Why Preparation Is the Ultimate Confidence Builder

A football coach’s perspective on readiness and performance.

As an offensive line coach, I started to realize that building a player's confidence meant finding every way I could to expose them to scenarios they would be in. This is what made them prepared. This is what built confidence.

In building their fundamentals, creating an understanding by answering the question of “Why?” creates confidence for them when facing the unknown on the football field.

Once the whistle blows on game day, our men versus theirs. I am not a coach who believes there is "nothing more than I can do for you" because I think great coaches can make technical and schematic adjustments during the game. However, when they cross those white lines, it's all on them. They are going to battle. They are the ones that are lining up, and they will be the ones laying the hits. Their preparation, but most importantly, confidence in not only what they can do, but also their critical thinking and problem-solving, is key.

Within preparing for the unknown is teaching your players how to evaluate their opponent by personnel and scheme. Understanding their own strengths and weaknesses in the context they are in and being able to think critically and problem solve when thrown a curve ball, is what makes one feel prepared. It is crucial to spend time watching film, teaching your players how to study film, and giving them concise tells and tips to make sound judgments.

The first pillar in our room is to be smart. Mentally and physically. A high-priority item for me as a coach is to identify players who want to be students of the game and create an environment where they can find the answers.

S*** Happens, But Now You Know

Think about when you first learned how to do something. Chances are, you were not very good at it. Think about when you first learned how to ride a bike. I am assuming you fell the first few times. Normalize failure when starting something new. With my offensive lineman, we have a trial rep for new drills. I normalize mistakes on the first rep.

We have a phrase for first-time mistakes. “Now you know.” It is how I end every first correction in terms of drills, culture, or procedure. The expectation is that once they are coached and corrected, the mistake cannot happen again. We seldom use this term when introducing or working through new concepts or drills at a walk-through pace, but do not spare it when grinding elsewhere. It emphasizes that mistakes do happen, and to be a great offensive line room, we must recognize the mistake, know the correction, and execute from there.

Football is supposed to be a place where our players can make mistakes. If anything, I prefer they make mistakes while with us, ones that we can correct and support them in making right. The majority of the athletes I work with, from high school to rookies in the NFL, are still growing, maturing, and learning.

The environment I create must be one with a growth mindset and must encourage guys to be confident enough to mess up.

Ashley Cornwell is coaching the NFL IPP Program Pro Day (2025).

Building Confidence in the Fundamentals

Putting guys in situations where they can physically feel the incorrect and correct way will help build their preparation and confidence.

For example, a new drill that I picked up from the Offensive line coach was a drill about posture. The drill consists of an offensive lineman taking a PVC pipe and holding it on his back near his shoulders and upper back. The first part of the progression was to use this drill to prove that each offensive lineman needed work on their posture and activating their core in their stance. What each lineman would do is execute some pass sets and then stop in their stance. The coach would then gently press on each end of the PVC pipe. The gentle touch would often cause many, if not all, of the offensive linemen to move unsteadily and unpredictably.

This light touch put into perspective what was missing from the equation. The players could feel what was wrong. With adjustments and continued reps highlighting straining the core and moving through their insteps, the players began to FEEL what it was supposed to be. Their posture and form from there improved.

An additional part of this progression was putting the players in a position to activate their stance and position. The players would start with the PVC pipe and jump as high as they could in the air. Their assignment was to then land and get low in their stance. From there, a second whistle was blown for them to execute a few kicks.

This progression was key because it then started to trigger a physical response and activated their core, stance, and posture from an unlikely and hard position to be in. As linemen, we never want to have both of our feet off the ground. However, putting them in this position forced their bodies to activate and correct as quickly as they could.

Building Confidence in the Preparation for the Worst-Case Scenario

Another way to create confidence through preparation is putting our guys in drills that represent the worst-case scenarios and what is expected of them.

When a guy beats you across your face on outside zone, keep him washed outside of you and be definitive with that block. When your hand is inevitably knocked down in pass protection, go with the flow and replace.

Putting our guys in the “worst situation” and giving them tools to navigate builds their confidence in their abilities by preparing them for as much as we can. Coaches will never be perfect, and that is why it is our job to study the tape and continually add drills that replicate situations and moves that our guys are experiencing or will experience in the game. Practice the unknown, practice the worst-case scenario, and this preparation will give your players confidence to play all out.

Preparing may not expose you to everything. But diligent preparation can give you the mental skills to adjust to any situation. It will give one the confidence to execute sound judgment in the face of the known and unknown. As coaches, preparation is our job. Manufacturing an environment that is uncomfortable builds confidence.

Preparation is the ultimate confidence builder.