Spring football

[Trojanmp52]

Is spring football practice a thing now. And if so do you think it helps?

 

[Plymouthfan91]

Not a "real" thing.  It is open facilities allowed by the IHSAA.  Our school doesn't call it practice but our players do.  It helped us last year as we saw improvement so hopefully it will continue.

[Titan32]

5 minutes ago, Trojanmp52 said:

Is spring football practice a thing now. And if so do you think it helps?

 

I think "open field" is for non-spring athletes. I don't think coaches can participate; it must be player-led.

[qbcoach13]

Limited Contact Practice was approved in 2018. It is 2 days for no more than 2 hours each day. 

https://www.ihsaa.org/sites/default/files/documents/043018_0.pdf

[Punttheball]

2 hours ago, qbcoach13 said:

Limited Contact Practice was approved in 2018. It is 2 days for no more than 2 hours each day. 

https://www.ihsaa.org/sites/default/files/documents/043018_0.pdf

It is 3 days a week now. Unless it is wrestling...it is 7 days a week.

[temptation]

Track > “Spring Football”

[CoachMack219]

15 hours ago, temptation said:

Track > “Spring Football”

The programs with track/ football athletes that find a way to make it to "Spring Football" tend to have those kind of programs that end up in Lucas Oil year after year. I doubt the two-sport guys at HCC or MIC schools are sitting out football installs when they CAN make it. Obviously not a mandatory thing but good to get a jump on the little things for sure. If your program is worth a darn you're lifting 3+ days a week anyways all year long so you might as well do a little Indy and Install on 3 of those days to get a head start on the basics with as many athletes as you can during this allotted spring limited contact period. 

I will add. As far as your Track > "Spring Football," I do agree with that way of thinking. I just love when the two-sport guys prioritize both, and more often than not those guys' programs tend to win way more, hence my statement above. 

Edited April 10, 2025 by CoachMack219

[temptation]

44 minutes ago, CoachMack219 said:

The programs with track/ football athletes that find a way to make it to "Spring Football" tend to have those kind of programs that end up in Lucas Oil year after year. I doubt the two-sport guys at HCC or MIC schools are sitting out football installs when they CAN make it. Obviously not a mandatory thing but good to get a jump on the little things for sure. If your program is worth a darn you're lifting 3+ days a week anyways all year long so you might as well do a little Indy and Install on 3 of those days to get a head start on the basics with as many athletes as you can during this allotted spring limited contact period. 

I will add. As far as your Track > "Spring Football," I do agree with that way of thinking. I just love when the two-sport guys prioritize both, and more often than not those guys' programs tend to win way more, hence my statement above. 

Seems the programs that are successful year in and year out (at the big school level anyway) seem to share guys on the coaching staffs of football AND track, with some even being the head coach of both.

I don't think that is a coincidence.

[23andCounting]

1 hour ago, temptation said:

Seems the programs that are successful year in and year out (at the big school level anyway) seem to share guys on the coaching staffs of football AND track, with some even being the head coach of both.

I don't think that is a coincidence.

Who were some of the pioneers of this concept? Russ Isaacs in the 90's believed in "year round training." If you don't have a sport, run track. 

[23andCounting]

2 hours ago, CoachMack219 said:

The programs with track/ football athletes that find a way to make it to "Spring Football" tend to have those kind of programs that end up in Lucas Oil year after year. I doubt the two-sport guys at HCC or MIC schools are sitting out football installs when they CAN make it. Obviously not a mandatory thing but good to get a jump on the little things for sure. If your program is worth a darn you're lifting 3+ days a week anyways all year long so you might as well do a little Indy and Install on 3 of those days to get a head start on the basics with as many athletes as you can during this allotted spring limited contact period. 

I will add. As far as your Track > "Spring Football," I do agree with that way of thinking. I just love when the two-sport guys prioritize both, and more often than not those guys' programs tend to win way more, hence my statement above. 

Good post. Help me out with "Indy and Install." Not sure what that means. 

[temptation]

1 hour ago, 23andCounting said:

Who were some of the pioneers of this concept? Russ Isaacs in the 90's believed in "year round training." If you don't have a sport, run track. 

