Backed Up Against the Wall: Coming Off the Goal Line

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Although many programs panic or go flat when their offense takes the field after the ball has been spotted on the minus one yard line, our program gets excited! In Hal Mumme’s Air Raid offense we have taken this negative part of the field and flipped the scenario into our favor. Many coaches may see it as an unorthodox approach to this situation, but we view it as a chance to demoralize our opponent. When backed up against the wall, we have three main goals: think touchdown, no negative plays, and secure the punter room to work.

We train our staff and players to think touchdown when we get backed up into our coming off zone. So many times when teams are forced into this situation, they hang their heads and think of the worse case scenario. However, it is actually the perfect time to take advantage of the defense because there is one thing you can count on in this part of the field - the defensive coordinator and players will be coming after you trying to get the safety or a turnover for a score. When the defense comes after you, you will have a match-up somewhere for big play potential. This scenario provides a chance for a ninety-nine yard touchdown. There is nothing more demoralizing to a team than to see their opponent get pinned deep and then watch them score a ninety-nine yard touchdown. We practice this scenario weekly with our team until our players cannot wait for the chance to score this type of touchdown.

The next goal we set for this area of the field is to have no negative plays. This can be said for all areas of the field, but we become very selective with our play calling in this area in order to eliminate negative plays. We do not see an incomplete ball down field, trying for a big play, as a negative play. Instead, we see that as letting the defensive coordinator know that we will go after him. However, we must not take a loss of yardage in this area of the field because the loss of yardage could result in a safety. We will also be very careful with our quarterback in this area of the field. There will be no plays called which will take a while to develop. Our objective is to get the ball out of the quarterback’s hands fast and with certainty, so no interceptions are thrown. The worse thing that could happen in this situation is turning the ball over for a score and keeping your opponent’s defense excited.

Our final goal when backed up in the coming off zone is to gain five yards. If we are unable to connect on the big play and turn the momentum, then we must be able to give the punter room to work. Gaining five yards will give the punter room to line up at his normal depth. Failure to gain five yards could force the punter to line his heels on back of the goal line. When a punter’s heels are on the back of the goal line then the corners are shortened giving the defenders a better chance to block the punt. Additionally, the punter will also have no room to field a bad snap. The chance of bad plays occurring increases as your punter’s room to work decreases. Therefore, we believe if you cannot get off the goal line with a big play, then gain five yards and let your punter kick you out of there.

The panic or frustration of being backed up in the coming off zone never enters our minds at New Mexico State University. Instead, we see it as an opportunity to take the life out of the defense with a big score. Our goals are simple and the defense will be set up; you just have to change the thought process of coaches and players, in this part of the field. Take the chance, and let your players believe they can do it.

Receivers coach Gary Goff is just completing his second season on Coach Hal Mumme's staff at New Mexico State. Goff came to NMSU after after serving two years on Mumme's staff at Southeastern Louisiana. A 1996 graduate of Valdosta State, Goff coached on the high school level in Georgia before becoming offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach at Iowa Wesleyan.

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