Football has gone through many evolutions and cycles over the last 152 years since Rutgers and New Jersey (Now Princeton) squared off in the first known American Football game. Every year there are new wrinkles and fads. I have found, however, that even though there are new wrinkles, nearly everything is built off a foundation that comes from the early years of the game. You still find teams today running the single wing, which carries roots into the early years of football. On the other side you have teams that run the air raid, where the throw the football all over the field.
One of the great parts about the game today is how diverse it is. While the game is ever-changing, it also stays the same in foundation. Regardless of what system you run on offense, the game comes down to blocking, ball security, and explosive plays. And defensively, it comes down to lining up right, playing fast, and tackling.
The Return of the Fullback
One thing I love about football today is that two back formations have been making a comeback. In the early 2000's, many teams began to run the "spread." Spread is a broad term, but we saw more athletes on the field and less tight ends. You had the quarterback in the shotgun instead of being under center. Over the last 10 years or so, we have seen more and more teams starting to bring back tight ends and fullbacks. The fullback is a lost art in football.
The fullback is essentially a 6th blocker in the game. If you can find a fullback who has dynamic talents where he can run and catch, you have something special. Back in the late 90's when we faced several wing-t teams each year, the key to the offense was the fullback. We used to say, "if we can stop the fullback trap and belly, we will be okay." The better the fullback, the tougher teams were to defend.
In our own offense in the late 90's, we were based in the I. The key for our success was our fullback. Our fullback had to be able to block, catch, and run the football. We wanted a big guy with some speed. The biggest key, however, was their physicality. They had to be able to kick out an end, lead up on a linebacker, and break tackles on our option concepts. The more physical they were, the better we would be. Defenses began to load the box to take the run. We used option concepts to read defenders and gain a numerical advantage. One key to a successful run game is being able to equate numbers in the box.
Today we are seeing teams in the shotgun using an H back like a fullback. Sometimes, they call him a sniffer back. He is leading up on linebackers, kicking out ends, and running pass routes. Offenses also move the fullback and tailback around, creating opportunities to get change the numbers. The one difference is that the "new" fullbacks are not going to get as may carries in the run game as they would under center. Offenses have also taken "option" football to another level, reading first, second, and third level defenders.
One advantage in the shotgun, is that you can borrow your fullback to change numbers much easier than you can when under center. When you are under center, you have to run a slower developing play to bring the fullback across the formation. In the gun, you can have your fullback work immediately across the formation, changing gap fits.
In the figure below, the offense has lined up the fullback and tailback stacked away from the Tight End. this forces the defense to have to defend 5 gaps away from the TE, and 4 gaps to the TE. The fullback can also work across the formation, meaning the defense has to defend an extra gap strong. Essentially, create a 5th gap to the tight end side.
The defense now must decide how they will defend the extra gap away from the tight end, while still accounting for the F "swiping" across the formation. If the QB is a runner, there now are two lead blockers for the quarterback away from, or to the tight end. The defense must have an answer to be able to get a hat in each gap, and block up both blockers. With a running QB, this puts the defense into a numbers deficiency.
In the figure above, the quarterback is running the sweep play, with the F and the T leading to the edge. The first back can account for the playside linebacker, with the T accounting for the secondary force support player. Even if the defense rolls down, the offense has a hat for a hat. The offense can further create a numbers problem by running jet sweep with the Z. The QB can now read a defender.
In the figure above, the offense is running jet sweep with the Z receiver, while reading the backside defensive tackle. The backside of the run will lock the 5 and 9 techniques. The center and BSG will climb to track the backside backer. The center is checking for a playside A gap run through. Even with the secondary rotating, the offense has a numbers advantage. The QB reads the backsside DT. If he chases, the QB pulls and replaces. This gives you a midline element to your jet sweep. When you motion the Z receiver, you have essentially just motioned back into a 3 back set.
You could essentially run buck sweep from this same look. Now you gain an additional hat with the pull of the backside guard. The playside tackle blocks down, while the F logs the 5 technique. The 5 must squeeze when he gets a downblock. This gives the offense access to the edge. The first puller kicks the alley runner. The T is responsible for the playside inside backer. The backside puller is responsible for the alley runner.
If the backside inside backer flows fast and flies mirroring the puller, you can either read him for a pull read, or you can read him for an RPO to the TE. The RPO is illustrated in the picture below.
While this looks like it is complex, it is essentially a football play that has been run for 120 years in some form or fashion. Your QB run or backside RPO replaces the trap fake to hold the backside.
The figure above shows buck sweep in the wing T. You can see that in the gun, we have used the stacked backs to create the 4 man surface to run buck sweep. The concept is the exact same. You are trying to gain a numbers advantage while creating leverage. The nuance added today is the RPO element backside.
In addition to variations of jet sweep and buck sweep, we are seeing the Isolation play making a comeback. More and more teams are using their sniffer to lead up on the playside inside linebacker. You are just seeing coaches adding some window dressing to slow down defensive pursuit.
The figure above illustrates the isolation play with orbit motion from the Z. The fullback is going to isolate the playside backer, just like he would from a splitback or the I formation under center. More and more coaches are also faking jet sweep to run the isolation play away from jet action. This slows down defensive pursuit.
It is exciting to see the fullback position being utilized more and more by offenses at all levels. While the game evolves, the foundational football plays remain the same. The creativity comes in the presentation of these tried and true concepts. This is just a small example of some things people are doing as they bring back 21 personnel.
We talk a lot of ball on twitter as well. Follow me @coachvint
When I was a defensive coordinator we adapted this to our defensive preparation!
Last year I got hooked up with CoachTube, and put together three courses for offensive football coaches. I put together two courses on RPO's, and a course on Building An Elite System of Communication. All of these courses will help you to score more points!
https://coachtube.com/users/coachvint
All three of these courses are detailed, with everything you need to be more explosive and to score more points.
The course on communication gives you a detailed approach to your gameday communication. I give you a system and a process to improve the quality of conversations, leading to improved play calling on game day. This course has received outstanding reviews from coaches at all level of football. A coach with multiple state titles told me this course helped them to be much more efficient and explosive this season.
My two RPO courses take you through a systematic process of installing RPO's into your offensive system. RPO's put the defense in conflict, forcing them to defend all 53 yards of width and all 6 skill players every single play. I not only give you a system, but I teach you the methods to develop your own RPO concepts.
If you don't have an apple device, you can order the paperback version! It is available on Amazon!
https://www.amazon.com/dp/1520447485
Follow me @coachvint on Twitter and Instagram! I am also working on two new book projects, as well as a podcast. If there is anything I can do, please let me know.
Over the last several months, I have stepped out of my comfort zone and wrote a new book about faith and purpose. The book is available as a paperback on Amazon, and as an eBook for the Kindle App. The cool thing about the Kindle app is that you can read the book on any device. I invite you to read it, and discover the power you receive when you make a decision to walk with the Lord. Here is a link to the book: Finding Faith
Since publishing the book, I have received numerous texts, calls, and emails, from people who are going through similar trials and tribulations. They were feeling many of the same things I was feeling. The found comfort in the book. They also found they had a desire to change and to live better. They wanted more joy.
I would invite you to read the book and discover the possibilities that God has planned for your life.
No comments:
Post a Comment