The 2009-2010 bowl season is coming to a close, and it has been an interesting one. The SMU Mustangs made a triumphant return to post-season play after a 25-year absence; Texas Tech stood firm in the face of one of the most bizarre firing scenarios in recent memory, as did the Gators after losing their head coach; and Idaho (yes, Idaho) won with a two-point conversion with four seconds remaining.
Last September I wrote about innovation in football on www.ideaflow.com – specifically about the A-11 offense adopted by some high school teams, and (now former) Texas Tech coach Mike Leach’s unorthodox passing strategy. This Thursday from 12:00 – 1:00 pm Eastern time we’ll continue the conversation about innovation and football via Twitter on #innochat.
One thing I’m particularly interested in discussion is why football, particularly at the high school and college levels, is an area in which innovation seems to flourish. What conditions, dynamics, incentives, and/or competitive environments exist that make this the case? And conversely, what are the circumstances under which innovation takes a back seat?
I’d also like to discuss how various organizational structures either help or hinder innovation. Consider the “coach apparent” hiring approach used by programs such as the University of Texas and Florida State under which an assistant is pre-designated as being the next head coach – what impact might that have on innovation?
To contribute your thoughts and suggestions for other topics, please reply below or join us this Thursday at noon EST. Just to go www.tweetchat.com and enter #innochat in the search field. See you then!
Gwen