How Much Is Too Much Part 2: Fully Installing Concepts

    This is the second installment on my series on How Much is Too Much? Today I want to talk to you about what it means to "fully install" a concept. One of the biggest issues we have as offensive coordinators is that we install a bunch of concepts, but we don't "fully" install them. We end up with a lot of play calls that are what we would say are good calls, but due to a lack of execution, they become bad calls. They aren't going to work against a particular defensive look, and we have limited answers in place.  Bad play calls stall drives and lead to multiple three and outs. I have had plenty of these in my career, and many stem from trying to do too much. 

A fully installed concept has the following 7 components

1. The concept base install

2. Blocking rules installed against each front you will see

3. Perimeter Blocking Rules and adjustments

4 Complementary Plays to take advantage of defensive answers

5. Play Action Component to take advantage of secondary support on runs

6. Route adjustments that can be made to attack coverage on passes

7. Reverse or trick play using the action of the original play 

    A full install is far beyond knowing the rules of a play, and your assignment. A full install of a play means that you can install that play, run it versus any front or coverage, and you have answers to the different adjustments defenses will make. When you have a concept fully installed, your players know how to adjust on the fly. They can change their path, their route, or their footwork. The back can adjust his path. The QB can adjust his read. Your players can make sight adjustments, and the coaches have complementary concepts that take advantage of defensive answers. You have to have answers for the answers of the defense.

    Let's look at midline option when installed fully. When midline is fully installed, we could run it against any front and any blitz. We had built in answers to the adjustments defenses made. We had if/thens built into the play. We had easy in-game adjustments that allowed us to handle different things the defense might do. Our kids could sight adjust based on how the defense lined up. We were able to successfully run the play anywhere on the field, against every opponent we faced, and we were able to have consistency. It wasn't a feast or famine concept. We had complementary tags that helped provide us answers to what defenses did to take midline away. 

    If they lined up in two high safeties, our receivers did one thing with their blocking. If we got 1 high safety, our receivers made an adjustment. Our playside guard changed his path based on the alignment of the read key and the defensive front. Our tackle and tight end would adjust their blocking based on whether there was a down guy in the C gap. 

    From the box, I could see what the defense was doing to try to stop midline. We typically saw three things defenses would do. First, they would scrape exchange with the 3 technique and the Mike backer. Second, they would have the Sam fall-in on the quarterback. Third, they would have the backside inside linebacker playing fast over the top to take the dive. We needed answers to those three adjustments. If they reduced their front, then we had ways to answer that as well. 

    We had complementary tags to take advantage of their adjustments. If they scrape exchanged, we would run our give scheme. If the Sam fell in on the QB, we would run mid triple which we tagged Mid Pitch. If the Will was fast over the top, we would run follow opposite. If the 3 tech was fast upfield, we would trap him. Below is an example of midline with complements. 

    We also had four play action concepts we ran off midline option to take advantage of secondary adjustments. If the Mike was playing triggering fast, we would throw a pop to the TE. If the safety was screaming downhill, we would run a post. If the corner was playing pitch, we ran verticals. We also ran the TE on an arrow off midline action if the Sam was squatting. 

Using Tempo to Create Explosive Plays!

Offensive coordinators are always striving for new ways to gain an advantage over the defense. We go to clinics and visit coaching staffs trying to find new ways to gain more yards and score more points. One very important area that has helped the evolution of football is tempo. Over the last ten years we have seen a significant increase in the number of teams who use elements of tempo in their offense.

Back about 15 years ago I began my own experiment with tempo. We were getting ready to play a team that had us physically overmatched. They were better than us up front. They were faster than us in the secondary. They had dominated everyone they played. We decided to play at Nascar Tempo for entire drives. We were in the I Formation for the most part, and we were option based. We did jump in the gun to run our zone read concepts, but our identity was being in the I and running the ball.

