Rolling Thunder - Be efficient in the 'compressed' Red Zone.

No matter what your base offense is, you will find it necessary to make adjustments in what I call the compressed red zone; that is, from the three in. Adapting your base personnel, formations, and plays can be costly in terms of time and confusing to your players, who try to relate schemes and techniques used in the open field to this unique situation. Adopting a “Thunder Offense” can give you a personnel, formation, and play package that is specific to the compressed red zone. When your players hear “Thunder” they don’t have to remember the entire offense, thus focusing their thinking and allowing other position players to contribute without learning the entire offense.

Attacking the Defense

The base formation immediately puts pressure on the defense because it is an overload (Diagram 1). If the defense aligns to the Z, you can simply motion him before the snap and run either power (Diagrams 2A and 2B), power pass (Diagram 3), or belly option (Diagrams 4A and 4B). The defense must get out of balance to the X tight end or the stretch play (Diagrams 5A and 5B) or the truck play (Diagrams 6A and 6B) is an easy score.

Diagram 1.

Diagram 2A: Zip Power vs. Even

Diagram 2B: Zip Power vs. Odd

Diagram 3: Zip Power Pass

Diagram 4A: Zip Belly Option vs. Even

Diagram 4B: Zip Belly Option vs. Odd

Diagram 5A: Stretch vs. Even

Diagram 5B: Stretch vs. Odd

Diagram 6A: Truck vs. Even

Diagram 6B: Truck vs. Odd

Since most goal line defenses are concerned with A and B gap runs, most of the Thunder series attacks the C and D gaps, where defenders can be easily outnumbered. Also, play-action passes complement the base runs, the power pass, and the boot (Diagram 7), which can counter a fast, aggressive front. Finally, the FB dive (Diagrams 8A and 8B) and the QB wedge (Diagram 9) can attack the A and B gaps if the defense overplays the C gap or is soft in the middle.

Diagram 7: Zip - Power Boot

Diagram 8A: Zip Return - FB Dive vs. Even

Diagram 8B: Zip Return - FB Dive vs. Odd

Diagram 9: QB Wedge

                                                      
Game Planning

Most of the time, through game planning, you can reduce your Thunder package to two to three plays/week, as you probably won’t be in the compressed red zone more than three to four times a game. I like to have one for each hash and one for the middle of the field. You want to be your best down here, so practice and run the plays that your players execute best.

Your best Thunder play can also serve as your two-point play. The Thunder offense has been extremely successful for our teams because it attacks all the run gaps while also providing several play-action options. Remember, you can decide where you want to place the ball on the two-point play (left hash, middle, right hash), so use the field to set up your play. A good strategy is to put the ball on the hash and overload into the boundary.

Also, this package can be an effective fourth and short option, or even a “four minute offense” if you are trying to burn the clock at the end of a game.It is important to be able to signal these plays in to the QB because you don’t want to substitute personnel in the compressed red zone (you want your best players who have had the most repetitions in practice). Also, the QB can always check to a QB wedge if the defense is in a wide even front and the center has easy access to the MLB.

Finally, decide before the series starts if you are going to “go for it” on fourth down inside the three yard line. You should consider pre-game scouting, the two point chart, game clock, and flow of the game. Use a play-action pass on either first or second down, when play-action is most effective.

Goal Line Principles

Conventional goal line principles should be considered for this package as well:

•  Linemen should get narrow splits (12-18).

•  The ball should be snapped on “first sound” or “one” (because the ball is inside the three yard line, snapping the ball on “two” is high risk/low reward. If the defense jumps, the ball is only moved ½ the distance, while if your offense players jump, they lose five yards.).

•  You may want to have your linemen use a four-point stance. However, most high school linemen have trouble moving laterally in a four-point stance.
 

 

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Want more? Similar articles are on AmericanFootballMonthly.com
Red Zone Coverages and Philosophy – October, 2012
Point-Counterpoint – Goal Line Offense vs. Defense – October, 2006
Attacking the Red Zone – August, 2000

 
About the author: Mitch Burton is currently the offensive coordinator at Granite Hills High School (CA). He also has coached at Grossmont College (2001-2005), at Otay Ranch High School and at Hilltop High School, both in California. Burton was head coach at Granite Hills from 1991-2000.