Coaching Offense vs. Coaching Defense

[jg78]

Just curious as to how some of you think coaching offense and coaching defense compare:

1. Which side do you think is more challenging?

2. Which side do you think is harder in terms of work?

3. On which side do you think superior coaching makes the biggest difference?

4. Which side do you think experiences more pressure?

5. Why do most HC's (or so it seems to me) coach offense while someone else coaches defense?

[larrymoe]

1. Defense
2. Defense
3. Wash
4. Offense
5. Ego

I'm a HC/OC. I only coach offense because I when I took this job my 3 other assistants couldn't draw up Iso.

[dytmook]

1. Probably Defense
2. They could be even here
3. Good coaches can coach anything, bad coaches can't
4. Offense only because everyone thinks they are qualified because they play Madden and NCAA
5. Contrary to what I've seen other say here, people pay to see points put up so people think they need to hire offensive minded guys.

Defense guys have a rough go in game planning and I'm learning that more as I sit in at times with our defensive coaches to learn. Crazy how much time is spent deciding how to play the tight end and things like that.

[mattharris75]

1. It's a wash, both sides of the ball have their own unique sets of challenges.

2. Defense is more time consuming to do it well. Film study, scout cards, etc. Although you can find as much work as you want on either side of the ball, if you are so inclined...

3. Also a wash.

4. Offense. Every Tom Dick & Harry thinks they can call plays better than you (even though that's only a piece of the puzzle).

5. I'm sure there are a wide variety of reasons here, but I think one big factor goes back to which side of the ball is more time consuming. Head coaches have a much broader range of responsibilities outside of the on the field stuff, so it's easier to coordinate an offense than a defense with that time constraint of additional responsibilities factored in.

[osceola]

1. Both have certain things that are difficult. Positions matter on this too.

2. I hate working defense in the sense that it changes every week based on the opponent. On Offense I feel I can control some things from week to week.

3. I feel this is another one of those "both" deals.

4. Pressure always feels higher on Offense to me. Defensively....the game has changed. Your expected to give up more points, and score more points, in today's game.

5. Everyone wants to call a touchdown...haha.

[fantom]

Oct 21, 2014 9:55:01 GMT -6 jg78 said:

Just curious as to how some of you think coaching offense and coaching defense compare:

1. Which side do you think is more challenging?

2. Which side do you think is harder in terms of work?

3. On which side do you think superior coaching makes the biggest difference?

4. Which side do you think experiences more pressure?

5. Why do most HC's (or so it seems to me) coach offense while someone else coaches defense?

1. Defense because there is a greater variety of offenses to adjust to than there are defenses. 

2. Defense. Game planning may be a wash but there's more actual work involved in prepping for a defensive practice. DCs have
    to draw up scout cards for each play. Prioritizing when writing a practice script takes a lot of thought. 

3. Offense. You can scheme ways to move the ball against superior talent. If you have a glaring weakness on defense the
   other guys will find it. 

4. Offense. More people notice it so if you're not scoring points they blame the coach for his "crappy play calling. 

5. Which is why most HCs coach the offense. 

[brophy]

Offense, offense, offense, offense



While offenses will "do what they do" each week without change, they face the dire need to convert downs and put up points against a tide of opposition looking to screw up all facets of their game. If your kids aren't solid in executing a play/series, it is a glaring liability causing inconsistent drives if you can convert.You aren't going to win many games without scoring on your possessions. Offense, IMO, is a little tougher than just handing the ball off to Johnny.






Defense is a reactive animal. Yes, you have to adjust to different offenses each week, but so long as you get your kids to hustle, fit, and tackle properly you will survive. Anyone can leave the lights on after that and walk away. All you have to do is limit your opponent to 1 less point than your offense puts up at the end of the day. To be a DOMINATING defense takes some work, but I feel we make defense way more complicated than it is; often times neglecting the real things that matter. Defense doesn't have to necessarily DO anything..they just have to ensure the other guys screw up.



