The best examples of video analysis for game strategy: 3 examples coaches actually use

When coaches talk about the most useful examples of video analysis for game strategy, 3 examples show up across almost every sport:

• Pre‑game opponent scouting
• In‑game live or near‑live adjustments
• Post‑game self‑scouting and trend tracking

Different sports dress these up with different jargon, but the workflow is surprisingly similar.

Pre‑game scouting: turning opponent film into a game plan

In pre‑game scouting, coaches use video to answer one question: Where can we control the matchup? This is the first major example of video analysis for game strategy, and it drives almost everything else in the week.

Basketball example (NBA / NCAA):

A staff pulls the last 6–8 games of an opponent and tags every ball screen. They filter clips by:

• Ball handler (star guard vs backup)
• Screen angle (side, middle, flat)
• Coverage faced (drop, switch, blitz)

From there, they build short playlists:

• “Late-clock ball screens vs drop”
• “ATOs (after timeouts) for their best shooter”
• “Baseline out-of-bounds vs man”

The head coach sits with the assistants and watches these cut‑ups, not just to see what the opponent runs, but when they trust certain actions. That leads directly to strategy:

• Force the star guard to his weak hand out of ball screens
• Switch only when a non‑shooter is screening
• Top‑lock their best shooter on baseline out-of-bounds plays

This is a textbook example of video analysis turning raw film into specific matchups and coverage rules.

American football example (high school to NFL):

Football may be the clearest example of video analysis for game strategy. Coaches break down film by:

• Down and distance
• Field zone (coming out, midfield, red zone)
• Personnel groupings (11, 12, 10, etc.)

They export reports that show tendencies: maybe an opponent runs outside zone 72% of the time on 1st‑and‑10 from their own 25–40. That number comes from tagged video, not guesswork.

Defensive coaches then build a game plan:

• Call more run‑heavy fronts in those situations
• Fit run gaps more aggressively on early downs
• Practice specific run fits using those exact opponent clips

Organizations like USA Football have long emphasized film in game planning and player development, especially for youth and high school levels (usafootball.com).

In‑game adjustments: live video as a real‑time feedback loop

The second of our best examples of video analysis for game strategy: 3 examples would be incomplete without in‑game adjustments. With tablets and instant replay on the sideline or bench, teams no longer wait until Monday to fix problems.

NFL sideline example:

On offense, the line coach reviews the previous series on a tablet, checking:

• How the defense is aligning to motion and shifts
• Whether pressures are coming from field or boundary
• Which pass‑rush moves are giving tackles trouble

He then walks over to the quarterback and line, using the clips to confirm what they felt:

• “See 91? He’s inside on third downs; we can fan the protection and slide away.”
• “They’re spinning the safety late; let’s check to quick game when we see that shell.”

This is an in‑game example of video analysis that directly changes calls on the next series.

Basketball bench example:

In the NBA and top college programs, assistants watch possessions on laptops during timeouts:

• Are we late tagging the roller?
• Is the weak‑side defender helping off the wrong shooter?
• Are we getting burned by a specific flare screen action?

They pull 2–3 clips, show them in a huddle, and adjust:

• “Top‑lock #11 off staggers; force him backdoor and we’ll have help.”
• “On Spain pick‑and‑roll, switch the back screen and stay attached to the shooter.”

The players see it, not just hear it. That’s a big reason video is now baked into in‑game strategy across leagues.

Post‑game self‑scouting: seeing your own habits

The third major example of video analysis for game strategy is post‑game self‑scouting. This is where teams find out what they really are.

Coaches tag every possession by:

• Play call or action
• Result (score, turnover, foul, shot quality)
• Matchup (who guarded whom)

Over a 10‑game stretch, they might discover:

• Their favorite set has actually been below average in points per possession
• A backup wing is quietly their best on‑ball defender vs star scorers
• Their late‑game isolation package leads to too many contested jumpers

This kind of self‑scout mirrors the way performance analysts review data in other fields, like sports science and injury prevention research (NIH overview on sports performance research).

From there, strategy changes:

• Retire or tweak low‑efficiency plays
• Reassign defensive matchups
• Build more late‑game actions around their best creator, not just their biggest name

These three pillars—pre‑game scouting, in‑game adjustments, and post‑game self‑scouting—are the backbone of almost all modern film work.

2. More real examples of video analysis for game strategy across sports

Talking in the abstract gets boring fast. Let’s walk through more concrete, real examples of video analysis for game strategy in different sports so you can see how this actually looks in 2024–2025.

Example of video analysis in soccer: pressing triggers and build‑up patterns

Modern soccer staffs lean heavily on video to design pressing schemes and build‑up patterns.

