Offensive Football: A Great Way To Start

A youth offense only works if the players can understand it, and Larry Canard, Youth Coordinator for USA Football, builds this session around keeping it simple and staying patient. He explains the basics of offensive formations and schemes for young players, then demonstrates the Split Veer offense - minus the Veer itself - with a range of formations, plays and both line and backfield splits. The result is a starter offense a youth staff can install and actually execute.

What you'll learn

• Why patience and simplicity decide whether a youth offense functions
• The basic elements of learning formations and schemes
• The Split Veer offense taught without the Veer read, with its formations and plays
• How line splits and backfield splits change what the offense can do
• Teaching methods that set young players up to succeed
• How to evaluate athleticism and traits in your young athletes to place them
• Installing three base plays: an inside run, an outside run and a simple passing game
• Keeping the teaching process fun while the offense goes in

Who it's for

Youth football head coaches and offensive assistants who are installing an offense for the first time, and program directors building a shared scheme across age groups.

About the coach

Larry Canard was the Youth Football Coordinator for USA Football, where he created instruction aimed at coaches teaching the game to beginners.

Part 5 of Coach Canard's seven-part youth football series, with extensive use of game film. Runtime: about 83 minutes.