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AFM Magazine


The Sprint Out Pass Game

Dispelling the myth of implementing a sprint out package in your offense
by: Mike Kuchar
Senior Writer, American Football Monthly
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With every offensive coach these days designing their scheme to find ways to get the ball to the perimeter, it seems like the sprint out pass game would be a viable option. But the truth is, many teams don’t utilize this package in their offense, mainly due to the fact that they may not have a QB mobile enough to do it or they don’t have the time to devote to a totally separate package. But what if we were to dispel those two myths directly in this article?

It’s true. In fact, many of the coaches we spoke with agree that you truly don’t need a Pat White (although it most certainly helps) to run the scheme. And, if you’re worrying about overloading your offensive playbook, you can rid yourself of that thought as well. Many sprint out packages are designed with the same type of combination routes that are used in the three-and five-step game. Plus, the nature of the scheme constantly changes the launch point of the QB. Instead of sitting at seven yards and allowing the defense to take batting practice on him, he’s finding ways to get out of the pocket. Trust us, by the end of this article if you still feel like it doesn’t fit your offense, that’s understood. But if nothing else, the sprint out pass game can serve as a tremendous addition that requires less coaching and allowing us to do more with less teaching. And isn’t that what we’re all looking for?

The Protection

As most coaches know, discussing the protection is always primary when developing a pass game. As far as the sprint pass goes, there are two general schools of thought when blocking it. Some coaches prefer the turn-back method where all offensive linemen are hinging away from the direction of the play. Others side with the full zone principle to the front side where linemen are taking reach steps to the direction of the play. Whatever method you choose, the idea is to get the ball to the perimeter as quickly as possible. There are pros and cons to both schemes. If using the hinge method, the flank does get expanded but may be susceptible to allowing a blitz from the edge. By full zoning the protection, some may say gives the defense possible open gaps to run through.

So, Offensive Coordinator John Shannon at Marshall has found a way to integrate the two concepts in his sprint passing game. “We will full zone the front side and hinge the back side. The center, play side guard and play side tackle are responsible for the A, B and C gap to the side of the play, respectively,” said Shannon. “They are going to take their traditional zone steps, just like they would on our outside zone play, and try to get to the outside number of the defender that is covering them. If the center is uncovered to the front side as he might be in an even defense, he will hinge to help the back side of the play. But the front side blocks are always more important than the back side because the QB needs to be out right away.”

That leaves the issue of the running back. What may seem like years ago, when the majority of offenses were based on two-back schemes, both backs would secure the play side edge almost guaranteeing the QB’s chances of getting out. With a single back he has the same responsibility that rests solely on his shoulders. “The running back responsibility is taking care of the number four defender from the midline (center),” said Shannon. “This can be an outside linebacker, a safety or a scraping inside backer who is coming inside out. We always ask the play side tackle to block the EMLOS (end man on the line of scrimmage) by trying to reach him. If that end plays up field, like zone, we’ll take him where he wants to go and have the QB come underneath him. If he starts to run out wide for contain, as some coaches will preach for him not to get reached, we’ll have the RB chip on him. For us the back is rarely in the route. We’ll ask him to help the tackle so that we can push the perimeter. Defensively, as long as they don’t do anything differently, we will get outside on them. Whether they roll a strong safety or scrape with a linebacker, they can only bring four and with the addition of the running back in protection, we can account for all of them.”

Effective Combination Routes

If you don’t want to make the sprint pass a staple play, keeping combination routes is probably most effective. Based on structure, the sprint pass is a half field read. You cut down the teaching by either reading a defender like a flat player or the release of the two receivers to the play side. At Opelika High School in Alabama, Offensive Coordinator Brian Blackmon utilizes his smash concept (See Diagram 1) to disrupt defenses. It serves as a vertical stretch and it puts the corner on the side of the play in a bind. “Our play side number one receiver runs a route depending on coverage and alignment,” says Blackmon. “If we get a soft corner, we run a hitch. If we’re getting those squat corners or any type of press coverage we run a pivot route. This starts as a slant and then pivots to the flat. The number three receiver runs a ten-yard corner route. We tell him to run toward the flag and let the QB lead him to the sideline with the ball. The number two receiver gets to the flat right now in case we got pressure. We really like this against Cover 2 so that the safety has to hang inside on the vertical. That also allows the backside post to be important if the backside safety rolls to the middle of the field and the front side safety plays the flag.”

