17 Assistant Football Coach Interview Questions and Answers

Assistant football coaches typically work at the collegiate or professional level, assisting the head coach with game strategy, player development, and recruiting. Some assistant coaches may also be responsible for coaching a specific position group, such as the offensive or defensive line.

If you’re interested in becoming an assistant football coach, you’ll need to be prepared to answer a variety of questions during your job interview. This guide includes sample questions and answers that will help you ace your interview and get the job.

Are you comfortable working with a large group of people?

Assistant coaches often work with large groups of people, including the head coach and other assistant coaches. Employers ask this question to make sure you’re comfortable working in a team environment. Use your answer to show that you enjoy collaborating with others. Explain how you like to help others succeed.

Example: “I love working with a large group of people because it allows me to learn from so many different perspectives. I find that each person has their own unique way of looking at things, which helps me develop new ways of doing things. In my previous role as an assistant football coach, I worked closely with the head coach to create weekly practice plans for the entire team. We would meet once a week to discuss our progress and any challenges we faced.”

What are some of the most important qualities that an assistant football coach should have?

This question can help interviewers determine if you have the qualities they’re looking for in an assistant football coach. When answering this question, it can be helpful to mention a few of your own personal qualities and how they relate to those that are important for an assistant football coach.

Example: “I believe some of the most important qualities an assistant football coach should have include being organized, having strong communication skills and being able to motivate others. I am very organized, which helps me keep track of all the tasks I need to complete each day. My communication skills allow me to effectively relay information from the head coach to the players on the field. Finally, my motivation skills help me encourage other coaches and players when needed.”

How would you handle a situation where a player was not meeting your expectations?

Assistant coaches are responsible for developing players and helping them improve their skills. Employers ask this question to make sure you have the ability to hold your team members accountable when they’re not performing well. In your answer, explain that you would first try to help the player understand what they need to do differently. If they still aren’t meeting expectations after a few attempts at coaching, you would take disciplinary action.

Example: “I’ve had to address situations like this in my previous roles as an assistant coach. I always start by trying to help the player understand why they’re not performing up to our standards. Sometimes it’s just a matter of explaining things one-on-one so they can learn how to meet expectations. If they don’t improve after several conversations, I will hold them out of practice or games until they show improvement.”

What is your experience working with youth or collegiate athletes?

This question can help interviewers understand your experience working with athletes of different ages and skill levels. You may have more or less experience than other candidates, so it’s important to highlight any unique skills you’ve developed while coaching younger or older athletes.

Example: “I started coaching youth football when I was in high school myself. My team won the state championship my senior year, which was a great way to end my career. Since then, I’ve coached at the collegiate level for five years, where we’ve had two winning seasons and one losing season.”

Provide an example of a time when you had to manage a difficult situation with a player or coach.

This question can help interviewers understand how you handle conflict and challenges. Use your answer to highlight your problem-solving skills, communication abilities and leadership qualities.

Example: “I had a situation with one of my players last season where he was struggling academically. He missed several practices and games because of his grades, which made him ineligible for the rest of the season. I spoke with him about the issue and learned that he didn’t know what he needed to do to improve his grades. I helped him create a study plan so he could get back on track. He ended up getting all A’s in his next semester.”

If hired, what areas of the game would you like to focus on?

This question helps the interviewer determine your coaching style and how you plan to help the team succeed. Use examples from your previous experience or discuss what you would like to learn about if this is your first time as an assistant coach.

Example: “I believe that a successful football program starts with strong fundamentals, so I would focus on teaching players proper techniques for each position. For example, when I was working at my last school, we had a wide receiver who struggled catching passes because he didn’t have good form. I helped him practice his technique during drills and in one season, he caught over 100 passes.”

What would you do to help players develop a strong work ethic?

Assistant coaches are responsible for helping players develop a strong work ethic. Employers ask this question to make sure you have strategies that can help their team members succeed. In your answer, share two or three ways you would encourage hard work and dedication in the players on your team.

Example: “I believe that developing a strong work ethic is one of the most important things I can do as an assistant coach. When I first started coaching, my mentor gave me some advice about how to get through to players who didn’t take practice seriously. He told me to tell them that if they don’t put in the effort now, it will be harder for them later when they want to play professionally. This advice has helped me connect with many players who were struggling to stay motivated.”

How well do you know the rules of football?

The interviewer may ask this question to see how much you know about the sport and whether you can help players understand the rules. To answer, list some of the most important rules in football and explain why they’re important.

Example: “The most important rule is that a player must be on the ground for at least one second before he gets up to run with the ball. This is because if a player doesn’t get down for at least one second, it’s considered an incomplete pass. Another important rule is that offensive players cannot block defensive players until the ball carrier has the ball. If they do so beforehand, it’s called illegal blocking.”

Do you have any experience coaching special teams?

