As football coaches, we are always looking for ways to improve our practice time and best prepare our players for the week. During this post, I will discuss how to plan your practice week in an efficient and effective manner to best prepare your players for success on Friday nights. 

Monday

Monday is a game plan and fundamental practice for us in which we wear shells (Helmet and shoulder pads). We play most of our JV games on Saturday, but sometimes we need to play on Monday for various reasons. Keeping that in mind, we do not plan much group time on Mondays. A typical Monday looks like this:

1. Film and Scouting Report - 30 Minutes
   1. We watch film as a group and discuss the scouting report with the players. From an offensive standpoint, we show the kids the fronts and coverages we will likely see that week. From a defensive standpoint, we show the kids the main formations of the offense, best plays and what they like to do the most out of each formation. We also show our guys the special teams the other team runs and any adjustments that need to be made. 
2. Dynamic Stretch - 10 minutes.
3. Conditioning/Agility Stations - 15 minutes
   1. We prioritize our agility work in general. We spend a lot of time working on footwork and developing athleticism. 
4. Tackling Stations - 15 minutes
   1. For tackling stations, we utilize pads, donuts and sleds throughout the season to reduce the amount of hits our kids are taking. We focus on angles and being in position to make tackles. I will post on our tackling circuit in more detail soon. The four stations we utilize most are:
      1. Donut Angle Tackle - use a tackling wheel
      2. Mattress Drill - use half rounds
      3. 1 man tackling sled
      4. Hit and spin tackle - this is a contact drill focusing on grabbing cloth and securing tackles.
5. Defensive Game Plan - 10 Minutes
   1. Focus on aligning to the opponent's formations and discussing what they like to do out of each formation.
6. Offensive Game Plan - 10 Minutes
   1. Focus on how we expect our opponent to align to our formations and how we plan to attack them.
7. Skill Pat and Go/ Oline agility - 5 minutes
   1. This is a quick drill to work stance and starts for skill players while catching the ball and getting our qb’s warmed up. 
8. Offensive Team Time Up - 10 minutes
   1. This is a team offense on air, focusing on fundamentals and techniques. IE - make sure guards are pulling tight to double teams. We use 2 groups so all players are involved and both groups will run the same play. We start on the 30 yard line and run the play to the 10 yard line. Then group 2 will go. Group 1 will then run a play from the 10 yard line back to the 30 yard line. Group 2 will follow with the same play. 
9. Routes on Air / lineman individual - 10 minutes
   1. We run our quick passing game and any drop back play that focuses on keying the flat player. 
10. 11 on 8  Blitz Pickup / Screen Period - 10 minutes. 
    1. We will run passes and screens against a scout defense running the blitzes we will see that week to work on pass protection and expect a 100% completion Rate. 

Tuesday

Tuesday practice is a defensive focus day but we always start with 2 special teams and an offensive team period. The reason we start with offense is because I found it easier for our kids to keep focus and adjust to the other side of the ball if we start with offense rather than finish with an offensive period.

1. Dynamic Stretch - 10 Minutes
2. Individual Specialist - 5 Minutes
   1. Snap, Hold, Punt, PAT, Kick off and catch kicks
   2. Lineman will work on PAT Field goal protection
3. Punt Team - 7.5 minutes
4. Punt Return - 7.5 minutes
5. Offensive team period - 15 minutes
   1. 18 Scripted plays against our opponents defense.
6. Defensive Individual Time - 10 - 15 minutes
7. Defensive Group Time - 10 Minutes
8. Defensive Inside Run - 15 - 20 minutes
   1. 15 - 18 Scripted opponent run plays
   2. During this time, Defensive backs will work on outside run plays and opponent route combinations.
9. Defensive 7 on 7 - 15 - 20 minutes
   1. 15 - 18 Scripted opponent pass plays.
   2. During this time, our defensive lineman will work on block reaction to run plays and one on one pass rush skills
10. Defensive Team Period - 15 - 20 minutes
    1. During the defensive team period, we focus on outside run, play action pass and passing game of our opponents. We do this because we want the whole team involved and we have focused on inside run during its own period
       1. NOTE: this will vary depending on who we are playing and what they do on offense. 
11. Condition/Speed work - 5 or so minutes
    1. We like to condition using pursuit drill, but will also run some old school gassers or hash and backs. We want the kids to breathe hard and work into playing shape. 

