Coach and coordinator job descriptions

[Rain Man]

This is probably a dumb question, but please recognize that I have never played football at the professional level or the college level or the high school level and my parents refused to let me play Peewee for fear of injury.

What are the actual duties of a head coach versus the three coordinators and the position coaches? If I had to guess, I'd say that it's something like this in a normal and healthy environment.

Head Coach on game day:

Makes the decision to kick, punt, go for it, onsides, etc.
Leads clock management
Challenge flag, of course
Leads and motivates?
Has the right to overrule play calls
Coordinate strategy changes with coordinators at halftime
Has the right to bench someone

Coordinators on game day:

Make play calls on offense, defense, and special teams
Review photos and make on-the-fly strategy adjustments (as thought out beforehand)
Bench and promote as needed

Position coaches on game day:

Review photos and make on-the-fly tactical judgments
Lead and motivate


Head Coach outside game day (offseason and during the week):

Keep GM informed of areas of roster strength and weakness
Motivate players to study, work out, train, etc.
Advance the X and O strategies and philosophies
Make the call on starters, injuries, depth chart, etc.
Participate in scouting reports on opposition
Participate in scouting reports on prospects
Input on general game plan

Coordinators outside game day (offseason and during the week):

Develop game plans for their unit
Develop rotations of units, substitutions, etc.
Keep coach informed of game plan development and personnel issues
Oversee practice of their unit as a group, ensuring that position groups work together as a coordinated team

Position coaches outside game day (offseason and during the week):

Technique training
Keep coordinator/coach informed of game plan development and personnel issues
Lead and motivate on training, studying, working out, etc.


What am I missing? Am I wrong about stuff? I'm just curious how it all shakes out in a normal environment.

[cyborgtable]

Looks right. I know head coaches also talk to other head coaches who aren't on their schedule throwing things around, for instance last year Jeff Fisher called Raheem Moris to tell him that Legarrett Blount would be a good fit for their offense

[In58men]

Our coaches can't do any of those job tasks' listed, except make a decision to kick a FG.

[Rasputin]

I say most of the coaches job is in the preparation and practice. Game day can be the results of such preparation.

[Rain Man]

Looks right. I know head coaches also talk to other head coaches who aren't on their schedule throwing things around, for instance last year Jeff Fisher called Raheem Moris to tell him that Legarrett Blount would be a good fit for their offense

That's interesting.

[Rain Man]

One reason I'm asking this is about the attributes of a head coach, because it seems like there are some conflicting areas. It seems like the head coach should be a good x's and o's guy, but he also should be the lead motivator. However, when you look at the most successful coaches, you see several that don't exactly seem like fiery orators - Landry, Belichick, Shula, Walsh (who I don't like as an aside), etc.

[cyborgtable]

One reason I'm asking this is about the attributes of a head coach, because it seems like there are some conflicting areas. It seems like the head coach should be a good x's and o's guy, but he also should be the lead motivator. However, when you look at the most successful coaches, you see several that don't exactly seem like fiery orators - Landry, Belichick, Shula, Walsh (who I don't like as an aside), etc.

Walsh was a good motivator because he would go after the position coaches in front of the players. Holmgren used to tell a story that if a player made a good play but not a perfect one that Walsh would say "Mike don't you think the ball should be a little more in front of the receiver," as a way to motivate the players so that the position coaches wouldn't get harped on

[cdcox]

Other head coaching duties:

Film evaluation and player evaluation of your own team. (all staff)
Planning for training camp and the season (every minute of training camp and the season is planned before the season starts)
Press relations
Public appearances
Coordinating the activities of the coaching staff

[chiefzilla1501]

One reason I'm asking this is about the attributes of a head coach, because it seems like there are some conflicting areas. It seems like the head coach should be a good x's and o's guy, but he also should be the lead motivator. However, when you look at the most successful coaches, you see several that don't exactly seem like fiery orators - Landry, Belichick, Shula, Walsh (who I don't like as an aside), etc.

X's and O's is a distant priority for a head coach versus leadership ability. It's not different from where you work. Lots of really, really smart guys that are terrible managers. Everyone has a different style. 1) Some are super tough and strict, but you try harder to please them. 2) Some are super tough but are assholes nobody respects. 3) Some are soft and let their workers get away with murder. 4) Others have "soft skills" in knowing how to play the psychology angles. 5) Some are just naturals at developing people into being very good at their jobs.

Example 1: Bellichick/Coughlin
Example 2: Rex Ryan/Gun
Example 3: RAC
Example 4: Jimmy Johnson
Example 5: Harbaugh

To me, leadership is the absolute most important requirement for a head coach. The second is the administrative part -- that dictates how disciplined your team will be. Third is X's and O's and positional coaches -- in many cases, you just outsource that to your coordinators.

[KurtCobain]

Our coaches can't do any of those job tasks' listed, except make a decision to kick a FG.

Our coaches do anything?

[Phobia]

Other head coaching responsibilities:
Keeping the fig newton supply stocked.
Filling up 20 minutes of camera film with words without really saying anything at all.

[Chief Roundup]

Head Coach should also dictate scheduling of meetings, work outs, scrimmages, practices and so on. He should also dictate what time is spent working on each phase of the game.

[Rasputin]

HC & coordinators should win ball games as their job descriptions. No excuses not too. Win enough games keep your job. Lose too manny get fired. It is their job to figure it out & how to manage the players to do so.