Equilizer Offense

7/31/2019 Equilizer Offense

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OFFENSE THEORYAND

PROCEDUREIF THEY DO NOT HAVE THE BALL, THEY CAN'T SCORE. IT'S JUST THAT SIMPLE. IF THEY

CAN'T SCORE, THEY CAN'T WIN. THE FUNDAMENTAL BASIS OF OUR OFFENSE IS BALL

CONTROL. A BIG AVERAGE GAIN PER TRY CAN BE VERY MISLEADING. THE IMPORTANT

PERCENTAGE IS DETERMINED BY THE NUMBER OF PLAYS RUN THAT GAIN 3.5 YARDS OR

MORE. WHEN THIS CONSISTENCY IS IN THE AREA OF 70%, THE OFFENSE CAN CONTROLTHE BALL LONG ENOUGH TO SCORE A SUFFICIENT NUMBER OF TIMES NECESSARY TO

WIN.

OUR OFFENSE WILL STRIVE TO MAINTAIN HIGH CONSISTENCY THROUGH BALL CONTROL.

OUR AIM WILL BE TO ELIMINATE ALL THE MISTAKES THAT CUT DOWN ON CONSISTENCYSUCH AS BAD PLAYS, MISSED ASSIGNMENTS, PENALTIES, FUMBLES, INTERCEPTIONS,

AND LACK OF AGGRESSIVENESS.

IN ORDER TO MAINTAIN A CONSISTENT OFFENSE, OUR MOTTO WILL BE: "DRIVE FOR

FIVE." ON EACH PLAY WE WILL DRIVE DOWN THE FIELD FOR FIVE YARDS. WE WILL BE

SUCCESSFUL IF WE CAN MAINTAIN A HIGH NUMBER OF PLAYS THAT NET A FIVE YARD

GAIN. OUR SQUAD MUST CREATE WITHIN ITSELF A BURNING DESIRE AND PRIDE, THAT

WILL NEVER ACCEPT ANYTHING LESS THAN ITS BEST EFFORTS. EACH PLAYER MUST

ABSOLUTELY KNOW HIS ASSIGNMENTS WITH NO EXCEPTIONS. LACK OF

AGGRESSIVENESS IS OFTEN THE RESULT OF NOT KNOWING YOUR BLOCKING

ASSIGNMENTS OR A FEELING OF UNSURENESS. A LINEMAN OR A BLOCKER MUST HIT,HIT, HIT, HIT, AND DRIVE! A BALL CARRIER MUST RUN, RUN, RUN, AND NEVER BE

BROUGHT DOWN BY JUST ONE MAN.

BASIC FORMATION


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BALL CARRIERS MUST FIRST HOLD ON TO THE BALL. FUMBLES WILL DEFEAT A TEAM

QUICKER THAN ANYTHING. SECONDLY, BALL CARRIERS MUST DEVELOP AN ATTITUDETHAT NO EFFORT IS TOO GREAT TO SCORE. NO DEFENSIVE TACKLER WILL EVER BRING

YOU DOWN. GUTS, DRIVE, AND DETERMINATION WILL WIN MORE GAMES AND MAKE UP

FOR LACK OF SPEED, OR ELUSIVE RUNNING ABILITY.

OUR OFFENSIVE ALIGNMENT IS UNIQUE. IT IS UNLIKE ANY OTHER OFFENSE OUR

OPPONENTS WILL ENCOUNTER THE REST OF THE SEASON. THEREFORE, THEY WILL HAVE

TO SPEND EXTRA AMOUNTS OF TIME DURING THEIR PRACTICE WEEK ADJUSTING THEIR

DEFENSES TO COMBAT OUR OFFENSIVE SCHEME. IN ADDITION, OUR OFFENSE FORCES

THEIR DEFENSIVE PERSONNEL TO PLAY IN ALIGNMENTS THEY ARE NOT ACCUSTOMEDTO PLAYING. SIMPLY STATED, OUR OFFENSE GIVES US AN EDGE BEFORE THE KICKOFF.

THE FOUR THINGS THAT A DEFENSIVE COORDINATOR DOES NOT LIKE TO SEE FROM THE

OPPOSITION ARE:

1. AN UNBALANCED LINE,

2. MEN IN MOTION,

3. BASTARD END SPLITS,

4. TRIPLE OPTION FOOTBALL.

OUR OFFENSE HAS ALL THREE BUILT IN. THESE THREE THINGS FORCE THE DEFENSE TOTHINK AND ADJUST ON THE FIELD FOR EVERY PLAY. IT GETS THEM TO THINKING ABOUT

SITUATIONS THEY HAVE NOT ENCOUNTERED THE ENTIRE YEAR AND FORCES THEM TOMOVE AND ADJUST JUST BEFORE THE SNAP. THINKING ADJUSTING, AND MOVING AT THE

TIME OF THE SNAP TAKES AWAY A CERTAIN AMOUNT OF THE DEFENSIVE

AGGRESSIVENESS. IT PUTS THEM ON THEIR HEELS AND GIVES US THE ADVANTAGE.

JUST BEFORE EVERY SNAP OF THE FOOTBALL, THE PLAYERS ON DEFENSE MUST

RECOGNIZE THE FOLLOWING, ANSWER THESE QUESTIONS AND MAKE ON THE FIELD

ADJUSTMENTS IN THE FEW SPLIT SECONDS PRIOR TO THE SNAP:


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1. UNBALANCED WHICH WAY? HOW DO I ADJUST?

2. WHERE DO I LINE UP?

3. HOW DOES THE MAN IN MOTION AFFECT MY COVERAGE?

4. WHAT IS MY OPTION RESPONSIBILITY?

THE UNBALANCED SET FORCES THE DEFENSE TO ADJUST OR BE OUT FLANKED. THIS

ADJUSTMENT PLACES THE DEFENSIVE PERSONNEL INTO POSITIONS THEY ARE

UNACCUSTOMED TO PLAYING AND THEY ONLY HAVE A FEW PRACTICE SESSIONS TOPREPARE. THE MAN IN MOTION FORCES FURTHER ADJUSTMENTS BY THE DEFENSE

WHICH PUTS ADDITIONAL PRESSURE ON THE MENTAL ACUTENESS OF THE DEFENSE. WE

ALWAYS HAVE THE HREAT OF THE OPTION. ON EVERY PLAY THE DEFENSE HAS TO

RECOGNIZE THE OFFENSIVE SET, LOCATE THE UNBALANCED, ADJUST, REACT TO THE

MAN IN MOTION, KEEP THEIR PASS RESPONSIBILITIES STRAIGHT, ADJUST AND

REMEMBER WHOM THEY HAVE ON THE OPTION. THERE IS A GREAT DEAL OF THINKING

AND REACTING THAT MUST GO ON IN THE MINDS OF THE DEFENDERS DURING THE 3 - 5

SECONDS BEFORE THE BALL IS SNAPPED. FORCING THEM TO THINK - ON EVERY DOWN -

TAKES AWAY MUCH OF THEIR AGGRESSIVENESS. IN FACT, IT IS PROVEN THAT IF YOUPUT TOO MUCH INTO THE HEADS OF HIGH SCHOOL FOOTBALL PLAYERS, THEIR FEETDON'T WORK. YOU CAN GET PEOPLE OUT OF POSITION VERY EASILY BY JUST PUTTING

ONE MAN IN MOTION. WE HAVE SEEN AS MANY AS SIX PEOPLE MOVE AND ADJUST ON

DEFENSE WITH THE MOVEMENT OF JUST ONE MAN ON OFFENSE.

THE BASIS OF THE OFFENSE FORCES THE DEFENSE TO CONTINUOUSLY BE MAKING

DECISION WHILE THE PLAY IS BEING RUN. DUE TO THE NATURE OF THE PLAYS, OFTEN

WHATEVER DECISION THE DEFENSE MAKES WILL BE WRONG. IN OTHER WORDS, WHENTHEY COMMIT TO ONE ASPECT OF THE OFFENSIVE, WE WILL TAKE ADVANTAGE OF THAT

COMMITMENT AND DO SOMETHING DIFFERENT OR UNEXPECTED. THIS IS "SMART"

FOOTBALL. NO ONE IS COLLECTIVELY ANY SMARTER THAN WE ARE. THROUGH OUR

PRACTICE AND COMMITMENT WE CAN OUTSMART OUR OPPONENTS.

PART OF PLAYING SMART IS TAKING A BASIC PLAY AND BLOCKING IT SEVERAL

DIFFERENT WAYS. IF YOU ARE PLAYING DEFENSE AND ARE CONSTANTLY GETTING HIT

FROM MANY DIFFERENT DIRECTIONS, IT CREATES INDECISION ON YOUR PART. OUR

OFFENSE WILL USE MANY DIFFERENT BLOCKING SCHEMES FOR OUR PLAYS. THESEBLOCKING SCHEMES ARE DESIGNED SO THAT YOU MAY HAVE THE BEST BLOCKING

ANGLES IN THE EXECUTION OF YOUR ASSIGNMENT. ONCE AGAIN, EVEN IN BLOCKING

ASSIGNMENTS ON CERTAIN PLAY, WE WILL ALLOW THE DEFENSE TO MAKE A DECISION.

WE WILL ALLOW THE DEFENSIVE MAN AT THE POA TO MOVE DOWN THE LOS ONE WAY

OR ANOTHER. WE WILL THEN BLOCK HIM IN THE DIRECTION HE WANTS TO GO AND KEEP

HIM SEALED OFF IN THAT DIRECTION. WE WILL THEN REACT TO HIS DECISION, GO THE

OPPOSITE DIRECTION INTO THE OPENING CREATED BY HIS MOVEMENT, AND GAIN

YARDS.

YOU SEE, DEFENSE IS ALL REACTION FOOTBALL. THE DEFENSE MUST REACT TO THE

OFFENSIVE FORMATION, ANY MOTION OR SHIFTING DONE BY THE OFFENSE, WAIT FOR

AND REACT TO THE SNAP COUNT OF THE OFFENSE, RECOGNIZE WHAT THE OFFENSE IS

TRYING TO DO, REACT TO THIS ACTION, GET TO THE POINT OF ATTACK AND MAKE THE

TACKLE. ALL THIS NEEDS TO BE DONE IN 4.5 SECONDS OR LESS WHICH IS THE AVERAGE

LENGTH OF THE AVERAGE FOOTBALL PLAY. IN A CERTAIN NUMBER OF OUR PLAYS, WE

FORCE ANOTHER DEFENSIVE DECISION INTO THIS EQUATION, REACT TO THAT

DEFENSIVE DECISION, AND EXECUTE AN ALTERNATE OFFENSIVE ACTION THAT THEY DO


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NOT HAVE TIME TO REACT TO IN THE SPAN OF THESE 4.5 SECONDS WHICH WILL ALLOW

US TO GAIN YARDAGE.

THERE IS AN OLD COACHING CLICHE THAT STATES, "WHOEVER HAS THE CHALK LAST,WINS." AN OFFENSIVE COACH WHO HAS THE CHALK AFTER THE DEFENSIVE COACH HAS

ALIGNED HIS FORCES CAN DESIGN A PLAY TO DEFEAT IT. CONVERSELY, A DEFENSIVE

COACH WHO HAS THE CHALK AFTER THE OFFENSE HAS DESIGNED THEIR ATTACK CANPOSITION HIS FORCES TO STOP THE ASSAULT. AND THE DEBATE RAGES ON AND ON. OF

COURSE, THE OFFENSE HAS THE ABILITY TO AUDIBLE, BUT THE DEFENSE CAN ADJUST TO

THE AUDIBLE. AUDIBLES ARE GOOD, HOWEVER, YOU ARE RELYING ON ELEVEN 16 - 17

YEAR OLD KIDS HEARING, ADJUSTING CORRECTLY, AND EXECUTING IN THE SPACE OF

LESS THAN 5 SECONDS.

OUR OFFENSE GIVES THE BIGGEST PIECE OF CHALK TO THE INSIDE OFFENSIVE TACKLE

(IOT). HE WILL MAKE OFFENSIVE LINE BLOCKING CALLS BASED ON DEFENSIVE

ALIGNMENT, STRENGTH, AND STRENGTH OF OUR OFFENSIVE LINE VS THEIR DEFENSIVE

PLAYERS. THIS IS AN AUDIBLE, BUT IT IS SOMETHING WE WILL HAVE WORKED ON

TOGETHER, EVERY DAY, FROM THE FIRST DAY OF PRACTICE WITH THOUSANDS OF

REPETITIONS. THIS BLOCKING CALL ON THE LOS PUTS OUR PLAYERS AND TEAM IN THE

MOST ADVANTAGEOUS POSITION AS THE BALL IS SNAPPED. IT IS UP TO YOU TO EXECUTEAFTER THAT. IT IS WHAT GOES ON IN THE 1.5 SECONDS AFTER THE BALL IS SNAPPEDTHAT DETERMINES THE SUCCESS OF ANY OFFENSE.

THE AVERAGE BLOCK IS NOT SUSTAINED IN HIGH SCHOOL FOOTBALL. THE AVERAGE

HIGH SCHOOL FOOTBALL TEAM IS COMPRISED OF AVERAGE HIGH SCHOOL ATHLETES.

AVERAGE HIGH SCHOOL ATHLETES ARE 5'10" TALL AND WEIGH AROUND 170 - 190

POUNDS. THERE ARE PLAYERS WHO ARE BIGGER, BUT THERE ARE PLAYERS WHO ARE

SMALLER. WHAT GOES ON AT THE POA 1.5 SECONDS AFTER THE BALL IS SNAPPED

BECOMES CRITICAL. TIMING AND EXECUTION ARE CRUCIAL. EVERY FOOTBALL TEAM

AND PROGRAM HAS A SIGNATURE PLAY. IT IS THE ONE PLAY THAT THE OPPONENT MUSTSTOP. IT IS THE PLAY THAT YOU TURN TO FOR THE FOUNDATION OF YOUR GAME PLAN.

THE GREEN BAY PACKERS UNDER LOMBARDI HAD THE SWEEP. THE 49'ERS HAVE THEIR

SHORT PASSING GAME. ARCHIE GRIFFIN WON TWO HEISMAN TROPHIES AT OHIO STATEFROM THE TAILBACK (TB) POSITION WITH THE I FORMATION ISOLATION PLAY. OUR BASE

PLAY IS THE FULLBACK (FB) DIVE PLAY.

THE BASE PLAY

OVER THE YEARS WE HAVE HAD GREAT SUCCESS WITH THE FB DIVE RUN A VARIETY OF

WAYS. WE BELIEVE THAT THIS SCHEME GETS THE MOST BANG. THE SUCCESS WE HAVE

HAS HAS BEEN WITH A WIDE VARIETY OF ATHLETIC TYPES PLAYING FULLBACK. WITH

ALL ELSE THAT GOES ON OFFENSIVELY, THE MYRIAD OF THINGS THAT SPIN THROUGH

THE MINDS OF THE MEMBERS OF THE DEFENSE, OFTEN THE SIMPLE DIVE PLAY IS EITHER

OVERLOOKED OR NOT GIVEN THE RESPECT IT DESERVES. WE KEEP ATTENDINGCOACHING CLINICS AND HEAR COACHES TALKING ABOUT "KISS" (KEEP IT SIMPLE

STUPID), AND THEY GO INTO COMPLICATED OFFENSIVE AND DEFENSIVE SCHEMES. NOTONLY IS THEIR A LOT OF INFORMATION THAT FLOWS THOUGH THE MINDS OF THE

DEFENSE, THERE IS ALSO A LOT OF INFORMATION PROCESSED THROUGH THE MINDS OF

THE OFFENSIVE COORDINATORS OF THE WORLD.


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WE HAVE TRIED IT ALL OVER THE LAST 25 YEARS - OPTION, VEER, 1 BACK, QUICK PASS,

RUN-AND-SHOOT AND ON AND ON. WE HAVE COME TO THE CONCLUSION THAT THEONLY THING WE HAVE DONE IS COMPLICATE MATTERS MAKING IT MORE DIFFICULT TO

BE SUCCESSFUL. THE FB DIVE BASE PLAY PROVIDES A MINIMUM NUMBER OF

REQUIREMENTS OF EXECUTION TO BE SUCCESSFUL:

1. QB TAKES THE SNAP, SEATS THE BALL, OPENS AT A 45 DEGREE ANGLE AND HANDS OFF

TO THE FB.

2. FB TAKES HANDOFF RUNNING STRAIGHT AHEAD WITH HEAD UP LOOKING AT THE

BLOCKING DEVELOP AT THE POA.

3. AT THE POA A BLOCKING CALL HAS BEEN MADE THAT WILL MAXIMIZE OUR BLOCKING

ANGLES, SKILLS AND STRENGTH OF OUR PLAYERS VS THEIR DEFENSE.

