The Swedish Airforce

The Bethany College Swedes from Lindsborg, Kansas go to the air to set up the ground game.
by: Dustin Miller
Offensive Coordinator, Bethany College
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When head coach Dr. Ted Kessinger arrived at Bethany College 26 years ago, he brought an offensive philosophy in which the pass will set up the run. During this time period the Swedes have relied on the passing game to move the football.

The offensive philosophy at Bethany College is based on the following ideas:

1. Always attack - we must have the attack mentality on offense and set the tempo.
2. Balance between run and pass - equally productive when used, not necessarily 50% run and 50% pass.
3. Multiple formations/personnel groups - allows the offense to get possible advantages of numbers, angles and athletes.
4. Shifting and motion - make the defense think and adjust instead of just reacting.
5. Stretch the field both vertically and horizontally - must attack the whole field.
6. Have the flexibility to get out of bad plays and into good plays.
7. Unpredictability - the essence of the entire offensive system put together.

Diagram 1 Diagram 2 Diagram 3 Diagram 4 Diagram 5

8. Word efficiency with formations, motions, plays - ability to say a lot by using very few words.
9. Flexible system - be able to adapt to personnel changes.
10. Teaching the offense - coaches and players must have an understanding of the objective that is to be accomplished with each play.

The area of the Bethany College offense that will be discussed in this article is the ability to stretch the field both horizontally and vertically with a vertical release by deployed receivers. In essence, a deployed receiver has three ways to attack the defense at the snap; vertically, to the inside on a crossing type route or outside on a route to the flat (Diagram 1). The only release that allows the receiver to give the defender a three way go, and not give any indication of the route or pattern, is the vertical release (Diagram 2). Defensive coaches are doing an excellent job in teaching pattern read concepts to defenders in which the crossing route and flat route give the defense a quick read on the potential pattern that will need to be defended (Diagram 3). The vertical stem in routes allows the offense to attack the defense, and individual defenders, with numerous patterns that look identical for the first six to twelve yards of every receivers route. The vertical push is especially critical versus the two deep coverages in which a safety becomes a robber when a given receiver breaks inside or outside on his initial move after the snap (Diagram 4).

With a lack of common name for these two coverages, throughout the rest of the discussion the individual patterns will be shown versus a true four deep quarters coverage and a four across coverage with safeties playing tight and actively involved in the run game. The patterns described here can be run out of any number of formations, to keep with our philosophy of multiple formations. The receivers breaks in routes of each of these patterns will be made at eight to twelve yards deep and the quarterback will have a three step drop from the shotgun or five step drop from under center.

The initial pattern the vertical series of plays must build off of is the four vertical pattern (Diagram 5). It is very important the receivers know their landmarks and keep the separation necessary to create the seams to throw the ball. The #1 receivers (counting outside in) landmark is four yards from the sideline or a position in which he has room to adjust on pass to the outside, the #2 receivers landmark is two yards outside the hash. The #1 receivers are taught to attack the defender and try to step on his toes before breaking outside or inside the defender based on his leverage, we would like to get outside and be in a position to catch the ball over the outside shoulder. The receiver cannot allow the cornerback to push him into the sideline. This is a good pattern versus a three deep coverage as well as a loose two deep safety coverage.

The #2 receiver that is designated as the bender versus a two deep look is in a good position to make a break inside the safety and catch the ball in the seam. The safety is put in a bind with the routes that will be discussed later in the article. The quarterback will look for a match-up on the outside, if none or the defenders are playing loose coverage, he will look to the designated receiver running the bender route to get inside leverage on the safety to the running back on a check release option route.

The running backs are very critical as outlet receivers with the vertical series in that the defense may feel the need to get deep drops in order to cover the routes and rally to a throw to a running back. The defense has to be made to account for the running back. If the defenders over the slots will carry them vertically to safeties, the quarterback will have a one on one match-up with the running back on a linebacker.

The second pattern builds the vertical push in combination with one of the best routes we run, the option route (Diagram 6). The #1 receivers will run take-off routes with the same techniques used in the four vertical pattern. The receiver(s) running the option route will show a vertical stem, attack the leverage of the defender and burst out of the break at eight to ten yards deep. If it is a zone coverage, he will immediately find a hole, sit down and not drift into coverage; if it is a man coverage, he will break flat and run away from the defender and if it is any type of bracket coverage, the receiver must come back down the stem. It is critical for the receiver to keep his hips over his feet and numbers hidden with good arm action to come out of the break. The receiver must not give away the break with improper technique. The quarterback will again look for a match-up on the outside first, if none, he will look for his best match-up on the option route. The quarterback must realize the coverage of the linebackers in relation to the release of the running back on a swing route. If they squeeze the option route, the running back must be a factor in the play and receive the pass.

