Simplifying Offensive Play Calling In the Spread Offense

by: Joseph Kanach
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Looking back throughout my coaching career, I am often amazed at how complicated and wordy the offensive systems I have coached in have been. Even as I read new articles on offensive football strategies, I am dumbfounded at how wordy these plays can become. Therefore, when I earned my first offensive coordinator position, I wanted a simplistic way to get across as much information to my players with as little wording as possible. As I started to design the new offensive system, I wanted every term or number to mean something in our system. Without going into my own personal philosophies on offense, I hope that you can gain some appreciation for how we call our offense and incorporate some of the ideas I will present here.
    At Springfield High School, we use an offensive system that conveys an immense amount of information in as little amount of words as possible. The system can be complex if you do not learn the basic meanings of the individual parts. However, once you learn the meaning of the individual parts, the system can become a powerful tool allowing game time adjustments that make sense. In our system, we will use a three number system and an action word. Each number will have a specific meaning:
1st Number: Formation
2nd Number: Play type
3rd Number: If the number is even, it is a running play.

    If the second number is odd, we know it is a pass and the third number tells us the Y-side combination routes.
Personnel:

Z  Called Z-slot. When we want to have
the Z run the ball he is the zero back.
In our base 100 formation, he splits the X receiver and tackle.
X  Aligns on the number. If it is a pass play, then he runs the second route called.
Y  Tight end and aligns right, unless a
specific left call is make. If the second number is odd, then he runs the third
number combination route.
2  2-back, which stands for tailback
4  4-back, which stands for fullback.
Q  QB, which we also call the six back.

1st Number

    The first number is our formations. If the first number is odd, the X aligns to the left on the inside of the numbers and the Y will align to the right side. It switches for even numbers. The first number will tell the alignment of the 2-back, 4-back and Z-receiver. Because of this, we were able to eliminate another word when calling plays. It should be noted that the formations below can be changed to whatever you would like.
1st Number: Formation (See Diagram 1)


Diagram 1. Formations

1st number: Formation

2nd Number: Play Type

Tells everyone the type of play being called. Each number will have a specific meaning.


If the second number is a:
1:    Screen
2:    2-back running play
3:    3-step pass and 3 step pass protection         from the OL
4:    4-back running play
5:    5-step pass play and 5-step slide
    protection from OL
6:    QB running play
7:    Play action pass play
8:    Draw play
9:    Special

3rd Number: Direction and Play Call

Hole Numbering System (See Diagram 2)

Diagram 2. Hole Numbering System

and Gap Identification (See Diagram 3).

Diagram 3. Gap Identification

A    GAP: Between center and guard
B    GAP: Between guard and tackle
C    GAP: Between tackle and (4 or Y)
D    GAP: Outside (4 or Y)

If the second number is 1 the third number is:
    8: Bubble right to 8 hole
    9: Bubble left to 9 hole

If the second number is 2, then the third number is the hole to 2-B

If the second number is 3, then the third number is the hole to 3-A

EVEN: Tells the OL to slide protect right and the RB to gap protect

ODD: Tells the OL to slide protect left and the RB to gap protect

Pass Offense

    In our system there are four basic types of passing schemes:
 
10 series: Screens
30 series: 3 step quick passing attack
50 series: 5 step big
70 series: Play A


In our 30 and 50 series passes, we will call the routes to the playside and number our routes to the backside. The third number tells us the backside routes. The backside routes are always the y and accompany the WR.

Example: Right 138 Corner Hitch (See Diagram 4)

Diagram 4.Right 138 Corner Hitch

6-second rule (F: Right 100, Formation, Alignment, Route, Assignment)

X: Right 100, go left, align on the LOS outside the number, run the second called route: Hitch – The WR runs five steps downfield and then drives back toward a 45 degree angle in the direction of the QB, establishing a wide passing lane. This is also a quick timing route.

Y: Right 100, go right, three yards outside the OT. He is backside route.

Z: Right 100, go left and split the difference.
Run the second called route “corner”; Corner - Attack the outside shoulder of the Hook to Curl defender and angle to the back corner of the end zone.

2: Will align 2x3 off the QB to the left,  know the OL slides right
 
4: Right 100, go right, align 2x2 off Y. Run the 8 package backside.

    This system allows us to make game time adjustments to our passing game without having stringent combination concepts to our 2 receiver side. For instance, if a team is blitzing their weakside linebacker over the Z-slot, and there is a mismatch on him, then we can make a call to change his route and take advantage of man coverage. This system has allowed us to get plays in quickly, attack defenses with tempo, and easily incorporate our offense into any two-minute situation. It also gives maximum information to our offensive personnel while limiting wordiness of play calling. The longest play call that we ran last year was a tight end shift, then motion, and then a pass play. We called it: Shift Zoom 158 seam vertical (See Diagram 5).
Diagram 5. Shift Zoom 158 Seam Vertical

How would you call this play in your offense?

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About the Author
Joe Kanach
Head Coach Joe Kanach starts his first season at Springfield High School (OR) this fall. A native of southern Louisiana, Kanach received a degree from Tulane University and has coached in St. Louis and southern California at three different high schools: Harvard Westlake, John Burroughs and North Hollywood. Coach Kanach has a teaching credential in three different subjcets – Biology, Physics, and Math. Questions? If you have any questions you can email the author at: JoeKanach@AmericanFootballMonthly.com

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