A coaches role...

[swordpath]

Alright I know I'm gonna look like a complete dumb ass, but I guess I've never fully understood the role of a head coach. A team gets so much blame/praise directed at the coaches, but what do they do other than inspire a team and look pissed on the sideline? They must be an integral part of calling plays, etc.?

Lookin at you [MENTION=325]EffEmDoubleyou[/MENTION] for an answer

 

[KDude]

Alright I know I'm gonna look like a complete dumb ass, but I guess I've never fully understood the role of a head coach. A team gets so much blame/praise directed at the coaches, but what do they do other than inspire a team and look pissed on the sideline? They must be an integral part of calling plays, etc.?

Lookin at you [MENTION=325]EffEmDoubleyou[/MENTION] for an answer

It depends on the sport. Football management is a helluva lot more complicated than NBA. Offensive Coordinators, Defense, Special Teams, Head Coach. And yeah, I don't what the Head Coach does. Definitely not in Dallas at least. He's basically Ed McMahon from Johnny Carson. What did Ed McMahon do? I don't know.

 

[DiscoBiscuit]

but what do they do other than inspire a team and look pissed on the sideline?

They're a general but with athletes instead of soldiers.

They are the last stop in the decision making process.

 

[swordpath]

They are the last stop in the decision making process.

In what way are his decisions communicated to a team, like could you give an example of how this is carried out? Between plays? Between periods/quarters? I guess the main sports I'm wondering about are NFL and NHL (the only two sports I really care about).

 

[KDude]

I think it depends on the franchise too. It seems some owners flex a lot of their power and keep yes men in the coach's seat (that's probably too cynical). While others create a cohesive team strategy or are brought in as specialists (Like Dungy first made a name for himself with Tampa's defense, and he's more hands on there than offense).

 

[DiscoBiscuit]

like could you give an example of how this is carried out?

Crucial offensive play comes up at end of game. Coach tells player to call a Time out or calls it himself. Offensive coordinator relays his plan to coach, who then either approves it, approves some of it and changes the rest, rejects it and substitutes his own plan. Coach then relays his decision to players on the field.

Sometimes the coach controls the whole decision making process. This depends on the relationship with the coordinators, time of game etc...

Play commences and either succeeds or fails.

Between plays?

Yes

Between periods/quarters?

Yes

The coach (at least in College football) is the most important recruiter on the team.

The coaches job is so much more than this though.

 

[EffEmDoubleyou]

Alright I know I'm gonna look like a complete dumb ass, but I guess I've never fully understood the role of a head coach. A team gets so much blame/praise directed at the coaches, but what do they do other than inspire a team and look pissed on the sideline? They must be an integral part of calling plays, etc.?

Lookin at you [MENTION=325]EffEmDoubleyou[/MENTION] for an answer

The coach in football has more of an influence than in pretty much any sport. His duties include:

* Having a say in what players the team drafts or which free agent players the team pursues (some coaches have much more say than others)
* Designing the team's practice schedule and travel protocol
* Hiring the rest of the coaching staff and consequently determining the offensive and defensive philosophies the team will employ, which in turn determines what sort of player the team acquires
* Enforcing team rules and meting out discipline
* Being in charge of in-game management, which depending on the coach can include formulating the game plan, determining the active roster, calling plays on offense and/or defense, clock management, and making decisions on strategy at key moments in the game
* Assisting in recruiting during the free agent period
* Scouting college all-star games in the few weeks after the Super Bowl
* Holding press conferences and dealing with the media

That's all I can think of right now. Pretty much anything megalomaniacal.

 

[swordpath]

The coach in football has more of an influence than in pretty much any sport. His duties include:

* Having a say in what players the team drafts or which free agent players the team pursues (some coaches have much more say than others)
* Designing the team's practice schedule and travel protocol
* Hiring the rest of the coaching staff and consequently determining the offensive and defensive philosophies the team will employ, which in turn determines what sort of player the team acquires
* Enforcing team rules and meting out discipline
* Being in charge of in-game management, which depending on the coach can include formulating the game plan, determining the active roster, calling plays on offense and/or defense, clock management, and making decisions on strategy at key moments in the game
* Assisting in recruiting during the free agent period
* Scouting college all-star games in the few weeks after the Super Bowl
* Holding press conferences and dealing with the media

That's all I can think of right now. Pretty much anything megalomaniacal.

Informative, as I expected. Thanks!