Pro and College Football Strategy Think Tank

[HarleyQuinn]

Partly inspired by YPOV's comments in the chat and my adoration of football strategy (especially the run and shoot offense), I thought it'd be a great idea to start up a general thread. We can post concepts, discuss ideas, and ask questions.

The run & shoot is probably one of, if not the most, misunderstood offenses in football history (mostly with regards to the media). At its core, it's a simple offense yet it requires a very high football IQ and is nearly impossible to stop short of blitzing the fuck out of the QB. Nobody runs the pure version anymore really but it's basically paved the way for the last 15-20 years of football in regards to the passing game.

The R&S is largely the reason behind the creation of Dick Lebeau's Zone Blitz defensive concept.

Mouse Davis doesn't get nearly the credit he deserves compared to coaches like Sid Gillman or Don Coryell.

The Basics
- It's a 4 WR offense with 1 RB set up behind the QB. The RB is generally utilized as a last line of defense picking up blitzes since there is no FB or TE. The incorporation of the Shotgun formation usually has pitted the RB to the right or left of the QB nowadays. The Shotgun also allows for a little more pocket time.
- Motion is used to figure out whether the defense is in man coverage or zone coverage. This has largely gone by the wayside due to the evolution of disguised defenses.
- The QB would half roll (setting up behind the OG/OT gap) to either the left or right depending on the play call. This also has mostly gone away once the shotgun formation came into use but the SMU Mustangs under June Jones still employs it.
- QBs and WRs read the defense and vary their routes based on what they are presented with. This is largely why DCs figured out that they just had to blitz the QB because their coverages would only last so long. A simple example is an outside WR covered by a CB. If the CB goes deep, the WR could hook. If the CB tries to jam or press, the WR could go deep.
- Designed to attack down the field vertically and in many ways is similar to vertical offenses created by coaches like Sid Gillman and Coryell.

Route Concepts At heart, the Run and Shoot really has maybe 5 to 6 plays in the passing game. What makes it complex is the variable system.
- 50 Series: Largely influenced by the West Coast Offense. Quick hitters with the QB dropping back 3 steps. A couple plays would be 4 Verticals or Quick Dig Outs.

The "60" and "90" Series is largely what this offense is primarily known for. There are about 4-5 key play concepts.
60 Z Slide - Challenge the deep safety and CB covering Z receiver. You can already see the motion WR likely matching up vs NB (or LB) on a wheel against Man.
60 Z Go - Challenge the deep safety and the flat defender. Often entails 1-1 coverage for the Z receiver.

61 X Choice - Quick hitter, rarely used by Mouse Davis though. Challenges the MLB (motion WR cuts back across the field) and deep safety (same route as 60 Z Go for the slot WR). You can see influences of this kind of concept in the Air Raid offenses, namely the Shallow Cross type plays.

Rip-Liz 90 Switch - An absolute staple in modern day offenses and considered the deadliest pass concept in this offense. Kevin Gilbride of the New York Giants regularly employs the Switch concept. Targets the outside CB and deep safety, trying to essentially set a pick or force confusion on coverage.

The Running Game Primarily a man on man blocking scheme set up through the passing game. Very simplistic but the utilization of big RBs (230-240 pounds, essentially FBs) helped beat up on the Nickel & Dime coverages that teams employed.
- Cutback. HB fakes outside and cuts back inside, aiming for gap between C/G.
- Stretch. OL blocks out, HB takes handoff and aims for sideline. Staple of Peyton Manning and the Colts O.
- Draw. Sell "60" pass and HB gets delayed hand off. Most recognizable run play of this offense currently.
- Counter. HB cuts inside, then darts outside as OT & OG pull ahead of him.
- Dive. HB tries to ride hip of the C.
- Speed Option. Unique play as they generally ran away from Trips side. Often used at or near the goal line.

The Results
Pretty much became the offense of the late 1980's and early 1990's with varied results. Some teams had astounding success (Houston Oilers, University of Houston, Holy Cross University under Joe Gardi) while others quickly fizzled (Detroit Lions, University of Maryland). The problem was that most coaches employed it as a quick fix trying to save their seasons, while not really understanding how to coach it in the first place, and it's really not that kind of offense. It's a pass version of the Option. Requires discipline and commitment.

Other Notes
- John Jenkins, the OC of the University of Houston, essentially evolved the offense from 1988-1992. He made the offense much more vertical and aggressive while having a "take no prisoners" attitude (there's a reason QB David Klingler held many records).
- Jerry Glanville, largely a defensive coach, has also pretty much become a proponent of it since his days as the Atlanta Falcons HC. VX can attest to its up & down swing during his tenure at Portland State.

Teams Still Using It
- SMU under June Jones. Even then, the offense has largely been altered since his years at Hawaii using a Shotgun and more West Coast Offense concepts at times.
- New York Giants under OC Kevin Gilbride use a lot of R&S concepts, especially the Switch route as mentioned before.
- Tennessee Titans under OC Chris Palmer also used a lot of R&S concepts during the 2011 and 2012 seasons.