4. EVERYONE ELSE ON THE LOS EXECUTES A "CUT OFF" BLOCK, I.E., CUTS OFF THEIR

ASSIGNED DEFENDER FROM A DIRECT PATH TO THE BALL CARRIER. A DEVASTATING

BLOCK IS NOT NEEDED, BUT JUST A SIMPLE SCREEN WILL DO. THIS SCREENING

TECHNIQUE IS VERY FRUSTRATING FOR THE DEFENSE.

5. THE REMAINING BACKS CARRY OUT AS GREAT A FAKE AS POSSIBLE. AN OLD MAXIM

OF OURS IS, "A GOOD FAKE IS WORTH AT LEAST THREE BLOCKS." IN THIS SCHEME WITH

ITS MINIMUM NUMBER OF PLAYS, MORE EMPHASIS AND WORK CAN BE DEVOTED TO

FAKING AND THE FINER POINTS OF THE PLAY ACTION.

IN YEARS PAST WE SPENT MUCH OF OUR PLAY PATH TIME WORKING ON VARIOUS

SERIES. WE HAD A SWEEP SERIES, OPTION SERIES, VEER, COUNTER ACTION, SPRINT-DRAW, BLAST SERIES AND ON AND ON. WE PUT SO MUCH INTO THE ATHLETES' HEADS

THAT THEIR FEET DID NOT WORK RIGHT. THEY SLOWED DOWN. WE AS COACHES WITH

OUR ELABORATE OFFENSIVE SCHEME ROBBED OUR PLAYERS OF THEIR

AGGRESSIVENESS.

LOU HOLTZ IN HIS CHAMPIONSHIP SEASON AT NOTRE DAME TALKS ABOUT A

SUCCESSFUL HIGH SCHOOL PROGRAM. WHEN ASKED WHY THAT PROGRAM IS


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SUCCESSFUL HE SAID IT WAS BECAUSE THAT COACH DID NOT TIRE OF RUNNING HIS

BASIC PLAY.

NOT TIRING OF RUNNING THE BASE PLAY IS ESSENTIAL. IF YOU ARE SUCCESSFUL TOSOME DEGREE WITH YOUR OFFENSE, YOU WILL RUN 50 - 60 PLAYS DURING A TYPICAL

HIGH SCHOOL GAME. THAT FACT DICTATES THAT YOU CALL THE FB'S NUMBER 20 - 30

TIMES A GAME. THAT MEANS THE TB, QB, WB AND RECEIVERS SHARE THE REMAINING 30REPS.

THE FB POSITION IS THE HEART AND SOUL OF THE OFFENSE (BEHIND THE MUSCLE OF

THE TANDEM IN FRONT OF HIM). YOU CAN SUB FOR THE FB ON OFFENSE. IN FACT, IT CAN

BE ADVANTAGEOUS TO DO SO. A NEW DIVE BACK HALF WAY THROUGH THE 2ND QTR

WITH FRESH LEGS AND A DIFFERENT RUNNING STYLE CAN BE DEVASTATING, EVENMORE SO IN THE 4TH QTR.

THE FB NEEDS TO AVERAGE CLOSE TO 4 YARDS PER CARRY TO BE SUCCESSFUL. THAT

EXTRAPOLATES TO 100 - 120 YARDS OR MORE PER GAME FROM THE FB POSITION. THE

OTHER 5 PLAYERS WHO HANDLE THE BALL WILL HAVE A MUCH LARGER PER AVERAGE

ATTEMPT ONCE THE FB IS ESTABLISHED EACH BALL GAME. THE SE AND THE TE WILL

AVERAGE AROUND 10 YARDS PER RECEPTION. THE WB WILL AVERAGE AROUND 8 - 10YARDS PER CARRY (WHICH WILL ONLY BE AROUND 4 - 5 CARRIES PER GAME) AND 15

YARDS PER PASS RECEPTION. THE QB AND TB WILL AVERAGE 6 - 8 YARDS PER ATTEMPT.

THIS OFFENSE WILL GENERATE 300 - 400 YARDS PER GAME WITH 200-250 ON THE GROUND

AND 200 - 250 IN THE AIR.

Football Stance

LINEMAN STANCE

1. FEET ARE SPREAD THE WIDTH OF THE SHOULDERS APART A LITTLE WIDER. IF YOU ARE

RIGHT HANDED, THE RIGHT FOOT SHOULD BE DROPPED SLIGHTLY AS THE RIGHT HAND

WILL BE DOWN (LEFT FOOT AND LEFT HAND FOR LEFT HANDERS).

2. THE RIGHT FOOT MUST HAVE NO MORE THAN A HEEL-TOE RELATIONSHIP.

3. FEET SHOULD ALWAYS BE POINTED STRAIGHT DOWN THE FIELD. THIS IS VERY

IMPORTANT.

4. FROM THIS POSITION YOU DROP INTO A SQUATTING POSITION, DROPPING BOTH ARMSDOWN FROM THE SHOULDERS AND SLIGHTLY IN FRONT OF THE KNEES.

5. THE FORWARD FOOT IS NOW PLACED IN A POSITION WHERE YOU HAVE POWER

PRODUCING ANGLES AT THE ANKLES AND KNEE JOINTS. TO GET THIS POSITION YOU

WILL ROLL THE WEIGHT FORWARD ON THE BALL OF THE UP FOOT. THIS WILL RAISE THE

WEIGHT OFF THE HEEL TO A POINT WHERE YOU CAN SEE SLIGHT DAYLIGHT UNDER THE

HEEL OF THE UP FOOT. ROCK FORWARD.


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6. THE HEEL OF THE BACK FOOT AFTER YOU ARE IN THIS POSITION WILL BE AN INCH TO

TWO INCHES OFF THE GROUND WITH THE WEIGHT ON THE BALL OF THE FOOT.

7. THE SHOULDERS ARE PARALLEL TO THE GROUND. THE HEAD IS IN A NATURALPOSITION WITH LITTLE OR NOT MUCH STRAIN ON THE NECK MUSCLES. THE HEAD IS

COCKED BACK SLIGHTLY.

8. THE RIGHT HAND IS DOWN, WELL FORWARD OF THE FEET, IN A DIRECT LINE WITH THE

KNEE OF THE INSIDE LEG. THE BODY MUST LEAN FORWARD UNTIL THE RIGHT ARM IS

VERTICAL WITH THE HAND DIRECTLY BENEATH THE SHOULDER. THE ARM IS

PERPENDICULAR WITH THE GROUND.

9. THERE IS AN EQUAL AMOUNT OF WEIGHT ON BOTH FEET AND THE DOWN HAND IS IN A

TRIPOD FASHION.

10. THE WRIST OF THE OTHER ARM SHOULD REST NATURALLY UPON THE KNEE OF THE

LEFT LEG.

11. STARTING FROM THIS STANCE, YOU DRIVE OFF THE UP-FOOT, FIRING OUT WITH THE

BACK FOOT. THE RIGHT HAND MOVES QUICKLY BACK ALONG THE GROUND, WHILE THELEFT HAND IS "PUNCHED" IN THE DIRECTION OF MOVEMENT.

12. LINE UP ON THE REAR TIP OF THE BALL.

13. A GOOD STANCE IS THE FOUNDATION OF ALL YOUR MOVEMENT IN OFFENSIVE

FOOTBALL.

FULLBACK AND TAILBACK

1. THE FEET SHOULD BE THE WIDTH OF THE ARMPITS AND PARALLEL.

2. THE FEET ARE POINTED STRAIGHT TO THE GOAL LINE.

3. THE HEAD IS UP WITH THE TAIL DOWN AND THE EYES FOCUSED STRAIGHT DOWN THE

FIELD.

4. THE HANDS ARE RESTING ON BOTH THIGHS.

5. WEIGHT WOULD BE EVENLY DISTRIBUTED ON BOTH FEET. THE WEIGHT SHOULD BECONCENTRATED MORE ON THE INSIDE OF YOUR FEET.

6. FROM THIS POSITION YOU MUST BE ABLE TO STEP IN ANY DIRECTION WITH

QUICKNESS.

7. THE FULLBACK ALIGNS FIVE YARDS OFF THE FOOTBALL AND THE TAILBACK ALIGNSSEVEN YARDS OFF THE FOOTBALL.

THERE ARE TIMES WHEN BOTH THE FULLBACK AND TAILBACK WILL WANT TO BE IN A

THREE POINT STANCE. IN THAT CASE THEIR RULES FOR STANCE ARE:


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1. THE BACK'S FEET SHOULD BE IN A SIMILAR POSITION AS THE LINEMEN'S EXCEPT THAT

THEY ARE ALMOST PARALLEL AND A LITTLE WIDER.

2. EITHER HAND MAY BE DOWN.

3. THE FB WILL LINE UP WITH HIS HAND 4 YARDS FROM THE BALL.

4. THE REST OF THE STANCE IS THE SAME AS FOR LINEMEN.

QUARTERBACK

1. THE QUARTERBACK'S FEET SHALL BE PARALLEL AND SPREAD ABOUT SHOULDER

WIDTH.

2. THE POSITION OF THE QB'S HANDS IS PARTIALLY DETERMINED BY THE PHYSICAL

BUILD OF THE CENTER.

3. THE KNEES ARE BENT OR FLEXED JUST ENOUGH TO ALLOW FOR GOOD BODYBALANCE. THIS MAKES FOR QUICK, DEFT MOVEMENTS AND CORRECT HAND POSITION.

4. THE ELBOWS MUST BE BENT OR FLEXED SLIGHTLY, THIS WILL PERMIT THE QB TO

MAINTAIN PRESSURE, ABSORB THE SHOCK OF A HARD SNAP, AND WILL PERMIT HIM TO

MAINTAIN PRESSURE ON THE CENTER.

5. NINETY PERCENT OF ALL QB - CENTER EXCHANGE ERRORS ARE CAUSED BE THE QB

NOT MAINTAINING PRESSURE ON THE CENTER WHILE THE EXCHANGE IS TAKING PLACE.

6. THE WEIGHT SHOULD BE EVENLY DISTRIBUTED ON BOTH FEET. THE WEIGHT SHOULD

BE CONCENTRATED MORE ON THE INSIDE OF YOUR FEET.

THE FOUNDATION OF THE BASE PLAY CONSISTS OF THE TANDEM OF BLOCKERS AND THE

FB. EVERYONE ELSE ON THE OFFENSE CAN, AND DO, APPEAR IN VARIED ALIGNMENTS,

BUT THE BASE UNIT REMAINS THE SAME. THE TANDEM CONSISTS OF THE STRONG


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GUARD, THE INSIDE TACKLE AND THE OUTSIDE TACKLE. WHEN A RIGHT FORMATION IS

CALLED THE TANDEM ALIGNS TO THE RIGHT; WHEN A LEFT FORMATION IS CALLED, THE

TANDEM FLIP FLOPS TO THE LEFT SIDE OF THE FORMATION. THE ADVANTAGE IN THIS IS

THAT EVERYONE ON THE LOS IS CONSTANTLY WORKING TOGETHER.

THE LINE SPLITS ARE IMPORTANT. GENERALLY SPEAKING, AS THE ABILITY OF YOUR

OFFENSIVE LINE INCREASES, SO MAY YOUR LINE SPLITS. WITH AVERAGE LINES A SPLITOF TWO FEET BETWEEN EACH PLAYER WORKS BEST FOR THE TIMING AND EXECUTION

OF THE OFFENSE. TWO FOOT SPLITS ALSO USES THE DEFENSE AS BLOCKERS. CLOSE, TWO

FOOT SPLITS CAUSE THE DEFENSE TO TRIP OVER AND BOUNCE INTO EACH OTHER WHILE

TRYING TO PURSUE THE BALL CARRIER. WE WILL NARROW DOWN THE LINE SPLITS IN

GOAL LINE OR SHORT YARDAGE SITUATIONS VS SHORT YARDAGE DEFENSES THAT AREMUCH MORE AGGRESSIVE ON THE LOS.

THE BASIC ALIGNMENT FOR THE FULLBACK IS FEET AT FIVE YARDS OFF THE BALL

POSITIONING HIMSELF DIRECTLY BEHIND THE IOT. HE IS IN A TWO POINT STANCE. AS

THE SPEED OF THE QB (IN GETTING THE BALL TO THE FB) AND THE FB INCREASE, THE FB

WOULD ALIGN WIDER AND DEEPER. THE FIVE YARD DEPTH AND TWO POINT STANCE

ALLOW THE FB TO HIT THE LOS WITH MAXIMUM AMOUNT OF FORCE AND VISION

DURING THAT 1.5 SECONDS AFTER THE BALL IS SNAPPED.

THE UNBALANCED LINE WITH THE SHORT SPLIT END PUTS GREAT PRESSURE ON THE

DEFENSIVE FRONT. THEY MUST EITHER ADJUST TO THE UNBALANCED OR BE OUT

FLANKED.


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WITH ADJUSTMENTS ETC., THE DEFENSE MUST PLAY OUT OF POSITION. WHAT THEY ARE

LOOKING AT JUST IS NOT THE SAME AS THEY HAVE SEEN IN THEIR PREVIOUS FOOTBALL

EXPERIENCE.

THE BASE PLAY, AS WELL AS OTHERS IN THIS BOOK, WILL BE DRAWN UP AGAINST A

WORSE CASE SCENARIO, EIGHT TO NINE MAN FRONT, BASE 6-2 OR 6-3 GAP, GOAL LINEPRESSURE DEFENSE. HOW THE DEFENSE ADJUSTS TO THE FORMATION AT THE

PERIMETER IS NOT IMPORTANT WHEN DISCUSSING THE BASE PLAY. THE ONLY WAY WEFEEL THAT THE BASE PLAY CAN BE STOPPED IS TO OVERLOAD THE HEART OF THE

DEFENSE WHICH WILL LEAVE A TREMENDOUS OPENING AND OPPORTUNITY IN OTHER

AREAS WHICH WE WOULD THEN EXPLOIT.

THE GOAL OF THE BASE PLAY IS TO GET THE FB INTO THE OUTSIDE RUNNING LANE OF

THE DEFENSE. ALL DEFENSES, BY ALIGNMENT, HAVE CERTAIN RUNNING LANES THAT

ARE CREATED AND MUST BE EXPLOITED. THESE LANES ARE EITHER THERE AT THESTART OF THE PLAY, OR THEY APPEAR AS THE PLAY DEVELOPS. THE LANE WE ARE

AFTER IN THIS CASE EXISTS OUTSIDE THE LB'ER, BETWEEN THE DT AND DE, AND

EXTENDS DOWN FIELD BETWEEN THE HB AND SS. THE LANE WIDENS AS YARDAGE IS

GAINED AND ALSO AS THE PLAY DEVELOPS. THE LANE OPENS AS THE PLAY DEVELOPSBECAUSE WE HAVE THE THREAT OF THE OPTION PLAY. SOME DEFENDER (USUALLY THE

SS) IS RESPONSIBLE FOR THE PITCH BACK IN THE OPTION PLAY. WHEN PLAY ACTION

DEVELOPS, THE SS MUST HONOR FOR AT LEAST A BRIEF PERIOD OF TIME THE THREAT OF

THE OPTION AND STEP TO COVER THE PITCH BACK. BECAUSE BOTH ENDS RELEASE OFFTHE LOS, THE DEEP SECONDARY (WHO ARE USUALLY TAUGHT TO TAKE 3 "READ" STEPS)

MUST HONOR FOR AT LEAST A BRIEF PERIOD OF TIME THE THREAT OF A DEVELOPING

PASS. IN ADDITION, SOMEONE, USUALLY THE DE, IS RESPONSIBLE FOR THE QB ON THE

OPTION. FOR THESE REASONS, THEREFORE, THE RUNNING LANE WIDENS AS SHOWN, AND

IN THOSE TWO SECONDS AFTER THE BALL IS SNAPPED THE LOS CHANGES ITS LOOK AS

SHOWN.

WHEN THE BALL IS SNAPPED:

1. THE DE, DT, AND M LB'ER MOVE TOWARD THEIR ASSIGNED GAP THAT IS THREATENED.

OUR OFFENSIVE LINEMEN FIRE OUT, STRIKE THE OPPONENT, AND DRIVE THESE

DEFENDERS DOWN THE LOS AND EXECUTE A CUT OFF BLOCK PREVENTING THEM FROM

GETTING BACK TO THE OUTSIDE.

2. THE SECONDARY FOR THE DEFENSE EXECUTES THEIR "READ" STEPS. THESE READ

STEPS START OPENING UP THE RUNNING LANE.

