Simplicity and the O-Line – Why The Flip/Flop O-Line Works

As coaches, we tend to overthink and overestimate our influence on game days. The common trap is our attempt to outcoach our adversaries across the field. While giving a clinic two years ago, I had an epiphany: “It is not my job to outcoach someone. It is my job to get my men to outplay their opponents.” On game day, it does not matter what we know. It’s what our players know that determines the outcome. This became my motto in everything I do as an offensive line coach and I am blessed enough to coach with others that agree with this position. It became our staff goal to apply a few rules as we set up our offense and continued its development throughout the season.

Loras College Offensive Philosophy

1. Does it fit our system?
2. Is it needed? Will we use it?
3. Will it mess with “the guys up front”?

Simplicity is the best method. The less our men have to learn, the better they will be able to play. Reaction on the field trumps thought. I want offensive linemen that are able to pin their ears back and “just play ball” on game day. I do not want confusion or guesswork when they step on the field. If my men had to approach our 250-page playbook as 250 separate items they need to learn, it would be overwhelming. Instead, we have instituted two elements that make this book seem less than half that size: A) Flip/Flop; B) Limited Schemes.

1. The Flip/Flop Offensive Line

At Loras College we flip/flop our offensive line. We have a tight side (TS) and a split side (SS). At the beginning of each play call, we give them a RT or LT call. The TS will go to the call and the SS will go away from the call. Our numbering system also follows the lineman, i.e., my Tight Guard (TG) has 2 attached to his back and my Split Guard (SG) has a 3 attached to his back (See Diagrams 1 & 2).




Whatever system you run, a run play to a TE is blocked differently than the same play to an open end. With one less blocker, it comes down to simple math (See Diagrams 3 & 4).

Player Advantages: Knowledge is gained through reps and reps only.

1. Less Learning - It is counterproductive to teach your tackles to run a play differently whether or not there is a TE next to them. With the Flip/Flop, our TT/TG knows the scheme to run with a TE and our ST/SG knows how to run it without a TE.

2. Knowledge Retention - If they have less to know, they’ll be able to retain more knowledge.

3. More Reps - By cutting the amount of knowledge in half, they can get twice as many reps as the plays they will actually run.

4. Skill Specification - Each position has a different skill set. Our TS is the main front on our Power and Zone plays. Therefore, they often double team and get skilled at it. Our SS are put on an island often in the run game and they work more on man blocking.

5. Similar Pictures - It is important that your OL is limited to see only the pictures they will see that week. Defenses play the TS differently than they play the SS. Each side sees different pictures. If a defense reduces and gives an Under Front, it is counterproductive to have both your tackles/guards working against both pictures. Working half the pictures doubles the reps vs. the fronts they will actually see.

6. Familiarity - As they work together every day, our TS gets used to working with each other and they develop a sense and feel for their teammates. Their comfort level with the other players reactions is important for them so they can anticipate blocking assignments.

Coach’s Advantages: Time is a limited resource – this will double your time.

1. Doubled Reps - Fewer situations for each side (TS/SS) means players double their reps and get better at the different pictures and movements they will see. This allows your men to gain knowledge more quickly. As coaches we can draw as much as we want on a whiteboard but our men do not learn unless they DO IT and SEE themselves doing it.

2. Scripting - Power=Power. We no longer have to worry about which guard pulled more times or whether or not each side was play-side. I know when I script plays everyone is getting a rep and exercising all the skills needed. It will cut the amount of plays you need to run in a practice in half, doubling the amount you can run.

3. Practice Set Up - Having a SS and TS allows you to split your OL drills in half. I am blessed to have a head coach that knows OL play and can be available for certain periods to assist. This allows for us to each take a side and work the proper Gap and Zone combos. This doubles our reps in indy time.

4. Practice Skills - During the same set up, we are also able to become skill-specific instead of having to change the skills for each rep, depending on who is in the drill. The Inside Zone-combo used by our TT/TE takes a wider path because of the Force Player’s width. A combo used for a C/TG is tighter because the Mike is in a vertical relationship.

5. Utilization of Talent - Every player has a different skill set. Our duty as coaches is to put them in the best situation regardless of the play we call. By using the Flip/Flop method, you can utilize their talents more efficiently. Ideally, your SG should be the best puller, the ST should have the best feet for pass protection, the center should be the best offensive lineman, the TG the best grinder and your TT should be the player with the best attitude.

6. Hide Players - It does not matter at what level you are. There is always a weak link. Everyone has someone on their OL they need to hide. This system allows you to put your weakest OLM at TG. He is protected on both sides and rarely has to man-up on anyone in either facet of the game.

