See Coach Mallory explain “Weeds” in this video:
In high school football, it’s easy to get sidetracked by shiny new ideas or someone else’s game plan. Coach Cody Mallory, with nearly two decades of varsity coaching and a 2020 Division 4 Coach of the Year award, keeps his offense on point with a clear philosophy. He calls it “Guardrails and Weeds”—a way to stay focused on what drives success while dodging distractions that can tank a program.
Kicking Out the Weeds: Staying Disciplined
Mallory pinpoints three traps that can mess up a coaching staff or offensive system:
1. Falling into Groupthink
Mallory demands real talk in staff meetings. “I want pushback, not a bunch of yes-men,” he says. Assistants debate ideas freely until he makes the final call—then everyone locks in. Case in point: they almost ditched the mid-triple play, but tough discussions saved it, and it became a key piece of their attack.
2. Copying College Playbooks
With All-22 film at their fingertips, high school coaches can geek out over college schemes from teams like Army or Navy. Mallory’s warning? “We’re not playing college ball.” High school coaches can mold systems to fit their kids and community in ways colleges can’t. Blindly chasing big-name strategies risks losing what makes your team unique.
3. Fixing Fake Problems
Mallory calls this “chasing ghosts.” After an Air Force clinic, he nearly added a trap play to counter a problem his team didn’t even have. A quick film review showed it was unnecessary. The lesson? Stick to solving your issues, not someone else’s.
Setting Up Guardrails: Building a Winning System
Mallory’s guardrails keep his team focused and growing. Here’s how he does it:
- Focus on “Us”
Like Michael Phelps staying glued to his lane, Mallory keeps his team’s eyes on their own progress. His tricks:
- Grow Every Player: Even backups get solid reps using the Harding method, building depth.
- Fix Technique First: If a play flops, they check execution before redrawing the whole thing.
- Lean on Data: Post-game efficiency stats and platforms like Hudl guide decisions and track improvement.
- Measure It to Master It
Every play gets a grade for efficiency:
- 4+ yards gained? Efficient.
- First downs on short yardage? Efficient.
- Touchdowns? You bet—efficient.
Plays that fall short get a deep dive. Mallory builds Excel sheets from Hudl data, tagging each miss with what went wrong. “This is how we teach,” he says. “The game’s the test. We study the mistakes and build practice around them.”
The Payoff: A Program That Peaks When It Counts
Mallory’s approach isn’t just about X’s and O’s—it’s about growing players and coaches. His teams aim to hit their stride in the playoffs, fueled by constant improvement, player development, and a staff that’s all on the same page.
His advice? Tune out the hype, stick to your path, and build a system that fits your team—not the one you wish you had.
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