3. THE DE COMES ACROSS THE LOS LOOKING TO COVER THE QB FOR THE OPTION. THE WB

WHO HAS BEEN IN MOTION, BREAKS DOWN AND SCREENS THE DE TO THE OUTSIDE. THE

IMPORTANT TECHNIQUE FOR THE WB IS TO KEEP HIS BODY BETWEEN THE FB AND THE

DE. HE USUALLY USES HIS HANDS AND PUSHES THE DE TO THE OUTSIDE AND USES THE

MOMENTUM OF THE DE TO ALSO PUSH HIM DEEPER. THIS ACTION OPENS THE DOOR OFTHE RUNNING LANE. THE RULE FOR THE WB IS TO SCREEN OUT ANY DEFENDER THAT

ALIGNS ON THE OUTSIDE SHOULDER OF THE OOT OR BEYOND. THIS ACTION FREES THEOOT TO BLOCK DOWN THE LOS GIVING HIM A GREAT BLOCKING ANGLE ON THE FIRST

MAN TO HIS INSIDE ON OR OFF THE BALL. IF SOMEONE ALIGNS HEAD ON THE OOT, THEOOT WOULD BLOCK HIM AND TAKE HIM THE WAY HE WANTS TO GO AND THE FB WOULD

READ THE BLOCK OF THE OOT AND BEND OPPOSITE HIS BLOCK WHILE CROSSING THE

LOS. THE FB WOULD THEN LOOK TO HIT THE RUNNING LANE TO THE OUTSIDE, OR HE

MAY WANT TO HIT THE RUNNING LANE THAT EXISTS BETWEEN THE HB AND FS.


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4. THE SE AND TE RELEASE OFF THE BALL DOWN FIELD. FOR THE 1.5 SECONDS AT THE

START OF THE PLAY, IT LOOKS LIKE THEY ARE RELEASING FOR A PASS ROUTE. THIS

ACTION FORCES THE SECONDARY DEEPER AND WIDER. AFTER HE HAS DRIVEN THE HB

AS DEEP AS POSSIBLE, THE SE BREAKS DOWN ON THE HB WHEN THE DEFENDERS BEGINS

TO REACT TO THE RUNNING PLAY THAT IS DEVELOPING. THE SE'S JOB IS TO SCREEN THEDHB OUT OF THE RUNNING LAND BY EXECUTING A GOOD STALK BLOCK. THE TE NOT

ONLY DRIVES THE FS AS DEEP AS HE CAN, BUT HE MUST ALSO START MOVING CROSSFIELD TO POSITION HIMSELF BETWEEN THE FS AND THE BALL CARRIER. MANY PEOPLE

CALL THE BLOCK OF THE TE A "DOWN FIELD" BLOCK. ACTUALLY IT IS A "CROSS FIELD"

BLOCK BECAUSE WE WANT THE TE TO GET ACROSS THE FIELD IN ORDER TO MAKE HIS

BLOCK ON THE SECONDARY PERSON CLOSER TO THE BALL CARRIER.

5. THE REST OF THE LINE EXECUTES A CUT OFF BLOCK ON THE DG, OTHER DT AND W

LB'ER.

6. THE FB MOVES STRAIGHT AHEAD TOWARD THE LOS. IT IS IMPORTANT FOR THE FB TO

MOVE STRAIGHT AHEAD TO GET THE HAND OFF FOR SEVERAL REASONS. SINCE THE DT IS

ALIGNED OUTSIDE THE PLANE OF THE FB AT THE SNAP OF THE BALL, BY MOVING

STRAIGHT AHEAD THE ACTION OF THE FB GETS THE DT TO STEP DOWN THE LOS MAKING

FOR AN EASIER BLOCK BY THE OOT. THE 5 YARD DEPTH OF THE FB ALLOWS HIM TOMOVE STRAIGHT AHEAD TO RECEIVE THE HAND OFF, SET THE BLOCK OF THE OOT ANDTHEN CUT OFF THAT BLOCK TO THE OUTSIDE AND GET INTO THE RUNNING LANE. THE

CUT IS NOT A DRAMATIC ONE - MORE LIKE A BEND TO GET INTO THE RUNNING LANE. IT

IS IMPORTANT FOR THE FB TO BE "UNDER CONTROL" WHILE RECEIVING THE HAND OFF

AND THEN TO ACCELERATE OFF THE BLOCK OF THE OOT INTO THE RUNNING LANE.

7. THE QB TAKES THE SNAP FROM THE CENTER, SEATS THE BALL, STEPS BACK AT THE

CORRECT ANGLE TO MESH WITH AND HAND OFF TO THE FB. AFTER THE HAND OFF IT IS

VITALLY IMPORTANT FOR THE QB TO CARRY OUT A GREAT OPTION FAKE. A GOOD FAKE

IS WORTH THREE BLOCKS.

8. THE TB CROSS OVER STEPS TO THE SIDELINE AND GETS INTO THE SAME PITCH ROUTE

THAT HE EXECUTES ON THE OPTION PLAY. IT IS VERY IMPORTANT FOR THE TB TO RUNTHE EXACT PATH HE WOULD ON THE OPTION. AGAIN, A GOOD FAKE IS WORTH THREE

BLOCKS. GOOD OPTION FAKING BY THE QB AND PITCH BACK WILL TAKE THE DE, SS AND

HB OUT OF THE PLAY AND/OR PROVIDE BETTER BLOCKING ANGLES FOR OUR

PERSONNEL. THESE DEFENDERS NORMALLY HAVE SPECIFIC OPTION RESPONSIBILITIES.THE FEAR OF THE OPTION IS A GREAT TOOL.

WHEN THE DEFENSE KNOWS WE RUN THE OPTION, DEFENDERS WILL BE ALIGNED TO

DEFEND THE OPTION AND BE GIVEN CERTAIN RESPONSIBILITIES. SOME DEFENDERS WILL

BE RESPONSIBLE FOR THE DIVE BACK, OTHERS FOR THE QB AND PITCH BACK. WHEN

OPTION ACTION BEGINS, THEY MUST RESPECT THAT ACTION FOR AT LEAST A SHORT

AMOUNT OF TIME AS THE PLAY BEGINS. THIS ACTION ENABLES OUR BLOCKERS TO GAIN

A BETTER ANGLE AND GETS THEM INTO POSITION WHICH RESULTS IN GREATER

SUCCESS. IT IS SIMILAR TO A DEFENSIVE BACK BEING TOLD, "DON'T GET BEAT DEEP!" ANUMBER OF YEARS AGO WE HAD A FS WHO WAS A FINE ATHLETE. OUR DEFENSIVE

BACKFIELD COACH AT THE TIME MADE SUCH A DEAL OF "NOT GETTING BEAT DEEP"

THAT HE TOOK HIMSELF OUT OF ALMOST EVERY PLAY. DON'T MISUNDERSTAND. HE WAS

ALWAYS THERE; HE WAS ALWAYS IN POSITION TO MAKE A PLAY. BUT HE WAS ALWAYS

ONE OR TWO STEPS AWAY FROM MAKING THE TACKLE. HE ALWAYS HAD A CORRECT

PURSUIT ANGLE, BUT SOMEONE ELSE WOULD ALWAYS MAKE THE TACKLE BEFORE HIM.

HE NEVER GOT BEAT DEEP, BUT HE WAS NEVER IN ON MANY OTHER PLAYS.


12/45

THE THREAT OF THE OPTION CAN HAVE THE SAME EFFECT ON THE DEFENSE. EVERYONE

AT THE CORNER OF THE DEFENSE HAS SPECIFIC RESPONSIBILITIES AGAINST THE OPTION.

GREAT FAKING MAKES THE BASE PLAY LOOK LIKE THE OPTION FOR JUST ENOUGH TIME

(PERHAPS TWO SECONDS) TO GET THESE PEOPLE AT THE CORNER TO STEP TO THEIR

OPTION AREAS OF RESPONSIBILITY. THEY EITHER FREEZE OR REACT TO THE PLAY

EITHER MAKING THEM EASIER TO BLOCK OR COMPLETELY TAKING THEMSELVES OUT OF

THE PLAY ALTOGETHER.

THE OPTION IS A GREAT PLAY. WE ALL HAVE SEEN THE DEVASTATION IT CAN CAUSE

WHEN EXECUTED PROPERLY. IT TAKES A GREAT DEAL OF PRACTICE TIME EVERY DAY TO

RUN THE PLAY EFFECTIVELY; A GREAT DEAL MORE TIME TO RUN IT EXPERTLY. BECAUSE

OUR OFFENSE DOES NOT HAVE A LARGE NUMBER OF PLAYS, PRACTICE TIME IS FREED UP

TO WORK ON THE OPTION AND THE FAKING NECESSARY FOR SUCCESS. EVEN THOUGH

THE OPTION PLAY MAY ONLY BE CALLED 6 - 7 TIMES A GAME, THOSE TIMES THAT IT IS

CALLED WILL RESULT IN BIG GAINS IN CRUCIAL SITUATIONS. RUNNING THE OPTIONKEEPS PEOPLE HONEST, IT KEEPS THEM AT HOME, IT LIMITS THEIR AGGRESSIVENESS,

ALL OF WHICH ARE EXTREMELY BENEFICIAL. MORE ON THE OPTION LATER.

RUN THE BASE PLAY AT THE "BUBBLE" ON THE LOS CAUSED BY THE POSITION OF THE

LB'ER. LB'ERS, ESPECIALLY IN HIGH SCHOOL, LIKE TO FLOW UP AND DOWN THE LOS

MAKING TACKLES FROM SIDELINE TO SIDELINE. VERY FEW HIGH SCHOOL LB'ERS RELISH

THE THOUGHT OF TRYING TO TACKLE A FULLBACK COMING STRAIGHT AT HIM, WITH A

FULL HEAD OF STEAM, BEING LED BY EITHER AN IOT OR OOT. IN MOST OFFENSIVES

TODAY, FULLBACKS (AND OTHER RUNNING BACKS) DO NOT RUN THE BALL DIRECTLY ATTHE LB'ERS. THEY RUN AT OBLIQUE ANGLES WHICH PROVIDE LB'ERS SHOTS AT THE

SIDES OF THE BACK. MORE OFTEN THE FB IS A BLOCKING BACK FOR AN I FORMATION

TAILBACK. A GREAT MANY DEFENSIVE SCHEMES TODAY HAVE THE LB'ERS "KEY" THE

BACKS OF AN OFFENSE AND NOT THE LINE FIRST. THE LB'ER DIRECTING HIS ATTENTION

TO THE BACKFIELD WILL NOT "SEE" THE BLOCK COMING FROM THE IOT. ADDITIONALLY,

WHEN KEYING THE BACKFIELD ACTION, THERE WILL BE "EYE CONTACT" BETWEEN THE

BALL CARRIER AND THE LB'ER. EVERY GOOD RUNNING BACK KNOWS THAT WHEN

RUNNING DIRECTLY AT A LB'ER WITH A BLOCKER LEADING HIM, EYE CONTACT WILL"FREEZE" THE DEFENDER FACILITATING THE BLOCK ALLOWING THE BALL CARRIER TO

"RUN TO DAYLIGHT." THIS RUN TO DAYLIGHT IS MADE BY A BEND MORE THAN A CUT.

FBS ARE NOT SUPPOSED TO "CUT." THEY ARE TO RUN NORTH AND SOUTH. THEY ARE


13/45

GOAL LINE DIRECTED. THE BASE PLAY IS RUN AT THE HEART OF THE DEFENSE. ON

EITHER SIDE OF THE POA THERE WILL BE FIVE DEFENDERS SCRAMBLING TO CATCH UP

TO THE PLAY. TIMING AND EXECUTION DICTATE THAT THE FB GET UP FIELD ASAP. CUTS

AND CUT BACKS ARE NOT IN ORDER HERE. WHAT IS IN ORDER IS FOR THE FB TO BEND

PAST THE BLOCK ON THE LB'ER BY THE TACKLE AND MOVE ON TO THE FS OR HB. MANYTIMES THE FS/HB WILL BE OUT OF POSITION TO MAKE A GOOD TACKLE ON THE FB DUE

TO THE OPTION FAKING AND RESPONSIBILITIES. PROPERLY EXECUTED, THE BASE PLAYPUTS THE FB PASSING THE LB'ER AND 4 - 5 YARDS DOWN FIELD IN A ONE-ON-ONE

SITUATION WITH THE FS/HB 2 TO 2.5 SECONDS AFTER THE BALL IS SNAPPED WITH

EVERYONE ELSE ON THE DEFENSE IN A RUN-DOWN SITUATION. WHILE MOST FBS ARE

NOT GOING TO BREAK AWAY AND SCORE, THEY WILL WIN WITH PERSISTENCE AND

TENACITY WHICH IS MORE EFFECTIVE IN BREAKING THE HEART AND WILL OF THE

DEFENSE. AFTER ONE OR TWO HEAD-ON COLLISIONS WITH THE FB, MOST FS/HBS MOVETO THE SIDE TO MAKE THE TACKLE AND GET CARRIED FOR A FEW EXTRA YARDS, GET

STIFF ARMED, OR SLIDE OFF WHILE THE FB MAKES EXTRA YARDS. IT IS NOT UNCOMMON

WITH EVERYONE ON THE DEFENSE TRYING TO CATCH UP TO THE PLAY TO SEE THE FB

CARRYING THREE OR FOUR PEOPLE ON HIS BACK WHILE GAINING SIX, SEVEN, EIGHT OR

MORE YARDS ON THE PLAY.

THERE ARE A GREAT MANY OFFENSIVE SCHEMES TODAY THAT NO LONGER HAVE A FB

IN THEIR OFFENSE OR A TE. THOSE PEOPLE WHO BELIEVE THAT THE FB POSITION IS NOT

AN ESSENTIAL PART OF TODAY'S OFFENSIVE GAME PLAN (ESPECIALLY IN HIGH SCHOOL)SHOULD LOOK CLOSELY AT WHAT NOTRE DAME DOES WITH THEIR FB AND WHAT

SEATTLE DID OVER THE YEARS WITH JOHN L WILLIAMS. FOR A LONG TIME THE ONLY

TRUE CONSISTENT PLAYS THE SEAHAWKS HAD WERE WITH THE FB. ADDITIONALLY,

HOW MANY TIMES HAVE YOU SEEN THE RUN-AND-SHOOT OFFENSE DIE INSIDE THE 20

YARD LINE BECAUSE THEY DO NOT HAVE A FB-TE SCHEME FOR SHORT YARDAGE

OFFENSE?

WE BELIEVE THAT THERE HAS TO BE ALLOWANCES FOR BOTH. THERE IS A TIME AND

PLACE FOR THE ONE-BACK-MOTION OFFENSE, BUT THERE IS ALSO A TIME FOR THE FB-

FULL HOUSE-SHORT YARDAGE OFFENSE. OUR OFFENSE HAS IT ALL, BUT IT BEGINS WITH

FUNDAMENTALS. THE FUNDAMENTAL PLAY IN FOOTBALL IS THE DIVE. THE SUCCESS OF

THE DIVE DEPENDS UPON THE EFFECTIVENESS OF THE

TANDEM

THE TANDEM IS MADE UP OF THE STRONG GUARD (SG), INSIDE OFFENSIVE TACKLE (IOT),

AND THE OUTSIDE OFFENSIVE TACKLE (OOT). IN A RIGHT FORMATION THEY TAKE THEIR

POSITION TO THE RIGHT OF THE CENTER, AND IN A LEFT FORMATION THEY TAKE THEIR

POSITION TO THE LEFT OF THE CENTER. THEY ARE A UNIT THAT ALWAYS WORKS

TOGETHER. THE FB ALIGNS FIVE YARDS OFF THE BALL BEHIND THE IOT. ON MOST

FORMATIONS THERE WILL BE A DIVE BACK POSITIONED BEHIND THE IOT. THERE ARETIMES WHEN YOU COULD POSITION YOUR TAILBACK IN THE DIVE BACK POSITION AND

HAVE THE FB OR POSSIBLY A RECEIVER ASSUME WHAT MANY REFER TO AS AN "H-BACK"POSITION IN THE ONE BACK FORMATION. PUTTING YOUR TB IN THE FB POSITION, ADDING

ANOTHER RECEIVER, IN MOTION, OFTEN WEAKENS THE DEFENSIVE FRONT SO MUCH

THAT GIANT GAINS CAN BE MADE WITH THE BASE PLAY WITH THE TB RUNNING FROM

THE FB POSITION.


14/45

IT IS NOT OUR PLACE HERE TO BE DISCUSSING ALL THE BLOCKING COMBINATIONS THAT

ARE AVAILABLE WITH THE TANDEM. THE ONES THAT ARE MOST OFTEN USED AND

CARRY THE HIGHEST DEGREE OF SUCCESS ARE THE MOST IMPORTANT. REMEMBERING

THAT WE FIRST WANT TO RUN THE BASE PLAY AT THE "BUBBLE" ON THE LOS CAUSED

BY THE ALIGNMENT OF THE LB'ER, YOU MOST OFTEN GET ONE OF THE FOLLOWING

LOOKS FROM THE DEFENSE.