In the first quarter we ran 30 plays and racked up over 180 yards on the ground. We had two drives that started inside our own 10 yardline. We were able to consistently move the football. As soon as the play ended we were sprinting to the line and getting set. We were going as fast as we could and the defense was lost. They couldn't communicate their fronts and coverages. They couldn't get lined up properly. Despite being overmatched we were able to consistently move the ball. Our tempo system was born.

"We ran 30 plays in the first quarter and racked up over 180 yards on the ground!"

The second tempo we added was our Freeze or Look tempo. We are going to make it look like we are going to run a play at Nascar Tempo. We would sprint to the line and the quarterback would say, "ready go." If the defense jumps we snap the ball and run verticals. We essentially get a free play. If the defense doesn't jump the quarterback says, "easy-easy look-look." The offense looks over and we signal to them the play we are going to run. When we use the freeze/look mode I have a chance to look at the defense and call a play based on how they are lined up. I found I called a better game when I could see how the defense lined up each play.

We then added four more tempos to our offense. Playing fast is great, we like to do it, but the defense will adapt to whatever speed you play. If you play fast, the defense will get acclimated and play fast. If you play slow, the defense will get acclimated. But if you change tempos the defense will not be able to settle into a comfort zone. Each tempo we added had a specific purpose, and the defense never knew when we were going to run a specific tempo. We are able to change speeds from one play to the next. Because we can play fast every snap if we want to, the defense must prepare that way. They must get their call in immediately, regardless of what speed we actually go.

Adding an element of tempo has helped us to become much more explosive on offense. When we change speeds we have more explosive plays than when we play one speed. The biggest mistake I have made is slowing down when we had injuries and trying to shorten the game. When we did this we sacrificed effectiveness on offense. We eliminated what might have been the most dynamic part of our offensive system.

Coaches ask me about tempo and how we implement it into our system, and I decided to write a book about it. There really wasn't a book that gave a systematic approach to building a multiple tempo system into an offense. This book I wrote talks about how to incorporate tempo into any offense. It gives you a process that can easily be adapted to anything you might do. What is special abut this book is that it contains video! It is built on Apple's Ibooks platform. The downside is that it can only be viewed on an iPhone, iPad, or Mac. I also have version for the Kindle with text and pictures! There is no video on the Kindle version.

I shared the book with a few close friends in coaching, and they believe this is one of the best pieces of information available on tempo! It takes you through a simple process for each of our tempos, and how you can fit them into your system. Whether you are running a wing-t system and huddling, or you are an Air Raid team, you can benefit from what I talk about in the book.

One very important aspect of the book is the price. I wanted it to be affordable to coaches. There may not be a better value out there!

Here are a couple of screenshots from the book:


The book includes over an over of video clips so you can see each tempo in action! I include practice footage as well, so you can see how we teach and install each tempo! And, I show you how you can build picture boards as one method of communication! I also take you through a simple communication system you can use to implement tempo into your offense!

If you are looking to learn more about tempo, this is a book you NEED to purchase! Here is a link to the book:  http://itunes.apple.com/us/book/id1075902270

Here is a link to the Amazon Kindle Version: http://www.amazon.com/Using-Multiple-Tempos-Create-Explosive-ebook/dp/B01ATOL46A/ref=sr_1_3?ie=UTF8&qid=1453231742&sr=8-3&keywords=james+vint

This book will give you something you can use with you program!

One of the keys to our success was tremendous preparation!The key to  preparation was our outstanding group of documents we used for all three phases. If you are looking for fully editable and customizable documents that you can tailor to your program, I have made mine available. 

Here is a link to my offensive game planning documents: https://sellfy.com/p/AndN/

It includes everything from a scouting report template, to practice plans, to a two-sided color call sheet, and more! Each of the nine documents are fully editable and customizable! Order today for under $15 and download them tonight!