Pressing game plan:

Analysts tag opponent possessions from goal kicks and deep build‑up. They look for:

• Which center back is more uncomfortable under pressure
• How often the goalkeeper plays short vs long
• Where the pivot (holding mid) checks to receive

From those clips, they script a pressing plan:

• Force the ball to the weaker‑foot center back
• Use the striker to screen the pivot’s passing lane
• Trigger an all‑out press on backward passes to the fullback

In training, they show players 6–10 short clips of those exact patterns, then rehearse pressing runs against the same shapes. That’s a clean example of video analysis for game strategy translating film into coordinated team movement.

Build‑up example:

On the attacking side, coaches analyze how opponents defend wide areas:

• Do they jump aggressively to the winger?
• Do they allow the fullback to carry?
• Does the near‑side central midfielder overhelp?

They then design rotations—fullback underlapping, winger staying wide, interior midfielder making a third‑man run—to hit the space that consistently opens in the clips.

Organizations like U.S. Soccer and UEFA regularly publish coaching education materials that reference this type of video‑driven tactical planning (usys.org for youth context).

Example of video analysis in basketball: pick‑and‑roll and matchup hunting

If you want one of the best examples of video analysis for game strategy, basketball pick‑and‑roll coverage is it.

Defensive coverage example:

A staff pulls every pick‑and‑roll possession for an opposing star guard over the last 8 games. They tag by:

• Coverage faced (switch, drop, hedge, blitz)
• Direction (left, right, middle)
• Result type (rim attempt, pull‑up, pass to roller, kick‑out three)

The clips might show that:

• He’s elite going right vs drop coverage
• He struggles vs aggressive blitzes going left
• He rarely hits the weak‑side corner on time

So the game plan becomes:

• Send him left more often
• Blitz selectively in the second half to wear him down
• Load help from the strong side, not the weak corner

That’s not guesswork; it’s video‑driven.

Offensive matchup hunting example:

On offense, coaches use video to identify who to attack:

• Which big struggles in space on switches
• Which guard dies on screens
• Which wing is slow to tag the roller

They build a package of sets that force switches onto that weak defender, then spam those actions until the opponent adjusts. Again, this is a direct example of video analysis for game strategy shaping both play calls and substitution patterns.

Example of video analysis in American football: red‑zone and third‑down packages

Football is full of real examples of video analysis for game strategy, but red‑zone and third‑down work are where film really earns its keep.

Third‑down pressure example:

Defensive coordinators study third‑and‑medium and third‑and‑long to see:

• Favorite pass concepts (mesh, four verts, shallow cross)
• Which receiver the quarterback looks to first
• How the protection slides vs different fronts

They compile cut‑ups of pressures that have beaten similar protections from other opponents. Then they design:

• Simulated pressures (show blitz, drop out, bring pressure from the opposite side)
• Match coverages that double the quarterback’s favorite target
• Creeper looks that bring a second‑level defender while dropping a lineman

Offensive coordinators are doing the same on the other side, studying how defenses disguise coverages and where voids appear in the clips.

Red‑zone example:

In the red zone, tendencies tighten. Video shows:

• Preferred run concepts inside the 10
• Favorite pick/rub routes on the goal line
• Whether the quarterback is willing to throw fades or prefers slants and crossers

Defenses then:

• Practice defending those exact pick routes they’ve seen on film
• Change leverage rules near the goal line
• Call more man or more pattern‑match based on what the clips show

The NFL and NCAA coaching clinics frequently highlight this kind of film‑driven situational planning; many clinic talks are built entirely around cut‑ups.

Baseball and softball: pitch design and hitter scouting

Baseball may not look as fluid as soccer or basketball, but it offers some of the clearest examples of video analysis for game strategy.

Pitcher example:

Using high‑speed video and tracking data, pitching coaches:

• Study arm slot consistency across pitch types
• Check release point drift when a pitcher is tired
• Pair video with spin data to optimize pitch tunneling

Before a series, they watch hitter clips to see:

• Heat maps of swing decisions
• How hitters react to high fastballs vs low breaking balls
• Whether certain hitters sell out for pull power in specific counts

Game plans follow:

• Attack cold zones with specific pitch types
• Sequence pitches so that breaking balls start in the same tunnel as fastballs
• Use video to show pitchers exactly how hitters are reacting, not just tell them

Hitter example:

Hitters review their own at‑bats:

• Hand path and barrel entry into the zone
• Timing against different velocities
• Pitch recognition cues (release point, spin)

That’s strategic too: it affects which zones they hunt, what they’re ready for in certain counts, and how they anticipate specific pitchers.