This question can help interviewers understand your experience level and how you might fit into the team. If you have no special teams coaching experience, consider talking about a time when you helped someone or coached a different aspect of football.

Example: “I’ve never had the opportunity to coach special teams, but I do have some experience with helping out on other aspects of the game. In my last position as an assistant offensive coordinator, I worked closely with the wide receivers and tight ends. This allowed me to develop strategies for creating open spaces and finding ways to get the ball in our best players’ hands.”

When preparing for a game, what is your strategy for evaluating your players’ strengths and weaknesses?

This question can help interviewers understand how you use your knowledge of the game to make decisions about which players are best suited for certain positions and what areas they need to improve in. Use examples from past experiences to explain how you evaluate strengths and weaknesses and develop strategies to help your team succeed.

Example: “I believe that every player has a strength, even if it’s something small like their ability to catch or throw a ball. I also think that each player has an area where they could improve. For example, when I was coaching at my last school, we had a wide receiver who struggled with catching passes. We worked on drills during practice so he could get more comfortable with the ball in his hands. Eventually, he became one of our top receivers because of these drills.”

We want to improve our team’s discipline and focus during practice. How would you address this issue?

Assistant coaches often help their head coach develop and implement discipline strategies for the team. This question helps interviewers understand how you would support your head coach in this role. In your answer, explain what steps you would take to improve discipline during practice.

Example: “I have seen teams with a lack of discipline at practice before, but I think it’s important that we address these issues early on. If I see players not following directions or being disrespectful to each other, I will first ask them to stop and then give them an opportunity to correct themselves. If they continue to be disruptive, I will call them over and talk to them privately about the issue. I want to make sure that everyone understands our expectations and consequences so that we can avoid having to suspend players from games.”

Describe your coaching philosophy.

Assistant coaches often have their own unique coaching philosophies. This question helps the interviewer determine if your coaching philosophy aligns with that of the head coach. Use this opportunity to explain how you would implement a specific style of play or training regimen into the team’s schedule.

Example: “I believe in creating an environment where players can learn and grow as both athletes and people. I want my players to feel comfortable enough to ask questions, voice concerns and express themselves without fear of judgment. I also think it’s important for assistant coaches to be able to step up when needed and take over some responsibilities from the head coach. In my last position, I took on more responsibility during the season when the head coach was out due to illness.”

What makes you the best candidate for this position?

This question is a great way for the interviewer to learn more about your qualifications and how you feel you can contribute to their team. When answering this question, it’s important to highlight your relevant experience, skills and abilities that make you an ideal candidate for the position.

Example: “I believe I am the best candidate for this position because of my extensive coaching experience in both football and basketball. In addition to my coaching experience, I have also worked as a teacher for the past five years, which has given me valuable insight into working with young athletes. My teaching background has also helped me develop effective strategies for communicating with players and parents.”

Which coaching methods do you find to be the most effective?

Assistant coaches often have their own unique coaching methods that they use to help players improve. The interviewer wants to know which methods you find to be the most effective and why. You can answer this question by describing a specific method you’ve used in the past and how it helped your team succeed.

Example: “I believe that positive reinforcement is one of the best ways to motivate players. When I was an assistant coach at my previous school, we had a player who wasn’t performing well on the field. Instead of yelling at him or criticizing his performance, I took him aside after practice and told him what he did right during the game. He started playing better because of the praise, and eventually became one of our top players.”

What do you think is the most important aspect of player development?

Assistant coaches are responsible for developing players’ skills and abilities. Employers ask this question to make sure you understand the role of an assistant coach in a football program. Use your answer to explain what you think is most important about player development. Explain how you would help develop players on the team.

Example: “I believe that communication is the most important aspect of player development. Players need to know what they’re doing well, but also where they can improve. I like to meet with each player individually at least once per week during practice. During these meetings, I discuss their strengths and weaknesses as a player. Then, we come up with a plan to help them overcome any challenges they may be facing.”

How often would you like to hold practice sessions?

Assistant coaches often have to work with the head coach to determine when and where they will hold practice sessions. The interviewer may ask this question to learn more about your availability and how you plan your schedule. In your answer, explain what factors you would consider when determining a time for practice.

Example: “I would want to find a time that works best for all of the players. I think it’s important to give them enough rest between practices so they can be at their best during each session. If possible, I would also like to avoid holding practice on days when there are games or other events scheduled. This gives the team plenty of time to prepare for those events.”

There is a snowstorm on game day, but you still have a game scheduled. What do you do?

This question is a great way to see how you handle unforeseen circumstances. It’s important for coaches to be able to adapt and make the best of any situation, so it’s crucial that you show your interviewer that you can do this as well.

Example: “I would first check with my head coach to see if they had any ideas or suggestions. If not, I would call all of our players and tell them we are canceling the game due to weather conditions. Then, I would contact the opposing team and let them know what was happening. Finally, I would find another time to play the game.”