Diagram 1: 'Smash' Concept

A myriad of combination routes can be used in the sprint out pass game such as a hitch/corner, curl/flat or the quick out. Adding a third receiver to the mix not only provides a viable option for the QB, but also is effective for flooding a zone. The majority of sprint out schemes in Opelika’s playbook comes out of a trips set, either by formation or by motion. A former double slot team several years ago, the Bulldogs most potent set is pro trips, which is perfect for the flood route (See Diagram 2) and Blackmon’s favorite package. “We run the flood against any man or zone coverage because it’s so productive and we always run it out of trips. The play side number one runs the vertical. We coach him to outside release his defender to create proper spacing. We also want the corner to turn and run with his back to the inside on a zone turn so that he is not facing the ball. The takeoff is huge there. Play side number two is the flat route, while play side number three runs the ten-yard out route. We get that play open very often. We tag the back side with a post. We teach the QB to peek at the vertical route as he begins his sprint. If the vertical is open, he can set his feet and throw the vertical. If the vertical is not open, we are reading flat-to-out as a high-low read on the outside linebacker.”

Diagram 2: Flood Concept-Trips

Diagram 3: Flood Switch-Bunch

Another pro-active set to run flood package out of is the bunch set (See Diagram 3). In the bunch set, Blackmon will automatically “switch” his routes so that the number two receiver runs the out and the number three receiver runs the flat. The number one receiver is still linked on the vertical. “We feel that running three on the flat instead of two in a bunch set creates a good pick situation,” said Blackmon. “We are just trying to flood the zone and get good separation in our routes.”

Sprinting Away From The Zone Blitzes

At the collegiate level, where defenses make a living out of bringing zone pressures, the sprint pass could also serve as a tremendous option in defeating those schemes. Because teams will traditionally bring four defenders strong to the field on a zone dog, the offense can either attack the blitz or run away from it. “If you are a zone blitz team 80 percent of the time you are bringing something to the field,” said Shannon. “We can either run it to the blitz or away. The biggest question you need to ask yourself is what is the easiest way we can play throw and catch?”

If Shannon chooses to attack the side of the blitz, one of his favorite schemes to do so is the curl/flat (See Diagram 4). As mentioned before, the play side of the line will full zone with the running back helping block the perimeter blitzer with the tight end. The QB pushes to the perimeter reading the corner. Since most zone blitz schemes are some form of three-deep, if not they usually turn into Cover 3 with the action of the sprint game, the corner is getting a vertical stretch by the flank receiver and a horizontal stretch in the flat with the slot. “You look for the quick throw first, then the deep throw,” says Shannon. “It’s a great third and long or second and long option.”

Diagram 4: Curl/Flat Combo

Diagram 5: "Out" Route

Shannon also makes a habit of sprinting away from pressure by attacking the boundary and isolating a single receiver (See Diagram 5) on a ten-yard out route. If teams are pressuring with Cover 3 behind it, chances are an offense can match-up their best receiver on a corner in the short field. “We love to sprint out to the single receiver side out of pro trips while keeping the tight end backside to protect,” said Shannon.

“We’ll constantly go one-on-one with our best receiver away from pressure. Teams that zone blitz now have a conflict with that boundary end. He is usually responsible for the weak side flat, but if we have that QB attacking the perimeter right now, what is he going to do? Will he attack the QB or will he drop to cover the weak flat? Often times we’ll work to have him commit to the QB just so we can hit the out route and have a shot at the big play.”






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