Volleyball: serve‑receive and blocking schemes

Volleyball gives another clean example of video analysis for game strategy, especially for serve‑receive and blocking.

Serve‑receive example:

Coaches tag opponent serves by:

• Server
• Target zone
• Serve type (float, jump, hybrid)

They might find that a specific server targets the seam between two passers 80% of the time. That leads to:

• Adjusted starting positions
• Clear communication rules for that seam
• Practice reps built around those exact serve trajectories from video

Blocking example:

Analysts review opponent attack tendencies:

• Favorite hitting zones by rotation
• Approach angles for each attacker
• Back‑row attack frequency

They then design blocking schemes:

• Commit blocks vs the primary hitter in certain rotations
• Funnel attacks to the strongest defender
• Adjust hands to take away the hitter’s favorite line or cross‑court angles

In all of these sports, the pattern is the same: video reveals habits, and habits drive game strategy.

3. 2024–2025 trends shaping how teams use video

The best examples of video analysis for game strategy in 2024–2025 look a little different than they did even five years ago.

Trend 1: AI‑assisted tagging and pattern detection

Modern software can auto‑tag events (shots, passes, screens, set pieces) with reasonable accuracy. That means:

• Analysts spend less time cutting raw film
• Coaches get to the “why” and “what do we do about it?” faster

Some tools even surface patterns automatically: “Your team allows a high expected goals (xG) value on cut‑backs from the right side,” based on tagged video. Coaches still need to interpret, but the starting point is faster.

Trend 2: Player‑facing clips on phones and tablets

Instead of big film sessions only, players now get:

• Personalized clip packages on their phones
• Short, position‑specific edits before practice
• Quick video feedback between games

The best examples of video analysis for game strategy today include this direct player access. It’s not just a coach’s tool anymore; it’s a daily part of how players learn.

Trend 3: Blending video with tracking and health data

At higher levels, teams are blending:

• Video clips
• GPS or optical tracking data
• Workload and health information

For instance, a soccer staff might notice from tracking data that pressing intensity drops after the 70th minute. Video then shows how that looks: slower triggers, late rotations, more gaps between lines. Strength and conditioning staff and medical teams may use similar data‑plus‑video approaches to monitor overuse and fatigue risks (Mayo Clinic on overuse injuries).

This integrated view helps teams adjust strategy: rotate earlier, tweak pressing schemes late, or change substitution patterns.

Trend 4: Video for mental preparation and confidence

There’s also a psychological angle. Sports psychology research often highlights the value of imagery and mental rehearsal. Video supports that:

• Players watch successful reps of themselves before games
• Coaches show clips of well‑executed game plans to reinforce belief
• Younger athletes use video to build confidence in new roles

Resources from organizations like the American Psychological Association and university sports psych labs discuss how visualization and feedback can support performance and learning (Harvard’s resources on learning and feedback). Video is a very direct form of feedback.

FAQ: examples of video analysis for game strategy

Q: What are the most common examples of video analysis for game strategy?
The most common examples include pre‑game opponent scouting, in‑game adjustments using tablets or bench video, and post‑game self‑scouting to identify your own tendencies. Across sports, you’ll also see specific use cases like soccer pressing analysis, basketball pick‑and‑roll coverage planning, football third‑down and red‑zone scouting, and volleyball serve‑receive mapping.

Q: Can you give an example of video analysis that directly changed a game plan?
A classic example of video analysis changing strategy is an NBA staff discovering on film that an opposing star guard struggles badly against blitz coverage going left. They build a plan to force him left in pick‑and‑rolls and send aggressive double teams only on that side. During the game, they stick to that rule, and the guard’s efficiency drops compared to his season averages.

Q: How can youth or high school coaches use these same ideas without pro‑level tools?
Start simple: record games on a phone or basic camera, then create short playlists—your best defensive possessions, your worst turnovers, your opponent’s favorite plays. Use those clips to teach one or two clear points per session. You don’t need fancy software to apply the same examples of video analysis for game strategy; you just need organized clips and a clear message.

Q: Are there risks to relying too much on video?
Yes. Overloading players with long film sessions or overly detailed scouting can create paralysis instead of clarity. Video should sharpen focus, not bury athletes in information. The best staffs pick a few key tendencies and matchups from video and build the game plan around those, then reinforce them in practice.

Q: How often should teams review video during a season?
At competitive levels, teams typically use video multiple times per week: post‑game review, pre‑game scouting, and shorter position‑group sessions. In youth settings, once a week is often enough. The key is consistency and making sure each session has a specific purpose tied to strategy, not just watching film for the sake of it.