 

[Mickey Massuco]

Re: Football Strategy Thread

Good write up on the Run N' Shoot. It gets a lot of unfair criticism.

I look forward to contributing more to this thread as I read along, but one blog that has interesting write-ups is http://smartfootball.com/ Have you ever heard of this one? I don't read it often but they have some good stuff there.

I was wondering if you could review that NFL Game Pass package you bought. It's available till the end of July at a very discounted price. If it has coaches' film for every game that sounds like a p. good way to learn FAST

 

[HarleyQuinn]

Re: Football Strategy Thread

Good write up on the Run N' Shoot. It gets a lot of unfair criticism.

I look forward to contributing more to this thread as I read along, but one blog that has interesting write-ups is http://smartfootball.com/ Have you ever heard of this one? I don't read it often but they have some good stuff there.

I was wondering if you could review that NFL Game Pass package you bought. It's available till the end of July at a very discounted price. If it has coaches' film for every game that sounds like a p. good way to learn FAST

I adore that site. The site owner, Chris Brown, also released a book that covers similar territory as to what he posts on the site.

As far as the NFL Game Rewind package goes, it covered Week 1 - Playoffs into July. Not sure if you'll get those by subscribing now but yes, coaches film is included for every single game. Usually a day or two after the conclusion. Another nice feature is that it does have a "condensed" version of games similar to NFL Network's show called NFL Replay.

My current subscription actually has it go all the way back to 2009. Unfortunately, anything from 2009-2011 is only the full game (although you can jump around to different plays).

 

[Sex Machine Gun]

Re: Football Strategy Thread

How do you feel about the A-10(?) offense?

 

[HarleyQuinn]

Re: Football Strategy Thread

How do you feel about the A-11(?) offense?

It's an alright high school offense. Credit to its creators for thinking outside the box but it works at the high school level for a reason (in part due to rules). Even the "successful" plays have defensive penetration, great coverage, or maybe a missed tackle here & there that results in a bigger gain.

Very one dimensional at heart (vertical routes, maybe screens) and largely succeeds because 85% of high school players wouldn't make college teams.

 

[HarleyQuinn]

Re: Football Strategy Thread

Zone Blocking Scheme
Largely credited with coming into being by OL coach Alex Gibbs (longtime Denver Broncos OL coach under Mike Shanahan), this scheme has been utilized by many teams at both the NFL and College level to the point that teams drafting look for different players compared to a power blocking scheme. It's almost akin to an offensive 3-4 vs a power scheme's 4-3 nowadays.

The Basics
- One of the few schemes that does not really change based on front or whether the DL stunts, etc. It's easy to learn but requires a high football IQ for the OL to be able to pick up downfield (something teams like the Oakland Raiders struggled with). A general rule of thumb is covered vs uncovered. If an OL is heads up on a DL, he is to take that player. If not, he is to help doubleteam and then split off downfield.
- The HB in this scheme needs patience and it's emphasized. This is a large reason why teams draft HBs who only run in the 4.50-4.55 range, because they often don't have the speed to get ahead of the blockers and thus have an in-built patience. Examples include Terrell Davis, Arian Foster, and Alfred Morris.
- This scheme often employs cut blocks (OL blocking at DL's knees) and double teams. The key to the double teams is that usually one of the OL shifts off the DE/DT to block the incoming LB down the field. In the below image, you can see the double teams taking on the DT or DE depending on the line numbering with one of the blockers then peeling off to take the LB downfield. Nearly everly defense shows two OL blocking LBs downfield, which often explains why HBs are able to get "wide open" lanes past the line of scrimmage.

- As you can also see, the Zone Blocking scheme is much like the Option in that it often leaves a man unblocked in favor of concentrating on the players mostly likely to be involved at the point of attack.
- HB's role is to find the opening created by the blocking and shoot through, using acceleration immediately. That's largely why HBs like Terrell Davis and Arian Foster were & are so dominant in this scheme. The following image shows the "choice" a HB could use. Another key component is the HB's ability to cut back through a hole that has opened behind him. This is aided by the line's slanting towards one side completely.

The Plays
There are basically 3 running plays within the actual scheme.
1 = Inside Zone. Essentially a zone that opens up a hole, usually between the C - OT for the HB to cut through. The below image shows an example of a cutback.

2 = Outside Zone. Essentially a zone where the opening should be off the OTs hip - WR. Also allows for a cutback inside the OT (see above image for HB acceleration).
3 = Stretch Play. Same as the OZ play but the QB hands off deeper down the line of scrimmage.

