Wednesday, September 3, 2014

SCOUTING THOUGHTS FROM STEVE BELICHICK (PART II)

This is part two of two on some great take aways I got from a book titled "Football Scouting Methods" by Steve Belichick.  You can read about my first post here:

Scouting Check-Off List and Instructions:

1.      Do not permit your interest to be aroused to the point that you become a spectator. This will hinder, and often prevent, you from obtaining essential information. Concentrate on the action that is taking place. It is imperative that all action on the field be observed. We want to know what the other team does, not what you think they could or should have done. We want to know what they do, how many times they do it, and how successful they are. Do not give them credit for doing or being able to do anything that you have not seen them do.

2.      Review any information that can be obtained from previous scouting reports of this or last year, and from movies or newspaper accounts. Should the opponent be new to the schedule, contact some of their previous opponents to see if you can get some information from them.

3.      Before seeing a team for the first time, try to get information about them from scouts who have seen them in action. Try not to go completely cold into the first look at a team. Make an attempt to find out at least the basic offense and defenses that the opponent has been using.

4.      After seeing a team in action once, you should know the numbers of the players who are in the game most of the time. This should include any specialists that see action. Otherwise there is no need to go beyond the first two teams.

5.      You should always be at the game early enough to get settled and organized to observe the pregame warmup of the opponent. During the warm-up period, observe, appraise and record the passers, punters, centers snapping the ball to the punters, the pass receivers, safety men, as well as the kickoff and field-goal kickers.

6.      If you are working with one or more scouts from your staff, plan how you are going to work together, and divide the responsibility of getting the information desired.

7.      Complete the report as soon after the game as possible, when everything is fresh in your mind.

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