The Three Pillars of Football Success: Why Coaching Penalties, Turnovers, and Special Teams Wins Games

Too many coaches focus on the Xs and 0s or the athleticism of the Jimmy's and Joe's when strategy, and athleticism are not nearly as important as the ability of a team to dominate penalties, turnovers, and special teams. This isn't just anecdotal wisdom—it's backed by decades of on-field evidence.

As a head coach, I took the time to break down all 108 gamesinto these three "phases" of the game to evaluate their impact. Conclusion: winning the differentials in these areas isn't optional; it's essential.

Understanding the Three Phases

Before diving into the data, let's break down what each phase entails and why it matters.

1. Penalties: Discipline as a Weapon Penalties are often viewed as mere mistakes, but in reality, they reflect a team's discipline, preparation, and mental toughness. A penalty differential favors the team that commits fewer yards or infractions, forcing the opponent into unfavorable positions like longer third downs or backed-up field position.

Why is coaching penalties so important? Sloppy play—offsides, holding, unnecessary roughness—can erase big gains or gift the opposition easy yards. Coaches must instill a culture of precision through drills that emphasize technique, rules knowledge, and situational awareness.

On our team, each personal foul penalty is 4 sprints the following monday and every other penalty is 2 regardless of the outcome of the game. As a result of emphasizing their importance we have lowered the number each season.

2. Turnovers: The Ultimate Momentum Shifter Turnovers—interceptions and fumbles —represent the raw chaos of football. The turnover differential measures which team gains more possessions through these forced errors while protecting the ball themselves.

Coaching turnovers goes beyond basic ball security; it's about creating a predatory defense and a cautious yet aggressive offense. Defensive coaches should drill strip techniques, pursuit angles, and coverage schemes to force mistakes, while offensive staff focus on ball security and proper decision making.

Turnovers in practice result in sprints at the end of practice. We stress that practice is not a place to lose mental focus. However, if players want to practice sloppy we will at least get some extra conditioning!

3. Special Teams: The Forgotten Frontier

In sixman football, this is the most important element of the game. Field goals are worth 4 points, extra points are 2 points and the inability to cover kick offs result in on average over 200 yards of field position advantage each game.

The differential here rewards teams that excel in execution, from accurate kicking to explosive returns. Why prioritize coaching special teams? These plays happen more often in sixman due to the high scoring nature of the game.

Effective coaching involves dedicated practice time for specialists—kickers honing accuracy under fatigue, returners mastering vision and blocking schemes, and coverage units drilling lane discipline. It's also about innovation as there are alot of varying onside kick stategies.

The Data Speaks: A Career's Worth of Proof

Over my head coaching career, I've analyzed over a hundred games through this lens, and the numbers are undeniable. The table below summarizes the outcomes based on how many of these phases a team wins or ties:

Phases Won/Tied	Wins	Losses	Win %
0 Phases	0	6	0%
1 Phase	1	9	10%
2 Phases	38	9	81%
3 Phases	45	0	100%

(Note: The win percentage for winning/tying 1 phase is calculated as 1 win out of 10 total games, equaling 10%.)These stats paint a clear picture:

• Losing all three phases is a recipe for disaster—teams in this scenario went 0-6, a stark 0% win rate. It's nearly impossible to overcome self-sabotage across the board.

• Winning or tying just one offers slim hope, with only a 10% success rate. This underscores that isolated excellence isn't enough; balance is key.

• Dominating two phases flips the script dramatically, yielding an 81% win rate (38-9). Even if you're average in one area, excelling in the others provides a massive buffer.

• Sweeping all three is perfection—45-0, 100% victories. This is the holy grail, where preparation meets execution.

  
  

So, winning two or more phases of the game has given us an 88% chance of winning. These aren't flukes; they're patterns repeated across levels from high school to pro. Teams that coach these phases holistically don't just win games—they build dynasties.

While flashy offenses grab headlines, championships are won in the trenches of discipline and detail. The Path to Consistent Wins is execution in the margins. By prioritizing coaching penalties, turnovers, and special teams, you create a team that's not just skilled but unbreakable.

My career data proves it: win these differentials, and the scoreboard takes care of itself. Whether you're a head coach, coordinator, or player, embrace these three pillars. The teams that do will rise above the rest, turning potential into triumphs on the field.