The Players
#1 = Patient HB. The HB essentially makes this scheme go, as evidenced by the contrast between Darren McFadden (more of a power back) and Marcel Reese (not as fast, needed to rely on patience) in Oakland.
#2 = Nimble, agile OL. Often times because of the necessity of speed, the OL needs to be smaller than traditional linemen. The Denver Broncos were well known for continually being outsized yet they were productive year after year due to their ability to pull & get downfield quickly. OT Eric Winston ran one of the fastest 40's (4.94) and 20 Yard Shuttles (4.49) prior to being drafted by Houston in the 3rd Round of 2006. OT Duane Brown too ran one of the fastest 40's (5.07) and 20 Yard Shuttles (4.52) prior to being drafted by Houston in the 1st Round of 2008.
#3 = Good blocking WRs and TEs. These guys are the key to walling off the CBs, especially on outside zone runs or Stretch/Pitch plays.

The Results
Pretty much made the Denver Broncos a powerhouse and teams like the Green Bay Packers, Houston Texans, and Washington Redskins still utilize it today to mostly solid success. A lot of colleges have used it to pave their road to success as well, including Iowa under Kirk Ferentz. It pretty much is the type of running scheme that can make nearly "any" RB a star (see the Warrick Dunn/TJ Duckett tandem during the Atlanta years).

The Coaches
- Alex Gibbs is pretty much the godfather of this scheme, similar to Mouse Davis & the run and shoot.
- Both Greg Knapp & Tom Cable learned this offense under Alex Gibbs in Atlanta from 2004-2006.
- Rick Dennison learned the offense from Alex Gibbs in Denver and coached their OL from 2001-2005.
- John Benton has led the Texans OL since 2006, learning under Kubiak & Dennison.
- James Campen has led the Packers OL since 2007, learning under Mike McCarthy.

Final Thoughts
It's a really effective running offense but it usually takes at least 2 years to really implement and start seeing some major success. Fun to watch although it can be a bit of a liability in pass protection and the scheme, at least run by Kubiak, is strongly tied to a traditional West Coast Offense passing system with quick, timed passes that does not challenge vertically too often.

 

[HarleyQuinn]

Re: Football Strategy Thread

The West Coast Offense - Incredibly complex just because there are so many plays and takes 2-3 years usually to master. Large reason why it failed at Nebraska under Bill Callahan. Notably developed by Bill Walsh partly to compensate for QB Virgil Carter's weak arm strength in the 70's. Was the offense of the 90's (particularly Denver, Green Bay, Philadelphia, and San Francisco). Later carried over to teams like Oakland in the early 2000's and is still being run today.

The Basics
- Timing Routes. Everything is absolutely predicated on timing and the drop back of the QB. QBs often throw to a particular spot based on the timing and the play call.
- Utilized both the RB and FB in the run game while utilizing the TE in the passing game. In part due to its reliance on Pro Sets (e.g. 2 Back, 1 TE), it has arguably "kept" the FB/TEs in the modern game despite the plethora of Spread formations.
- Caters largely to quick dropbacks and short routes. This is largely why even average QBs could put up solid completion percentages whereas great ones (ala Steve Young) could flirt with 70%. Also explains why players such as RB Roger Craig could get over 1,000 yards in a season receiving.

The Running Game
Very diversified running game with counters, O's (essentially a LG/RG pulls to help lead as the HB/FB follows through the G/T gap), draws, dives, tosses, etc. What is more interesting is that the blocking scheme is largely power football with man-man blocking, sometimes utilizing double teams. The incorporation of the Zone Blocking scheme has largely been just an offshoot as the initial blocking involved a lot of pulling by the guards and various double teams at points.

The Passing Game
One can see immediately that the passing game is primarily predicated on 2 reads, 3 at a maximum. Later reads are either decoys or last resorts in which the QB is probably scrambling by then. You can see in the below example (from the 1982 SF 49ers) it's a fairly easy system in terms of QBs making a decision. Slot on the out, HB underneath on the same side, finally the TE crossing in the same area of vision. Depending on coverage, the QB can still go deep on the clear out streak too.

A lot of the route combinations are kept extremely simple. HBs basically have a hook route, angle route (starting outside to flat then cut in sharply towards middle of field), out routes, or delayed routes to flat.

The WR patterns revolve around dig ins, out routes, or the very popular slants (which Jerry Rice would feast defenses with). Another common route is the deep comeback where the WR starts a streak then cuts back sharply towards the sideline and comes back to the ball.

Where it gets somewhat interesting is with the TE. Often the TE is utilized on middle routes (e.g. dig ins, hooks, outs) but the TE is also one of the positions that would usually go vertical to challenge the seams. This would help tie up the deep safety or LB and allow for the short routes underneath to the HB/FB or clear up an area outside for either WR on say a deep comeback. See the image below as an example.

Another big factor of this offense is the play action and more notably, rolling out the QB. It made "The Catch" in the NFC Title game possible as an example. Often times it would entail a 2 read on the same side of the field, maybe a 3rd read if the QB believed he had the arm strength to go downfield (see Jay Cutler under Shanahan). Below is an example of a quick 2 read or throw away type PA rollout. W would likely bite up to QB leaving #2 vs. LB/S (if S doesn't also bite on FB). If S covers the crossing #2 then he can go to his #1 read and hit the X on the out towards the sidelines.