While I can't answer that, I can tell you that in central Indiana LN and CG seem to do it the best with Pat Mallory and Eric Moore (even though Moore is no longer the head coach in the spring).  Brownsburg seems to have it figured out.  Avon seems to be figuring it out.

Side note:  I am not sure the specifics of the Chatard coaching staff but wait until you see what these dudes are going to do in track and field this spring.  If I had told you years ago that Chatard has more speed than any school in Marion County, I'd have been called nuts.  But its true.

Edited April 10, 2025 by temptation

[CoachMack219]

3 hours ago, temptation said:

Seems the programs that are successful year in and year out (at the big school level anyway) seem to share guys on the coaching staffs of football AND track, with some even being the head coach of both.

I don't think that is a coincidence.

Totally agree with you. It is not a coincidence at all. Merrillville does this up here. Crown Point, Valpo, Andrean, Hobart, Lowell, and Hanover are also very good about the sharing of athletes with ALL spring sports with football which is why it is of ZERO shock to me that these are the best 7 football programs in NWI over the past 2 decades. 

[CoachMack219]

2 hours ago, 23andCounting said:

Good post. Help me out with "Indy and Install." Not sure what that means. 

Indy = The portion of a football practice where players work on individual skill building with their assigned position coach on each side of the football (offense and defense). 

Install = The act of installing the basic scheme of your offense and defense either on air, against cans (garbage cans), or players holding hand shields. 

 

If any coaches or posters have better, or an enhanced version of, definitions please feel free to add, correct, or chime in. 

[Bash Riprock]

2 hours ago, temptation said:

While I can't answer that, I can tell you that in central Indiana LN and CG seem to do it the best with Pat Mallory and Eric Moore (even though Moore is no longer the head coach in the spring).  Brownsburg seems to have it figured out.  Avon seems to be figuring it out.

Side note:  I am not sure the specifics of the Chatard coaching staff but wait until you see what these dudes are going to do in track and field this spring.  If I had told you years ago that Chatard has more speed than any school in Marion County, I'd have been called nuts.  But its true.

Eric Moore has won state titles in both football and track.  CG last few years constant top 5 state finisher in track.  Brad Timmons, asst varsity football coach is now the head track coach.

[Kamikaze]

North Judson encourages their football players to be in multiple sports. Their coaches don't just talk-the-talk but they walk-the-walk.

Head Coach Lambert is also the head track coach.

D-coordinator Coach McGowen is the head wrestling coach and track assistant coach.

Assistant Coach Harper is the head baseball coach.

Assistant Coach Hampton is the head golf coach and assistant basketball.

Needless to say the football players find a way to lift weights 12 months of the year.

[23andCounting]

4 hours ago, temptation said:

While I can't answer that, I can tell you that in central Indiana LN and CG seem to do it the best with Pat Mallory and Eric Moore (even though Moore is no longer the head coach in the spring).  Brownsburg seems to have it figured out.  Avon seems to be figuring it out.

Side note:  I am not sure the specifics of the Chatard coaching staff but wait until you see what these dudes are going to do in track and field this spring.  If I had told you years ago that Chatard has more speed than any school in Marion County, I'd have been called nuts.  But its true.

Chatard? Speed? How'd that happen? Are these Catholic kids?

4 hours ago, CoachMack219 said:

Indy = The portion of a football practice where players work on individual skill building with their assigned position coach on each side of the football (offense and defense). 

Install = The act of installing the basic scheme of your offense and defense either on air, against cans (garbage cans), or players holding hand shields. 

 

If any coaches or posters have better, or an enhanced version of, definitions please feel free to add, correct, or chime in. 

Makes sense to me. Thanks for the clarification. 

[temptation]

1 hour ago, 23andCounting said:

Chatard? Speed? How'd that happen? Are these Catholic kids?

Makes sense to me. Thanks for the clarification. 

Uh, tons of speed.  Likely state champions in the 4x4 and will place high, if not win the 4x1.

An outside shot at the boys team title.

[23andCounting]

3 minutes ago, temptation said:

Uh, tons of speed.  Likely state champions in the 4x4 and will place high, if not win the 4x1.

An outside shot at the boys team title.

Intrigued. 

[temptation]

13 minutes ago, 23andCounting said:

Intrigued. 

