Offensive Football: What to Consider and Know Before Your X's and O's

Before a youth staff argues about plays, it should settle what kind of offense it wants to be. Larry Canard, Youth Football Coordinator for USA Football, covers the basic philosophy and strategy of offensive football in this session - everything that comes before the X's and O's. He explains why offense matters so much to young players, how to find out what each player can do well, and how to choose between a ball control offense, a wide open offense or a mix of both.

What you'll learn

• Why offense should matter to young players and what it rewards them for
• The concept of a good offense: the coordinated movement of 11 players as one
• The difference between playground football and organized football, and how to teach it
• The ball control offense and what it asks of your personnel
• The wide open offense and when it fits the players you have
• Running a little bit of everything, and deciding which approach suits your team
• Finding out what each player can do so the offense is built around real strengths
• Making the teaching and learning process enjoyable for coaches and players alike

Who it's for

Youth football head coaches and offensive coordinators deciding on an offensive identity, plus new coaches who want the reasoning before the playbook.

About the coach

Larry Canard was the Youth Football Coordinator for USA Football, where his coaching instruction focused on the adults teaching the game to young athletes.

Part of Coach Canard's seven-part youth football series. Runtime: about 39 minutes.