Increasing Your Game's IQ

Author: Katelyn Hoffman 

Developing a high game IQ is crucial for high school football players looking to excel on and off the field. Game IQ refers to a player's understanding of the game, including strategic thinking, situational awareness, and quick decision-making abilities. In this post, we will go over actions to improve your game IQ, including studying films. Below are some valuable tips to help you play at the elite level:   

1. Mastering the Basics   
• Study the Rulebook: Understanding every aspect of the game is important. Knowing every part of the game, including penalties or game clock management, will help you make better decisions on the field in a fast time.   
• Position-specific responsibilities: Mastering the fundamental skills and duties of your position. Understanding how to execute specific plays offensively and defensively for the position makes all the difference. If you can know what the defense will do, it makes you that much more potent as an offensive player.   
2. Study Film   
• Break downplays and formations: Pay attention to formations, pre-snap reads, and player movements. Analyze how players execute their assignments, react to different situations, and adjust. Identify patterns and tendencies of opponents and your team; it will be a huge difference.   
• Use slow-motion: Use video analysis tools to slow down the footage or pause at critical moments. This allows you to analyze intricate details, player movements, and decision-making processes. Review both your performances and professional games.   
3. Playbooks and Game Plans: 
• Understanding your playbook: Study your team's entire playbook, not just your position. Understanding formations and assignments will allow you to recognize anticipated plays and communicate effectively.   
• Analyze the opponents' playbooks: Research the playbooks and tendencies of upcoming opponents; you can find past films or plays by teams on the internet. Understand teams preferred formations, key players, and strategic approaches. Recognizing their tendencies will help you make better reads and adjustments during the game.  
4. Develop Situational Awareness   
• It visualizes different game situations, including offensive drives, defensive reads, and situational tactics. Imagine yourself executing your assignments successfully and making sound decisions in real time.  
• Study situational football: Develop a strong understanding of situational football, including red zone plays, two-minute drills, and third-down conversions. Study successful teams and players in these situations to learn from their decision-making processes and strategies.  

Improving your football IQ requires dedication, consistent study, and a passion for the game. By mastering the fundamentals, engaging in film study, understanding playbooks and game plans, and developing situational awareness, you can elevate your game understanding and become a more intelligent player on the field. With an enhanced football IQ, you'll be better equipped to make intelligent decisions, adapt to different game situations, and it will set you apart from other athletes.