Currently ranked in the top 25 in the NATION in the 4x200 and top TEN nationally in the 4x400.

Edited April 10, 2025 by temptation

[Indiana Fan]

18 hours ago, temptation said:

While I can't answer that, I can tell you that in central Indiana LN and CG seem to do it the best with Pat Mallory and Eric Moore (even though Moore is no longer the head coach in the spring).  Brownsburg seems to have it figured out.  Avon seems to be figuring it out.

Side note:  I am not sure the specifics of the Chatard coaching staff but wait until you see what these dudes are going to do in track and field this spring.  If I had told you years ago that Chatard has more speed than any school in Marion County, I'd have been called nuts.  But its true.

Track works yes and will continue to work. But don’t think for a second LN isn’t practicing football as well. They are using their spring practice time for football just as much as running track if not more. Not sure what CG does as of lately.

[wabashalwaysfights]

13 hours ago, temptation said:

Uh, tons of speed.  Likely state champions in the 4x4 and will place high, if not win the 4x1.

An outside shot at the boys team title.

4x100 gets all the attention, but the 4x400 is the best.  Last event of the night, kids get hyped for it (or the fact that when it's over they get to go home), and it's a test of who's got the toughest 4 sprinters on the track.  Great event.  Sadly in our area, so many kids find track to be "boring" and would rather not do anything in the spring.  It's maddening honestly.  I don't know how many times I have told kids that if you aren't going to run track, at least play baseball, but more often than not it seems like it falls on deaf ears.  If nothing else, the fact that kids are going out and learning how to compete in those spring sports is value added in and of itself, to say nothing of the physical carry over effects.  

[First_Backer_Inside]

57 minutes ago, wabashalwaysfights said:

4x100 gets all the attention, but the 4x400 is the best.  Last event of the night, kids get hyped for it (or the fact that when it's over they get to go home), and it's a test of who's got the toughest 4 sprinters on the track.  Great event.  Sadly in our area, so many kids find track to be "boring" and would rather not do anything in the spring.  It's maddening honestly.  I don't know how many times I have told kids that if you aren't going to run track, at least play baseball, but more often than not it seems like it falls on deaf ears.  If nothing else, the fact that kids are going out and learning how to compete in those spring sports is value added in and of itself, to say nothing of the physical carry over effects.  

Same could be said for kids that don't do anything in the winter. If you don't do anything, go wrestle. Most times a tackle in football is a double leg takedown. 

Kids think football coaches want to hear "I'm a football guy all year round, that's all I do and focus on". The fact is it's darn near impossible to practice football all year round. If you want to be a football guy all year round, you wrestle and run track. Or basketball and Baseball. Or swim and golf(yikes). But hey at least you are doing something. I have a hunch any guy playing in the NFL today, wasn't just a football player in high school. Just a guess.

[CoachMack219]

14 hours ago, temptation said:

Currently ranked in the top 25 in the NATION in the 4x200 and top TEN nationally in the 4x400.

"They make fast people look... not fast." Lol 

[CoachMack219]

7 minutes ago, First_Backer_Inside said:

I have a hunch any guy playing in the NFL today, wasn't just a football player in high school. Just a guess.

This took me to the Google machine and the only "data" on this topic is that 89% of the players drafted in the 2022 draft played multiple sports in High School and 88% in 2017. Prior to hitting Google, I would have guessed that 5% of NFL players on active rosters are "football only" guys. Given that 89% of players drafted in a given year, and 88% in another, were multi-sport athletes AND only 30% of players drafted make a 53 man roster, I think that 5% number is probably closer to 0-1%. @First_Backer_Inside with a near perfect "guess." Lol 

[First_Backer_Inside]

5 minutes ago, CoachMack219 said:

This took me to the Google machine and the only "data" on this topic is that 89% of the players drafted in the 2022 draft played multiple sports in High School and 88% in 2017. Prior to hitting Google, I would have guessed that 5% of NFL players on active rosters are "football only" guys. Given that 89% of players drafted in a given year, and 88% in another, were multi-sport athletes AND only 30% of players drafted make a 53 man roster, I think that 5% number is probably closer to 0-1%. @First_Backer_Inside with a near perfect "guess." Lol 

Appreciate you finding the data to back me up!