TO OPEN THE INSIDE RUNNING LANE VS A GAP CONTROL DEFENSE, THE FOLLOWING

BLOCKING SCHEME IS OFTEN USED:

IN THIS FIRST CASE, THE IOT CALLS FOR A FOLD BLOCK BY THE OOT AND HIMSELF. THE

RULE IS TO ALWAYS BLOCK THE DOWN MAN ON THE LOS FIRST. THE IOT, THEREFORE,

GOES FIRST AND THE OOT STEPS AROUND THE IOT'S BLOCK TO MOVE AND BLOCK THELB'ER. THIS "STEP-AROUND" TECHNIQUE IS IMPORTANT. THE OOT (AND OTHER LINEMEN)NEED TO PERFECT THIS MOVEMENT AS THEY WILL BE USING IT REPEATEDLY

THROUGHOUT THE SEASON. FROM HIS STANCE THE OOT TAKES A SMALL POSITION STEP

WITH HIS INSIDE FOOT. THIS IS AROUND BUT NO MORE THAT A 6" STEP AT ABOUT A 25

DEGREE ANGLE TO HIS LEFT. HIS SECOND STEP MADE WITH HIS RIGHT FOOT WOULD BE A

NORMAL SIZED STEP LANDING IN A 45 DEGREE POSITION FROM HIS INITIAL STANCE. ON

HIS THIRD STEP HE SHOULD BE "SQUARING UP" IN THE HOLE AT THE LB'ER. AT ALL TIMES

HE SHOULD WORK TO KEEP HIS SHOULDERS PARALLEL TO THE LOS. PARALLEL

SHOULDERS NOT ONLY FACILITATE GOOD BLOCKING POSITION, BUT THEY ALSO ALLOW

THE EYES OF THE BLOCKER TO ALWAYS BE LOOKING AT WHAT HE IS GOING TO BLOCK.

YOU CANNOT BLOCK WHAT YOU CANNOT SEE. THIS TECHNIQUE KEEPS YOUR HEAD UP.YOU CAN SEE WHERE YOU ARE GOING. YOU HAVE YOUR SHOULDERS SQUARE, AND IF

ALL ELSE FAILS, YOU CAN AT LEAST BE SQUARED-UP IN THE HOLE AND IN THE WAY OF

THE LB'ER MAKING THE TACKLE AND THE FB CAN MOVE THE WHOLE PILE FORWARD FOR

A GAIN.


15/45

THE IOT EXECUTES A FAN BLOCK ON THE DEFENSIVE MAN ON THE LOS. HIS FIRST STEP IS

A SHORT 6" 45 DEGREE STEP ACROSS THE LOS INTO THE DEFENSIVE LINEMAN, FOR BEST

RESULTS THE AIMING POINT OF THE BLOCK SHOULD BE THE HIP OF THE DEFENDER. THE

IOT HAS THE ANGLE AND THE OPPORTUNITY TO STRIKE THE HIP OF THE DEFENDER.

STRIKING THE HIP ACCOMPLISHES TWO VERY BIG REQUIREMENTS FOR THE OFFENSE.FIRST, BY STRIKING THE HIP THE DEFENDER NOW IS IN A RUN AROUND SITUATION. HE

MUST RUN AROUND THE BLOCK OF OUR OFFENSIVE LINEMAN TO GET TO THE BALLCARRIER THAT IS CARRYING THE BALL TO THE INSIDE. SECONDLY, THE HIP IS A VERY

VULNERABLE TARGET AREA. IT IS DIFFICULT TO DEFEND THE HIP AREA. ONCE STRUCK

IN THE HIP AREA THE DEFENDER IS EASILY KNOCKED OFF-COURSE AND OFF THE LOS.


16/45

THE SG EXECUTES A DOWN BLOCK ON THE DEFENDER IN HIS GAP. THIS DOWN BLOCK IS

THE SAME BLOCK WITH THE SAME ADVANTAGES AS THE FAN BLOCK OF THE IOT JUST

DISCUSSED.

WITH AVERAGE EXECUTION BY THE TANDEM THERE IS AN AREA ON THE LOS THAT IS 9 -

12 FEET OR MORE WIDE ON THE LOS THAT THE HAS TO FILL AND COVER. THIS WIDE

AREA ALSO HAS THE OOT AS A LEAD BLOCKER IN IT THAT THE LB'ER MUST DEFEAT ANDMAKE THE TACKLE ON THE FB WHO IS HITTING THE HOLE WITH MAXIMUM VELOCITY.

WHEN RUN RIGHT AT THE LB'ER IN THIS FASHION, HE HAS A TENDENCY TO BECOME A

"CATCHER" OF THE PLAY RATHER THAN AN ATTACKER. IT IS THE JOB OF THE FB TO READ

THE BLOCK OF THE OOT, BEND INTO THE OPEN AREA, AND RUN TO DAYLIGHT. PROPERLYEXECUTED, THE BASE PLAY WILL GAIN LARGE AMOUNTS OF YARDAGE, CONTROL THE

BALL, EAT UP THE CLOCK, MAKE A LOT OF FIRST DOWNS THAT EVENTUALLY LEAD TO

TOUCHDOWNS.

IN THE NEXT SITUATION WE NOTE THAT THE LB'ER IS ALIGNED ONE WHOLE WIDER THANIN THE FIRST CASE. REMEMBERING THAT WE MUST BLOCK THE DOWN MAN ON THE LOS

FIRST, BOTH THE SG AND THE IOT BLOCK THE DOWN MAN TO THEIR INSIDE GAP. THE

OOT IN THIS CASE ALSO MUST BLOCK THE LB'ER IN THE INSIDE GAP WHILE THE WB IN

MOTION WILL SHIELD BLOCK THE DEFENDER WHO IS ALIGNED IN THE BASTARD SPLIT.

KEEP IN MIND THAT THESE DEFENDERS WHO ARE ALIGNED AT THE END OF THE LOS

WILL HAVE OPTION RESPONSIBILITIES, AND THE OPTION FAKE WILL KEEP THEM HOME

TO SOME DEGREE.

THERE ARE OTHER GAP SITUATIONS THAT ARISE, BUT THE BASIC RULES APPLY IN ALL

SITUATIONS FOR THE TANDEM. THERE ARE TIMES WHEN YOU MIGHT HAVE DEFENDERS

ALIGNED IN EVERY GAP ON THE LOS. IN THAT CASE A "GAP" CALL WOULD BE IN ORDER.

A GAP CALL MEANS THAT EVERY OFFENSIVE MAN ON THE LOS IS TO BLOCK THE INSIDE

GAP AND DRIVE HIS MAN DOWN THE LOS. THE MOTION WB IS RESPONSIBLE FOR THE

DEFENDER ON OR OUTSIDE THE OOT. IN THE SITUATION SHOWN, WHICH IS THE BASE

RESPONSIBILITY FOR THE SE, THE SE ALSO BLOCKS DOWN THE LOS AND SEALS OFF THELB'ER. THERE ARE NOT TOO MANY TIMES THAT YOU ARE GOING TO SEE THIS


17/45

ALIGNMENT BECAUSE IT SO WEAKENS THE DEFENSE IN OTHER AREAS. IN ADDITION, A

SIMPLE AUTOMATIC BY THE QB TO EITHER AN OPTION OR A QUICK PASS WOULD KEEP

THE DEFENSE OUT OF THIS GAP EIGHT TYPE ALIGNMENT. THE POINT IS THAT ANYTIME

WE ARE FACED WITH A GAPPED OUT SITUATION ON THE LOS, THE SIMPLE SOLUTION IS

TO BLOCK DOWN THE LOS AND ROLL BACK THE DEFENDERS. THE BACK WHO BREAKS ATACKLE AT THE LOS WILL HAVE A BIG GAINER AHEAD OF HIM.

THE OTHER PRIMARY CONCEPT FOR DEFENSIVE SCHEMES INVOLVES A MAN-ON

PHILOSOPHY. THIS IS USUALLY SEEN WHEN THE DEFENSIVE FRONT IS MANNED WITH

SEVEN PEOPLE AS OPPOSED WITH EIGHT DEFENDERS IN THE GAP SCHEME. WITH MAN-ON

WE CONFRONT PRIMARILY TWO SITUATIONS.

THE "NORMAL 4-3" ALIGNMENT ALLOWS THREE BASIC BLOCKS BY THE TANDEM. FIRST ISJUST OLD FASHIONED ONE-ON-ONE BLOCKING. JUST BLOCK THE MAN OVER YOU. THERE

IS MORE TO IT THAN THAT HOWEVER. MOST MAN-ON SCHEMES INVOLVE SLANTING BY

THE DEFENSIVE LINE WITH SCRAPE LB'ERS COVERING OPPOSITE THE SLANT. KNOWING

THIS WE ADJUST THE PLAY IN THE FOLLOWING FASHION. THE FB IS ALIGNED BEHIND

THE IOT AND "READS" HIS BLOCK. EVERYONE ELSE ON THE LOS FIGHTS TO CUT HIS MAN

OFF (STEP WITH YOUR PLAYSIDE FOOT, DRIVE YOUR HEAD ACROSS THE DEFENDER, KEEP

YOUR FEET MOVING AND MAINTAIN CONTACT WITH THE DEFENDER DOWNFIELD). THEMAN ALIGNED OVER THE IOT WILL NORMALLY WANT TO SLANT ONE WAY OR THEOTHER. THE IOT DRIVES OFF THE BALL UNDER CONTROL, STRIKES THE OPPONENT AND

TAKES THE DEFENSIVE MAN THE WAY HE WANTS TO GO. SIMILAR TO THE MARTIAL

ARTS, THE IOT JUST HELPS THE DEFENDER MOVE ALONG THE LOS TO THE AREA HE

WANTS TO GO. THE FB READS THIS BLOCK AND BENDS OPPOSITE JUST ENOUGH TO

BREEZE THROUGH THE HOLE CREATED ON THE LOS BY THE VACATING DEFENSIVE

LINEMAN. OF COURSE, THERE IS A LB'ER WHO IS ASSIGNED TO SCRAPE INTO THE AREA

VACATED BY THE DEFENSIVE TACKLE. KEEP IN MIND THAT THE LB'ER IS ALIGNED THREE

OR MORE YARDS OFF THE LOS. HE MUST READ HIS KEY, MOVE LATERALLY TO HISASSIGNED POSITION, DEFEAT THE BLOCKER WHO IS ASSIGNED TO HIM AND MAKE THE

TACKLE. IF HE MAKES THE TACKLE, IT WILL BE AFTER A GOOD GAIN BY THE FB.

THE BEND TECHNIQUE OF THE FB IS VERY IMPORTANT ON THIS PLAY AND HE MUST KEEPIN MIND THE CONCEPT OF BENDING AND NOT CUTTING. IF HE MAKES A BIG CUT ON THE

LOS HE WILL SIMPLY RUN INTO THE PATH OF ANOTHER DEFENDER. THERE IS A WINDOW

OF OPPORTUNITY THAT DEVELOPS ON THE LOS DUE TO THE SLANT OF THE DEFENSE AND

THE RESPONSIBILITIES OF THE DEFENDERS. THE FB MUST FOCUS ON THE BLOCK OF THE

IOT FROM THE BEGINNING. ALWAYS FOCUS ON THE POA. IT IS THE RESPONSIBILITY OFTHE QB TO GET THE BALL TO THE FB. THE FB, THEREFORE, "FEELS" THE HANDOFF FROM

THE QB WHILE CONCENTRATING ON THE BLOCKING THAT IS GOING ON IN FRONT OF HIM

AT THE POA. GENERALLY SPEAKING, IF THE DT SLANTS OUT AND IS TAKEN FURTHER

OUT BY THE BLOCK AND SCREENING OF THE IOT, THE SEAM TO RUN AT IS TO THE INSIDE

AND THAT IS WHERE THE FB SHOULD BEND. IF THE DT SLANTS OUT, THEN IT IS THE JOB

OF THE LB'ER TO FILL TO THE INSIDE. THE SG IS RESPONSIBLE FOR BLOCKING THE LB'ER.

OFTEN THE MOMENTUM OF THE LB'ER AND THE BLOCK OF THE SG WILL TAKE THE

BLOCK TO THE OUTSIDE AND THE FB MUST BEND AROUND THE BLOCK OF THE SG.SOMETIMES, HOWEVER, THE LB'ER DOES NOT STEP TO THE GAP AND THE BEND OF THE

FB WILL TAKE HIM TO THE OUTSIDE OF THE BLOCK OF THE SG.

ONCE THE BEND IS EXECUTED, IT IS IMPORTANT FOR THE FB TO RUN NORTH AND SOUTH

BECAUSE THERE ARE DEFENDERS FROM BOTH SIDES OF THE LOS THAT ARE PURSUING

ON TO THE FB AND WANT TO CONVERGE ON HIM. THE RUNNING LANE THAT OPENS UP IS

DIRECTLY AHEAD BETWEEN THE FS AND HB. THE SOONER THE FB GETS INTO THAT LANE

THE MORE YARDS HE WILL GAIN.


18/45

MAN-ON SITUATIONS ALLOWS US MANY BLOCKING COMBINATIONS FOR THE TANDEM

(CROSS OR X BLOCKS, G BLOCKS, COMBO BLOCKS). DURING PRACTICE TIME THE LINE

WILL WORK TO PERFECT THESE VARIOUS BLOCKS. THE REASON FOR HAVING VARIOUS

BLOCKING COMBINATIONS IS TO MAKE IT EASIER TO BLOCK THEIR TOUGHEST MAN AT

THE POA. BY MAKING BLOCKING CALLS ON THE LOS AT THE POA, THOSE EXECUTINGTHE BLOCKS WILL BE ABLE TO DETERMINE WHAT BLOCKING COMBINATION WILL WORK

THE BEST WHICH PUTS OUT LINEMEN IN THE BEST POSSIBLE SITUATION FOR SUCCESS.

ONE OF THE GREAT ADVANTAGES WE HAVE IS THAT THE TANDEM WORKS TOGETHER

ALL YEAR LONG ON THESE VARIOUS BLOCKING SCHEMES. IN REALITY THERE ARE ONLY

SO MANY DEFENSIVE LOOKS THAT THEY ARE GOING TO SEE THROUGH THE COURSE OF

THE SEASON. THE DEFENSE MAY THINK THEY ARE PRESENTING US WITH A "NEW LOOK"THAT WE HAVE NOT SEEN BEFORE, BUT IN REALITY, AT THE POA THERE ARE ONLY SO

MANY THINGS YOU CAN DO. THROUGH PRACTICE AND PREPARATION ON THE PRACTICEFIELD, WE HAVE A PACKAGE THAT BEST SUITS THE SKILLS OF THE PEOPLE WHO MAKE IT

HAPPEN ON THE LOS. WE CAN MAKE THE TANDEM'S JOB EASIER WITH VARIOUS

FORMATIONS WHICH WILL DISCUSSED LATER.

The Option

THE PLAY THAT LOGICALLY FOLLOWS THE DIVE IS THE OPTION. IN OUR TERMINOLOGY,WHEN WE SAY "OPTION" WE WILL FAKE TO THE FB AND OPTION THE END MAN ON THE

LOS. WHEN WE SAY "VEER" WE WILL RUN A TRUE TRIPLE OPTION WHERE THERE IS A"READ MAN" AND AN "OPTION MAN." FIRST THE OPTION.

WHEN WE USE THE SAME ALIGNMENT AND MOTION AS WE DO ON THE DIVE PLAY (TO

MAKE EVERYTHING LOOK THE SAME) THE PLAY DEVELOPS AS FOLLOWS:

1. THE WB'S MOTION WILL TAKE HIM INTO THE BASTARD SPLIT. WHEN THE BALL ISSNAPPED, HE WILL CONTINUE TO A POINT BEHIND THE SE AND THEN HE WILL ARC UP

FIELD. HE IS RESPONSIBLE FOR BLOCKING THE FORCE MAN WHO IS USUALLY

RESPONSIBLE FOR THE PITCH BACK. THIS DEFENDER USUALLY HAS SOME PASS

COVERAGE RESPONSIBILITY AS WELL AS THE PITCH BACK, AND FOR THE FIRST 2

SECONDS AFTER THE BALL IS SNAPPED MUST HONOR THE RELEASE OF THE WB AND

WILL DROP FOR PASS COVERAGE. THE WB WILL DRIVE TO THE OUTSIDE SHOULDER OF

THE SS, TAKE HIM AS DEEP AS HE CAN IN PASS COVERAGE AND THEN STALK BLOCK HIM

KEEPING HIM TO THE INSIDE.

2. THE SE RELEASES DOWN FIELD AND HAS THE SAME RESPONSIBILITIES AS HE DOES ON

THE DIVE PLAY. IF A "LOADED" CALL IS HEARD IN THE HUDDLE, SE WOULD BLOCK THE

FIRST MAN TO HIS INSIDE ON OR OFF THE BALL. IN THIS CASE IT WOULD BE THE DE.


19/45

3. EVERYONE ELSE ON THE LOS (EXCEPT FOR THE TE WHO HAS THE SAME ASSIGNMENT

AS ON THE DIVE) BLOCKS THE FIRST MAN TO HIS INSIDE ON OR OFF THE BALL AND

EXECUTES A CUT OFF BLOCK ON THAT MAN.