Wednesday

Wednesday is an offensive focus practice day but we always start with 2 special teams and a defensive team period. The defensive team period should be sharp and put some polish on defending the opponents offense we prepared for the day before. 

1. Dynamic Stretch - 10 Minutes
2. Individual Specialist - 5 Minutes
   1. Snap, Hold, Punt, PAT, Kick off and catch kicks
   2. Lineman will work on PAT Field goal protection

2. Kickoff Team - 7.5 minutes
3. Kickoff Return - 7.5 minutes
4. Defensive team period - 15 minutes
   1. 15 to 18 Scripted plays against our opponents offense. This will be the best plays they run and we will finish with any trick plays they may run so our kids are aware.
5. Offensive Individual Time - 10 - 15 minutes
6. Offensive Inside Run - 15 - 20 minutes
   1. 15 - 18 Scripted run plays against our opponents fronts and blitzes. 
   2. During this time, wide receivers will work on blocking and route running.
7. Offensive 7 on 7 - 15 - 20 minutes
   1. 15 - 18 Scripted pass plays against our opponents coverages.
   2. During this time, our offensive lineman will work on the sled and other fundamental skills.
8. Offensive 11 on 8 Blitz pickup - 10 minutes
   1. Run game plan passes and slow screens
9. Offensive Team Period - 15 - 20 minutes
   1. During the offensive team period, we focus on outside run, play action pass and passing game we plan to run that week. We do this because we want the whole team involved and we have focused on inside run during its own period
      1. NOTE: this will vary depending on who we are playing and what they do on offense. 
10. No conditioning on Wednesday’s
    1. We want our players fresh for Friday
    2. We also use Wednesdays for Ice baths after practice.

Thursday

Thursday is a pregame practice for us. We focus on being sharp and mentally prepared for the game on Friday. We spend time on special teams and situational offense and defense.

1. Dynamic Stretch - 10 minutes
2. Individual Specialists - 5 minutes
   1. PAT/Field Goal
3. Kick Off Return - 5 - 7 Minutes
   1. Left/Right and Middle Return
   2. After a Safety - Insert punt returners deep
   3. Surprise onside return
   4. Hands team and Hands Return
4. Kick Off - 5 - 7 Minutes
   1. Avoid left and right deep kicks
   2. Squib Kick
   3. Sky kick
   4. Surprise onside
   5. Onsides kick
5. Punt Return - 5 - 7 Minutes
   1. Right/Left/Middle and Block
   2. Safe Return
6. Punt - 5 - 7 Minutes
   1. Right hash, Middle, Left hash
   2. Backed up
   3. Offense GUn punt
   4. Fake punts
7. Defensive formation recognition and walk through - 5 - 10 minutes
   1. Show all opponent formations from a huddle and make sure we align appropriately. 
   2. Players need to be able to answer what to expect out of each formation.
8. Offensive team period on air - 10 - 15 minutes
   1. We run a script, drive the field and score as many times as possible moving the ball in 5-10 yard increments.
   2. We will practice goalline offense during this period as well.
9. Offensive Trick plays - 5 minutes
   1. This is when we run the trick plays already built into our offense as well as the plays we will run as the last plays of the game based on field position.
10. 2 Minute Offense - 5 minutes
    1. We will focus on getting first downs, getting out of bounds and scoring. This is a timed period that starts at the opposite 35 yard line.
    2. Last Minute FieldgoalWhen we get close, I will call for field goal and have the run out and get set and kick the ball within 10 seconds. 
11. 2 point plays - 5 minutes
    1. We run our 2 point plays on air
12. Give up a safety - 2 Minutes
    1. We practice giving up a safety at the end of the game, backed up against our own end zone to secure victory. 
13. Victory formation - 2 Minutes
    1. We finish with taking a knee to secure victory.

Friday - Win the Game

Saturday

Varsity: Film review, lift weights, condition, JV: play game

Sunday - OFF

I hope this can help you organize practice in an efficient manner. We have a small team and play a lot of guys both ways. We have found this practice plan to be very efficient and effective in helping our team be as prepared as possible in all aspects of the game on Friday nights.