Smart Football Practice Design: Maximizing Reps and Freshness

In-season practices can either sharpen a team for Saturday or wear them down before they ever take the field. At Adrian College, Head Coach Joe Palka has developed a system that balances competition, development, and player safety — all while maintaining meaningful practices deep into the season.

Good-on-Good Reps Build Real Depth

Instead of relying exclusively on scout looks, Palka emphasizes 1s vs. 1s and 2s vs. 2s throughout the week. The benefit? Players face higher-quality competition every day, and younger players get meaningful reps with their position coaches.

“Every kid on that scout team is getting coached by his position coach. It helps us with retention, and it helps us with development as well,” Palka explained.

That approach ensures backups are ready when called upon, while starters continue to sharpen their skills by facing intense competition.

Compete Every Day

Palka turns practice periods into win-or-lose situations. Whether it’s third-and-six or third-and-three, his team knows there will be a score kept.

“We make it competitive. There are winners and losers in it every day,” he said.

By creating competition in practice, Palka keeps his players engaged during the mid-season grind, while also preparing them for the pressure of game-day moments.

Teach Players to Practice Like Pros

At the Division III level, Palka knows he won’t always have the best athletes, so he invests time in teaching players how to practice.

That means mastering the tempo, tagging off at the second level, and staying off the ground to prevent unnecessary injuries.

“We really have to remain healthy and take care of each other. But that first second or two of the play is still a live full go,” Palka said.

The result is a team that plays fast without burning itself out during the week.

Friday Is Not a Walk-Through

Gone are the days of jog-through Fridays. At Adrian, Friday practice is short, sharp, and filmed just like Tuesday or Wednesday.

“It’s not unfamiliar for me to restart a Friday team script if it doesn’t look the way it needs to look. Every rep has meaning in our place” Palka emphasized.

By raising the urgency on Friday, the Bulldogs step into Saturday sharper, fresher, and more confident.

Final Whistle

Palka’s message is simple: don’t waste reps. With smart football practice design, Adrian College keeps practices competitive, efficient, and purposeful. By using smart football practice design, the program builds depth, protects players, and ensures the team enters Saturday physically and mentally prepared to win.