Sometimes JV football is a struggle of the “Not Yets.”
There’s a label that follows JV football around whether we like it or not.
It’s unspoken, but it’s there.
“This is where the kids who aren’t quite varsity yet go.”
Sometimes it’s about age. Sometimes it’s about size. Sometimes it’s speed, strength, or just not having the game slow down for them yet. However you slice it, JV rosters are filled with players who, at this moment, are considered “not ready” or “not quite there.”
And if we’re not careful, that label can turn into a limitation.
Because the second players start believing they’re “less than,” they start playing like it.
That’s where we come in.
Because while I’ll stand on the table all day and tell you JV football is about development over wins—and I believe that with everything I’ve got—I’m not walking onto that field to lose.
We’re trying to win.
We’re just trying to win the right way.
We’re trying to win in a way that builds players, builds confidence, and builds a program.
And when you’re working with a group that the outside world might not believe in yet, that challenge becomes even more important.
Meeting Them Where They Are
The first step in building success at the JV level is understanding exactly who you’re coaching.
You’re not coaching finished products.
You’re coaching players who are still figuring it out.
Some are undersized.
Some are still growing into their bodies.
Some are learning the game for the first time.
Some just need reps—real, meaningful reps—to catch up.
So the question isn’t, “What do we want to run?”
It’s, “What can these kids execute with confidence right now?”
Because confidence is everything at this level.
If your players believe they can do it, they’ll play fast.
If they’re unsure, they’ll hesitate.
And hesitation gets you beat every single time.
So we simplify.
Simple Rules Create Fast Players
We’ve all seen it. A complicated scheme that looks great on paper but falls apart in a JV game because players can’t process it fast enough.
So we flip it.
Instead of building complexity, we build clarity.
On offense, that starts with rules.
Not memorizing assignments for every possible look.
Rules.
Gap rules. Down rules. Backer rules.
When a lineman understands, “I’m responsible for my gap first,” or “I’m working down unless something shows,” the game becomes simpler. It becomes repeatable.
And here’s the key: rules travel.
You can run multiple plays with the same rules.
You can adjust formations, motions, and looks without changing what your players are actually doing.
Now your offense looks more complex to a defense—but feels simple to your players.
And that’s how you build confidence.
Because now your linemen aren’t guessing.
They’re reacting to something they understand.
Building a Run Game Without “Perfect” Linemen
At the JV level, you’re not always working with dominant offensive linemen.
You don’t always have size. You don’t always have strength. You definitely don’t always have experience.
So if your run game depends on winning one-on-one matchups across the board, you’re going to struggle.
That’s why rule-based blocking is so important.
Instead of asking a lineman to block a specific defender every time, you give him a process.
“If this, then that.”
Now he doesn’t need to identify every front perfectly.
He just needs to follow his rule.
And when five guys are doing that together, you create movement.
You create angles.
You create opportunities for your backs.
It’s not always pretty.
But it’s effective.
And more importantly, it’s teachable.
Defense: Confidence Over Complexity
On the defensive side of the ball, the same philosophy applies.
At this level, you don’t need a thousand blitzes.
You don’t need exotic coverages.
What you need is kids who can:
Line up correctly
Understand their run fits
Tackle consistently
Because let’s be honest—JV football is still a run-heavy game.
So if your players can:
Fit their gap
Stay disciplined
Get the ball carrier on the ground
You’re going to have a chance.
We spend more time on tackling circuits and run fits than we do on installing pressures.
Why?
Because a missed tackle beats any scheme.
And when kids know exactly where they’re supposed to be—and trust that the guy next to them is doing his job—they play faster.
They play more physical.
They play with confidence.
The Power of a Base
Everything we do—offensively and defensively—comes back to having a base.
Something we can lean on.
Something we can rep over and over again until it becomes part of who we are.
On offense, that might be a core run play.
Something we can call when we need to settle things down.
Something our kids believe in.
On defense, it’s a base front and coverage.
Something we can line up in without hesitation.
Because when things get chaotic—and they will—you don’t need more.
You need something familiar.
You need something your players can execute without thinking.
That’s what a base gives you.
It gives you stability in the middle of uncertainty.
Don’t Build Around One Player
This is a trap that’s easy to fall into.
You get a kid who can really play.
Maybe he’s faster than everyone else. Maybe he’s more advanced. Maybe he just “gets it.”
And suddenly, your system starts to revolve around him.
At the JV level, that’s a mistake.
Because week to week, you don’t know who’s going to be there.
Varsity might pull a kid up. Injuries happen. Schedules change.
If your system depends on one player, it’s fragile.
So we build systems, not spotlights.
We create schemes that multiple kids can operate in.
We develop depth.
Because the goal isn’t to have one good player.
It’s to have a team that can function no matter who’s on the field.
Reps Build the Foundation
If there’s one thing that separates JV programs that grow from ones that stall, it’s this:
Reps.
Not just for the starters.
For everyone.
Every kid in your program needs meaningful opportunities to play, both in practice and in games.
Because development doesn’t happen on the sideline.
It happens in live reps.
When you rotate players, when you give your second and third groups real opportunities, a few things happen.
First, your overall team improves. More kids understand the system. More kids can execute.
Second, your practices get better. Competition increases. Energy increases.
And third—and this shows up later in the season—you become harder to wear down.
Because while other teams are leaning on the same 11 guys, your kids are fresher.
They’ve played. They’ve experienced it. They’re ready.
And that matters in the second half of games.
It matters in the middle of the season.
It matters when things get tough.
Changing the Narrative
Here’s the truth.
A lot of JV players walk onto the field thinking they’re behind.
Thinking they’re not as good.
Thinking they’re just waiting their turn.
Our job is to change that.
To show them that this level isn’t a holding place.
It’s a building place.
Where they can develop skills.
Where they can build confidence.
Where they can become something more than what they were labeled as.
And the best way to do that?
Put them in positions to succeed.
Give them tools they can understand.
Give them systems they can execute.
Give them reps that matter.
And yes—put them in situations where they can win.
Because winning still matters.
Not in the sense of chasing records or chasing recognition.
But in the sense of building belief.
Because when kids who have been told they’re “not there yet” start to experience success?
Everything changes.
Final Thoughts
Building success at the JV level isn’t about finding perfect players.
It’s about building better ones.
It’s about taking a group that might be overlooked, underestimated, or underdeveloped and giving them a system that allows them to compete.
So we simplify.
We teach rules, not just plays.
We build around a base.
We focus on fundamentals.
We develop depth.
We give reps to everyone.
Because when you do those things, you don’t just create a better JV team.
You build a stronger program.
And those players?
The ones who weren’t quite ready?
Give them time.
Give them reps.
Give them confidence.
And you might be surprised what they become.
