High School Football Preseason Curriculum: 6-Week Install Plan

Helmets Only: Operating System Install

All 3 practices in helmets only. Install 2 base formations, 4 core runs, and the quick-game package (slant/flat, stick) on offense; base front plus Cover 3 on defense. Team period hits 18 clean snaps by practice 3 with fewer than 3 alignment resets, huddle break in 10 seconds or less, and zero contact reps.

• Day 1: First-Day Install and Tempo Standards · 120 min

  Run this 120-minute first-day plan as written — it sets the huddle clock, to-the-line standard, and installs formation rules and the first 4 runs. Insert your 10-minute punt-personnel period in place of the final conditioning block so the special-teams-every-day standard starts on day 1.

• Day 2: No-Pads Assignment Install and 7v7 Intro · 120 min

  This plan is written for 90 minutes; stretch to 120 by doubling the team-period snap target from 14-18 to 24-28 and adding a 15-minute split-field OL/DL alignment walkthrough after individual. Keep the plan's tag-off, zero-bodies-on-the-ground standard — that is exactly the week 1 contact rule.

• Day 3: 7-on-7 Skeleton Install (Quick Game vs Cover 3) · 120 min

  A 90-minute skeleton plan — extend to 120 with a 20-minute OL/DL separate-field period (run fits on bags, no contact) and the 10-minute punt period. It is written for beginner-level skill players, so if your 7v7 is clean by rep 10, tighten the completion standard from on-time throws to on-time-and-catchable at 70 percent.

Shells: Position Fundamentals on the Week 1 Base

All 3 practices in shells (helmets and shoulder pads), contact limited to bags and hand shields. Every position group completes its fundamentals install: OL runs the base-run blocking rules for all 4 week-1 runs, DBs align and pedal in Cover 3 and press-Cover 1, QBs throw the week-1 quick game at 65 percent completions in 7v7. Add 2 more runs (total 6) and Cover 1 to the defensive call sheet. Conditioning ramps to 10 x 40-yard strides at the end of each practice.

• Day 4: Offensive Line Rules for the 6-Run Menu · 120 min

  Written as a 90-minute beginner OL install — reach 120 by pairing it with a concurrent skill-side routes-on-air period and a merged 20-minute team run period (16 snaps) applying the OL rules to all 6 base runs. For a competitive varsity room, run the drill progression at half the listed teach time and demand call-outs (combo, climb, ID) on every rep.

• Day 5: Defensive Back Fundamentals in Cover 3 and Cover 1 · 120 min

  This 90-minute DB install covers pedal, leverage, and both coverages you carry into week 3; extend to 120 with a 30-minute 7v7 period where the offense runs only week-1 quick game so DBs see the exact routes they just drilled. Front-seven players run a parallel block-destruction circuit on shields during the DB individual periods.

• Day 6: QB Timing Day — Quick Game at Full Speed · 120 min

  A 90-minute QB fundamentals plan built around slant/flat, stick, and Cover 1/Cover 3 identification — the exact menu installed in week 1, now at shells tempo. Stretch to 120 with a 20-minute WR-QB routes-vs-air ladder (every QB throws each concept 6 times) plus the punt-return ST period; hold QBs to the 65 percent 7v7 completion standard before week 3 pads.

Full Pads: Tackling Certification and Base Install Complete

First full-pads week. Every defender completes the 5-station tackling circuit with a graded fit-position rep sheet (target: 90 percent fit-position pass rate by day 9). Base install is DONE by end of week: 3 formations, 8 runs, 6 passes on offense; base front, Cover 3, Cover 1, and 2 line stunts on defense; punt and punt return operational. Scrimmage checkpoint 1: 40-play controlled intra-squad with zero busted alignments on the first 20 scripted plays.

• Day 7: Defensive Tackling Circuit — First Pads Day · 120 min

  Run this 120-minute varsity tackling-circuit plan as written on the first legal pads day; it stays at fit-and-wrap tempo, which is the correct first-contact progression after two weeks of shells. Offense splits off for a 40-minute pad-level run period (all 8 runs vs bags) while defense circuits, then swap; keep the plan's grading sheet — it becomes your day 9 scrimmage eligibility list.

• Day 8: Inside Run and Base Offense vs Base Defense (Thud) · 120 min

  No published plan yet — build it as: 20-minute individual, two 10-minute inside-run thud periods (ones vs twos, 8 snaps each), 25-minute 7v7 running all 6 base passes vs Cover 3/Cover 1, 25-minute team thud period mixing the full 8-run 6-pass menu against called fronts and stunts, 10-minute live punt-vs-rush ST period, 10-minute conditioning (first week of timed 110s: 6 reps at position standard).

• Day 9: Scrimmage Checkpoint 1 — 40-Play Controlled Intra-Squad · 120 min

  No published plan yet — script the first 20 plays (10 offense-first, 10 defense-first, base menu only) and free-call the last 20; live to the ground except QBs, spot-and-play officiating by staff, film everything from end zone and sideline. Pass standard: zero alignment busts on the scripted 20, 90 percent tackling-circuit graduates make first contact inside 5 yards. Punt team takes the field on every 4th down — this is ST period 9.

