Behavioral Reps: A Competitive Edge and a Blind Spot
Coaches and players mostly evaluate practice based on the quantity and quality of “physical reps” (X & O’s). Having sat in position group meetings with coaches across the country, I’ve watched how coaches expertly critique and breakdown these physical reps. Physical reps are vital, no doubt. However, “behavioral reps” are frequently ignored.
Behavior reps include: player and coach body language, demeanor, non-verbal communications and word choice after both failure and success. “Repping” or practicing behavior can be positive or negative for coaches. Failure to rep behavior, especially after bad performance, creates a predictable blind spot for coaches. For those who do rep behavior, it is a competitive edge. The best time to rep behavior is immediately after failure or success — during practice.
Football is obviously physical, emotional and mental. Cliches include “…don’t let your emotions get in the way…manage your emotions…” There are instances when emotions run so high that there must be a release. After a touchdown, for example, we hear coaches say “hand the ball to the official…go hug a big guy…celebrate with your teammates…” These are all good behaviors to rep. They prepare a team to behave appropriately after success. However, the other side of behavior, behavior after failure, is often overlooked — it is rarely practiced.
The 2007 Fiesta Bowl, Oklahoma University (OU) vs Boise State. Ask most anyone who watched what they remember most about that game. Depending on what side of the fence they were on, they will either smile or look downwards before responding. Most recall two specific events: the “Statue of Liberty” play and a marriage proposal. I remember it differently.
I recall the behavior of Boise State’s QB and his coach after Boise threw a pick six with less than two minutes left in the game. Equally, I recall the reaction of the OU players and their sidelines after OU returned the interception for a touchdown.
No football team has EVER gone undefeated, unscored on, with no penalties, no turnovers and no injuries. Failures and setbacks will occur, yet how one responds, behaves, to such failures determines outcomes.
After the pick six, the Boise QB very briefly (only a couple of seconds) modeled poor body language. He quickly recovered. His receiver ran the wrong route. However, based on the QB and coach’s body language, anyone watching would never know this fact. There was no blame — no hands in the air by coaches or players, no clipboards or helmets were thrown. There was no time for blame. There was only time for a response to the present. Boise’s response to the present is what now mattered most. Only a response to the present would give Boise a chance to win.
On the sidelines, the Boise QB met with his head coach. The two quickly assessed the present. Besides the amount of time on the clock, nothing was certain. They embraced the uncertainty with calm confidence. They behaved appropriately, as if they had trained for this moment…
Watch the video and you will see the Boise QB with his hands on his hips, looking intently at the play sheet with his coach. Then, you will see the QB look at the clock and lick two fingers — a trigger he often used prior to executing a play (a behavioral rep). He was non-verbally communicating to his teammates and coach that he was prepared to behave with certainty in an uncertain circumstance. The then Boise back-up QB, who today is a NCAA Division I head coach, told me recently “…and that’s why Jared was the starter and I was his back-up”.
The moment I saw this behavior, between coach and player, I knew, with absolute certainty, the game was not over. I sat up and I said to my wife (an avid OU fan), “Uh-oh…” I explained that I had just seen behavior similar to that of our military’s Special Operation units. She couldn’t believe my eyes.
The demeanor I observed on the Boise sidelines was unique. I recalled years of working with Special Operators. I watched them train/rep the same behavior I was witnessing in this football game. It was part of their special culture. Special Operation units train behavior under extreme circumstances, often with little sleep, food, poor weather, high stress and with a lot more at stake than a bowl game. Because of this training, they grow comfortable operating and succeeding during uncertain times — to see this behavior on a football field was rare. I explained this to my wife who remained certain the game was over; she called my father-in-law to celebrate.
Boise got the ball back with time to fight. They were prepared not only physically, but behaviorally. They had trained for this mission. To contrast the Boise behavior to the OU behavior, the OU sideline was chaotic.
I have since talked with a then OU Assistant Coach who agreed with this assessment. Players were in the stands celebrating, and OU coaches had to physically pull them out of the stands to get them focused on the last minute of the game. OU had not rep’d how they would behave in this situation. They left behavior to chance. It was difficult for OU to get 11 players together for the kick-off. The ensuing kick-off (a physical rep) was poorly executed, giving Boise the ball near mid-field. A time out was wasted. And, we know what happened next.
Before the “Statue of Liberty” however, there was the “Hook and Ladder” play that many forget. It was fourth down, 18 yards to go with 0:18 left. Boise’s behavior was calm and focused. Again, they had trained for this moment. OU would overrun a predictable “Hook and Ladder” play, resulting in a Boise touchdown as time nearly expired. The game went to overtime. My wife called her father back.
If Boise lost this game, poor behavior would not be a contributing factor. To the contrary, Boise’s behavior was that of a Special Operator. Outstanding behavior would not guarantee a win, it would however increase their chances of victory.
Why is behavior often left to chance in football? Do coaches view behavior reps as ‘soft’ skills or untrainable attributes? Leaving behavior to chance creates a predictable blind spot for coaches and players. For coaches who take time to rep behavior, behavior becomes a competitive edge.
Failures and setbacks occur. A helicopter will crash. Maybe not today, but one day a bird will crash. How we behave after such setbacks often determines an ultimate outcome. We must rep behavior — it’s what elite teams do. One tactical thing a coach can do this year, is film their sidelines or bench behavior during practice. Break down sideline behavior like a play.
Imagine a head coach or position coach starting a meeting with, “How did we behave after this afternoon’s pick six (on offense and defense) during our scrimmage? Let’s start with breaking down our sideline demeanor and behavior…let’s start with me…how was my behavior?”
When a player fails or succeeds, where do their eyes look nearly 100% of the time? The sidelines, the bench. What does your sideline communicate during uncertain times with time left on the clock? Confidence and belief, or fear and blame? In a contest, there is no time for the latter.
Finally, we are NOT talking about coddling players. Leaders of our most elite military, tip of the spear units, never coddle operators — they simply care enough to rep behavior. By doing so, they empower their units with a competitive edge that few opponents will ever know.
To learn more about how elite teams Achieve the Extraordinary, visit www.HorizonPerformance.com
2007 Fiesta Bowl highlights can be found here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BhuHuFbIFy4
