That Actually Help You Win on Friday Night
They don’t get their names in the paper. They don’t start on Friday night. But your scout team might be the most important group on your field.
Done right, they’re the unsung heroes who sharpen your starters, stress test your game plan, and simulate the chaos of a real opponent. Done wrong, they waste reps, frustrate coaches, and set you back before the game begins.
So, how do you make scout team periods matter? We asked three coaches who treat their scout team like a competitive advantage—and their results prove it. These scout team practice tips can help any program improve preparation and performance.
1. Put Ownership on the Players
Matt Stanzione, Defensive Coordinator at Mountain Lakes (NJ), builds scout team buy-in with recognition and responsibility.
“We do a ‘Warrior of the Week’ award—Ultimate Warrior style,” he said. “It started as a fun thing, but now they compete for it. They want to be the guy who gets noticed.”
He posts a full scout team depth chart, not just positions.
“It’s not, ‘Hey, go play guard.’ We assign roles. When kids see their name on a depth chart, they take it seriously.”
2. Speak Their Language
Malin Webb, Head Coach at Tell City (IN), made a small terminology tweak that delivered big results.
“We stopped labeling plays with their real names,” Webb explained. “Our kids don’t speak ‘zone read,’ but they understand ‘zone dive.’ Just changing the terminology got us more reps and better looks.”
He also invests in scout team development from day one.
“Before August, every coach has a one-on-one with every player. Once the season starts, they’ve already heard, ‘You’re going to help us win on scout.'”
3. Remove the Friction
Cody Moore, Head Coach at Round Rock (TX), runs a 350-player program with smooth, efficient scout team systems.
“We put the GoRout devices on during stretch,” Moore said. “No one forgets, no one scrambles when the period starts. We’re ready.”
He streamlines communication even more with color coding.
“We wrapped duct tape around each GoRout device. Red means red, and green means green. Everyone knows their role without asking.”
4. Match Your Week to the Chaos You’ll Face
Not every football scout team drill needs polish. Some should bring intentional chaos.
“We do Blitz vs. Cans where it’s just fire drills,” Moore said. “Plays flying, coaches yelling, scout guys rolling fast. We want it to be chaotic. That’s the point.”
Stanzione agrees: simulate the real thing.
“We don’t tackle to the ground, but we hit,” he said. “Pads pop. We play fast. We want Friday to feel familiar.”
5. Make the Time Count
In every program, minutes matter. Reps must be maximized.
“We used to get 10 plays in 20 minutes,” Webb said. “Now we get 20 to 22 in 15. That’s double the reps, and our defense is better for it.”
“We don’t need two huddles anymore,” Stanzione added. “GoRout lets us run faster, fix faster, rep more.”
Scout Team Isn’t Practice Filler
It’s a development period, a teaching lab, where young players become valuable assets. Build it right, and it becomes your engine on game day.
“We tell our kids no one is above helping the team,” Moore said. “You’re a senior? Great. You’re still going to run a card if that’s your job this week.”
In Tell City, scout team members even get their Friday moment.
“We created a ‘Special Forces’ unit,” Webb said. “They run out for kick return or kickoff if we’re up or down three scores. They live for that call.”
Bottom line: These scout team practice tips can help any coach turn backup reps into game-winning preparation. Treat your scout team like it matters—and it will.
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