Game prep, offense really just needs to know what flavor of defense the opponent plays and what type of pressures they use. By and large, though, the offense can do what they do and hope the defense doens't stop them (though, its not a given that the offense can 'do' anything even if there wasn't a defense out there). For defense, yes, you should be putting a ton of time breaking down the tendencies and personnel of your opponent. However, while this is laborious analytical work, once you know how to do it, it is second nature and will allow you to make adjustments smarter (not necessarily that you HAVE to make those adjustments)

[jg78]

Thanks for the responses. I am going to answer my own questions...

1. Defense. I say that because there are so many possible styles, formations, motions, etc. that you can face against a given opponent. More possible adjustments.

2. Defense. Film study, scout cards, tendencies, etc. All of that stuff is more tedious on defense.

3. Offense. I think a bright OC with 2-3 good skill guys and mediocre talent everywhere else can work some magic and move the ball against superior personnel. However, if you're short on talent defensively and a team decides to line up and pound the ball at you, well, there are fewer answers for that.

4. I have mixed feelings on this one. If it's 4th and goal at the 3 with the game on the line - or any big individual play - I would say definitely offense. But if you lose a game 42-35, the defense is probably more likely to face blame than the offense will for losing 14-7 so long as it's not a turnover fest. And while this may not be a "pressure situation" (just a bad situation) when you're outmatched it's more difficult to watch an offense march 80 yards in 12 plays and score on your defense than it is for your offense to go 3 and out every drive and punt. It's like a quick death vs. a slow death.

5. I think coaches generally like offense better and play calling is more likely to scrutinized on that side of the ball.

[coachwilcox]

Oct 21, 2014 9:55:01 GMT -6 jg78 said:

Just curious as to how some of you think coaching offense and coaching defense compare:

1. Which side do you think is more challenging?

2. Which side do you think is harder in terms of work?

3. On which side do you think superior coaching makes the biggest difference?

4. Which side do you think experiences more pressure?

5. Why do most HC's (or so it seems to me) coach offense while someone else coaches defense?

1.) Defense requires more "weekend prep" but both have there own challenges Monday-Friday.

2.) Defense

3.) Superior coaching wins at both (but not sure it beats superior disciplined talent).

4.) Offense

5.) I told my assistants, "If this ship is going to go down, I want it to go down based on my own play calls."

At the end of the day, HC's get fired, assistants stick around many times.

[CoachBrownAZ]

Speaking from serving as both a D-coordinator and an O-coordinator (and HC).
1. Defense.. You have much more prep week to week
2. Defense.. MANY more breakdowns and drills you cannot forget in order to have a prepared D.
3. Offense.. With talent any good creative OC looks like Bill Walsh on a Friday night.
4. Offense.. EVERY arm chair QB will criticize your screen call on 3rd n 15
5. I think its the nature of the profession. Offensive coordinators that do well tend to make future HCs fairly quickly so I think that's part of it. Speaking as a HC if you don't get an OC that you 1,000% trust on every call in every down and distance situation you should call your own game.. your name on the line.  That fear makes a lot of young HCs call their own game.

[coachphillip]

I think that the reason more HCs are OCs can also be because more OCs tend to want to be HCs. From my personal experience, there are more lifer DCs out there who love coaching the defense and abhor the BS that comes with being a HC.

[gibbs72]

Oct 22, 2014 12:58:56 GMT -6 coachphillip said:

From my personal experience, there are more lifer DCs out there who love coaching the defense and abhor the BS that comes with being a HC.

I should put this on my business cards and resume!  My personal philosophy of being a defensive coach in 1 sentence.

[paulfrantz]

1) Defense - More offenses and athletes at different positions to prepare for week to week
2) Defense - More to prepare for means more time consuming
3) Defense - Seems I'm alone here. A mistake on O means a sack, int, no gain, not usually a score. If you don't have them coached up on D, it could mean 6
4) Offense - Everyone wants you to score big #'s
5) Because most coaches have big egos, and an 80 yard TD pass will get you a lot more high fives than a stunt that creates a sack