Here is a link to the defensive game planning documents. It includes 12 fully editable and customizable documents. https://sellfy.com/p/AY1u/

And finally, I put together a special teams resource. This has everything you need, included drill tape, practice tape, and game footage. It includes teaching presentations and scouting forms just for special teams! https://sellfy.com/p/tJwz/

Pistol Zone Read- Accounting for Gap Exchange

Two Tracking Two

One concept we like on offense is the concept of two offensive players tracking two defensive players. This is a very important concept in our option game from the pistol and offset look from the gun. When we started running the zone read in 1999, defenses were vanilla in how they defended us. By 2003 and 2004, however, defensive coordinators started to cloud the read for the quarterback.

The favorite stunt we would see was the defensive end running the heel line, while the read side inside linebacker would work the C gap. Typically this stunt was run when we got a one technique and a 5 technique to the side we set our back. The first time we saw this our quarterback got hit in the mouth. The defensive end running the heel line gave the quarterback a pull read. It was frustrating for the quarterback as he was doing exactly what he had been coached to do. 

Our staff sat down the following Sunday and began to look for solutions.  Little did we know the answer was already in our playbook. Because we had been running midline with great success for several years, we had seen a similar gap exchange from the Mike LB and the 3 technique. The 3 technique would squeeze the release of the guard, while the Mike would work over the top into the B gap. To counter this we had a second player tracking the Mike linebacker.

We got on the white board and started looking at how we could make the same concept work with our zone read game. We ended up with a simple concept that could work with any of our zone read concepts, as well as our inside veer play. We would use a second player to track the playside linebacker, along with our read side offensive tackle.

Our read side tackle and our bonus player would both have their eyes on the playside linebacker. If the playside linebacker stepped up in the B gap, the tackle would block him. The second player tracking the playside backer would climb to the next most dangerous man. 

If the playside linebacker scraped outside, the second player tracking the PSLB would block him, while the tackle would work to the next most dangerous man.  

In addition, we also turned our inside zone read into a triple option by adding a pitch phase. From our 2x2 look our inside receiver would be our pitch man. This keeps the defense from rolling a safety down to play the quarterback. They must honor the pitch phase. 

Here is a clip of this two track two concept in action with a pitch phase.

In the clip, our second player tracking the read side backer took a poor angle and got leveraged by the safety. Instead of a 25 yard gain, we settled for a 9 yard gain.

Here is another example, where our playside tackle gets a body on the side backer, and the Y climbs to the safety. The triple option aspect forced the defense to play assignment football.

As we expanded and grew our pistol offense, we were able to be creative with the alignment of the second player tracking the read side backer.  Any of our skill players could be the second player tracking the playside linebacker. We could align them in the backfield, or as a wing or slot to or away from the read side. In the picture below, the F is aligned in a slot and works across the formation to work with the read side tackle to account for the playside inside linebacker.

 A lot of coaches ask if he gets in the way of the pistol back. The only way this happens is if he doesn't hustle on the snap.

Below is the back aligned in the backfield becoming the second player tracking the read side backer.

Another rule we added was that our read side tackle blocked anything that crossed his face. If the read player crossed his face, we blocked him. Instead of determining our read pre-snap, we told our QB to read the C gap player, after the snap.

As defenses began to catch-up with the zone read, we had to adjust how we read the C gap. Sometimes we would get three players moving on the read side, and the quarterback had to be drilled to make a post snap determination of who his read is.

We must differentiate when we need to have a second player tracking the playside backer. If we are getting a slant across the tackle's face, the tackle would block him and the QB adjusts his read to the C gap player. If C gap player runs the heel line, we want to get a second player tracking the PSLB to account for the gap exchange.

I hope there is something you can use from this blog post. These are ideas you may want to consider if teams like to gap exchange your read game. 

If you are looking for more information on the two tracking two concept, check out 101 Pistol Option Plays. It is available on Amazon and from Coaches Choice. The ebook is only available here:

Coach Vint's Coaches Choice Page

Also, published a couple of iBooks that can help your program with X's and O's. The first is on Installing RPO's into any offense. Here is a link to the iBooks version: http://itunes.apple.com/us/book/id1078061959. The ibooks version includes explanations, diagrams, and video clips on multiple RPO Concepts. It will give you a simple process for implementing them into your offense.

