How important is energy for a coach?

[18IsTheMan]

We seem to put a lot of emphasis on it. Fans were excited b/c Elliott is high energy...running around chest bumping and head butting players and such. Hearing that Furrey is high energy as well now as the OC, taunting our DBs in practice and such. I recall after Elliott was made interim coach in 2025, a lot of fuss was made about he energized practices with loud music and so on. Then we lost all the rest of our games (not his fault, of course).

Does high energy equate to anything tangible, though?

 

[Uscg1984]

As with all leaders, I'm not sure it's as much about "energy," as it is "presence." For some coaches, having a strong presence may very well mean having a youthful energy that appeals to and motivates players, but I'm sure that's not true of all.

I don't think of coaches like Saban, Tom Osborne, Tom Landry, Joe Paterno, or Joe Morrison as being particularly energetic, but they certainly conveyed a presence that every player and staff member on their teams responded to.

I do, on the other hand, think you need some "energetic" assistant coaches on your staff. Since these are the guys that directly interact with and lead the various units during practice, having a frenetic personality probably works better in that short-term moment.

 

[Viennacock]

As with all leaders, I'm not sure it's as much about "energy," as it is "presence." For some coaches, having a strong presence may very well mean having a youthful energy that appeals to and motivates players, but I'm sure that's not true of all.

I don't think of coaches like Saban, Tom Osborne, Tom Landry, Joe Paterno, or Joe Morrison as being particularly energetic, but they certainly conveyed a presence that every player and staff member on their teams responded to.

I do, on the other hand, think you need some "energetic" assistant coaches on your staff. Since these are the guys that directly interact with and lead the various units during practice, having a frenetic personality probably works better in that short-term moment.

Agreed. I have coached for years and still coach. I am far from a high energy coach. Most people that watch me coach suggest I look bored during games. I live and die with every point, but you would never know it if you watched me coach. I hide it well. That said, i always have a high energy assistant coach to off-set my personality. If I were a high energy coach, I would off-set with a laid-back assistant.

 

[Legal_fowl]

As with all leaders, I'm not sure it's as much about "energy," as it is "presence." For some coaches, having a strong presence may very well mean having a youthful energy that appeals to and motivates players, but I'm sure that's not true of all.

I don't think of coaches like Saban, Tom Osborne, Tom Landry, Joe Paterno, or Joe Morrison as being particularly energetic, but they certainly conveyed a presence that every player and staff member on their teams responded to.

I do, on the other hand, think you need some "energetic" assistant coaches on your staff. Since these are the guys that directly interact with and lead the various units during practice, having a frenetic personality probably works better in that short-term moment.

I like this. Pretty much spot on.

Only thing I would add is that "presence" that guys like Saban had was also a bit intimidating to 18-23 year olds. That "presence" meant he was not someone you wanted to have to meet with one on one after you made a mistake. His players knew what his authority meant and they had to respect it or they didn't last.

 

[18IsTheMan]

I suppose I don’t know how valuable it is when the first selling point of a coach is that he is a high energy guy. I want to hear about his coaching accomplishments first and foremost. If, besides all that, he’s got a lot of energy then that’s fine.

 

[Sparklecity]

I like a coach with high energy

 

[Piscis]

I think high energy coaches look like fools unless they are also highly successful. Beamer is the perfect example of that. All of the jumping around, screaming, high fiving and generally looking totally unhinged on the sideline looks totally silly when the team is losing.

A coach, any coach, position or head coach, can't look disinterested but they also have to have the competency and the respect of the players if they want to be "high energy". Otherwise, the players (and the fans) eventually look at them like they are head cases.

 

[Viennacock]

I think high energy coaches look like fools unless they are also highly successful. Beamer is the perfect example of that. All of the jumping around, screaming, high fiving and generally looking totally unhinged on the sideline looks totally silly when the team is losing.

A coach, any coach, position or head coach, can't look disinterested but they also have to have the competency and the respect of the players if they want to be "high energy". Otherwise, the players (and the fans) eventually look at them like they are head cases.

Some coaches are very different at practices than games. Although I am not high energy at games, I am fairly high energy at practice. I firmly believe 99% of coaching is done during practice / preparation. I let my boys play on gameday. The constant yapping does not help. I use my timeouts and substitutions to direct / redirect.

I was 100% against F.M. coaching style. I am ok being tough on players, but do it at practice. Embarrassing them at games has very little benefit. Sure, every coach will likely lose it at some point, but it shouldn't be the norm.

 

[Piscis]

Muschamp was high energy and never made himself look foolish.

Umm...he got the nickname "Boom" because people joked that his head was going to explode on the sideline because he got so worked up.

 

[Gamecock Jacque]

Umm...he got the nickname "Boom" because people joked that his head was going to explode on the sideline because he got so worked up.

Until Tanner removed his sack.

 

[SouthernBelly]

I think high energy coaches look like fools unless they are also highly successful. Beamer is the perfect example of that. All of the jumping around, screaming, high fiving and generally looking totally unhinged on the sideline looks totally silly when the team is losing.

A coach, any coach, position or head coach, can't look disinterested but they also have to have the competency and the respect of the players if they want to be "high energy". Otherwise, the players (and the fans) eventually look at them like they are head cases.

Someone like Dan Campbell from the Lions? Seen much more of him post game or otherwise talking than I have in games. He’s certainly not low energy but he doesn’t like like a clown with claps and skipping.

 

[Anon1705945076]

I think you want a high intensity HC.Conveys the seriousness of the situation at hand but you don’t need a clown out there.
i think your line coaches both offensive and defensive need to have a high energy level.
For whatever reason that just seems to go with good line coaches.