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Rushing Ahead

Missouri Western State\'s passing attack alternative...the run game
Offensive Line Coach, Missouri Western State College
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Over the past five years we have had quarterbacks who have been 6-foot-1 or less. For this reason we have been in the shotgun a considerable amount of the time. We wanted to have threats with plays other than the passing game. We have been good throwing the ball but we needed more. We are always trying to gain yards but we also want to eliminate the negative yardage plays.

We have added several plays over time. Most of them we have copied from someone somewhere along the line. I am going to discuss three of them with you. These three will all have the same backfield action and look the same initially. The tailback will be offset at 45 degrees, and at an arms length from the quarterback.

The first play that I will discuss is the Read Play. Most of the time we will try to run this play to the Shade/ Five side of the defense. Because of this we always want to set our tailback to the Three-Technique side.
(See Diagram 1)


Diagram 1.


Diagram 2.


Diagram 3.


Diagram 4.


Diagram 5.

We want the tailback to stay as square as possible through the mesh with the quarterback. This allows him to run in any possible gap. We tell him if we run it to the shade side most likely it will stay front side. If we run it to the three-technique side, it will likely cut back. His read is the “B” gap. If it is open that is where we want the ball to go. We do not want to make any break until we get to the heels of the offensive linemen. (See Diagram 2)

The quarterback “Reads” the backside defensive end. If he closes hard with the tailback we want to pull the ball and take it outside. If the defensive end stays wide we want to hand it off and boot away. (See Diagrams 3 & 4)

Up front we will block it just as we would for inside zone. The points of emphasis for that are:

1. Gain control of your inside gap.
2. Secure Level One (block the defensive linemen first) Be too slow rather than too fast.
3. Have our eyes in our play side gap.
4. Be able to handle any stunt or blitz.

We will try to communicate any possible stunts or blitzes that we see pre snap. If anything shows in our play-side gap we must attack it. Our receivers will block man on in most situations. We can always help ourselves our by changing the formation or by adding motions to help on the edges.

Our quarterback is a threat running the ball. That is very helpful with the read play. It also is a must with the next play that I’m going to discuss the Dart play. We started running dart during our fourth game of the year. From that point on we averaged 8.25 yards per play.

Again this play will be also run to the shade side of the defense. Here we will set the tailback to the shade-side. (See Diagram 5)

The play-side tackle will pass set and then block the defensive end. He will block him wherever he goes. The play-side guard and center will double team the nose-guard and work to the backside linebacker. The backside guard will block the three technique. The backside tackle will pull for the play-side linebacker. The tailback will go across the quarterback run through the fake and replace the pulling tackle.

The quarterback will give a great fake and follow the pulling tackle. We would like to kick the linebacker out, but our quarterback will run off of his block. He must be patient and then get vertical. (See Diagram 6)


Diagram 6.


Diagram 7.


Diagram 8.


Diagram 9.


Diagram 10.

If you have a fourth defender play-side you must either have a receiver aligned there or motion someone to block him. Again the receivers will block man on. If you run it against a nickel front you can run it either way. Now the backside guard does not have a three technique to block, so he can block the defensive end. This leaves the tailback to be an extra blocker. If you sense blitz from either side you can send the tailback that way and run the ball the other way. (See Diagram 7)

The third play run from this set is the wide receiver or tunnel screen. We gained 9.1 yards per play during the 2002 season on this screen. As with the previous plays we can run this out of various formations. It is a great blitz beater or can be run against any zone coverage.

We want to assign four different players to be blocked. We count them from the outside and working back towards the center of the formation. The corner is labeled No. 1, and is assigned to the inside receiver. The outside linebacker is No. 2, and he is assigned to the play-side guard. The center will have the second linebacker, who we call No. 3. It makes it tougher to run if No. 3 is aligned up ahead of the center but not impossible. Hopefully the fake will draw him in. The tailback will line-up on the play side and go across the center and block the other linebacker, who we call No. 4. (See Diagrams 8 & 9)

The play-side tackle will set and block the defensive end. He must create a throwing lane, whether he cuts the end or keeps him engaged. The play-side guard pass sets briefly, then releases flat down the line of scrimmage for # 2. The center will also pass set briefly and also release flat down the line of scrimmage. If he has a front-side A-gap player he must not let him rush straight up the field. The backside guard and tackle will pass block the backside defensive linemen. The backside guard may release later and become an extra blocker down the field. The backside receivers run mirrored routes so the secondary can not cheat to the screen side.

The inside receiver must also release very flat down the to be able to block No. 1. If No. 2 is aligned outside the inside receiver and stays outside of him on his path to No. 1, he must breakdown and block him. In this case the guard must recognize this and go past him and block the corner. (See Diagram 10) The outside receiver must drive off for three steps and then belly back towards the quarterback. He will catch the ball half-ways between his alignment and the tackle. We want to catch the ball just behind the line of scrimmage. The quarterback will run the same type of fake, give ground, and then throw a touch pass to the receiver. This throw may seem very easy but it must be practiced a lot because the timing is critical. There will be defensive lineman very close to the quarterback when he throws the ball. He must hang in there.

Ideally we would like the ball to be taken vertical between the guard and center’s block. We know that it happens very fast and some receivers have a better feel for it. We try to simulate this in practice by just having four defenders for our blockers to block out in space. This is something we can do pre-practice or in a non-contact situation.

If you liked this article, here are three others just like it:

1. Double Threat, Nov. 2003
2. In Praise of the Power Trap, Feb. 2001
3. Counter Attack, Oct. 2002

This read type fake lends itself to several wrinkles off the same action. You can run counter read. You can also run bootleg off this action. If the corner is really sitting on the tunnel screen we will take the inside receiver and run by the corner and run a wheel route.

Hopefully, you will understand how these all tie together and we are trying to not let defenses get a bead on which one of them are coming. If we here at Missouri Western can help you please get in contact with us.


About the author
Les Boyum


Les Boyum begins his sixth season on the Griffon staff, primarily coaching the offensive line for Western.

Prior to his appointment at Missouri Western, Boyum served as an assistant coach at the University of Missouri-Rolla for four seasons, coaching the offensive line for three years and the defensive front for another campaign.

Before assuming the position at Missouri-Rolla, Boyum coached at Fayetteville (Ark.) High School in 1991-92. Previously, he was linebackers coach at Austin Peay State University and also coached at Anoka-Ramsey Community College in Minnesota. Boyum holds a bachelor’s degree in Health and Physical Education from Augsburg (Minn.) College and a master’s degree in Physical Education from the University of Minnesota.

He is a member of the American Football Coaches Association and the Fellowship of Christian Athletes.

For more information on this article or on Coach Boyum, email boyumel@mwsc.edu.






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