Attacking Modern Day Defenses with the Pass and Run.

by: Sparky Woods
Offensive Coordinator, Mississippi State
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Two things defenses agree on these days are making the offenses one-dimensional by stopping the run and forcing the quarterback to execute under tremendous pressure. They play mostly man coverage (at least on the corners) and place more defenders near the line of scrimmage than the offense has blockers to block for the run. Placing their defenders near the line of scrimmage puts them in position to rush the quarterback in passing situations. Once again they have the option of rushing more defenders than the offense has potential blockers. Buddy Ryan, while at the Chicago Bears, taught all of us that the defense has one more player than the offense does because the offense has the ball to deal with. One cannot block while he has the ball in his hands. Even though sacking the quarterback would be the defense’s goal, putting pressure and punishing the quarterback would be acceptable to the defense’s plan. In addition, the quarterback has potential problems with execution because of the pressure of the twenty-five second clock and increased pressure by television to shorten the game. Along with this pressure is the possibility of tremendous crowd noise that can make communication very difficult to say the least. Because of these factors, a great number of teams have almost given up trying to run the ball or have decided to run the ball with the quarterback either by using more option plays or by using him as a tailback.

We want to continue to run the ball because we want to be a physical football team and believe we must be able to give our lineman a chance to come off the ball in a physical manner. I believe it is unfair to ask the lineman to play backing up all the time. We also want to give the ball to our best runner with a lead blocker in front of him. Our approach is to continue to make the game a physical one. It is understood that football is about blocking and tackling. However, we emphasize tackling and avoiding being tacked as the main factor in the game. Our defense puts a huge emphasis on tackling and we want guys who are capable of breaking tackles and making the defenders miss. Our goal is to force the defense to execute to stop us from running the ball. We want to be determined to run but not to the point of being stubborn. We respect the defense’s ability and understand the math of more tacklers than blockers. Therefore, we want to look for opportunities to run when the defense is in more of a coverage position and the math evens out. While running the ball is obviously important to us, we realize that we must be equally committed to throwing the football. The offense must be able to execute both the run and the pass under the pressure that modern day defenses bring to the game. Execution has to start with protections and the ability to win quickly in one on one situations, then finish by escaping the tackles and gaining additional yardage.

Normal downs consist of situations where the defense believes the offense is equally likely to run or pass. In normal down situations, we most often choose to align in a formation such as an “I” formation with two wide receivers. This prepares us to run with power or simulate a run with a play action pass. It is especially beneficial when we can couple the two together and run or pass according to the approach of the defense. An example of a good play choice in this situation is the lead play to the open-end side of the formation. (See Diagram 1)

Diagram 1.

If the safety moves his alignment down to linebacker depth, the split receiver cannot block him and he can tackle our tailback before he can break the line of scrimmage. In this situation, we prefer to throw a play action pass that comes off of this popular running play. An example would be to use slide or turn back protection with the playside tackle blocking the defender aligned over him. The slide would start from the first uncovered lineman back. The tight end must also be a part of the protection and then check himself out. The backs will simulate the lead play and then be a part of the protection with the first back blocking the most dangerous or first threat and then the second back blocking the fourth possible rusher or checking his way out into a route. The split end would come down toward the safety as to block him and then explode deep down toward the middle of the field. The flanker would release toward the safety to his side and then get vertical and run either a corner or a square-in. Both routes need to be deep routes in order to make it hard for the underneath coverage to help out. The tight end must protect first and if not needed, he can release out into the flat like a tight end delay. The tailback will fake and then protect. If not needed he can release into an option route off of the playside linebacker. The quarterback must make a good fake and then throw a progression from split end to flanker and then down to the back or tight end. The important coaching point on this play is to make sure it looks and sounds like a run. The playside tackle, guard, and backfield must be convincing that it is the running play. (See Diagram 2)

Diagram 2.

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The quarterback must decide and communicate run or pass at the line of scrimmage. A positive point about this combination is that almost always the blocking responsibilities are the same for both plays. The playside tackle will block the defensive end. He just waits to find out of he is blocking for the run or the pass. Play action passing is good on normal downs when the defense is determined to eliminate the run.

Conversion downs present situations where passing is most likely the option for an offense to get the necessary yardage. This is usually the case except for the third or fourth down and one or two yards for the first down. In this situation, we prefer to line up in more of an open formation, which spreads the field and separates the eligible receivers. We then can disperse and make it easier to identify the possible rushers for protection. It is important to remember that if the defense continues to match up in one on one situations, they can still send one more rusher than the offense has protectors. Even so, we wish to take on a passing posture by our spread out formation. We must build a pass pattern that gives our receivers an opportunity to win verses single coverage. Also, we want to build into the pattern a place to throw quickly, provided the defense chooses to bring more rushers than we have protectors. (See Diagram 3)

Diagram 3.

This pass shows us with an open formation and the backs set in a position to block and to release out quickly into a route. The protection will be a man protection with the backs being responsible for the outside linebackers. The halfback to the single receiver side will check-release to execute a flat route at a depth of five yards. The halfback on the two receivers side will check-release and execute a check-down route at a depth of three to five yards. The single backside receiver will execute a quick post route approximately eight to ten yards deep. He should expect the ball provided the middle safety moves out and away from the middle of the field. The slot receiver will execute a quick flat route working for a depth of five yards on the sidelines. He should expect the ball to be thrown to him provided the defender over him commits to rush or does not cover him closely. The second receiver outside will execute a hook or curl route approximately twelve yards deep and then work back toward the passer. The quarterback will execute a five step drop and read the middle or weakside safety. If the safety should vacate the middle of the field either by rushing or by sprinting toward the two receiver side, the ball should be thrown to the post first and then down to the back in the flat. If the middle safety remains in his aligned area, the read should be directed to the three receivers side. The progression would be from flat to curl to back.

If the defense takes a coverage approach to this formation, then a draw play with the same blocking responsibilities will tie together to make a pass or run combination. If the defense removes a linebacker to create a double coverage or three defenders over two receivers, then blocking for the draw gives the offense the math to have an effective running play. (See Diagram 4)

Diagram 4.

Notice the blocking responsibilities are the same except for the slot receiver who now acquires responsibility for the halfback’s man so the halfback can carry the ball. Again, the quarterback must decide and communicate pass or run at the line of scrimmage. The other members of the team just want to know if they block their defenders for the pass or the run. The important coaching point on this combination is to make it look and sound like pass. On the draw play we want to simulate a pass before we attack the defender. Pass action runs are good on conversion downs when the defense is determined to outnumber and cover the pass. Quick release passes are good when the defense is committed to pressure, either when the plan is to rush more defenders than the offense has blockers.

Defenses present problems for offenses and quarterbacks that must be countered with balance and power. These plays are examples of Mississippi State’s approach to attacking modern day defenses.

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