]

i'm just really confused as to why, in the first video, he just walked forward with the ball? right through all those players? i mean sure they were probably confused but wtf else would he be doing??

 

 

I heard a report today that the coach for his team was saying - yelling, I don't know which - that the refs forgot to mark off a 5 yard penalty so the QB was just moving the ball to the appropriate spot. So if this is the case then it is another example of a coach being a douche bag.

[Eleven]

Possibly to demonstrate how completely insane main stream media has become,* Frank Deford decided to say that the Driscoll Middle School trick play is a form of child abuse. Not kidding. He didn't compare it to child abuse (nearly as absurd); he went out and said that this "was a form of child abuse."

 

http://m.npr.org/news/front/131358322?singlePage=true

 

I think it's safe to say that Mr. Deford has seen a lot of things in his lengthy career as a journalist, but he never has seen child abuse. (Good for him, incidentally.)

 

 

 

* I mean, what else could have been his purpose?

[Sterling Archer]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Qh2sWSVRrmo

 

 

Please.

[That Aud Smell]

Possibly to demonstrate how completely insane main stream media Frank Deford has become

i think that works a little bit better.

 

seriously -- that guy's steady descent into madness rivals larry king's.

[That Aud Smell]

this trickeration stuff appears to have become pandemic in texas.

 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=B2lv376afIQ&feature=player_embedded

 

the youtube content describes this as a game in which a state title was at stake.

 

i haven't looked, but i thought there was something in this thread about how the "coach, wrong ball!" trick would be prohibited under high school rules.

[That Aud Smell]

Some coach pulls one over on a bunch of 10th graders, if that. D-bag.

 

Did some research, you can't do this in High School football, it's against NFHS rules, "Football has been and always will be a game of deception and trickery involving multiple shifts, unusual formations and creative plays. However, actions or verbiage designed to confuse the defense into believing there is a problem and a snap is not imminent is beyond the scope of sportsmanship and is illegal."

[shrader]

this trickeration stuff appears to have become pandemic in texas.

 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=B2lv376afIQ&feature=player_embedded

 

the youtube content describes this as a game in which a state title was at stake.

 

i haven't looked, but i thought there was something in this thread about how the "coach, wrong ball!" trick would be prohibited under high school rules.

 

Did the coach actually do anything in that one though? It looked like it was pulled off completely by the players on the field (no volume on my computer here though). Really, it looks like pure stupidity by the defense, other than the CB who actually attempted to cover his guy. There was a legit snap there and no one reacted to it.

[darksabre]

Did the coach actually do anything in that one though? It looked like it was pulled off completely by the players on the field (no volume on my computer here though). Really, it looks like pure stupidity by the defense, other than the CB who actually attempted to cover his guy. There was a legit snap there and no one reacted to it.

 

Exactly. This yet again falls on the failure of the defense to realize that play is still taking place. As soon as that ball leaves the center's hands someone should have been flying through that line and crushed the QB.

[That Aud Smell]

Did the coach actually do anything in that one though? It looked like it was pulled off completely by the players on the field (no volume on my computer here though). Really, it looks like pure stupidity by the defense, other than the CB who actually attempted to cover his guy. There was a legit snap there and no one reacted to it.

i dunno if the coach was involved.

 

i'm sorta fascinated by the fact that high school players -- playing for a state title in texas no less -- could be duped by this sort of thing.

[That Aud Smell]

Exactly. This yet again falls on the failure of the defense to realize that play is still taking place. As soon as that ball leaves the center's hands someone should have been flying through that line and crushed the QB.

i don't agree with the implication above.

 

it's an age thing, for me. when it was younger kids and the coach was clearly involved, that was one thing. when it's high school kids playing at a very high level, that's another.