The Aftermath
It's won Super Bowls for a reason and has been a mainstay offense in the NFL for a reason. The complexity is more in the sheer number of plays and the requirement placed on the QB to understand the timing and especially the read progression on any given play. This is largely why Steve Young initially struggled in SF (taking off after the first read) and why Michael Vick has struggled in Philadelphia (inability to make the progression and/or taking off after the first read).

After looking at the offense, it really is arguably the "perfect" offense. You can lean on the running game due to the variety & power blocking. You can also lean on the passing game because it serves as an 'extension of the run game' with its quick reads, quick routes, and 3/5 step drop backs based on timing.

The Air Raid offense developed by Hal Mumme & Mike Leach is essentially a modernized WCO with no huddle and play calling given to the QB whilst throwing 65-70% of the time (but that's for another post).

 

[HarleyQuinn]

Re: Football Strategy Thread

Great little snippet from Chip Kelly regarding Oregon's Zone Running scheme.

Thought it would be fitting given his hire to the Eagles.

 

[HarleyQuinn]

The Air Raid Offense
Evolving from the Lavell Edwards system at BYU during the 1980's (that produced Jim McMahon, Steve Young, and Ty Detmer) came this dynamo offense that has largely spread like wildfire throughout the college football landscape and has even started to impact the NFL passing game.

It's arguably the simplest offense to install and it's not unheard of for coaches to proclaim that they only need a few days to install the entire system. In many ways, it is also a modern day West Coast Offense without the complexity.

The Prototype
BYU and Lavell Edwards basically revolutionized the game in the early 1980's by going as extremely pass happy as one could get. It was not unheard of for their QBs lead the nation in passing yardage for a reason and the beauty really lies in the plays.

A lot of the staples of what would become later known as the Air Raid offense started at BYU and were formed out of the then popular 2 back split. One particular example would be the below play, Bench Y Sail. Like the Air Raid, it is basically a 2 read pass play with the FB acting as a checkdown option late. Note the deep 7 step drop as well.

Even the shallow cross concept was born at BYU as seen below. Note the "options" vs. certain coverages but the 2 immediate reads (short to high) are exactly the same as in the air raid.

The Basics
- Almost every installation now has it installed out of a Shotgun formation. QB can see the field better and the pressure takes longer.
- The QB audibles completely. Mike Leach basically said, "The QB can see the field better than I ever could." The QB has to be intelligent to not only audible to the right call but to then make the proper reads.
- The line splits are usually a half yard to full yard between OL. This spreads out the DL (forcing bigger lanes for the run game & passing lanes) while forcing them to run further just to hit the QB.
- The RB has to be multi-faceted. In some ways, this offense makes a complete RB as he is forced to pick up blitzes, catch the ball, and finally run the ball.
- The offense largely utilizes 4 WR formations although the more pure versions and alterations (like Dana Holgorsen) sometimes utilize 2 back sets and even throw in a TE now & then.

The Plays
The running game is kept very simple. Draws, Dives, Counters, Traps mostly. It is largely on the QB to recognize the numbers advantage and to audible to a run play to gash the D up the middle or off the tackle.

There are almost a dozen core passing plays. Nearly all of these have started appearing at the NFL level nowadays.

Play #1 - The Mesh
This play is almost as sandlot football as you can get. The inside receivers both run across the middle of the field trying to pick the inside defender and get open on the other side. They also have the option of settling down vs zone or continuing vs man.

Play #2 - Y Sail
Mentioned earlier, it's very similar in terms of structure to how BYU set it up.

Play #3 - Y Cross
Essentially a deeper Shallow Cross with the Y/Inside WR challenging the deep safety. This opens up the backside for the Z WR as well. Again note the simple read system.

Play #4 - Shakes
This play has started to gain more prominence again. The outside receivers run an half moon route aiming for the sidelines. The Y/Inside WR threatens the middle downfield.

Play #5 - Double Smash
Inside receivers go vertical and smash hard to the outside with post corner routes. Outside WRs double back hard as screen options.

Play #6 - Y Option
Wes Welker's bread and butter play at Texas Tech for good reason. Y receiver gets option of left/right based on coverage. Note that the X receiver runs a jerk route (go inside as if on a post then slice hard outside parallel). Another route that Welker kills with at the NFL level.

Play #7 - Screens
A whole basket full but the most common are: Bubble Screen (inside WR runs a bubble to outside as seen in the R&S), WR Screen (WR catches ball and cuts inside behind blockers), and delayed RB screen.

Play #8 - Shallow Cross
Largely a two read play. One inside receiver cuts across just behind the DL and takes the MLB. Other inside receiver cuts across on a dig route deeper and takes the S. If the MLB bites underneath, QB can take the dig in. If the MLB drops, the QB can take the crosser.

