It wasn’t too long ago when most summer workouts at the high school level were resigned to a “captain’s practice,” where the team leaders orchestrated their own agenda because coaches weren’t allowed to attend.

Now, the paradigm is shifting to more structured summer workouts, some of which can encompass full-padded contact sessions – depending on the state in which you reside. While there are several schools of thought on this methodology, it is important to use some form of an installation model so that players are not starting cold when fall camp rolls around.

In the past I’ve struggled with accommodating some of my student-athletes during the summer as they are pulled between AAU practice, summer jobs or summer baseball. I’ve found the most success in getting them to learn our system by adhering to a four-day rotating installation plan that can meet all of those needs.

Instead of installing something once a week, which includes the risk of of missing key players, a rotating installation provides certainty that same player will be present on the next day we install that same scheme or concept.

An example off a four-day summer schedule is:

• Monday: Day 1 install
• Tuesday: Day 2 install
• Thursday: Day 3 install
• Monday: Day 4 install
• Etc.

Here is an example of a four-day install on defense. As a coach, adapt the material below to fit your verbiage and what you are doing.

Day 1

Base coverage. Depending on how many coverages are in your system, it’s important to get the players up against as many of the different formations they will see during the season. On Day 1, work on our main coverage – usually quarters – for the entire practice session.

Base front. Using the same philosophy as above, have a period where players are fitting each main run concept they will see from this front. For us, it’s been 4-3.

Individual period. A 10-minute period when players are broken up by position.

Tackle grid period. This is a whole-unit teaching methodology for 10 minutes when all players go through the fundamentals of tackling.

Takeaway circuit period. This period includes three stations of 3½ minutes per station on scramble and recover; scoop and score; and interception fundamentals.

Day 2

Secondary coverage. For us, it’s Robber coverage. Everything in the summer session is relative to defending using Robber on this day.

Secondary front. For us, this is the five down or Under 5-2 front. We work our run fits off this front for this day.

Defensive line movement. We’ll put in our four base one-man movements for first level defenders.

Ten-minute individual period

Takeaway grid period. Ten minute period of whole-unit teaching on the fundamentals of taking the ball away.

Tackle circuit period. Three stations of 3½ minutes per station on various tackling drills.

Day 3

Goal line and short-yardage front

Tertiary coverage. For us, it’s man free coverage. Everything in this session is geared to that coverage.

Defensive line movement. We work our defensive line two-man games.

Zone pressure concepts. We work our zone pressure menu against various run/pass concepts we will see during the season.

Ten-minute individual period

Block defeating grid period. Ten-minute period of whole-unit teaching on the fundamentals of defeating blocks.

1-on-1/pass rush period. Ten-minute period when the back end of the defense is working one-on-one coverage with receivers while the defensive linemen compete with the offensive line for pass rush.

Day 4

Sub package front. This is our three-down (Okie) front that we use in pressures and in long yardage downs. Everything in this session is geared toward that front.

Review of all coverages

Review of all movements

Man pressure concepts. We work our man pressure menu against various run/pass concepts we will see during the season.

Ten-minute individual period

Block defeat circuits. Three stations of 3½ minutes per station on various block destruction skills.

After Day 4, the schedule reverts back to Day 1.

This systematic teaching method breeds familiarity for players by getting the accustomed to the type of installation progression they will see once fall camp begins. 

Mike Kuchar is co-founder and senior research manager at XandOLabs.com, a private research company specializing in coaching concepts and trends. Reach him at mike@xandolabs.com  or follow him on Twitter @mikekkuchar.