4. THE FB EXECUTES A GOOD FAKE INTO THE LINE. A GOOD FAKE INVOLVES MAKING A

POCKET FOR THE QB TO SET THE BALL INTO, AND AFTER THE BALL IS REMOVED BY THE

QB, THE FB WILL CLOSE HIS ARMS TOGETHER AND ROLL HIS INSIDE SHOULDER WHILEHITTING THE LINE. THIS MOVEMENT WILL GET THE LB'ERS ON THE DEFENSE TO STEP UP

TO THE LOS MAKING IT EASIER TO WALL THEM OFF. MANY TIMES THE FB WILL BE

TACKLED AT THE LOS (A GOOD FAKE IS WORTH 3 BLOCKS). IF HE IS NOT TAKEN DOWN,

THE FB WILL CONTINUE THROUGH THE LOS, VEER TO THE OUTSIDE AND LOOK FOR A

LB'ER TO BLOCK.

5. THE QB'S STEPS ARE THE SAME FOR THE DIVE AND OPTION. FIRST STEP IS A 45 DEGREE

STEP BACK TO THE FB. THE SECOND AND THIRD STEP CONTINUE THIS ACTION. THE

THIRD 45 DEGREE STEP IS A "PLANT" STEP. THIS STEP IS A CRITICAL STEP FOR THEOPTION AND THE VEER TO BE RUN PROPERLY AND REQUIRES A GREAT DEAL OF

PRACTICE FOR THE QB. MOST QB'S, ESPECIALLY YOUNG, INEXPERIENCED ONES, HAVE

THE TENDENCY TO RUSH THIS PLAY. WE WANT TO GIVE THE DEFENSE TIME TO REACT TO

THE DIVE FAKE. THE THIRD STEP BY THE QB IS A PLANT STEP, THEREFORE, ACTUALLY

STOPPING HIS MOVEMENT AWAY FROM THE LOS MUCH LIKE A PLANT STEP ON A THREE

STEP DROP FOR PASS. HIS FOURTH STEP IS A "RIDE" STEP TOWARD THE LOS WITH THE FB.

DURING THE FOURTH STEP, THE QB PLACES THE BALL IN THE "POUCH" CREATED BY THE

FB THEREBY GIVING HIM A BALL FAKE. THIS BALL FAKE IS CRUCIAL. THE BALL MUST BEPLACED INTO THE POUCH OF THE FB. USING A "SOFT BALL" TECHNIQUE, THE QB

REMOVES THE BALL FROM THE POUCH. A SOFT BALL MEANS THAT THE QB, KEEPING

BOTH HANDS ON THE FOOTBALL, USES VERY FLEXIBLE ELBOWS TO DRAW THE BALL

OUT OF THE POUCH. THE FLEXIBLE ELBOWS ALLOW THE QB TO MOVE WITH THE FB AS

THE MOVES TO THE LOS. THIS IS THE POINT WHERE THE EFFECTIVENESS OF THE OPTION

HAS A TENDENCY TO BREAK DOWN WITH YOUNG QBS. MOST INEXPERIENCED PEOPLE

WILL WANT TO RUSH THROUGH THE FAKE TO THE FB ACTUALLY NOT STOPPING TO FAKE

AND RUNNING THROUGH THE FB FORCING THE FB WIDER THAT HE SHOULD GO.


20/45

RUNNING THROUGH THE FB FAKE WILL ALSO PUT THE QB TOO DEEP AND TOO WIDE FOR

AN EFFECTIVE OPTION TO TAKE PLACE.

WHEN THE QB PULLS THE BALL FROM THE FB'S POUCH, IT WOULD BE NATURALLYPOINTED DIRECTLY AT THE DE. THE QB SHOULD STEP DIRECTLY AT THE INSIDE

SHOULDER OF THE DE. THE NEXT NUMBER OF STEPS (SHORT CHOPPY CONTROLLED

STEPS) SHOULD BE ALONG THE SAME PATH TO THE INSIDE SHOULDER OF THE DE.CORRECT EXECUTION OF THESE STEPS WILL GET THE QB TO "RUN DOWNHILL" AS THEY

SAY IN THE OPTION GAME. ON OR AROUND THE EIGHTH STEP THE QB WILL REACH THE

"OPTION POINT." THE OPTION POINT IS ONE YARD DEEPER AND ONE YARD OUTSIDE

WHERE THE DE LINES UP. AT THIS POINT THE QB MUST HAVE EITHER PITCHED THE BALL

TO THE TB OR HAVE MADE THE DECISION TO CARRY THE BALL UP FIELD (NORTH ANDSOUTH). IF THE QB IS CARRYING THE BALL WIDER THAN THE OPTION POINT, THE

DEFENSE HAS TIME TO PURSUE AND JUMP ON THE QB'S BACK. AS HE MOVES TO THEOPTION POINT, THE QB KEEPS BOTH HANDS ON THE FOOTBALL AND "SEATS" IT,

EXTENDING HIS ELBOWS AND SWINGS THEM SIDE TO SIDE. BY RUNNING TO THE INSIDE

SHOULDER OF THE DE IN THIS FASHION, THE DE IS FORCED TO MAKE A DECISION. HE

MUST EITHER TAKE THE QB OR MOVE TO PITCH. IF THE DE STEPS TO TACKLE THE QB, HE

IMMEDIATELY "SQUATS" AND PITCHES THE BALL TO THE TB WHO CONTINUES TO RUN

THE BALL ON THE OUTSIDE. THE ROLE OF THE QB ON THIS PLAY IS TO CARRY THE BALL

ON THE INSIDE RUNNING LANE UNTIL SUCH TIME THAT THE DEFENSE MAKES A PLAY ON

HIM. WHEN THIS HAPPENS HE IS TO PITCH THE BALL TO THE TB. THE TB'S ROLE ON THISPLAY IS TO CARRY THE BALL ON THE OUTSIDE. THE INEXPERIENCED QB HAS THE

TENDENCY TO TRY TO RUN TOO WIDE AND TO TRY AND CUT AROUND DEFENDERS IN

THE SECONDARY. WHEN THIS HAPPENS, THE WHOLE PLAY SLOWS DOWN AND PURSUIT

TACKLES THE PLAY FROM BEHIND. THE MAN USUALLY RESPONSIBLE FOR THE QB ON

THE OPTION IS THE DE OR THE FS IN THE DEFENSE THAT IS DRAWN. IF WE PUT THE WB

INTO EXTENDED MOTION AND WIDEN THE SS AND GET A SOFT CORNER, MANY DEFENSES

ASSIGN THE DE TO PITCH FIGURING THEY CAN COVER THE QB WITH THE FS. THIS IS A

COMMON ADJUSTMENT MADE BY MANY OF THE COLLEGES AGAINST THE OPTION. HOWMANY TIMES HAVE YOU SEEN AN OPTION CALLED ON THE GOAL LINE AND THE QB

SCORES EASILY BECAUSE NO ONE IS ASSIGNED TO THE QB ON THE GOAL LINE LOS? THE

WASHINGTON HUSKIES DO IT ALL THE TIME. SO DOES NOTRE DAME. DEFENSIVE PEOPLE

BELIEVE THEY CAN COVER THE QB WITH A FS. IT JUST DOES NOT HAPPEN, ESPECIALLYIN HIGH SCHOOL.

WHEN A DEFENSE PLAYS THREE DEEP IN THE SECONDARY, HAS THE PHILOSOPHY OF NOT

GETTING BEAT DEEP, AND COACHES "READ STEPS" (TAKE THREE STEPS BACK AS YOU

READ FOR RUN OR PASS), NOT EVEN THE ABOVE AVERAGE FS IS GOING TO MAKE ALLTHE RIGHT DECISIONS, REACT AND STOP THE PLAY ON THE LOS. IN FACT, WE ARE

COUNTING ON OUR FB AFTER CARRYING OUT A GREAT FAKE TO KNOCK OFF THE FS BY

LOCATING HIMSELF IN THE PURSUIT LANE.

A WORD ABOUT PITCH RELATIONSHIP: WHEN A DEFENSIVE PLAYER (HOPEFULLY THE DE

OR FS IN THE FORCE AREA) COMMITS TO TACKLING THE QB, HE IS TO PITCH THE BALL TO

THE TB. WE DO NOT GET REAL TECHNICAL WITH THIS PITCH. WE WANT THE QB TO"SQUAT," I.E., SLOW DOWN AND SIT DOWN, LOOK AT THE TB, PITCH HIM THE BALL, AND

FALL BACKWARD WHEN THE DEFENDER HITS HIM. THIS TECHNIQUE RESULTS IN FAR

FEWER INJURIES TO THE QB. SOME QB'S EGO WILL NOT LET THEM USE THIS TECHNIQUE

IN A GAME, BUT IT ONLY TAKES ONE OR TWO GOOD LICKS BY THE DEFENSE TO CHANGE

HIS MIND. THE PITCH ITSELF IS JUST A FLICK TO THE TB. THERE ARE THOSE WHO WILL

SPEND HOURS TALKING ABOUT HOW THE QB SHOULD PITCH THE BALL, END OVER END,

THUMB DOWN, AND ALL THAT. OUT QB IS GOING TO BE ONE OF OUR MORE SKILLED

ATHLETES. SINCE HE IS AN ATHLETE. WE EXPECT HIM TO GET THE BALL TO THE TB AT

THE PROPER TIME. WE DO NOT WANT HIM THINKING, "NOW SHOULD I HAVE MY THUMB


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DOWN HERE OR . . ." WE NEED TO HAVE THE QB MAKE A CORRECT READ ON THE OPTION

MAN AND PITCH THE BALL. THAT'S ENOUGH TO THINK ABOUT. OVER THE YEARS WE

HAVE HAD A DIFFICULT TIME MAINTAINING PROPER PITCH RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN THE

QB AND TB. HAVING THE PITCH BACK BEGIN FROM A SEVEN YARD DEPTH MEANS HE NOT

ONLY GET THE WIDTH HE NEEDS, BUT HE ALSO CAN START MOVING UP FIELD LIKE HENATURALLY WANTS TO DO. THE MAJOR CONCERN WITH THE TB IS RUSHING THE PLAY.

DUE TO THE DIVE FAKE AND THE READ, THE TB MUST "TAKE HIS TIME" MOVING DOWNTHE LINE WITH THE QB. HE MAY BE AT ONLY 50% SPEED. THAT IS OK. WE WANT THE TB

TO ACCELERATE WITH A BURST OF SPEED WHEN HE RECEIVES THE PITCH. A GOOD PITCH

RELATIONSHIP IS AROUND 4 YARDS OUTSIDE THE QB AND TWO YARDS BEHIND. MANY

PEOPLE ARE GOING TO TELL YOU 4 X 4, BUT THAT IS A VERY DIFFICULT RELATIONSHIP

FOR HIGH SCHOOL PROGRAMS TO MAINTAIN. WE DO NOT MAKE A BIG DEAL OUT OF IT.

THE TB NEEDS TO BE DEEP ENOUGH AND WIDE ENOUGH SO THAT NO DEFENDER CANPLAY BOTH THE QB AND MAKE THE TACKLE ON THE TB.

6. THE TB CROSS OVER STEPS TO THE PLAY SIDE AND IMMEDIATELY WORKS TO GET INTO

A GOOD PITCH RELATIONSHIP WITH THE QB (AS EXPLAINED ABOVE). ALWAYS BE UNDER

CONTROL. SPEED IS NOT IMPORTANT AT THE BEGINNING OF THIS ROUTE. WE WANT YOU

TO ACCELERATE AFTER RECEIVING THE PITCH NOT BEFORE.

The Option Pass

THE THIRD MOST RUN PLAY IN THE OFFENSE IS THE PASS PLAY OFF THE DIVE/OPTIONGAME. THIS PLAY IS THE MOST EFFECTIVE AND CONSISTENTLY SUCCESSFUL PASS PLAY

WE HAVE. AT THE BEGINNING OF THE PLAY, ALL ACTION IS THE SAME AS FOR THE DIVE

AND OPTION. BECAUSE WE HAVE RUN SO MANY OF THESE OTHER PLAYS PREVIOUSLY,


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THE DEFENSE IS USED TO REACTING TO THEM AND DOING SO HERE WILL ALLOW OUR

RECEIVERS TO GET OPEN. RESPONSIBILITIES FOR THIS PASS PLAY ARE:

1. EVERYTHING AT THE BEGINNING OF THE PLAY IS EXACTLY THE SAME FOR EVERYONEAS FOR THE DIVE AND THE OPTION FOR THE FIRST TWO STEPS.

2. THE WB IN MOTION AT THE SNAP OF THE BALL ARCS UP FIELD AS RUNS A DEEP POSTCORNER ROUTE. IT IS IMPORTANT FOR HIM TO GET AS DEEP AS HE CAN AS SOON AS HE

CAN. HIS PASS ROUTE RUNS TO A DEPTH OF AT LEAST 25 YARDS.

3. THE SE RUNS A BLOCK-RELEASE ROUTE. AT THE SNAP OF THE BALL, THE SE BLOCKS

THE DE TO THE INSIDE HARD FOR TWO COUNTS. HE THEN RELEASES TO THE OUTSIDEAND RUNS AT A 45 DEGREE ANGLE TO THE SIDELINE. AT A DEPTH OF 15 YARDS, HE

LEVELS OFF AND SQUARES OUT TO THE SIDELINE.

4. THE FB EXECUTES A GOOD BALL FAKE TO THE LOS AND RELEASES INTO THE FLAT AT

A DEPTH OF 5 YARDS AND SQUARES OUT TO THE SIDELINE

5. THE TB STARTS ON A PITCH ROUTE. WHEN HE PASSES THE PLANE OF THE SE/DE BLOCK

HE TURNS UP FIELD AND TAKES OVER THE BLOCK ON THE DE KEEPING HIM SEALED OFFTO THE INSIDE.

6. THE QB EXECUTES A GOOD BALL FAKE TO THE FB. AFTER THE FAKE HE SPRINTS BACK

TO A DEPTH OF AT LEAST 7 YARDS BEHIND THE LOS. HE ROUNDS THE CORNER AND

ATTACKS THE LOS AS SHOWN. IT IS IMPORTANT FOR THE QB TO REMEMBER THAT THIS IS

AS MUCH A RUNNING PLAY FOR HIM AS IT IS A PASS. HE MUST ATTACK THE LOS. BY

ATTACKING THE LOS, HE FORCES THE DEFENDERS IN THE FLAT TO MAKE A DECISION TOEITHER PLAY PASS OR COME UP TO TACKLE HIM. THE MAIN READ FOR THE QB IS TO

LOCATE THE DEFENDER RESPONSIBLE FOR FLAT COVERAGE. IF THE DEFENDER HANGSBACK TO PLAY PASS, THE QB SHOULD RUN THE BALL. IF THE DEFENDER COMES UP TO

TACKLE THE QB, THE QB PASSES THE BALL TO THE OPEN RECEIVER IN THE FLAT (EITHER

THE FB OR SE). THE RULE FOR THE QB IS TO LOOK SHORT, MIDDLE, LONG. THE RECEIVER

THAT MOST OFTEN COMES OPEN ON THIS PASS PLAY IS THE SE BECAUSE OF HIS BLOCK-

RELEASE ROUTE AND THE FACT THAT HIS ROUTE USUALLY TAKES HIM BEHIND THE SS

IN THE FLAT.

7. THE OFFENSIVE LINE "FIRES OUT" INTO THE DEFENSIVE LINE, MAKES CONTACT WITH

THE DEFENDERS AND KNOCKS THEM AWAY FROM THE PATH OF THE QB. THE LINE THEN

GETS SEPARATION FROM THE DEFENDERS, HINGES, AND MAKES ANOTHER CONTACT

WITH THE DEFENDERS KEEPING THEIR FEET MOVING AT ALL TIMES.

8. THE TE BLOCKS THE DE FOR 2 COUNTS AND THEN RELEASES OVER THE MIDDLE OF THE

FORMATION. THE IDEA IS FOR THE TE TO GET IN BETWEEN THE LB'ERS AT A DEPTH OF 8-

10 YARDS AND RUN ACROSS THE FIELD WITH THE QB.

9. THE WG IN THIS CASE IS THE "UNCOVERED LINEMAN." IT IS THE RESPONSIBILITY OF

THE UNCOVERED LINEMAN TO CLOSE THE BACK DOOR AND BLOCK THE DE AFTER HE

COMES OFF THE BLOCK OF THE TE. ONCE THE TE GETS TO A POSITION THAT IS EVEN

WITH THE QB, HE SITS DOWN IN THE HOLE OF THE DEFENSE AND ACTS AS A SAFETY

VALVE RECEIVER FOR THE QB.


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The Fullback Blast

THERE IS ONE MORE BASIC PLAY THAT FORMS THE HEART OF OUR OFFENSE. IT IS OURBASIC SHORT YARDAGE/GOAL LINE PLAY. FOR THIS PLAY WE CHANGE THE FORMATION

BY PLACING THE FB BEHIND THE QB IN A THREE POINT STANCE, AND THE TB MOVES UP

TO A POSITION THREE YARDS DEEP BEHIND THE IOT. THIS FORMATION IS CALLED

"POWER RIGHT."