Play #9 - Four Verticals
A favorite of Leach's because it's sandlot football. All 4 receivers just go deep and try to beat their man. Added wrinkle is the QB can throw back shoulder at any point to the outside WR near the sideline. Nearly impossible to cover (common technique of Tom Brady when throwing to Brandon Lloyd this season).

Play #10 - Y Stick
This play actually came about later as a quick hitter. Y runs up and quickly hooks back to the QB after about 5-7 yards. Send a receiver deep and in the flat. Depending on coverage and if the pass gets completed quick enough, the receiver may only need to break a tackle before scoring a TD.

The Evolution
Dana Holgorsen in particular but a lot of the current Air Raid coaches have included additional wrinkles to the system. One of the biggest positive additions is the inclusion of the screen option in the running game. When calling a run play, the QB further has the decision to throw a quick screen pass if the defense is heavily playing the run. On the flipside, if the defense is heavily playing the pass, the QB can simply hand the ball off. This now combines two plays into one and forces the defense to make a decision as to which to commit to.

Another factor largely introduced by Dana Holgorsen has been the diamond formation also seen at times at the NFL level (QB in Pistol, HB behind him, and 2 players flanking QB). Allows for almost an I-Formation downhill running game as well as an outside power running game via sweeps or tosses.

What Teams to Watch For in 2013
California - HC Sonny Dykes
Kentucky - HC Mark Stoops
Texas Tech - HC Kliff Kingsbury
Washington State - HC Mike Leach
West Virginia - HC Dana Holgorsen

Worthwhile Videos
1997 Tim Couch & Kentucky vs Alabama
1999 Oklahoma vs Baylor Highlights OC was Mike Leach
2002 Texas Tech vs Clemson Start at 0:25
2003 Texas Tech vs Ole Miss Start at 0:30
2004 Texas Tech vs Nebraska Start at 0:21
Texas Tech Cut Ups in the first minute you get: Run, Mesh, All Curls, HB Screen, and Shallow Cross.
2011 West Virginia Offense Cut Ups

 

[Mickey Massuco]

The shallow cross is one of my favourite routes. If used selectively, it can be very effective. It’s especially cool if you have a QB/coach who notices gaps in certain coverages, and gets any of the Slot WR/RB/TE to take advantage by running him on a shallow cross to that area.

Ed McCafferey got a lot of his catches that way I think, which I noticed when watching bits of the Broncos/Dolphins 98 playoff game. They were admittedly playing a depleted defense, but I knew the score beforehand and wanted to see Denver’s WCO at its gaudiest. They have a lot of shallow routes, the deepest pass Elway threw on the regular was an out for like 12-15. Even that seemed like an escape hatch for when the other options were covered too well.

I think their passing game worked because all three of their top pass-catchers (Sharpe, Smith, McCafferey) were great route guys with sure hands who weren’t afraid of catching in traffic. Of course, the foundation for everything is TD. He’s so patient in picking his spots, and he’s capable of dragging guys for a few extra yards. The amount of respect he gives them in the playaction is ridiculous. They exploit that a lot with short routes (obviously!). Even during the spread, the first read is always before the ten yard marker. What helped them get big gains, all of these receivers were great at positioning their body for the catch so they could exploit that space and get lots of YAC.

There was one play in particular that was p. cool in a Davis run, where he had two blockers mowing linemen and giving him a clear path on the inside. However, he saw a safety (who wasn’t playing deep to begin with) recognize the opening and move in that direction to close the hole. So he shot a quick foot to the inside to get the safety to really bite and commit, then he burst around the d-linemen his blockers had been moving to the outside and gained an extra 7-8 yards than he would have going up the middle. This guy was truly next level imo. The whole game is on youtube, but I didn’t want to spam this thread up and you can easily find it if you want to anyway.

You know, now that I think of it, this offense might be in the running for the GOAT. Think of all the guys I mentioned (Sharpe and TD at their peak are in the running for GOAT), throw in that offensive line and the fact that John Fucking Elway is your QB, and I think you could make a case. Perhaps most importantly, they had Kubiak and Shanahan commit to the perfect system to utilize all their talent.

 

[Mickey Massuco]

Of course some would argue that they weren't even the best offense that season, but we'll never know because of Gary Anderson

THAT would be a fun offense to dissect, those '98 Vikings. Never saw a team grab the league's attention like they did, except maybe the '99 Rams.

 

[HarleyQuinn]

Another essential site to bookmark: Brophy Football Videos

Often utilizes a TON of videos as references as well as a huge array of clinic videos. Worth noting is on Page 2 there's videos of Steve Mariucci talking the WCO at California from 1996.

 

[Byron The Bulb]

relevant: http://www.everydayshouldbesaturday.com/2013/1/18/3866348/all-wheel-routes

 

[HarleyQuinn]

4-6 Defense
Largely created and utilized by Buddy Ryan most notably during his tenure as DC of the Chicago Bears and HC of the Philadelphia Eagles. The defense is predicated on stopping the run and bringing pressure from multiple angles to rush the QB.