Diagram 6

Diagram 7

Diagram 8

The next pattern in the series is a combination of the twelve yard deep out route and option route (Diagram 7). Typically, as you will see as we progress through the article, the #1 receivers show a take off route on a number of the patterns. The out route becomes an excellent throw after showing the four verticals and the option/vertical combination. The out route will begin just as the take off route did, ideally the defender would get out of his back pedal before the break was made on the out so the defenders hips are turned and he cannot make a play on the pass. The receiver will break to the sideline at an angle that will bring him two yards closer to the line of scrimmage. The quarterback will look for the loosest coverage and best located flat defender. If the flat defender gets underneath the out, the quarterback simply progresses to the option route filling in the space vacated by the flat defender.

If the cornerbacks are playing an outside technique and the out route is not a viable route, we will make a small adjustment to the curl/flat combination to keep tight, aggressive safeties occupied with a vertical push. #1 receivers will run a twelve yard curl route with the #2 receivers running a seam pattern to control the safeties (Diagram 8). The #1 receiver on the curl route will attack the defenders leverage and make a sharp break at the proper depth and find the throwing lane. Once again, if the defender over #2 becomes occupied with his route, which will happen after hitting the option route a few times, it leaves a throwing lane to the outside for the curl. The running back will run a swing route after checking his protection to still give the quarterback a curl/flat combination to that side of the formation with a read off the flat defender. The quarterback must make a quick decision and be able to release the ball as the receiver is making his break on the curl to allow run after catch yards. A second adjustment to this pattern will be to run all curls, if the safeties are playing loose over the #2 receivers (Diagram 9). This creates a numbers advantage from a doubles formation, 4 on 3, for the offense versus the underneath coverage of a loose quarters secondary. The quarterback is able to read the same flat defender as in the seam/curl combination. This is especially good versus defenders that will spot drop.

Diagram 9 Diagram 10 Diagram 11

The last of the vertical series patterns builds off the option and curl pattern run by the #2 receiver in the previous three patterns. The #1 receiver will run a post route breaking at ten to twelve yards over top the #2 receiver running a curl route (Diagram 10). If the safety is sitting at the ten to twelve yard area waiting to cover the medium range patterns, he has to be taken advantage of. The quarterback will read the safety over #2, if he sits, the throw is to the post, if he drops, the ball goes to the curl.

The receiver on the curl route must be aware it is his responsibility to get open versus the underneath coverage and give the quarterback a throwing lane. This is also a good play action pattern. The single receiver must occupy the safety to his side, with the knowledge that he is attempting to get double covered. This receiver can run a curl or post corner. The running back must be an option if the safety drops to take the post and the underneath coverage falls into the curl.

Once this pattern is seen by the defense and the cornerback dominates the post route, the next step is to take the #2 receiver on a corner route breaking at ten to twelve yards (Diagram 11). As in all the previous routes discussed, on the corner route it is crucial for the receiver to attack the defender with a three way go, stick the route and make a sharp break for the corner. The quarterback will read the cornerback, if he chases the post, the corner route by #2 will be the throw.

With any offense that is going to rely on the pass, the quarterback has to be drilled to be fundamentally sound enough to overcome the pressures of the game and still perform the correct techniques. These are three drills that are used to train the quarterback for proper techniques in the pocket and are related to situations he will see in every game.

The first drill is the progression drill. This drill will emphasize the ability to stay in a proper passing position at all times while the quarterback is working through his options on a given pattern.

Place five receivers five yards apart, ten yards from the quarterback. The quarterback takes a five step drop, using proper drop mechanics, and progresses from the first receiver on the right or left side to the last receiver. He must make deliberate movements toward each individual target, keeping the knees bent, taking small shuffle steps, holding the ball in cocked position and keeping the hips and shoulders in proper position to throw to the target he is looking at.

A quarterback must be able to avoid the rush and still be focusing down the field. The second drill is called dodge the pocket. One quarterback will be facing two or three rushers on the line of scrimmage. The quarterback will take a five step drop, after he hits his fifth step, the rushers will come at the quarterback one after the other. After the quarterback has dodged each of the rushers by sliding to a side or forward, he will pass to a receiver down field. It is critical for the quarterback to keep his body in a passing position, with two hands on the ball and slide or step up in the pocket using short, slide steps keeping proper balance.

A third drill also deals with pocket presence. The quarterback must be able to step into a throw and take a hit from a defender. This takes courage and repetition of keeping the eyes down field with a rusher in his face. A defender with a hand shield or dummy will align directly in front of the quarterback. The quarterback will take a five step drop and as the quarterback is almost at the end of his drop the defender will rush the quarterback. The quarterback steps into his throw as the defender is hitting the quarterback with the dummy.

I don’t believe you need to very physical when hitting the quarterback in this drill. The part of the game the quarterbacks are getting accustomed to is the ability to keep his eyes downfield with a rusher directly in his face and still stepping into throw without short arming the pass. This drill can also be used in conjunction with the dodge the pocket drill.

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