FROM THIS FORMATION WE RUN A LEAD PLAY WITH THE FB CARRYING THE BALL OVERTHE IOT WITH THE TB LEADING. SOME YEARS WE MAY SUBSTITUTE ANOTHER PLAYER

FOR THE TB IN ORDER TO GET BETTER BLOCKING AT THE POA. IT DEPENDS UPON THE

BLOCKING CAPABILITIES AND SIZE OF THE THE TB.

SINCE THIS IS A SHORT YARDAGE PLAY WHERE THE OBJECT IS TO GAIN I-3 YARDS, THE

DEFENSE USUALLY ALIGNS IN A GOAL LINE DEFENSE. TO MAXIMIZE OUR BLOCKING AND

PREVENT ANY INSIDE PENETRATION WE NARROW DOWN THE SPLITS TO AS LITTLE AS 6INCHES. ALL LINEMEN ARE TO DRIVE THEIR INSIDE GAP. THE WB FROM MOTION WILL

STEP TO THE BUTT OF THE OOT WHEN THE BALL IS SNAPPED AND SEAL OFF THE INSIDE

SHOULDER OF THE DE. THE SE WILL DRIVE DOWN THE LOS JUST BEHIND THE DE AND

DRIVE THE LB'ER TO THE INSIDE OF THE FORMATION. THE TB LEADS THE FB THROUGH

THE LOS. BY THE TIME THE TB GETS TO THE LINE, THE OOT WILL HAVE MADE CONTACT

WITH THE DT AND HAVE KNOCKED HIM DOWN THE LOS AT LEAST A STEP. THE TB

SCRAPES THE BUTT OF THE OOT AND BLOCKS THE FIRST ODD COLOR JERSEY HE SEES.

THE FB'S FIRST TWO STEPS ARE CROSS OVER AND PLANT. HIS FIRST STEP IS A CROSS

OVER STEP TO GET LATERAL DISTANCE TO THE POA. ON HIS SECOND STEP HE PLANTS

WITH HIS RIGHT FOOT, RECEIVES THE BALL AND DRIVES INTO THE LOS RUNNING ON THEOUTSIDE HIP OF THE TB.

THIS PLAY IS AS MUCH A HALLMARK OF OUR OFFENSE AS ANY OTHER. EVERYONE

KNOWS THE PLAY IS COMING WHEN WE GET NEAR THE GOAL LINE OR NEED 1 YARD TO

MAKE A FIRST DOWN. IT IS PROBABLY OUR MOST SUCCESSFUL PLAY WHEN YOU

CONSIDER THAT THE OBJECT IS TO GAIN 1-2 YARDS. IT IS JUST PLAIN FLAT OUT HARD TO

STOP FOR LESS THAN A YARD.


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THESE PLAYS - DIVE, DIVE OPTION, DIVE OPTION 48 PASS, AND BLAST 34 - ARE THE

HEART AND SOUL OF OUR OFFENSE. WE WILL RUN THESE PLAYS FAR MORE THAN ANY

OTHERS IN THE OFFENSE. WE WILL SPEND AS MUCH AS 50% OF OUR PRACTICE TIME ON

THESE FOUR PLAYS AND THEY WILL ACCOUNT FOR AS MUCH AS 70% OF OUR OFFENSIVE

PRODUCTION.

REMEMBER THAT IF YOU WANT TO BE SUCCESSFUL DOING SOMETHING, YOU MUSTPRACTICE IT EVERYDAY. JUST AS WE CANNOT TIRE OF RUNNING THE BASE OFFENSE

DURING THE GAME, WE CANNOT TIRE OF PRACTICING THE BASE ON THE PRACTICE

FIELD. WE MUST TAKE GREAT PRIDE IN BOTH ACTIVITIES. SEVERAL YEARS AGO WE

WERE PLAYING A GOOD FOOTBALL TEAM. IN FACT, THEY JUST THE WEEK BEFORE HAD

MADE USA TODAY'S TOP SPOT FOR TOTAL OFFENSE WITH OVER 450 YARDS OF PASSINGOFFENSE. OUR GAME PLAN WAS TO CONTROL THE BALL ON OFFENSE AND KEEP THEIR

OFFENSE OFF THE FIELD. IN THAT GAME THE FB CARRIED THE BALL CLOSE TO 30 TIMESAND GAINED OVER 200 YARDS.

DURING A POINT IN THE SECOND HALF WHILE OUR OFFENSE WAS GETTING INTO

POSITION TO RUN THE NEXT PLAY, OUR LINEMEN HEARD THE DEFENSE SAYING THAT,

"OVER HERE, THEY'RE GOING TO RUN OVER HERE." OUR IOT LOOKED AT THE DEFENSE

AND SAID, "YES. WE ARE GOING TO RUN THE BALL RIGHT HERE, AND THERE'S NOTHINGYOU CAN DO ABOUT IT!" HE AND HIS TANDEM TEAMMATES WERE TAKING GREAT PRIDEIN THEIR ABILITIES IN CONTROLLING THE LOS AND THE GAME WHICH WE WENT ON TO

WIN BY OVER TWO TOUCHDOWNS.

Play Calling

1. ALL PLAYS WILL CARRY A NAME AND A NUMBER. THE NAME IS FOR THE USE OF THE

BACKS SO THAT THEY WILL CARRY OUT PROPER BACKFIELD MOVEMENT. THE NUMBERTELLS EVERYONE WHO IS GOING TO CARRY THE BALL AND WHERE HE IS GOING TO RUN

(THROUGH WHICH HOLE).

2. EACH RUNNING PLAY HAS A TWO DIGIT NUMBER. THE FIRST NUMBER INDICATES WHO

IS TO CARRY THE BALL (WHICH BACK - THE QB IS NUMBER 1, THE WB IS 2, THE FB IS 3

AND THE TB IS NUMBER 4); THE SECOND NUMBER IS THE HOLE THROUGH WHICH HE IS

TO RUN.

3. EACH PASSING PLAY HAS A THREE DIGIT NUMBER. THE FIRST NUMBER INDICATES

WHICH PASS PROTECTION TO BE USED, THE SECOND NUMBER IDENTIFIES THE PASSROUTE OF THE INSIDE RECEIVER, AND THE THIRD NUMBER IDENTIFIES THE PASS ROUTE

OF THE OUTSIDE RECEIVER.

4. ANY HOLE MAY BE OPENED BY SEVERAL DIFFERENT BLOCKING ADJUSTMENTS. THESE

BLOCKING ADJUSTMENTS WILL BE DETERMINED FOR THE MOST PART BY A CALL MADE

BY THE QB IN THE HUDDLE.

5. ALL BLOCKING ASSIGNMENTS WILL BE DETERMINED BY APPLYING A SET OF"BLOCKING RULES." ABSOLUTE MASTER OF THOSE RULES IS ESSENTIAL.

6. OFFENSIVE FORMATIONS WILL BE CALLED BY THE QB WHEN HE CALLS THE PLAY.


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7. WE WILL BE ABLE TO BLOCK OR OPEN 10 HOLES. BY UTILIZING OUR BLOCKING

VARIATIONS WE MAY BLOCK EACH PLAY BY SEVERAL METHODS.

8. EVERYONE MUST KNOW WHERE EACH HOLE IS LOCATED.

OFFENSIVE HOLES AND SPACING

1. THE HOLES ARE DETERMINED BY THE SPACING OF THE OFFENSIVE LINEMEN.

2. THE HOLES ARE NOT OPENED AT A STRICTLY DEFINED SPOT BUT SOMEWHERE

BETWEEN DEFINITE LIMITS.

3. THE HOLES TO THE RIGHT OF THE CENTER ARE GIVEN EVEN NUMBERS, AND THEHOLES TO THE LEFT OF THE CENTER ARE GIVEN ODD NUMBERS.

4. THE SPACING OF THE LINEMEN AS INDICATED IS VERY IMPORTANT FOR BACKFIELD

TIMING IN COORDINATION WITH LINEMEN BLOCKING.

THE HUDDLE


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1. THE HUDDLE IS CALLED BY THE CENTER.

2. THE QB DOES ALL THE TALKING IN THE HUDDLE.

3. THE QB CAN EXPEL ANYONE FROM THE GAME WHO, IN HIS OPINION, IS A DISTRACTING

INFLUENCE TO THE SQUAD.

4. NEVER LEAN ON ANYONE IN THE HUDDLE.

5. ALWAYS KEEP A GOOD DISTANCE BETWEEN EACH OTHER IN THE HUDDLE.

6. THE OFFENSIVE PLAY BEGINS WHEN THE QB GIVES THE SIGNAL TO BREAK THE

HUDDLE. THE SPEED, DETERMINATION AND SNAP THAT WE LEAVE THE HUDDLE WITH,

WILL DETERMINE THE DEGREE OF SUCCESS FOR EACH PLAY.

7. THE QB WILL REPEAT THE PLAY TWICE, CLEARLY AND PRECISELY, NO GARBLED

WORDS.

8. AFTER THE QB CALLS THE PLAY THE FIRST TIME, THE CENTER, SE, AND WB LEAVE THE

HUDDLE EARLY TO TAKE THEIR POSITIONS IF WE ARE CALLING A FORMATION WHERE

THE SE AND WB WILL BE SPLIT WIDE. IF NOT, JUST THE C LEAVES THE HUDDLE EARLY.

9. AFTER REPEATING THE PLAY A SECOND TIME THE QB WILL SAY, "READY. ." EVERYONEWILL CHANT "BREAK!" CLAP THEIR HANDS AND SPRINT TO THE BALL.

10. HUDDLE COMMANDS: DURING EACH HUDDLE THE QB WILL GIVE THE TEAM FOUR

COMMANDS: 1.) THE FORMATION, 2.) THE PLAY, 3.) THE STARTING COUNT, AND POSSIBLY

4.) THE WAY IN WHICH THE PLAY WILL BE BLOCKED.

OFFENSIVE STARTING COUNT


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1. WE USE A NON-RHYTHMIC SERIES OF COMMANDS TO START AN OFFENSIVE PLAY.

2. WHEN WE BREAK THE HUDDLE, EVERYONE WILL SPRINT TO THEIR POSITIONS AND GET

INTO THEIR STANCE IMMEDIATELY.

3. THE QB WILL "PREREAD" THE DEFENSE FOR ANY SPECIAL KEYS FOR THE PARTICULAR

PLAY CALLED.

4. THE FIRST COMMAND IS A HARD "GO!"

5. NEXT COMMAND: "SET." THIS COMMAND IS SOMEWHAT DRAWN OUT.

6. THE FINAL COMMANDS WILL BE, "HUT-1, HUT-2, HUT-3."

7. THE BALL CAN BE SNAPPED ON ANY ONE OF THESE COMMANDS, AS LONG AS ALL

TEAM MEMBERS ARE MOTIONLESS FOR AT LEAST ONE SECOND BEFORE THE BALL IS

SNAPPED. ONE PERSON MAY BE IN MOTION BEFORE THE SNAP, AS LONG AS HE IS IN

MOTION ONE FULL SECOND OR MORE BEFORE THE SNAP, AND HIS MOTION MUST BE

PARALLEL TO OR AWAY FROM THE LOS.

8. FIRST SOUND: WE MAY RUN OUR PLAYS ON THE "FIRST SOUND" OF THE QB. WHEN THE

PLAY IS TO BE RUN ON THE FIRST SOUND, THE QB'S FIRST SOUND IS TO BE - "HUT-1!"

AUTOMATICS

1. THERE ARE TIMES IN THE GAME WHEN WE WILL WANT TO CHANGE THE PLAY AT THE

LOS. THIS WILL BE DETERMINED BY THE QB.

2. BEFORE EACH HALF, WE WILL DETERMINE A "LIVE" COLOR, FOR EXAMPLE: BLUE. THIS

MEANS THAT IF THE QB CALLS THE COLOR BLUE AT THE LOS, HE IS CHANGING THE PLAY

FROM THE ONE THAT IS CALLED IN THE HUDDLE. WHAT PLAY WE WILL RUN WILL BEBASED ON THE SCOUTING REPORT AND PRACTICE THAT WEEK. LET'S SAY HE CALLED"BLUE 48." THIS WOULD MEAN THAT WE WILL RUN DIVE OPTION 48 RATHER THAN THE

PLAY THAT WAS CALLED IN THE HUDDLE.

3. THE BALL IS ALWAYS SNAPPED ON THE COUNT OF ONE WHEN USING AN AUTOMATIC.

4. THE SEQUENCE FOR THE QB'S LINE CALL WOULD BE:

A. CHECK - CHECK - CHECK

B. BLUE 48 - BLUE 48

C. GO - SET - - HUT 1

5. IF THE SNAP COUNT IN THE HUDDLE WAS "FIRST SOUND," WE WILL RUN THE PLAYTHAT WAS CALLED IN THE HUDDLE.


28/45

Offensive Formations

OFFENSIVE FORMATIONS

WE HAVE A LIMITED BUT EFFECTIVE NUMBER OF FORMATIONS. THE FORMATIONS WE

EMPLOY FORCE THE DEFENSE TO ADJUST, EXPECIALLY TO THE UNBALANCED. WHEN

THEY SHIFT TO THE UNBALANCED, WHICH THEY HAVE TO DO OR BE OUTFLANKED, THEY

ARE FORCED TO PLAY "OUT OF POSITION." A NOSE GUARD WHO IS USED TO PLAYING

OVER THE CENTER WHEN MOVED OVER THE GUARD IS NOT PLAYING THE SAME GAME

AS BEFORE. THE SAME CAN BE SAID FOR OTHER MEMBERS OF THE DEFENSE, ESPECIALLY

THE FRONT SEVEN. A DE TO THE STONG SIDE IS PLAYING MUCH FARTHER AWAY FROM

THE BALL THAN HE IS NORMALLY ACCUSTOMED TO PLAYING. HE IS ISOLATED AND ON AISLAND OUT THERE WITH LITTLE READILY AVAILABLE HELP.

FORMATIONS ARE DRAWN TO THE RIGHT SIDE. IF A LEFT FORMATION IS CALLED IN THEHUDDLE, IT IS THE MIRROR IMAGE OF THE RIGHT FORMATION.

RIGHT

SPLIT RIGHT

IN THIS FORMATION THE TB AND THE FB ALIGN 5 YARDS DEEP ON THE OUTSIDE LEG OF

THE GUARD IN A TWO POINT STANCE.


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POWER RIGHT

HERE THE FB ALIGNS BEHIND THE QB IN A THREE POINT STANCE WITH HIS DOWN HAND

AT A DEPTH OF 4 YARDS OFF THE FOOTBALL. THE TB ALIGNS AT THE SAME DEPTH

DIRECTLY BEHIND THE IOT IN A 3 POINT STANCE.

FLEX CALL

WHEN "X" IS CALLED WITH THE FORMATION, IT MEANS THAT THE SE AND THE WB ARE

TO SPLIT OUT INTO A WIDE POSITION AS THE WOULD IN A SPLIT RECEIVER SET.

PRO RIGHT

THE PRO RIGHT FORMATION IS USED MORE IN THE PASSING GAME. THE OOT ALIGNS

NEXT TO THE WG, THE SE IS ON THE LEFT SIDE OF THE FORMATION AWAY FROM THE TE,THE WB IS SPLIT IN A FLANKER POSITION AND THE BACKS ALIGN IN A "SPLIT"

TECHNIQUE.

A - B - C

PRO RIGHT A

A - B - C ARE CALLS TO MAKE THE FORMATION A ONE BACK FORMATION. WHEN A IS

ADDED TO THE FORMATION CALL, THE TB ALIGNS AS A TIGHT WING TO THE SINGLE

RECEIVER SIDE OF THE FORMATION. THE SE SPLITS OUT AND THE WB TAKES A

FLANKERPOSITION TO THE TE SIDE OF THE BALL. THE FB ALIGNS BEHIND THE QB AT A

DEPTH OF 5 YARDS.


30/45

PRO RIGHT B

A "B" CALL ADDED TO THE FORMATION PLACES THE TB IN A SPLIT POSITION TO THE

SINGLE RECEIVER SIDE OF THE BALL.

PRO RIGHT C

WHEN C IS ADDED TO THE FORMATION CALL WE MOVE INTO A SHOTGUN FORMATION.

THE QB ALIGNS AT A DEPTH OF 6 YARDS, THE FB OFFSETS TO THE TE SIDE OF THE

FORMATION AT A DEPTH OF 5 YARDS.

DOUBLE SLOT RIGHT

DOUBLE SLOT RIGHT IS A TRIPS FORMATION WHERE THE TB AND THE WB ALIGN IN THE

SLOT CREATED BY THE SPLIT OF THE SE. THE RECEIVERS SPREAD THEMSELVES OUT

ACCROSS THE FIELD SPREADING THE DEFENSE.