The Basics
- The defense is heavily run stopping focused by commonly bringing in 7 or 8 in the box and exploiting weaknesses to rush the QB.
- Since there are so many in the box, the outside CBs are expected to play single man coverage and the deep FS is expected to help cover the field vertically. Emphasis is placed on the FS to help stop the pass while the SS is utilized as an in the box run stopper.
- The SS is often utilized as essentially a 4th LB giving the 46 largely a 4-4-3 look with the ability for the SS to drop back into a Cover 2 look or remain in a Cover 1/Cover 0 look. The 46 even allows for some zone defense although by utilizing 3 LBs, they need to be able to cover well for it to work.
- This formation also moves the SLB and WLB to the same side, largely overloading one side of the offense's formation. This can force confusion between the OT/OG because they can't adequately anticipate who is coming and who may drop back.

The Plays
- Key 1 Mike is essentially a MLB blitz through the A gap (between the C/OG) as one of the DTs loops while the other DT takes the other A gap. The SS and WLB read the running backs. This forces up field pressure on the C/Gs and forces confusion as one has to be able to recognize and pick up the looping DT.

- Pro Dog Cover 10 utilizes Cover 1 technique with blitzes from the DEs in the B Gaps (between OG/OT) while the DTs stunt and take the A Gaps. The SLB and WLB take the outside helping with contain and trying to get the QB off the edge. This creates havoc on the OL as 6 players are coming after the QB but also helps stop the running game as every gap is filled as the edges are also contained.

- Buffalo Whip Cover 10 0 is a Cover 0 defense (no deep safety) featuring the Nickel Back rushing off the edge side by side with the ILB. The left DE plays run contain while the other DE cuts into the B Gap. The DTs again stunt into the opposing A Gaps. The SS jams the TE. This play is essentially an overload blitz from the left side out of a Nickel formation.

The Defense of the 80's
Buddy Ryan made this the defense of the 1980's in part because of a lot of teams still played basic 2 RB formations and modeled their passing games off the play action. This allowed Buddy Ryan's team to tee off on opposing QBs in addition to forcing confusion and stuffing the run. The ability of guys like Dave Duerson allowed greater freedom to send pressure knowing Dave had the ability to drop back in coverage quickly or attack as well.

This defense was largely tailor made for pressuring DLs (1983 saw DTs Steve McMichael & Jim Osborne combine for 13.5 Sacks). The next year, Dan Hampton shifted inside to replace Osborne and including DE Richard Dent, they combined for 39 Sacks alone.

Why It Faded
It could be beaten with the passing game. Since the scheme often relied on heavy QB pressure and Cover 1/Cover 0 defenses, quick passing attacks such as the West Coast Offense and later Run & Shoot either attacked the open areas behind the DL or forced the 46 out of its normal 4-4-3 alignment in favor of Nickel looks.

It placed higher emphasis on tackling in the secondary and allowed for potentially big plays if the defense didn't reach the QB in time. In 1986, SS Andre Waters & FS Terry Hoage combined for 241 tackles for the Philadelphia Eagles because they were the last lines of defense in the pass game.

By 1995, the Run & Shoot Atlanta Falcons scored 37 points and averaged nearly 19 yards per pass completion in a 40-37 loss to the Arizona Cardinals who had Buddy Ryan as their head coach. At the end of the year, QB Troy Aikman threw for 350 yards and averaged nearly 17 yards per pass completion.

Do Teams Still Use It?
It is still used usually as a change of pace for the defense when looking to get pressure. The most notable practictioners still using it are Rex Ryan, Rob Ryan, and Jeff Fisher (who served as DC under Buddy Ryan).

Video Footage!
1984 Chicago Bears vs Los Angeles Raiders
1984 Chicago Bears D
1985 Chicago Bears D
1986 Philadelphia Eagles vs Chicago Bears

 

[HarleyQuinn]

The Option(s)
A History Lesson
Really came into prominance under coach Bill Yeoman at Houston who would run the Veer play. Essentially a triple option which left a DT or LB unblocked, making him the QB read key. The DT would be forced to choose between the HB up the middle or taking on the QB. If he takes the HB, the QB can keep and run outside or pitch. If he takes the QB, then the QB simple gives to the HB on the dive.

As this offense evolved, Emory Ballard (or Charles "Spud" Cason) came up with the Wishbone Formation. It was a much tighter variant on the Veer but gave a bit of an I-Formation look and made it much tougher for the defense to handle who was getting the ball. The reason it worked? It added a 4th option to the running game as the defense now had to cover the QB, FB, and two HBs. Barry Switzer and the Oklahoma Sooners made this an art during his tenure as HC. Since the triple option leaves a defender unblocked, it allowed the FB to block yet a 2nd defender essentially making this a game of 11 blockers vs 9 defenders (1 unblocked, 1 blocked by FB). Oklahoma would average 439 yards per game running in 1974. For comparison, in 2012 Army averaged 370 yards per game running.

