Stats don't matter

Ditch the Stat Sheet: Why Six-Man Film Study Beats Numbers Every Time

Hey coaches, parents, and six-man football fanatics—let's talk about something that's been grinding my gears in our leagues: the obsession with stats when scouting the opponent. You know the drill. Someone pulls up the season averages—yards per carry, passing efficiency, points per game—and suddenly that's the game plan. "Their QB throws for 250 a game; we gotta blitz heavy!" Wrong. In six-man, stats are a mirage. They're deceiving, incomplete, and frankly, a lazy shortcut that hurts our kids more than it helps.

The Mercy Rule Mirage: Why Stats Lie in Six-Man

Six-man football is beautiful chaos—fast, wide-open, and brutal. But here's the kicker: the mercy rule kicks in early and often. A team up by 45 at halftime? Game over, or at least shortened to a crawl. That means most stat lines are from blowouts or partial games. Your star running back might have 300 yards rushing... but 200 came in the first quarter against a team that quit showing up. Opposing defenses mail it in, offenses vanilla up to run clock—boom, inflated numbers that tell you zilch about how they'll play when it's tied in the fourth.

I've seen it firsthand. A team posts gaudy stats, you game-plan around stopping their "1,000-yard rusher," and come Friday night, they're scheming something totally different because the film shows their real bread-and-butter plays. Stats don't capture context. Film does.

Schemes and Matchups: The Real Scout

Forget the box score. Fire up the HUDL (or whatever platform your league uses) and break down the tape. What schemes are they running? Spread option? Wing-T ? J-Bird? Are they motioning pre-snap to create mismatches? That's where games are won.

Player matchups inside those schemes? Gold. Your speedy slot versus their linebacker in space—exploit it. Their big lineman who anchors the run but gasses on pass rush—scheme quick screens. Film reveals tendencies: Do they blitz on third-and-long? How do they adjust to motion? Stats might say "they give up 200 rushing yards a game," but film shows it's because they stack the box against power runs and dare you to throw outside.

Coaches, if you're not identifying their studs from tape alone—who's the quarterback with the quick release? The receiver who high-points every jump ball?—then level up your analysis game. It's not rocket science; it's pausing, rewinding, and noting personnel groups. That's coaching.

The Misguided Stat Blackout: Hurting Kids for "Strategy"

Now, let's address the elephant in the room: those coaches in our league who refuse to post stats. "It gives the opponent an advantage!" they say. Come on. This is six-man high school ball, not NFL espionage. Hiding stats doesn't cloak your team in mystery; it robs your players of recognition and motivation.

Think about it: Is it about you protecting some perceived edge, or about them—the kids grinding in the heat, laying it on the line? A kid rushes for 200 yards and four TDs? Put itnto MaxPreps and let him share that on social media, tell his grandparents, feel like a hero. Motivated players play harder, practice better, and build confidence that carries into life. Denying them that for "scouting secrecy"? That's ego, not strategy. It's far worse than any "advantage" you think you're preserving.

If You Insist on Stats, Make 'Em Useful

Okay, fine—if stats are your crutch, at least use ones that matter. Tell me their laser-timed 40-yard dash. How much they bench press. Height, weight, wingspan. Now we're talking scoutable traits! College recruiters aren't combing six-man box scores for passing yards; they're eyeing measurables and film highlights. "Kid's 6'2", 200 lbs, runs a 4.6—sign him up!" Post that if you want an "edge." But game stats from mercy-ruled romps? Useless noise.

Bottom Line: Film First, Kids First

Coaches, drop the stat dependency. Embrace the film room. Scout schemes, dissect matchups, and let your players shine with their accomplishments. In six-man, where every play is a potential highlight (or nightmare), real preparation comes from the eye test, not the spreadsheet.

Your team will thank you with wins—and more importantly, with passion. Because at the end of the day, it's about developing young men who love the game, not hiding behind numbers. Get after that tape. Your players deserve it.

Disclaimer: I wrote this and then dropped it into an AI to correct all my spelling, grammatical and other errors. AI was designed for coaches.. glad the rest of you are enjoying it too!