If you don't have an iPhone, iPad, or Mac, you can order the Amazon version for the Kindle. It has everything except the embedded video. You can order it here: http://www.amazon.com/Installing-Explosive-Concepts-Into-Offense-ebook/dp/B01B12YSCG/ref=asap_bc?ie=UTF8

I also wrote a book on Tempo. It will greatly help you build a multiple tempo system with simple communication that will allow your kids to play with confidence. It also had over an hour of video clips! You can order the ibooks version here: http://itunes.apple.com/us/book/id1075902270.

Order the Amazon Kindle version here:

http://www.amazon.com/Using-Multiple-Tempos-Create-Explosive-ebook/dp/B01ATOL46A/ref=asap_bc?ie=UTF8

Follow me on Twitter: Coach Vint's Twitter Page

One of the keys to our success was tremendous preparation!The key to  preparation was our outstanding group of documents we used for all three phases. If you are looking for fully editable and customizable documents that you can tailor to your program, I have made mine available. 

Here is a link to my offensive game planning documents: https://sellfy.com/p/AndN/

It includes everything from a scouting report template, to practice plans, to a two-sided color call sheet, and more! Each of the nine documents are fully editable and customizable! Order today for under $15 and download them tonight!

Here is a link to the defensive game planning documents. It includes 12 fully editable and customizable documents. https://sellfy.com/p/AY1u/

And finally, I put together a special teams resource. This has everything you need, included drill tape, practice tape, and game footage. It includes teaching presentations and scouting forms just for special teams! https://sellfy.com/p/tJwz/

The Pistol Evolution

In the Beginning

Back about ten years ago we lined up in the pistol for the first time, little did we know what we were embarking upon. We were running some zone read from the gun and people were playing games on the side we set our back. There were some real tendencies we were trying to overcome. We set our back behind the quarterback and found we were able to run our inside zone read game, just as we had with the back offset. By the time 2006 rolled around, we were in the pistol full-time.

In our eyes, there were two distinct advantages to the pistol. The first was that we could run our zone read game without the defense knowing which side would be the side we were reading. The second advantage was the fact that we were able to run all of our downhill run concepts from the pistol. Finally, our quarterback had depth in the pass game.

The biggest advantage to being in the pistol was balance. When we were under center we didn’t throw the ball often… or very effectively. Because of this, we routinely faced 8 and nine man fronts. When we got into the gun, we were able to spread people out. We were able to take some pressure off of our offensive lineman.

The defense has loaded the box. The safety is only 6 yards away from the LOS!

The Gun Spread the Defense Out- FS now at 12 yards

Because our quarterback already had depth, we were able to protect better. Our quarterbacks were able to throw the ball better. They were more comfortable. All of a sudden we had balance. Because we had balance, we ran the ball more effectively.

In the 90’s we were based out of the I. We ran midline, load veer, iso, toss, trap, inside zone, counter, and power. We chose 6 to 7 of these concepts to run each year, depending on personnel. We were consistently one of the top rushing teams in the area. In 1999 we were introduced to the zone read by Jerry Campbell, who was the offensive coordinator at Westwood High School just outside of Austin, Texas. Forever our world was changed. 

During this same time, we met a young, energetic coach from a small college up North. Chip Kelly was recruiting for New Hampshire, and was on the forefront of the zone read game. He had some ideas that were way ahead of their time. Over the next couple of years we began to incorporate the gun zone read into our offense. By 2002, we were in the gun about 50% of the time. However, we were still getting under center to run midline, iso, veer, toss, and trap. We were running our zone read concepts from the gun.