In 1980, Tom Osborne decided to start adding option elements to his traditional I-Formation offense at Nebraska. This too led to sheer dominance combining the power running game of the I-Formation with the confusion/multiple ball carriers in the option running game. The 1995 Nebraska Cornhuskers, who would go on to score 638 points in 12 games, are widely considered to be one of the best college teams ever.

While all this was going on, some fella named Paul Johnson was becoming a revolutionary in the option game down at Georgia Southern and out west at Hawaii. He would help bring the Flexbone formation to the forefront, essentially a double slot look that also utilized motion to try and help the HB set up in what was essentially an I-Formation prior to the snap of the ball. What really helped make this offense deadly is that it largely combined the I-Formation aspect of Nebraska's offense with the passing concepts of the Run & Shoot by utilizing the 2 Wingbacks as combo HBs/Inside WRs. Since this offense was so run heavy, it would force man coverage outside which would later lead to dominant success for WRs such as Calvin Johnson and Demaryius Thomas at Georgia Tech.

While all this was going on, the Zone Read option started coming into play in the late 1990's thanks to teams like Kansas State (with QB Ell Roberson) and coaches like Rich Rodriguez at Clemson with QB Woody Dantzler. Urban Meyer at Bowling Green and Utah would expand on the use of the option in his own one back running schemes helping QBs Josh Harris and Alex Smith become stars. This has currently started to take over the NFL also thanks to the Pistol offense as more dual threat QBs enter & climb through college.

Lou Holtz was another coach who primarily used the option, especially at Notre Dame.

The Basics
- It is primarily a two player system. The QB and HBs are primarily the ball carriers but if the defense gets lax or you have a great one, the FB can be used as a beast in this offense.
- One man is left unblocked and essentially taken out of the play. He is usually the read man by the QB (basically the guy who dictates which player gets the ball on any given play). Depending on the option this can change from DT to ILB to DE to OLB.
- If the QB keeps the ball to the outside, he then has a pitch man to read. Same deal, the pitch man dictates keep or pitch. This guy is usually the OLB, S, or CB.
- The offense is extremely run heavy (often upwards of 80% or more during a season) but also entails multiple big plays due to defenders taking themselves out of position. There's a reason that defenders playing their assignment is so crucial to stopping this offense.

The Plays
- Inside Veer: The QB reads the unblocked DT (allowing the C to get upfield to take out a LB) and gives to the FB, keeps outside, or pitches to HB.

- Reverse Load: The QB & HB start left (or right) and counter back. The QB reads the DE and chooses whether to keep or pitch while the FB serves as a lead blocker.

- Zone Triple Option: The QB reads the DE or OLB and treats as normal triple option. OL utilizes zone blocking schemes.

- I-Formation Triple Option: QB reads DE and runs a basic Triple Option.

- Speed/Sprint Option: QB in this case will actually read the OG's block in whether to keep inside, keep outside, or pitch.

- Zone Read Option: QB usually reads the DE and gives to the HB. Primary focus is on the HB getting the ball.
Great Write up on Inside Zone Read

Teams Still Using
The Wishbone and I-Formation have mostly gone away but the Flexbone (and staggered Bone at Army) remain heavily in use as is the obvious Zone Read. The main teams are Air Force, Army, Navy, Georgia Tech, The Citadel, Georgia Southern, and Wofford with the final 3 being at the FCS level. Those teams primarily use the Flexbone or in Army's case, the Power T look.

The teams that use the ZR variant are too many to list but the fact it's taking over the NFL says enough.

I still maintain that an NFL team could have flourished, if not even dominated, if they had tried to bring Nebraska's I-Bone option offense to the NFL level. The I-Formation could've given them the necessary power game whilst the option could have allowed for big play opportunities.

Notable Film Study
1975 Oklahoma RB Joe Washington
1990 Georgia Southern vs Nevada I-AA Title Game
QB Tommie Frazier (1992-1995) Highlights
1996 Air Force vs Notre Dame
Oregon Inside Zone Read in Video Form

 

[HarleyQuinn]

Quick Hit - Great site for Draft write ups/film analysis of Draft prospects: http://mattwaldmanrsp.com

Some quick fun with the New England Patriots and just one 5 WR route concept.

- Baltimore presents with a Cover 1 (Deep Safety) Man look with two probable blitzers off the edge and one of the ILBs taking the TE.
- Brady immediately knows he has 1-1 with Brandon Lloyd on a deep streak. He also has 1-1 underneath Lloyd's route with a simple dig out.
- The right side, the two jerk (start inside, hard cut outside) routes, basically act as decoys.
- The TE lined up inside will have to fight through defenders (which occurs) as he goes into his dig across the middle while also potentially being covered by both ILBs.

