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Football scouting guides for coaches

Free, practical guides for football coaches on opponent scouting: how to read a scouting report, how to find down and distance tendencies in game film, and how scouting flag football differs from 11-man tackle. Written and reviewed by the Scout Lab scouting team, the same staff that builds Scout Lab reports.

By Scout Lab Scouting TeamReviewed by the Scout Lab scouting teamUpdated October 25, 2026

Coach guides

How to read a football scouting reportFormations, usage %, tendencies, key players and the game plan, and how to turn each page into practice.What to look for in opponent film: down and distance tendenciesWhat to chart on every snap, how to group plays, and the tells to look for on each down.Flag vs tackle football scouting: what changesWhat stays the same, and what to chart differently for 5v5 or 7v7 flag and 11-man tackle.

Who writes these guides

The Scout Lab Scouting Team is the staff of active football coaches that charts opponent film and builds every Scout Lab scouting report, for youth, high school, college, semi-pro and flag teams. These guides share the same method we use on every report: chart every snap, group the plays by situation, and turn what the opponent does most into a plan your players can practice.

Know your opponent before kickoff.
— Scout Lab’s promise to every coach

Have a question these guides don’t answer? See the football scouting FAQ or create a free account to download the sample scouting report.

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