We thought we were diverse, as teams had to prepare for our gun based offense, and out I based offense. What we learned from talking to our opponents is that we were very easy to defend because of our tendencies. They defended our I formation offense one way, and our gun based offense another way. We also were essentially running two distinct systems, which did not allow for efficiency in practice. We needed to find a way to run the best of the three worlds we were living in.

Enter the Pistol

While we had dabbled in the pistol previously, it was in 2005 and 2006 that we figured out some things we can do with the pistol. I had a tremendous offensive line coach, Chris Harris. During spring football, we were putting the back behind the QB to run our zone read concepts. We used both one and two back looks. We were at the end of spring practice when we fumbled a bunch of snaps under center. We told our QB to stay at 5 yards. We had our F line up at 4 yards behind the right guard. Our tailback was lined up behind the Q. We snapped the ball to the QB, who turned and gave the ball to the tailback. We were running traditional Iso from the pistol.

From there, we ran inside veer. We started running it with the offset back running the dive path. Then, we evolved to running inside veer with the pistol back being the dive back. Next, we ran traditional power. Then, counter trey. All of a sudden, we were able to marry our spread run game, option game, and our traditional downhill run game from the pistol. We no longer had to get under center.

Over the last 9 years, I have helped several schools install the spread and pistol offenses. Each school I have helped has done things differently. That is the great thing about this game. You can take tried and true concepts and make them your own. It has been a lot of fun to see how guys have taken different concepts and adapted them to the pistol. 

The weekend of March 1^st I will be speaking at the Nike Clinic in Oregon to talk about our Pistol Offense. I will be speaking on Marrying the Downhill Run Game and the Spread with the Pistol, and Installing the Quick Pass Game from the Pistol. If you are heading to the clinic, stop by and say hello. 

When I first started speaking on the pistol at clinics in 2006 and 2007, I would have small crowds. Most of them were curious, but they just couldn't grasp the concept of the back being behind the QB in the gun. Last year, I had over 500 coaches in one session. With the success of some NFL teams bringing more exposure to the pistol, I am excited to see how much the interest has increased.

If there is anything I can do to help you with the pistol, shoot me an email. This business is all about coaches helping coaches. We all have begged, borrowed, and stolen from other coaches.

Also, I published a couple of iBooks that can help your program with X's and O's. The first is on Installing RPO's into any offense. Here is a link to the iBooks version: http://itunes.apple.com/us/book/id1078061959. The ibooks version includes explanations, diagrams, and video clips on multiple RPO Concepts. It will give you a simple process for implementing them into your offense.

If you don't have an iPhone, iPad, or Mac, you can order the Amazon version for the Kindle. It has everything except the embedded video. You can order it here: http://www.amazon.com/Installing-Explosive-Concepts-Into-Offense-ebook/dp/B01B12YSCG/ref=asap_bc?ie=UTF8

I also wrote a book on Tempo. It will greatly help you build a multiple tempo system with simple communication that will allow your kids to play with confidence. It also had over an hour of video clips! You can order the ibooks version here: http://itunes.apple.com/us/book/id1075902270.

Order the Amazon Kindle version here:

http://www.amazon.com/Using-Multiple-Tempos-Create-Explosive-ebook/dp/B01ATOL46A/ref=asap_bc?ie=UTF8

One of the keys to our success was tremendous preparation!The key to  preparation was our outstanding group of documents we used for all three phases. If you are looking for fully editable and customizable documents that you can tailor to your program, I have made mine available. 

Here is a link to my offensive game planning documents: https://sellfy.com/p/AndN/

It includes everything from a scouting report template, to practice plans, to a two-sided color call sheet, and more! Each of the nine documents are fully editable and customizable! Order today for under $15 and download them tonight!