Motion Calls

MOTION CALLS


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EVERYONE THAT IS ALLOWED, EXCEPT THE QB (AND WE EVEN HAVE HAD OCCASIONS TO

RUN HIM IN MOTION) HAS MOTION CALLS. UNLIKE A LOT OF OTHER PEOPLE WE KNOW,

THERE ARE DEFINITE REASONS THAT WE SEND PEOPLE IN MOTION. AS PREVIOUSLY

STATED, THE MAIN REASONS FOR MOTION ARE: (1) TO CAUSE THE DEFENSE TO THINK

RIGHT BEFORE THE BALL IS SNAPPED AND THEREBY TAKE AWAY SOME OF THEIRAGGRESSIVENESS, (2) TO CREATE MOVEMENT BY THE DEFENSE OPENING UP A RUNNING

OR PASSING LANE THAT WE MIGHT EXPLOIT, AND (3) MOTION BY THE BACKS ALSO HASDEFINITE BLOCKING ADVANTAGES FOR US DUE TO DEFENSIVE ALIGNMENTS.

THESE ARE OUR MOTION CALLS. THERE IS NO MAGIC WITH THESE. THEY WORK FOR US.WHEN GOING IN MOTION, WE WANT OUR BACKS TO LOOK LIKE THEY ARE UP TO

SOMETHING. WE HAVE ALL SEEN MOTION WHERE THE MOTION BACK LOOKS LIKE HE ISIN SLOW MOTION OR EVEN JOGGING IN PLACE. THAT IS NOT WHAT WE WANT. WE LIKE

OUR MOTION TO BE QUICKER, ABOUT THREE-QUARTER SPEED. SPEEDIER MOTION

FORCES FASTER JUDGMENTS BY THE DEFENSE AS WELL AS FASTER ADJUSTMENTS

WHICH MEANS THEY MAY BE MOVING MORE QUICKLY OUT OF POSITION IN THE WRONG

DIRECTION WHEN THE BALL IS SNAPPED.

OUR CADENCE IS AN INTEGRAL PART OF OUR MOTION ATTACK. OUR TEAM BREAKS THE

HUDDLE, MOVES TO THEIR ASSIGNED POSITION, AND TAKES THEIR STANCE. THE QB

MAKES SURE THAT EVERYONE IS SET FOR AT LEAST ONE FULL SECOND THEN YELLS GO!

YOU WOULD BE SURPRISED HOW MANY TEAMS, IN A TIGHT SITUATION, EVEN AFTER

HEARING THE GO COUNT THE WHOLE BALL GAME WILL JUMP ON GO! ON THE COMMAND

GO, THERE IS USUALLY A MAN IN MOTION. THE NEXT COMMAND IS SET FOLLOWED BY

HUT-ONE, HUT-TWO, ETC. THIS IS A NONRHYTHMIC COUNT. THERE ARE PAUSES

BETWEEN GO AND SET TO ALLOW THE MOTION BACK TO GET WHERE WE WANT HIM TO

BE WHEN THE BALL IS SNAPPED.

WING BACK MOTION

OUT - THE WB GOES IN MOTION OUT OR AWAY FROM THE BALL FROM WHERE HE IS

ALIGNED IN THE FORMATION THAT IS CALLED TO A WIDE RECEIVER POSITION. THE BALLIS SNAPPED WHILE THE WB IS IN MOTION (THE SAME IS TRUE FOR ALL EXTENDED

MOTION CALLS FOR THE OFFENSE).

FLY - THE WB "FLIES ACROSS" THE FORMATION (BALL) AND TO A WIDE RECEIVER

POSITION ON THE OTHER SIDE OF THE FORMATION.

FLEA - FLEA IS SMALL OR SHORT MOTION, HENCE FLEA. THE WB MOTIONS ACROSS THE

FORMATION TO A POINT BEHIND THE OOT. FROM THIS POSITION HE SETS TO BLOCK THEMAN ALIGNED ON THE OUTSIDE OF THE OOT. WHEN FLEA MOTION IS CALLED WE WILL

NORMALLY SNAP THE BALL ON ONE SO THAT THE WB MAY TIME HIS MOTION WITH THE


32/45

SNAP COUNT TO BE IN THE PROPER POSITION. ON FLEA MOTION THE WB TAPS THE QB AS

HE PASSES. WHEN TAPPED THE QB WILL IMMEDIATELY MAKE HIS HUT-ONE COMMAND.

THIS SEQUENCE PUTS THE WB IN THE PROPER POSITION FOR BLOCKING AT THE OOT SPOT

AT THE PROPER TIME. IT IS POSSIBLE TO USE THE QB'S HEEL TO SIGNAL THE START OF

MOTION SO THAT THE FIRST SOUND CAN BE USED AS A STARTING COUNT. THE QBSIGNALS THE START OF MOTION WITH HIS HEEL, THE WB GOES IN MOTION, TAPS THE QB

AND THE QB SAYS HUT-ONE FOR THE FIRST SOUND STARTING COMMAND.

TAILABCK MOTION

RIP - ON RIP MOTION THE TAILBACK STEPS UP TO A POSITION IN FRONT OF THE FB AND

GOES INTO EXTENDED MOTION TO THE RIGHT MOVING TO A WIDE RECEIVER POSITION.

THE RULES ARE THAT A MAN IN MOTION MUST BE MOVING PARALLEL TO OR AWAY

FROM THE LOS FOR A FULL SECOND PRIOR TO THE BALL BEING SNAPPED. THE

MOVEMENT BY THE TB TOWARD THE LOS AT THE BEGINNING OF HIS MOTION,

THEREFORE, IS LEGAL.

LIZ - LIZ MOTION INDICATES THAT THE TB WILL STEP UP AND MOTION TO A WIDE

RECEIVER POSITION TO THE LEFT OF THE CALLED FORMATION.

EITHER OF THESE MOTIONS ALLOW US TO MOVE INTO A ONE-BACK OFFENSE (AS DOES

MOTION BY THE FB), TRIPS, OR TO FOUR RECEIVERS SPREAD ACROSS THE FIELD

DEPENDING UPON WHAT FORMATION IS CALLED.

FULLBACK MOTION

ROAR - ON ROAR MOTION THE FB STEPS UP TO A POINT 2 - 3 YARDS DEEP OFF THE BALL

AND GOES INTO EXTENDED MOTION ASSUMING A WIDE RECEIVER POSITION TO THE

RIGHT OF THE FORMATION.

LION - LION MOTION PLACES THE FB IN A WIDE RECEIVER POSITION TO THE LEFT OF THEFORMATION.

RAT AND LIP - RAT AND LIP MOTIONS ARE SHORT MOTION CALLS FOR THE FB. THEY ARE

USED TO GET THE FB ON THE OTHER SIDE OF THE FORMATION IN FRONT OF THE TB.

THESE MOTIONS ARE ONLY FOUR STEP MOTIONS BY THE FB. THEY ARE VERY DIFFICULT

FOR THE DEFENSE TO ADJUST TO BEFORE THE BALL IS SNAPPED.

The Veer

THE RUNNING GAME

AS STATED, THE BASE PLAYS FOR THE RUNNING GAME (AND THE PLAY ACTION PASSING

GAME) ARE THE FB DIVE, DIVE OPTION, AND THE DIVE OPTION PASS. THE FB DIVE WILL

BE CALLED AROUND 50% OF THE TIME WE HAVE THE FOOTBALL. WE WILL RUN THE DIVE

FROM VARIOUS FORMATIONS USING A VARIETY OF MOTION CALLS. WE KNOW THE DIVE


33/45

WILL BE SUCCESSFUL. WHAT WE ARE LOOKING FOR WHILE RUNNING THE DIVE IS HOW

THE DEFENSE IS ADJUSTING TO FORMATION AND MOTION CALLS. EVERY DEFENSE HAS

WEAKNESSES THAT MAY BE EXPLOITED. VARIOUS FORMATIONS AND MOTIONS

ACCENTUATE THESE WEAKNESSES. WHEN A GLARING ADVANTAGE PRESENTS ITSELF,

WE WILL FAKE THE FB DIVE AND RUN A COMPANION PLAY WHICH USUALLY RESULTS INA MUCH BIGGER GAIN.

THE VEER

THE VEER IS A TRUE TRIPLE OPTION, AND YES, WE DO RUN IT, ESPECIALLY TO THESHORT SIDE OF HE FORMATION AGAINST A SEVEN MAN FRONT. IT IS NOT AS GOOD A

PLAY AGAINST THE EIGHT MAN GAP ALIGNMENT (EXCEPT ON THE GOAL LINE). AGAINST

AN EIGHT MAN GAP ALIGNMENT YOU WOULD WIND UP WITH A LOT OF "LOADED" CALLS

(LOADED MEANS THAT THE DIVE BACK'S PART OF THE OPTION IS OFF AND HE BECOMES

A BLOCKER BECAUSE THE DEFENSE HAS OVER LOADED THE LOS). IF YOU FACE MANY

SEVEN MAN FRONTS, THE VEER IS AN EXCELLENT ATTACK.

A WORD ABOUT THE DEFENSIVE FRONT

ANOTHER MAJOR REASON WE RUN THE FORMATION WE DO IS THAT IT FORCES THE

DEFENSE TO ACCOUNT FOR MORE THAN THEY ARE ACCUSTOMED TO HANDLING. IN A

NORMAL PRO OFFENSIVE SET THE DEFENSE MUST ACCOUNT FOR 8 SLOTS ON THE LOS

THAT CAN EASILY BE ATTACKED.

AGAINST OUR BASE FORMATION THE DEFENSE IS FORCED TO ACCOUNT FOR 2 MORE

SLOTS ON THE LOS WHICH USUALLY FORCES SOME MAJOR CHANGES IN THEIRALIGNMENT.


34/45

OUR OFFENSE IS UNIQUE IN THAT A VEER RUN TO THE TANDEM'S SIDE IS AN INSIDE

VEER, WHILE A PLAY RUN TO THE SHORT SIDE OF THE FORMATION BECOMES AN

OUTSIDE VEER. THE STEPS FOR BOTH THE INSIDE AND OUTSIDE VEER, THEREFORE, ARE

THE SAME FOR THE BACKFIELD. YOU GET DOUBLE THE ATTACK WITH THE SAME

AMOUNT OF PRACTICE TIME.

SINCE THE VEER IS A TRIPLE OPTION, THERE IS A "READ MAN" AND AN "OPTION MAN"

IDENTIFIED ON THE DEFENSE. OUR BLOCKING ASSIGNMENT IS TO DOUBLE THE FIRST

DOWN LINEMAN ON OR PAST THE CENTER ON THE LOS EVERY TIME VEER IS CALLED

(EXCEPT WHEN THE DEFENSE ALIGNS IN A GAP DEFENSE IN WHICH CASE THE ASSIGNED

BLOCKING WOULD BE ONE MAN DOWN).

THE OOT IS TO BLOCK THE FIRST MAN TO HIS INSIDE ON OR OFF THE BALL. THE SE

RELEASES OFF THE LOS TO BLOCK SECONDARY SUPPORT. THE WB FROM MOTION IS TO

BLOCK THE FORCE MAN. THE READ MAN IS SO CALLED BECAUSE THE QB "READS" WHATHE IS DOING. WE TELL OUR QB'S, "YOU ARE NEVER WRONG IF YOU GIVE THE BALL TO

THE FB." WE FEEL THAT WITH A GOOD DOUBLE TEAM ON THE LOS AND THE OOT'S BLOCK

ON THE LB'ER THAT OUR FB WILL GAIN YARDAGE ON THIS PLAY. THE ONLY TIME THAT

THE FB DOES NOT GET THE BALL ON THIS PLAY IS WHEN THE READ MAN STEPS TOWARD

THE MESH POINT BETWEEN THE QB AND THE FB. WHEN THE MESH POINT IS THREATENED

BY THE READ MAN, THE QB PULLS THE BALL, USING A SOFT BALL TECHNIQUE, AND

STEPS AROUND THE VIOLENT COLLISION CREATED BY THE FB BLASTING INTO THE READ

MAN. IT IS IMPORTANT FOR THE FB TO MAKE CONTACT WITH AND STOP THEPENETRATION OF THE READ MAN INTO OUR OFFENSIVE BACKFIELD.

IF THE QB DECIDES TO GIVE THE BALL TO THE FB, HE USES A "HARD BALL" TECHNIQUE. A

HARD BALL TECHNIQUE IS EXECUTED WHEN THE QB HAS BOTH HANDS ON THE

FOOTBALL, PLACES THE BALL IN THE POUCH OF THE DIVE BACK AND RIDE STEPS HIM TO

THE LOS AS HE READS THE READ MAN. IF THE QB IS GOING TO HAND OFF TO THE DIVE

BACK, HE SLIDES HIS INSIDE HAND OUT OF THE POUCH AND PRESSES THE BALL INTO THE

STOMACH OF THE DIVE BACK THEREBY, SIGNALING THE DIVE BACK THAT THE BALL

AND PLAY IS HIS. IF THE QB IS GOING TO PULL THE BALL, HE USES A SOFT BALLTECHNIQUE WHERE HE USES FLEXIBLE ELBOWS TO PULL THE BALL AWAY FROM THE

POUCH OF THE FB.


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WHEN KEEPING THE BALL, THE QB MUST STEP AROUND THE COLLISION CAUSED BY THE

DIVE BACK AND THE READ MAN. THIS IS A CRITICAL PART OF THIS PLAY. ONCE AROUND,

THE QB MUST PLANT HIS FOOT AND GET UP FIELD ATTACKING THE INSIDE SHOULDER OF

THE OPTION MAN. MANY TIMES THERE WILL BE NO OPTION MAN BECAUSE HE HAS

SUPPORTED ALREADY AND IS IN THE PITCH BACK'S FACE LEAVING THE RUNNING LANEWIDE OPEN FOR THE QB. TOO OFTEN YOUNG INEXPERIENCED QB'S MOVE TOO FAR

LATERALLY TRYING TO GET AROUND THE COLLISION AND PURSUIT DEFEATS THE PLAY.THE QB MUST NOT GET BEYOND THE OPTION POINT (1 YARD OUTSIDE THE ALIGNMENT

OF THE DE) WITHOUT EITHER PITCHING THE BALL OR GAINING POSITIVE YARDAGE

THROUGH THE RUNNING LANE THAT OPENS.

THE VEER PLAY TO THE SHORT SIDE OF THE FORMATION IS RUN WITH THE SAME STEPSAND PROCEDURE. BY ALIGNMENT, HOWEVER, THE READ MAN BECOMES THE DE AND

THE OPTION MAN IS THE FORCE MAN FROM THE SECONDARY.

AS ON THE STRONG SIDE, THE QB READS THE READ MAN AT THE MESH POINT AND

EITHER GIVES THE HARD BALL TO THE FB OR PULLS, STEPS AROUND THE COLLISION ANDMOVES ON TO THE OPTION MAN ATTACKING HIS INSIDE SHOULDER. THERE IS A

TENDENCY FOR THE QB TO GET TOO WIDE. THE FB NEEDS TO RUN THROUGH THE

OUTSIDE LEG OF THE WG. RUNNING WITH THIS ANGLE FORCES THE READ MAN TO MAKE

A DECISION. HE MUST EITHER STEP DOWN TO TACKLE THE FB OR DO SOMETHING ELSE.

THE HARDEST READ FOR A QB IN THE OPTION GAME IS THE DE WHO DOES NOTHING OR

"SLOW PLAYS" THE QB UNTIL PURSUIT COMES TO HIS AID. WHEN THE DIVE BACK RUNS

THE PROPER PATH, THE QB'S READ IS EASIER BECAUSE A SLOW PLAY DE WILL BE

BEATEN TO THE INSIDE BY THE DIVE BACK.

AFTER MOVING PAST THE READ MAN, THE QB MOVES TO THE NEXT LEVEL WHERE THE

OPTION MAN EITHER THREATENS THE QB AND HE PITCHES TO THE TB, OR THE OPTIONMAN GOES FOR THE TB AND THE QB KEEPS THE BALL AND RUNS.

BOTH THE OPTION AND THE VEER ARE EXCELLENT PLAYS IN OUR OFFENSE. THE

DEFENSE REALLY BITES ON THE FB. SUCCESSFUL DIVE PLAYS PRIOR TO THE OPTION

MEAN THE DEFENSE REALLY CONVERGES ON THE DIVE BACK. IT IS NOT UNCOMMON TOSEE THE WHOLE SIDE COLLAPSE ON THE DIVE BACK LEAVING THE QB NO ONE TO

OPTION. WHEN THIS HAPPENS, IT IS THE QB'S JOB TO GAIN POSITIVE YARDAGE

IMMEDIATELY. HE WILL EITHER SCORE OR BE THREATENED BY SOMEONE ROTATING


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THROUGH THE SECONDARY. WHEN THREATENED, SQUAT AND PITCH THE BALL TO THE

TB WHO WILL CONTINUE THE PLAY RUNNING ON THE OUTSIDE OF THE DEFENSE. THE

BIGGEST PROBLEM IS CREATED WHEN THE QB TRIES TO RUN AROUND THE DEFENSE AND

GETS TOO WIDE, RUNNING TO THE SIDE LINES, THE PLAY GETS STRUNG OUT AND

POSITIVE YARDAGE STOPS. IT IS THE JOB OF THE TB, NOT THE QB, TO RUN THE BALL ONTHE OUTSIDE OF THE DEFENSE.

