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.
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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.
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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.
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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.