[Casper05]

I guess when I started I poked around on a lot of internet sites like the one you linked...I have a couple coaching books as well. I'd have to dig them up to tell you the actual ones. Most of it now is watching film and talking to other coaches. I would suggest recording a team you really like, or a team who plays great defense/offense and just going over it piece by piece. Diagram the set plays that you like and organize yourself a playbook...its never too early to start, and even if you never look back at it it would be cool to have and would give you some good experience.

Offensively, I think its important to play to your players strengths. If I had my choice of players I would run a strict motion where everybody is always moving, but with less freedom than some of the other motion offenses out there. I'm also a big X's and O's guy, so I would run a lot of set plays.

I would press most of the game if the skill level of my players and my team's depth allowed it.

I think the Flex offense is a good offense for a lot of high schools, but its basically useless in the college game. Defense is taught much better, and it is very easy to scout a team that runs flex.

Thanks for your questions- hopefully I'll be getting more in the upcoming months about what its like being in the tournament. I was on staff as an administrative assistant with a team that was in the tournament 2 years ago, but I wasnt a member of the coaching staff so it didnt mean as much to me as a tourney appearance would now.