Situational Packages I: Special Teams Priority and Red Zone

Layer the first situational packages onto the completed base. Kickoff and kickoff return join punt/punt return (4 of 6 ST phases operational). Red zone offense installs a 6-play inside-the-20 menu; red zone defense reps goal-line front for the first time. Measurables: KO coverage lanes graded on 10 live-tempo reps per practice, red zone offense scores TDs on 4 of 8 scripted low-red-zone snaps in Friday's situational period, week-3 scrimmage corrections re-repped and cleared on film.

• Day 10: Punt and Punt Return Full Install · 120 min

  Run this 120-minute varsity punt/punt-return plan as written — it converts the alignment work from ST periods 1-9 into a full operational phase with rush, return calls, and fake-alert rules. If your roster is under 40, two-platoon the units (starters both ways) and cut the listed rep counts by a third to control legs in week 4.

• Day 11: Red Zone Offense Install (Inside the 20) · 120 min

  This 120-minute varsity red zone install is the exact fit for the week — it packages a compressed-field menu and end-zone-line rules on top of an existing base, which is where this curriculum sits after week 3. Keep the daily ST period by trimming the plan's final team period from its listed snap count by 4 snaps and inserting 10 minutes of KO coverage lanes.

• Day 12: Goal Line, Short Yardage, and KO/KOR Live Reps · 120 min

  No published plan yet — structure as: 15-minute film-correction individual, 20-minute goal-line defense install vs heavy sets (bags then thud, 12 snaps), 25-minute red zone offense vs goal-line defense competitive period (8 scripted low-red snaps — the 4-of-8 TD standard lives here), 20-minute KO and KOR at live tempo (10 graded coverage reps), 15-minute team situational (plus-territory calls), 10-minute punt polish, 15-minute conditioning (8 x 110s).

Situational Packages II: Third Down, Tempo, and Two-Minute

Complete the situational call sheet. Install the 8-call third-down menu (4 for third-and-short, 4 for third-and-6-plus) and the no-huddle signal system, then run the two-minute operation end to end. Measurables: offense converts 5 of 10 scripted third downs vs live pressure, no-huddle snaps the ball inside 18 seconds from previous whistle on 80 percent of tempo reps, and both two-minute units finish their drives (score or turnover-on-downs) inside 90 seconds of game clock with zero procedure penalties. Field goal and FG block install completes the 6-phase special teams menu (ST periods 13-15 of 18).

• Day 13: Third Down and Pressure Install · 120 min

  Run this 120-minute varsity third-down pressure plan as written; it is a two-sided install, so script the offensive menu to be your 8 third-down calls and grade the 5-of-10 conversion standard during its competitive period. Swap its conditioning block for the first FG/FG-block teaching period (operation and get-off times, no rush).

• Day 14: No-Huddle Signals and Tempo Operation · 120 min

  This 120-minute varsity no-huddle install (signals, tempo, RPO, protection) drops in cleanly at week 5 because the base menu it calls at tempo was finished in week 3. If your offense does not carry RPOs, replace that segment with tempo reps of the 6 base passes; hold the 18-second snap standard on 80 percent of reps before you leave the team period.

• Day 15: Two-Minute Drill Under the Clock · 120 min

  Run this 120-minute varsity two-minute plan as written — it assumes an installed quick game, tempo system, and third-down menu, all of which are now in. Add your FG unit to every drive ending in field-goal range so the new phase gets game-speed reps; grade drives against the 90-second, zero-procedure-penalty standard.

Game Week Simulation: Dress Rehearsal and Taper

Convert the full install into a game-week rhythm. Scrimmage checkpoint 2: a 60-play dress rehearsal with full game operation — coin toss, ST units on every change of possession, sideline signals, clock. Pass standard: under 4 procedure/alignment penalties across 60 plays, all 6 ST phases execute at least twice, two-minute unit scores or flips the field in its scripted end-of-half drive. Days 17-18 taper: total live-contact minutes for the week under 20, conditioning replaced by tempo, every player can state his assignment on the top 10 offensive and top 10 defensive calls when quizzed.

• Day 16: Scrimmage Checkpoint 2 — 60-Play Dress Rehearsal · 120 min

  No published plan yet — run a full game simulation: 15-minute pregame warm-up exactly as it will run on Friday nights, then 60 plays in quarters with running clock, all 6 ST phases live (QBs and specialists protected), a scripted end-of-half two-minute drive, and staff in game-day roles (box, headsets, play cards). Film from both angles; the under-4-penalty standard and ST execution counts come off this film Saturday morning.

• Day 17: Game-Week Tempo Practice on the Opener Script · 120 min

  This 60-minute varsity game-week plan is intentionally shorter than the preseason 120 — run it as written to teach the in-season tempo, then use the remaining hour for a 30-minute position film session on the dress-rehearsal cut-ups and a 20-minute special teams personnel confirmation for all 6 phases. Script its team periods with your opener's first 15 calls.

• Day 18: Thursday-Style Walkthrough and Situational Lock-In · 120 min

  Run this 75-minute helmets-only varsity walkthrough as written — its 2-point chart, backed-up, and victory situations are the final items on the install checklist. Close the remaining 45 minutes with a 20-minute team meeting (assignment quiz on the top-10 calls each side) and a 15-minute mock pregame timing rehearsal; players leave on fresh legs 48 hours before the opener.