The Tailback Counter

THE TB COUNTER IS OUR VERSION OF THE PLAY MADE FAMOUS BY THE WASHINGTON

REDSKINS. IT IS A PERFECT COMPANION PLAY TO THE DIVE AND BLAST ONCE THEY ARE

ESTABLISHED. A NUMBER OF SUCCESSFULLY RUN DIVE PLAYS AND THE OPPOSITION'S

SCOUTING REPORT WILL GET THE DEFENSE TO STEP TO TACKLE THE FB ON THE DIVE.

THE PLAY BEGINS WITH THE SAME BACKFIELD ACTION AS THE DIVE OR BLAST AND THEOPTION. THE QB TAKES THE SNAP, SEATS THE BALL AND PRESENTS THE BALL TO THE FB

WHO STEPS TO THE LOS JUST AS ON THE BLAST OR DIVE. THE FB EXECUTES A GOOD

FAKE INTO THE LOS BY ROLLING HIS INSIDE SHOULDER. THE FB IS RESPONSIBLE FOR

FILLING THE AREA VACATED BY THE PULLING IOT.

THE QB, AFTER PRESENTING THE BALL TO THE FB, TAKES THE BALL DEEPER IN THEBACKFIELD AND HANDS OFF TO THE TB. THIS PLAY CAN BE RUN FROM EITHER THE

REGULAR RIGHT FORMATION OR FROM THE POWER FORMATION. WE HAVE HAD MORE

SUCCESS WITH TIMING AND EXECUTION RUNNING THE PLAY FROM THE POWER

FORMATION ESPECIALLY WHEN WE RUN SO MANY SUCCESSFUL FB BLAST PLAYS. IN

ADDITION, THE PLAY ACTION PASS SEEMS TO BE MORE EFFECTIVE FROM THE POWER

FORMATION. AFTER THE HANDOFF THE QB DROPS AS IF FOR PASS.


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FROM THE POWER FORMATION THE TB TAKES ONE STEP TO THE LOS AS ON THE BLAST

PLAY. IT IS IMPORTANT THAT THE TB BE DELIBERATE WITH THIS STEP. ALONG WITH THE

STEP IT IS IMPORTANT FOR THE TB TO LOOK INTO THE EYES OF THE DEFENSE AT THE 4

HOLE. AFTER THE FIRST STEP AND LOOK, THE TB GETS INTO A POSITION THAT IS

PARALLEL TO THE LOS FOR THE HANDOFF.

FROM THE RIGHT FORMATION, THE TB TAKES HIS FIRST TWO STEPS (CROSSOVER ANDPLANT) JUST AS HE WOULD FOR THE DIVE OR DIVE OPTION PLAY. HE THEN GETS INTO

POSITION FOR THE HANDOFF. TO RUN THIS PLAY FROM THE RIGHT FORMATION WHERE

THE TB IS A FULL 7 YARDS DEEP REQUIRES THAT THE TB HAVE CONSIDERABLY BETTER

THAN AVERAGE SPEED. THE POA FOR THE TB IS THE OUTSIDE LEG OF THE WG.

THE SG (PULLING GUARD) IS RESPONSIBLE FOR BLOCKING THE END MAN ON THE LOSUSUALLY THE DE. SINCE THE DE IS NOT BLOCKED INITIALLY, HE HAS A TENDENCY TO

CHARGE ACROSS THE LOS AND GET DEPTH IN OUR BACKFIELD. THE GUARD MUST,

THEREFORE, AS HE PASSES THE CENTER WORK TO GET SOME DEPTH WITH HIS PULL TO

BE IN POSITION TO BLOCK THE DE. THE BLOCK OF THE SG MUST BE EXECUTED IN SUCH A

FASHION AS TO KEEP THE DE TO THE OUTSIDE OF THE FORMATION. OFTEN THE SG ENDS

UP PUSHING THE DE A LITTLE WIDER BUT MUCH DEEPER INTO THE BACKFIELD DUE TO

THE MOMENTUM OF THE DE'S CHARGE. THIS IS PERFECTLY ALL RIGHT BECAUSE THE TBIS RUNNING A PATH THAT WILL TAKE HIM INSIDE THE DE'S PATH.

THE PULLING GUARD IS FOLLOWED BY THE PULLING IOT. IT IS HIS RESPONSIBILITY TO

LEAD THE TB THROUGH THE HOLE. IF EVERYONE HAS DONE THEIR JOB, THE IOT WILL

BLOCK THE CB ON THE SHORT SIDE OF THE DEFENSIVE FORMATION. IF A DEFENDER

GETS IN THE PATH OF THE IOT BEFORE HE CAN GET TO THE CB, THAT DEFENDER MUST

BE BLOCKED.

EVERYONE ELSE BLOCKS AS INDICATED. THEY USE THE SAME ANGLE, CUT-OFF BLOCKAS IN OTHER PLAYS OF THE OFFENSE. THEIR JOB WILL BE MADE EASIER BECAUSE THE

DEFENSE WILL COLLAPSE ON THE FB FAKE. THE WB FROM MOTION BLOCKS THE

BACKSIDE DE. IF THE DE DOES NOT CHARGE HARD ACROSS THE LOS, THE WB SHOULD

CONTINUE UP FIELD AND POSITION HIMSELF TO BLOCK THE BACKSIDE DEFENSIVEPURSUIT.

THE SE RUNS THE FS OFF AND "STALK BLOCKS" HIM KEEPING HIMSELF BETWEEN THE FS

AND THE BALL CARRIER. THIS PLAY IS A GREAT ONE TO CALL AT MID FIELD IN A

SECOND AND MEDIUM OR SHORT SITUATION. A LARGE GAIN OR BREAKAWAY IS OFTENTHE RESULT.

The Quarterback Lead Option

FROM THE POWER RIGHT FORMATION THIS PLAY IS A GREAT SHORT YARDAGE/GOAL

LINE PLAY FOR A QB THAT HAS AVERAGE OR BETTER RUNNING ABILITIES. THE PLAY

BEGINS LIKE THE VEER. AFTER THE MESH WITH THE QB, THE FB TAKES A WIDER PATH

THAN HE WOULD TAKE FOR THE VEER. THE FB IS RESPONSIBLE FOR BLOCKING THE

FORCE MAN ON THIS PLAY. UNLESS THE DE HAS SOME KIND OF GAME ON, WHICH THEYNORMALLY DO NOT HAVE IN A THREE-DEEP SITUATION, THE CB WILL TAKE HIS THREE

READ STEPS BACK AND TO THE OUTSIDE WHEN THE BALL IS SNAPPED. HE MUST THEN


38/45

READ THE PLAY AND REACT. THIS RESULTS IN A RELATIVELY SOFT CORNER FORCE. THE

IDEA IS FOR THE FB TO RUN THROUGH THE CB WITH ENOUGH FORCE THAT THE QB AND

THE TB WILL PASS THIS COLLISION AND EXECUTE A PITCH DOWN FIELD, OR THE QB WILL

SCORE (A BIG GAIN OR A TD!) IF THERE IS NO ONE THERE FOR THE FB TO BLOCK (WHICH

SOMETIMES HAPPENS), HE IS TO BEND HIS COURSE TO THE INSIDE LOOKING TO BLOCKTHE FS COMING FROM DEEP MIDDLE TO MAKE A PLAY.

AFTER MESHING WITH THE FB, THE QB POSITIONS HIMSELF ON THE OUTSIDE HIP OF THE

FB STAYING TWO YARDS BEHIND. FROM THIS POSITION THE QB CAN READ THE BLOCK

OF THE FB AND BEND TO THE INSIDE OR THE OUTSIDE OF HIS BLOCK ON THE CB. THE

QB'S JOB IS TO MOVE PAST THE BLOCK OF THE FB AND EXECUTE A PITCH DOWN FIELD

WHEN THE DEFENSE THREATENS TO TACKLE HIM. OR THE QB CAN HIT THE SEAM OF THEDEFENSE AND RUN TO DAYLIGHT.

THE TB IS TO MAINTAIN A GOOD PITCH RELATIONSHIP WITH THE QB DURING THE ENTIRE

PLAY. THE PITCH CAN COME AT ANYTIME DURING THE PLAY'S DEVELOPMENT. AS IN THE

OPTION OR THE VEER, THE ROLE OF THE TB IS TO CARRY THE BALL ON THE OUTSIDE

WITH A BURST OF SPEED WHEN HE RECEIVES THE PITCH.

THIS IS AN EXTREMELY EFFECTIVE PLAY WHEN EXECUTED PROPERLY. IT QUICKLY

PLACES THREE OFFENSIVE PLAYERS ON THE PERIMETER OF THE DEFENSE AGAINST JUST

ONE DEFENDER. LIKE THE UNIVERSITY OF WASHINGTON AND NOTRE DAME, WE LIKE TO

CALL THIS PLAY IN A GOAL LINE OR SHORT YARDAGE SITUATION WHICH OFTEN

RESULTS IN THE QB HITTING THE SEAM BETWEEN THE CB AND THE FS FOR A SCORE.

The Tailback Sweep Strong

Sweep 48 Ram


39/45

THE TAILBACK SWEEP IS A MOST EFFECTIVE PLAY WHEN THE DEFENSE CROWDS THE

LOS TRYING TO STOP THE FB, ESPECIALLY WHEN PLAYING THE DE TO THE SE SIDE OF

THE FORMATION INSIDE. WHEN THE DE MOVES INSIDE, THE SE HAS AN EXCELLENT

ANGLE TO SEAL HIM TO THE INSIDE. IT IS A VERY GOOD PLAY TO SNAP THE BALL ON THE

"FIRST SOUND" AND RUN QUICKLY WHILE THE DEFENSE IS LINING UP.

THE KEYS TO THE PLAY ARE:

1. THE BLOCK OF THE SE ON THE DE. THE SE MUST HIT AND DRIVE THE DE TO THE INSIDE.

THIS DOES NOT HAVE TO BE A SPECTACULAR BLOCK (HOWEVER, OFTEN IT IS). BECAUSE

THE TB IS PLAYING AT A DEPTH OF 7 YARDS AND SHOULD HAVE SOME SPEED, THE SE

JUST HAS TO MAKE CONTACT AND PUSH THE DE TO THE INSIDE.

2. THE FB MUST SPRINT TO BLOCK THE MAN IN THE FORCE AREA. THE FASTEST WAY TOGET TO THE CORNER IS WITH A CROSSOVER FIRST STEP. PLANT ON THE SECOND STEP

AND SPRINT TO THE FORCE MAN. THE RULES FOR BLOCKING THE "FORCE MAN" ARE:

A. IF THE FORCE MAN IS ON THE LOS OR IN OUR BACKFIELD, BLOCK THE FORCE MAN

OUT. DRIVE HIM TO THE SIDELINE. ON A PLAY GOING TO THE RIGHT, THIS WOULD MEAN

THAT THE FB WOULD USE A RIGHT SHOULDER BLOCK.

B. IF THE FORCE MAN IS PLAYING SOFT AND NOT COMING UP STRONG, THE FB WILLTURN UP FIELD AND USE A "RUNNING SHOULDER BLOCK" ON THE FORCE MAN. ON A

PLAY GOING RIGHT THIS WOULD MEAN THE FB WOULD PLACE HIS LEFT SHOULDER ON

THE OUTSIDE NUMBER OF THE FORCE MAN, GET HIS HIPS AROUND, AND SEAL THE FORCE

MAN TO THE INSIDE.

3. THE TB'S FIRST STEP IS A CROSSOVER STEP. THIS STEP SHOULD NOT BE A BIG ONE. THE

SECOND STEP SHOULD BE DIRECTLY TO THE SIDELINE. EYES SHOULD BE FOCUSED ONTHE QB AT ALL TIMES LOOKING THE FOOTBALL INTO THE FINGERTIPS. AFTER RECEIVING

THE BALL, FOCUS ON THE BLOCK OF THE FB. READ THE BLOCK OF THE FB AND

ACCELERATE OFF HIS BLOCK. THE BEGINNING OF YOUR PATH SHOULD BE RUN AT

ABOUT 75% SPEED. ONCE YOU DETERMINE THE BLOCK OF THE FB, ACCELERATE TO FULL


40/45

CONTROLLED SPEED OFF HIS BLOCK. YOU AR TO RUN THE BALL ON THE OUTSIDE OF THE

DEFENSE. CUTBACKS ARE NOT IN ORDER ON THIS PLAY (UNLESS YOU ARE 15-20 YARDS

DOWNFIELD). THE MAN YOU HAVE TO BEAT IS THE SS (FORCE MAN). THE REMAINDER OF

THE DEFENDERS ARE BEING SEALED OFF. ONCE YOU ARE BY THE BLOCK OF THE FB ON

THE FORCE, GET TO THE OUTSIDE AND SPRINT FOR POSITIVE YARDAGE. YOUR GENERALRULE OF THUMB HERE IS AS SOON AS YOU CAN GAIN 4+ YARDS, CUT UP FIELD AND GET

THAT 4+ YARD GAIN.

4. THE QB REVERSE PIVOTS AND PITCHES THE BALL TO THE TB. IT IS IMPORTANT TO GET

THE BALL OUT IN FRONT OF THE TB SO HE CATCHES IT IN STRIDE. AFTER THE PITCH,

CONTINUE TO RUN WITH THE PULLING GUARDS AND BLOCK THE FIRST ODD COLOR

JERSEY SEEN. GET IN SOMEONE'S WAY AND DISRUPT THEIR PURSUIT TO THE TB.

5. THE GUARDS ARE TO PULL AROUND THE SEAL BLOCK OF THE SE, GET UP FIELD AND

BLOCK. AGAINST A COVER 2 SECONDARY, THE LEAD GUARD WOULD FOCUS ON THE

DEEP DEFENDER. USE A RUNNING SHOULDER BLOCK TO SEAL HIM TO THE INSIDE.

EVERYONE ELSE SHOULD EXECUTE A CUT-OFF BLOCK ON THEIR ASSIGNED DEFENDER.

THEY SHOULD THEN GET CROSS FIELD TO BLOCK OTHER DEFENDERS.

The Tailback Sweep Weak

ONE OF THE BEAUTIES OF THE UNBALANCED SET IS THAT IT GIVES YOU A SHORT

CORNER TO RUN TO. THIS PLAY IS RUN ENOUGH TIMES DURING THE GAME SO THAT THE

DEFENSE DOES NOT HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO EXTREMELY OVERLOAD ON THE

STRONG SIDE. IT IS A VERY QUICK DEVELOPING PLAY AND DIFFICULT FOR THE DEFENSE

TO ADJUST TO ADEQUATELY.

THE FB PICKS UP IN SHORT MOTION (LIP) AND THE BALL IS SNAPPED WHEN HE IS

CLEARING THE WG. IT IS THE JOB OF THE FB TO BLOCK THE FORCE MAN. IDEALLY WEWOULD LIKE THE FORCE MAN TO BE BLOCK TO THE INSIDE. THIS IS NOT AS HARD AS IT

MAY SEEM GIVEN THE FACT THAT MOST SECONDARY PEOPLE TAKE THOSE THREE READ

STEPS AWAY FROM THE LOS WHEN THE BALL IS SNAPPED. THE FB RUNS A PATH THAT

WILL ALLOW HIM TO PUT HIS INSIDE SHOULDER ON THE OUTSIDE NUMBER OF THE

DEFENDER. ONCE CONTACT IS MADE, HE SHOULD SWING HIS HIPS AROUND AND KEEP

THE CB SCREENED OFF THE PLAY. IF THE CB ATTACKS THE LOS STRONGLY, THE JOB OF

THE FB IS TO BLOCK THE CB TO THE OUTSIDE AND KEEP HIM SCREENED OUT. THE TB

WOULD THEN READ THE FB'S BLOCK, CUT UP UNDERNEATH AND THEN BREAK AGAIN TOTHE OUTSIDE ONCE HE HAS PAST THE BLOCK. OUR GENERAL RULE OF THUMB IS THAT IF

THE FORCE MAN IS ON, NEAR, OR BEYOND THE LOS, WE WILL BLOCK HIM OUT; IF THE

FORCE MAN IS OFF THE LOS, WE WILL ROLL HIM UP TO THE INSIDE AND RUN ON THEOUTSIDE.

THE QB TAKES THE SNAP, REVERSE PIVOTS, AND EXECUTES A TWO HANDED TOSS PITCH

TO THE TB. HE THEN CONTINUES BEYOND THE BLOCK OF THE WB TO SCREEN DEFENSIVE

FLOW FROM THE INSIDE. THERE ARE THOSE THAT WOULD QUESTION THE WISDOM OF

LEAD BLOCKING BY THE QB. IT

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