The result? It's basically a 2 route read on the left side. Brady indeed gets the 1-1 match up and manages to hit Brandon Lloyd on a back shoulder throw for a 22 yard gain.

 

[HarleyQuinn]

Brief 1997 NYJ Playbook - Belichick

Fun Notes
- Check out his Force (contain), Fill, and Pursuit concepts.
- Inside runs are aimed to funnel to the Weakside Safety (usually the "Free" Safety). Explains why the ILB/MLB get so many tackles.

 

[HarleyQuinn]

1984 New York Giants Defensive Playbook (year before Belichick became DC)

 

[HarleyQuinn]

Football Books! Notable Names are the focus here... if anybody has the $$ and wants to learn more book study wise.

Run-and-Shoot Football Now Attack (1984) - Glenn Ellison

Air Option Passing Game (1985) - Homer Rice

Complete Offensive Playbook (1987) - Homer Smith

Belly Option Football (1985) and Coaching Run-and-Shoot Football (1991) - Al Black

Eagle 5 LB Defense (1993) and Coaching Team Defense (1994) and Coaching Defensive Line (1997) - Fritz Shurmur

Complete Linebacking (1998) - Lou Tepper

Coaching Defensive Football (1998) - Bill Arnsparger

 

[HarleyQuinn]

I touched on the Air Raid in an earlier post but I went into a little more depth overall in my newest article: http://culturecrossfire.com/sports/football/chalk-dust-xs-and-os-air-raid-offense/

 

[HarleyQuinn]

Whooooo-eee... hit on a gold mine this morning. Ken Hatfield and his Triple Option attack at Rice. You'll notice a few things...

#1: They also utilized an inverted wishbone look way back in 1996 with the FB behind the QB and HBs behind the FB offset slightly.
#2: The QB usually read the DT, part of the VEER running play (which finally got introduced in the NCAA Football '14 video game). The difference is largely the player being read as the traditional Flexbone Triple Option reads the outside DE/OLB, whereas the Veer reads the DT or MLB/ILB.
#3: The differences in plays including a reverse into a dive play, among many others.

The Videos in order. There are other ones under the same user too.
1996: Rice vs. Utah
1996: Rice vs. TCU
1997: Rice vs. TCU [1st Half]
1997: Rice vs. Northwestern [2nd Half]

www.youtube.com/watch?v=yGphf1PbaTM
www.youtube.com/watch?v=JEvA4biN8dE
www.youtube.com/watch?v=69R4EYY14VE
www.youtube.com/watch?v=y-PijnpzN0M

 

[HarleyQuinn]

More FUN! Dipping old school here, guys.

Vince LOM-BARDI - Neat to see "option" routes as far back as 1966! Note the HB given the option of continuing his route deeper if the LB takes off. Also take note of the route changes depending upon defensive coverage.

Nice to see some more plays that are "older" than dirt such as POWER. Packers also constantly had their LG and RGs pulling.

 

[HarleyQuinn]

http://vimeo.com/29889368

Hope that works. Absolutely fascinating video from Calvin Magee (longtime OC to Rich Rodriguez) discussing the Spread O. Start around 3:00 in.

 

[HarleyQuinn]

Going Ollllllld Schooooooool

1921 Notre Dame's "Box" Offense
- Take note of Play 25. Essentially the outside pitch/toss run.

1957 Ohio State Split T Offense - Woody Hayes
- Mentions use of the Option Play since 1952.

- Double Hook Pass used predominantly as their go to pass play in 1952 on.

 

[HarleyQuinn]

New article on the Run and Shoot: http://culturecrossfire.com/sports/football/chalk-dust-xs-and-os-the-run-and-shoot-offense/#.UqsgiuJLkeU

 

[HarleyQuinn]

Discussed the Zone Read in my latest Chalk Dust Xs and Os Article.

 

[HarleyQuinn]

Great article discussing 'college plays' still being prevalent in NFL this season. That Andy Dalton option pitch was awful execution wise while the timing of the Geno option was perfect (QBs make the sacrifice on the pitch out).

 

[HarleyQuinn]

New Chalk Dust X's and O's article at Culture​ Crossfire​ covers: the legendary Packers Power Sweep play.

 

[HarleyQuinn]

Chalk Dust X's and O's covering DEFENSE including DL Alignment, Gaps, Coverages, and Fronts. Worth reading if you want to know more about defenses in general.

 

[HarleyQuinn]

YPOV earlier asked about breaking down the 1998 Minnesota Vikings Offense: Here's their playbook - http://www.footballxos.com/download/offense/pro-offense/1998-Minnesota-Vikings-Offense.pdf

Notes
- You can see the balance in the run game with a mixture of Man/Zone concepts along with concentrated use of Trap blocking.
- The call based on numbers confirming the routes in the play stems from the West Coast Offense terminology. Billick had a lot of coaching under the WCO, esp. with Denny Green as his HC.
- A lot of deep routes tied in with the classic WCO, take note of the 12 yard hook/comeback routes.