Here is a link to the defensive game planning documents. It includes 12 fully editable and customizable documents. https://sellfy.com/p/AY1u/

And finally, I put together a special teams resource. This has everything you need, included drill tape, practice tape, and game footage. It includes teaching presentations and scouting forms just for special teams! https://sellfy.com/p/tJwz/

Inside Veer Variation 3 Back Pistol

Inside Veer Variation From 3 Back Pistol

If you watched the Superbowl a few years ago, you saw the Niners using some concepts that were similar to some things Nevada did to utilize Colin Kaepernick. These concepts put the defense in conflict, while giving the offense a numerical advantage at the point of attack. Back in 2006 when we went full time to the pistol, the zone read became our base concept. The zone read allowed our kept things very simple for our guys up front, and allowed us to not block one of our opponent's defenders. After installing the zone read, we installed the inside veer. In the pistol, we were able to get a lead blocker for the dive back, essentially turning the inside veer into an iso read play. 

The diagram below shows our inside veer concept with a lead back. The read for the QB is the exact same as inside veer. He is reading the C gap defender. If the C gap defender comes upfield, the QB will give the ball. If the C gap defender squeezes and chases the dive back, the QB will pull the ball and get downhill. 

After installing the Veer Option with a lead back from our two back pistol look, we installed it from the 3 back look. In the 3 back look we are able to create a numbers problem for the defense. Because we are balanced, the defense must balance. Because they must balance, they can't get more than 5 1/2 defenders to either side of the ball. The minute we step off the midpoint, we can get six defenders to the playside. The defense doesn't know if we are reading frontside or backside, causing them further conflict. To give us another blocker, we bring the backside back to lead the ball carrier.

The backside back is key to our success. He is going to read the playside defensive end, the same player the QB is reading. If the playside read squeezes and chase the dive back, the backside back (Y in diagram below) will work off his outside hip and lead the QB. This allows us to handle a gap exchange by the defense. Essentially, we are putting two players on the playside inside backer to backside or middle safety.

If the read player runs upfield, the backside back will work inside the read to block the most dangerous man. This will be the playside inside linebacker, or the backside or middle safety. The diagram below shows the defensive end running upfield.

The pistol allows you to use a backside blocker to account for a frontside defender. This gave us a tremendous opportunity to take advantage of defensive answers for our zone read and veer concepts. If you have a quarterback who is adept at running the ball, this is a great variation you can implement with relative ease.

I also published a couple of iBooks that can help your program with X's and O's. The first is on Installing RPO's into any offense. Here is a link to the iBooks version: http://itunes.apple.com/us/book/id1078061959. The ibooks version includes explanations, diagrams, and video clips on multiple RPO Concepts. It will give you a simple process for implementing them into your offense.

If you don't have an iPhone, iPad, or Mac, you can order the Amazon version for the Kindle, and the paperback version. It has everything except the embedded video. You can order it here: http://www.amazon.com/Installing-Explosive-Concepts-Into-Offense-ebook/dp/B01B12YSCG/ref=asap_bc?ie=UTF8

I also wrote a book on Tempo. It will greatly help you build a multiple tempo system with simple communication that will allow your kids to play with confidence. It also had over an hour of video clips! You can order the ibooks version here: http://itunes.apple.com/us/book/id1075902270.

Order the Amazon Kindle version here:

http://www.amazon.com/Using-Multiple-Tempos-Create-Explosive-ebook/dp/B01ATOL46A/ref=asap_bc?ie=UTF8

One of the keys to our success was tremendous preparation!The key to  preparation was our outstanding group of documents we used for all three phases. If you are looking for fully editable and customizable documents that you can tailor to your program, I have made mine available. 

Here is a link to my offensive game planning documents: https://sellfy.com/p/AndN/

It includes everything from a scouting report template, to practice plans, to a two-sided color call sheet, and more! Each of the nine documents are fully editable and customizable! Order today for under $15 and download them tonight!

Here is a link to the defensive game planning documents. It includes 12 fully editable and customizable documents. https://sellfy.com/p/AY1u/

And finally, I put together a special teams resource. This has everything you need, included drill tape, practice tape, and game footage. It includes teaching presentations and scouting forms just for special teams! https://sellfy.com/p/tJwz/