Taking the reins of an offense or defense as a coordinator is exciting. It’s also a lot more work and responsibility.

It’s important to understand the role and how to approach it. For me, success came through trial and error, studying others and talking to fellow coaches. 

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Here are 11 points to reflect on as you prepare for your new job:

1. Offensive coordinator doesn’t mean "offensive guru." Others may want to believe you're one, but be humble and realize most of what you do has been learned through hard work and others. Always thank your mentors and give them appropriate credit.

2. Coordinate does mean "bring together." Work well with your coaches and players. Give them input and listen. Empower them and help them take ownership in what all of you are doing together. 

3. Be organized. Everything starts with organization. This is one of your primary roles as a coordinator. Organize your coaching materials, meeting times, video time, walkthroughs and practices for maximum efficiency. Don’t wing it. Be sure every position coach has a schedule, script, watch and whistle. Maximum efficiency and effectiveness is your objective. 

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4. Be mindful of your practice reps. When you've decided on the plays in your game plan, make sure you can give them enough reps in practice. If you can’t get the reps needed, take the plays out of your plan. 

5. Do the little things right. If talent is near equal, then attention to detail wins. Your players and coaches need to understand the importance of this. Almost is not good enough. 

6. Your job is not to trick the defense, it's to out-execute them. Emphasize execution over finding a new scheme. Run your stuff until it becomes second nature and your players understand what adjustments they need to make to be successful. 

7. Outwork your opponent, but be sure you're always looking to work smarter. Find efficiency in your work habits and you'll find effectiveness. I know too many coaches who watch film until 3 a.m. and aren't effective. It’s not just about how well you know it, it’s how well your players know it. It’s about finding balance in your life as well. Get out of the office and spend time with your family.

8. Prepare your players for the situations you'll face, and have clear objectives for those situations. If you're faced with a two-minute drill that requires a field goal, and your QB is taking low-percentage shots into the end zone, it’s not their fault if they've never practiced it. Don’t make assumptions that your players understand what to do in every situation. Teach them what you want.

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This goes back to organization and planning. If you want it done in a game, make sure you practice it. When I was coaching high school, we worked a “fair catch for a free kick” situation every week. It’s a rare situation, but our players knew exactly what to do if we ended up in that situation. Have a checklist of all the situations you want your players to be able to perform and be sure they've practiced them.

9. Be a great teacher. Understand how players develop. First, they need to learn what to do. Next, they need to learn how to do it. Only then will they work toward doing it aggressively. Build your teaching, practice and drills accordingly. You can’t skip a step. Being a great teacher means being able to utilize all resources, technology and time in order to maximize your effectiveness. 

10. If you're taking over in a situation that's been successful, remember it’s easier for one person (you) to adapt than for the rest of the team and coaches. It'll be rare that you have a situation to start from scratch. Either way, you'll be able to put your signature on it and move things in a direction that you see fit. Starting from scratch makes every player in your system a freshman. In some situations, this is necessary and appropriate. Spend time upfront understanding your situation and what positives from the past you can build on. 

11. The next generation of coaches is more tech-savvy. There are advantages that can be gained from using technology to teach your systems. The key is understanding that you must utilize technology as a teaching tool that presents the information to your players in an engaging and relevant manner. It should also provide efficiencies for the coach.

Utilize technology as a way to get out of the office earlier. There are no awards for working 12, 14 or more hours in a day. In the long run, you'll burn out and put a strain on other aspects of your life. Technology should help provide balance to an already demanding and stressful job. For years, I had to use plenty of workarounds to create a great learning tool. The video playlist here shows how I create a powerful learning platform with some efficient pieces of technology.

If you're becoming a coordinator for the first time, congratulations on your new role if. If you've been doing this for years, this list is a valuable reminder.

Good luck with your preparations for next season.

Keith Grabowski, USA Football's director of football operations, has nearly three decades of coaching experience at the high school and collegiate level. As host of USA Football's Coach and Coordinator podcast, he interviews the most knowledgeable head coaches, coordinators and position coaches from professional, college, and high school football. Keith and his guests discuss the philosophy, concepts, schemes, and strategies that they have learned throughout their careers. Each show includes a specific idea that can be applied to help coaches at every level find the winning edge.

This is an updated version of a blog that originally published Feb. 24, 2016.