In-Game Adjustments in High School Football: How to Adapt without Overthinking

2026-02-26

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Daniel Chamberlain and Coach Kenny Simpson open with February coaching updates, including state conventions, the coaching carousel, and clinic season, and discuss the difference between social/job-networking clinics and scheme-intensive clinics. They share an Abraham Lincoln discipline quote and relate it to the GWAT 100 February mileage challenge. Kenny promotes his books (Complete Guide to Buck Sweep from the Shotgun and O-10 to 10-0), the Gun-T system update (7.0), and the move of Gun-T resources to gunteesystem.com, then lists upcoming Gun-T clinics (Sacramento, Houston, Ohio, Boston, and a newly added Tampa clinic March 20–21). Daniel promotes the 4-2-5 Defense Clinic in Boston (March 13–14), possible Naples, Florida dates, speakers including Brady Bradbury and a Massachusetts state-championship coach host, and notes early-bird pricing and hotel deadlines. The main topic is in-game adjustments: defining them as planned, built-in counters to unexpected looks or opponent changes (personnel, fronts, coverages, or targeted matchups), not desperation play-calling. They emphasize preparing adjustments in the offseason, keeping a small, concept-based system with tags, practicing answers during the week, assigning coaches specific “eyes” (front, back end, formations, fits), and communicating clearly between drives and at halftime, with great coaches adjusting in real time. Examples include flood-and-go, pop pass, false pulls, and formation changes when opponents struggle to align. They discuss evaluating adjustment ability (between drives vs halftime vs “we’ll fix it next week”), and the importance of writing down halftime plans. A “situation of the week” covers facing an unexpected bear front after preparing for two-high; Kenny explains abandoning dead scripted calls, using numbers/space and built-in tools, and coordinating quick conversations with line and QB coaches to adjust run game, protections, and pass/RPO answers before the next series. They close with sponsor mentions (Aport video boards and fundraising, Winning Edge Performance Analytics, Blended Threads), and share where to find them and the podcast on social media.

00:00 Welcome + February Coaching Carousel & Clinic Season

00:30 State Conventions: Networking, Gossip, and What Clinics Are Really For

02:55 Quote of the Week: Discipline (Lincoln) + Team Themes Update

04:14 G-Watt 100 Challenge: Discipline in Real Life

05:42 Books, Gun-T System Updates, and New Website Resources

07:56 Upcoming Clinics Tour + 4-2-5 Boston Details

12:45 Today’s Topic: What Are In-Game Adjustments?

19:03 Why In-Game Adjustments Matter (Neutralize Strengths, Exploit Weaknesses)

24:39 How Great Coaches Adjust: Between Drives, Halftime, and Preparation

30:16 Practical Steps: Defensive Adjustment Process (Don’t Chase Ghosts)

31:29 Defensive End-Game Adjustments: Stop the Star, Pressure the Backup QB

33:03 Offensive Built-In Answers: Tags, Flood-and-Go, and Planning for Counters