AFM RSS Feed Follow Us on Twitter       
AMERICAN FOOTBALL MONTHLY THE #1 RESOURCE FOR FOOTBALL COACHES
ABOUT |  CONTACT |  ADVERTISE |  HELP  



   User Name    Password 
      Password Help





Article Categories


AFM Magazine

AFM Magazine


Getting the Most From Your Screen Game – An effective screen game is the perfect answer to an overly-aggressive defense.

by: Rich Holzer
Head Coach, Meade High School (MD)
© More from this issue

Click for Printer Friendly Version          

One of the key facets of our offense has been our screen game. Meade High School had been a flex bone triple option team and there was no screen game. Screens were a foreign concept to the players. We knew screens were vital to the success of the spread offense that we were trying to implement. So this had to become a major point of emphasis for our players.

We broke our screens down into two categories – execution screens and advantage screens. Essentially, our advantage screens were our “Fast” screens on the perimeter. They were attached to run plays and checked to, or called from the sideline when the defense did not cover down on our wide receivers. Our execution screens were concepts that were called from the sideline to take advantage of overly-aggressive defenses.

We break down our execution screens into two categories for our offensive line – guard kick out screens and tackle kick out screens. We found that in order to keep tempo high, yet execute efficiently, we had to simplify our assignments for the line. Our line assignments for the guard kick out scheme is as follows (Diagram 1):



Diagram 1.

PST: Set to invite upfield rush of the DE.

PSG: Set to near shoulder of DL. Punch, extend, release off the butt of the DL. Kick man over the slot and must be flat. If no one shows, turn upfield for safety.

 C: Set to near shoulder of DL (uncovered set into LOS). Punch, extend, release off the butt of the DL. Work for the first LB in the box. If he disappears, work upfield for the safety.

BSG: Set to near shoulder of DL (uncovered set into LOS). Punch, extend, release off the butt of the DL. Work for the second LB in the box. If he disappears, work upfield for the safety.

BST:  Set to invite upfield rush of the DE.

Our line assignments for our tackle kick scheme is as follows (Diagram 2):

Diagram 2.

PST: Sell zone call side.

PSG: Sell zone call side.

C: Sell zone for three steps, stick inside foot in ground, go flat for second LB.

BSG: Sell zone for three steps, stick inside foot in ground, go flat for first LB.

BST: Sell zone for three steps, stick inside foot in ground, go flat for alley.

For our WRs, we must constantly drill their screen path. We have two screen paths. First, is the path on our middle, or missile, where we work three up and out, three back and bend. Our catch point is off the heel of the near slot. Once we catch it, we work off the kick out and into the “funnel”. Our funnel is between the guard kick out and the hash. When we first teach this, we work this path on cones with a coach throwing the ball (Diagram 3).

Diagram 3.


Second is our backside, or tunnel, screen play. We work three up and out with three straight back. Once the catch happens, we work for the funnel again. We like to get up in the funnel then back out to the sidelines (Diagram 4).

Diagram 4.

For our QBs, we have two different sets of footwork for the screen game. When we throw the middle screen, our QBs execute their 3-step drop from the shotgun, look off, get their feet “hot”, drift back, rise up on their toes, with a high elbow high release of the ball. We want the ball to be aimed at the upfield shoulder of the screen runner. We would like the throw to be made with touch and lead the WR up into the funnel. On the backside of our screen we always tag a quick concept. This way, if we get a defense over-playing our screen, the QB has an answer. Here we tag our “Stick” concept (Diagram 5).

 


Diagram 5.

When we throw our backside screen, we work off our run game. This is so our QB and RB will mesh on the run called. We like the QBs to give a good ride to the RB. We tell the QBs to dip the front shoulder, and “Tebow” fake, to hold the linebackers. We tell the QBs to flip their hips like a second basemen turning a double play and deliver the ball on the upfield shoulder of the screen runner. This throw is more of a line drive (Diagram 6).
   

Diagram 6.

We place a major emphasis on screens every day. Once a week we work on 11-on-11 screens. Overall, our screen game has been very effective for us. We have used our execution screens as effective third down plays, red zone calls, and blitz beaters. We feel that as a spread team, you must have an effective and efficient screen game to combat overly-aggressive defenses.

About the Author: Rich Holzer recently completed his second season as head coach at Meade High School (MD). From 2008-2010, he was the head coach at Parkdale High School . Holzer also coached at Hofstra University and for Archbishop Stepinac High School in White Plains, NY.






NEW BOOK!

AFM Videos Streaming Memberships Now Available Digital Download - 304 Pages of Football Forms for the Winning Coach



















HOME
MAGAZINE
SUBSCRIBE ONLINE COLUMNISTS COACHING VIDEOS


Copyright 2024, AmericanFootballMonthly.com
All Rights Reserved