Play Your Best Players Both Ways or Platoon?

[Bullaholic]

In 3A, do you think teams do better if they play their best players both ways, or better if they platoon by using separate offense and defense units? Our coach in Bridgeport started platooning in 93', and I've got to say that the Bulls have probably won a lot of games in the 4th Quarter because many teams we played used their players both ways.

[Boosty_Hondo]

Originally posted by Bullaholic
In 3A, do you think teams do better if they play their best players both ways, or better if they platoon by using separate offense and defense units? Our coach in Bridgeport started platooning in 93', and I've got to say that the Bulls have probably won a lot of games in the 4th Quarter because many teams we played used their players both ways.

if your best athletes are in very good shape then let them go both ways but if there not then i would prefer platooning

[Gobbla2001]

I say do whatever you can get away with...

If you want some kid to just run the ball for you, yet he could be a force in the secondary as well, play him both ways...

[Keith7]

you may find this thread interesting

http://bbs.3adownlow.com/vb/showthread.php?s=&threadid=18431

[Bullaholic]

Yea, Keith...looks like slpy got this one covered pretty well in an earlier thread....oh well, I'll try to come up with some other thread that won't drop like a rock. Thanks.

[texasjeremy]

Platoon.....if you can. Most schools under the 4A level, simply don't have the depth to do it.

[Roll'em up]

You should platoon as many players as possible. You can say all you want about being in shape, but that's not what makes the true difference. A team that can play their players one way can prepare for their opponent at least 6 hours a week (2 hours a day monday thru Wednesday). If you play players both ways, you are limited to roughly an hour per side of the ball per day (3 hours of prep. per week). Would you rather your team see the opponent offense/defense 6 hours a week or 3??? I also believe that by doing this you can take less athletic kids and still be successful.

As for conditioning, you can condition all you want, but you still will not be as fresh in the fourth quarter as a team who platoons. While the team who plays both sides are still on the field, the platooning team is getting water, rest, and preparing and making important adjustments.

Even though a team does platoon there are in many cases some athletes that will still play both sides. There are some athletes that you have to have on the field, I just don't think you can do it with all of your athletes.

[VWG]

Originally posted by Roll'em up
You should platoon as many players as possible. You can say all you want about being in shape, but that's not what makes the true difference. A team that can play their players one way can prepare for their opponent at least 6 hours a week (2 hours a day monday thru Wednesday). If you play players both ways, you are limited to roughly an hour per side of the ball per day (3 hours of prep. per week). Would you rather your team see the opponent offense/defense 6 hours a week or 3??? I also believe that by doing this you can take less athletic kids and still be successful.

As for conditioning, you can condition all you want, but you still will not be as fresh in the fourth quarter as a team who platoons. While the team who plays both sides are still on the field, the platooning team is getting water, rest, and preparing and making important adjustments.

Even though a team does platoon there are in many cases some athletes that will still play both sides. There are some athletes that you have to have on the field, I just don't think you can do it with all of your athletes.

Good point. You will still see two-way players in more games than not. Meaning... your best athletes at that position will be the kids that play. If one of your starting RB's is the best DB you have, then chances are he is gonna see 80% of the snaps on the defensive side of the ball. Because he is your best at that position. The kid that is behind him on the depth chart might not be as fast.... even with fresh legs. So... the kid sees action for every snap he can on offense, and sees a ton of action on defense. You play the best athletes that give you a chance to win. Also, most 3A staffs have to split up their time to defense and offense both ways during practice. The linebacker coach might double as the tight ends coach. The QB/RB coach might double as the defensive backfield coach.

[Old Tiger]

We have guys going both ways but it is mainly DB/WR's.

[bigpimpin]

both ways but substitute semi regularly, that way if someone gets injured the back-up has some playing time

[Tiger Turtle]

During Sealy's 63-1 four year championship run, they never played any player both ways regularly. Occasionly, due to injury someone would have to play a couple of downs on the other side of the ball, but no player did that very much. The coaching staff used to say we got an extra first down for every two-way starter on the other team.