Bill Belichick Notes - 2009 Florida Clinic

I am a bit limited this year with going to clinics, so I am going back through some of my old clinic notes.  Bill Belichick is the best presenter that I have ever had the chance to hear at a clinic, so I wanted to share these notes.  He shared a lot of good, sound fundamental ideas on Offense, Defense, and Special Teams.

Urban Meyer intro: “The New England Patriots are the least penalized team in the league.  Their formula for success is simple but difficult: Talent, Discipline, and Leadership.”

Bill Belichick Notes:

•         - There is no “I” in Team, but there is an “I” in Win.

•         - Each individual must do his job for the team to win.

•         - Having Discipline = Do Your Job

•         - Football – all starts up the middle.  Is played from inside-out (Off, Def, ST).

Special Teams

•      Off-Season – work ST Fund’s – catching kicks, snaps

Return Game:

            1.  Handle the Ball.

            2.  Don’t Commit Penalties.

•          If you do these, you will always get positive yards.
•          Show your team these mistakes on cut-ups (of other teams) to reinforce these two points.
•          If you whiff on a block, don’t go back toward the returner – Get Out of His Way!  Go upfield and look to block someone else if you miss your man.

Coverage – it’s a 1 on 1 war.  Get past your guy and stack him (get over top of him).  Don’t stay even with him.

-  +50 Punt (Coffin Corner Punt) - expect max rush.
-  Situational football - do throughout week.

XPt/FG – starts with firm protection up the middle.  Show team other team’s mistakes to reinforce

XPt FG Block – it all starts inside.  Get good rush up the middle to open up outside rush.

Defense

•        Just because you have 11 guys wearing the same-colored jersey doesn’t mean you are a coordinated unit.

Pass Defense – must collision WRs so they don’t just run down field uncontested. 

•         Get on WRs quickly – don’t give them any space.
•        Don’t let them inside – keep good inside leverage.
•        He showed his team cut-ups of Arizona’s WRs running downfield uncontested to reinforce what NOT to do.  Then show examples of what you do want to do.
•        Pass Defense - DBs – job #1 – defend the deep ball.

Run Defense – set the edge – turn the ball back inside toward pursuit.

•        Don’t just run upfield – must attack at correct angle. 
•        Don’t let the ball outside for uncontested yardage.
•        Force player – once you force it inside, shed block and get in on tackle.  You want to push back the  LOS.
•        Must teach players how to defeat blocks.
•        QB as runner – Offense will always out-gap you.  Somebody must be a two-gap player.
•        Backside of Defense – still want to set the edge for Reverse, Cutback, and Misdirection.
•       Every week – emphasis is on setting the edge.
•      Tackling – don’t leave your feet – run thru the RB.

Pass Rush – worst place to be is behind the QB.

•      Must collapse the pocket to get at depth of QB.
•       Must have push up the middle – don’t let QB step up in pocket.
•       Michael Vick – obviously would play differently.
•       Pass Rusher behind QB – worst position in football that you can be in.
•       Pass rush helps the coverage more than having four Champ Baileys will do.

Offense

•        Fumbled Snap – after practice (no Q’s asked) – QB and C will snap ball and run 100 yds to the     other GL – do for 15 min.
•         Offense – as a Coach, you decide who gets the ball.
•          As a Coach, you tell them how to carry the ball.
•          Ballcarrier – every single person on our team, the owner, ballboy, parents, people in the stands, etc. depends on your Ball Security.

2^nd and 1 – RB – you DO NOT lose yardage – go downhill.

• RB must have a downhill mentality – don’t bounce the ball outside.
• Worse-case scenario – 3^rd and 1. 
• QB – throw the ball away. 
• Even if a rusher comes free, there is no excuse for a sack.

Passing Game

Pass Pro – never let your man beat you inside.

•         Once this happens, there is no passing game.

OL – if uncovered with no rusher – find someone to hit and “clean out the pocket” to give QB better vision.

•   Be ready for pressure – Do they have tendencies and what will you do about it.

WR – only cares about two things in the passing game:

            1.  Get open

            2.  Catch the ball

•            If a WR can’t do these two things, there is no passing game.
•      QB – Belichick has a hand shield with him and will stand behind QB and hit him occasionally.
•           Two hands on the ball until the release.
•           Keep ball close to body.

Red Zone Passing – vs. Zone teams – spacing is key – make the defense stretch.

•          QB will have to make a tight throw.

Running Game – starts with no penetration.

•          2008 – Pats led NFL in fewest neg. yardage Run plays
•          He always makes OL watch sideline film so they can see who is controlling the LOS (can’t see as good with EZ film).

Bad Situations - expect them – expect the worst and prepare for it.

            1.  Don’t turnover the ball.

            2.  Throw the ball away – either the WR catches it or nobody catches it.

            3.  Make positive yardage if you can.

Trick play – if he works all week on play, it better get more than 3 yards.


Check out out these NFL Matchup cut-ups before the Super Bowl: http://footballpressbox.blogspot.com/

Also, new blog talking about one of my favorite football plays, Counter Bash: http://coachroth.blogspot.com/ 

Deuce is taking the Defending the Option series and expanding on it.  Be sure to check it out: http://footballislifeblog.blogspot.com/