Disadvantages: Every system has them

1. Change of Mentality - There is a natural learning curve in every offensive system. Most systems speak in terms of right and left. Our system speaks only in terms of tight and split. When installing the system and framing your coaching points, you must only refer to tight and split. The only time right and left are used is in the play call. I tell my guys, “You only think in terms of tight and split. I will tell you right or left.” This will be an initial challenge but it will be short and painless.

2. Possible Tendencies - This is a common question and concern when entering this system. Yes, the defense will know who your predominate puller is and yes, they will know which side you like to run it behind. The bottom line is that any system requires self-scouting to ensure balance between tight and split side.

3. Switching Positions - No one has a true two-deep where if the TG goes down, the next TG goes into the game. If you do, I want you to come and recruit for me. Most of us have a pecking order and a sixth OLM that will go in if someone goes down. When he enters the game, sometimes there is a shuffle that occurs within the positions. In a traditional Right/Left system tackles are tackles and guards are guards. I have found in this system that it is best to keep your OLM to either the TS or the SS. As I discussed above (player advantages 5 and 6), your OLM are seeing certain pictures that pertain to their side. They are learning the same skills, pictures and adjustments as the person next to them. It would be detrimental to take away all they have learned that week. Also, it can become confusing to switch once they become comfortable with the TS or SS.

2. Limited Schemes

The other main element of this system is the limiting of schemes used. As coaches, we want to create different schemes to take advantage of an opponent’s defense. This is a part of football but it needs to be underused, not overused. We have three families of schemes: Gap (Power), Zone (Inside and Outside), and Man (Sweep and Iso). Everything we do is based out of these schemes. This provides my men with automatic rules within each scheme (Gap – I have my backside gap; Zone – I have my front-side gap). These simple axioms allow them to adjust at the LOS and play more aggressively. Man schemes are different depending on the point of attack and specific players. Our base plays out of Gap and Zone make up more than 90% of our run game and 95% of our big plays (not including the passing game).
Regardless of your run schemes, it is essential to create schemes that can adjust to all fronts, blitzes and games. Also, it is vital to run your base run as much as possible in games. OLM are creatures of habit and they need certain things to rely on in order to gain and retain confidence. If your schemes change week to week, they will lose confidence in themselves and the system. In reality, if you change weekly, you do not have a system at all. Some points to remember:

1. Limit - Limit your schemes. As coaches, we want to create many schemes that can be used in various situations. The problem is practice time and reps are limited. The more you have in, the less you can rep. Players, especially OLM, need as many reps as possible.

2. OL Empowerment - By limiting yourself to a Gap or Zone scheme, your OLM are allowed to check to a simple scheme at the LOS. Weekly we may have variable plays to gain an advantage vs. certain fronts. These are plays that are based off an existing scheme but with minor adjustments, e.g., vs. an odd stack we game plan to run a folding scheme with a lead by our fullback to take advantage of the angles (See Diagram 5). This will only work if they are in that front. I give my OL the option, if they line up in an eagle or odd front, to check out of it and GET SIMPLE. They will make a check to full zone the entire front (See Diagram 6).




Giving them the ability to check simple at the LOS allows them the option to check into a more comfortable scheme that we have been practicing for months instead of two practice days. It puts them in the best possible situation.

3. Repetition, Repetition, Repetition - With fewer schemes and fewer plays you are able to gain more reps at the plays that will be run on game day. Also, the limiting of variable plays to one or two a week (if any) allows you to build off of skills and schemes you have been teaching since August and not just that week. It also gives more time for your base run.

4. Variable Plays - If you need variable plays to succeed in a given week it is important to refer back to point #3 - “Does it mess with the guys up front?” The introduction of a new scheme can overwhelm OLM. If you need to make adjustments to gain advantage, it is better to change other components other than scheme. Variation by shifting, formations, personnel and backfield action can accomplish the advantages needed to succeed while not changing the schemes in which you and your men have invested.

The use of this system and philosophy has allowed us to lessen the mental load on our OLM, gain reps at practice and become more efficient in our practice/game call ratio. All of these gains have allowed us to be more successful on game day. Being an offensive line coach gives me the role of the engineer of the staff. The offensive coordinator is the architect of the offense who designs and creates a vision of the structure he wants to accomplish. It is my job, as the engineer, to let him know what is attainable and what cannot be built. As O-Line coaches, it is our duty to keep the system logical and as simple as possible for our men up front so they can play with instinct.

I hope some of these ideas will help you, your OL and your program. I believe in the Philosophy of Simplicity, and I am blessed to work with my fellow coaches who subscribe to the same ideas.