OFFENSE THEORYAND PROCEDURE
IF THEY DO NOT HAVE THE BALL, THEY CAN'T SCORE. IT'S JUST THAT SIMPLE. IF
THEY CAN'T SCORE, THEY CAN'T WIN. THE FUNDAMENTAL BASIS OF OUR OFFENSE IS
BALL CONTROL. A BIG AVERAGE GAIN PER TRY CAN BE VERY MISLEADING. THE IMPORTANT
PERCENTAGE IS DETERMINED BY THE NUMBER OF PLAYS RUN THAT GAIN 3.5 YARDS
OR MORE. WHEN THIS CONSISTENCY IS IN THE AREA OF 70%, THE OFFENSE CAN CONTROL
THE BALL LONG ENOUGH TO SCORE A SUFFICIENT NUMBER OF TIMES NECESSARY TO
WIN.
OUR OFFENSE WILL STRIVE TO MAINTAIN HIGH CONSISTENCY THROUGH BALL CONTROL. OUR AIM WILL BE TO ELIMINATE ALL THE MISTAKES THAT CUT DOWN ON CONSISTENCY SUCH AS BAD PLAYS, MISSED ASSIGNMENTS, PENALTIES, FUMBLES, INTERCEPTIONS, AND LACK OF AGGRESSIVENESS.
IN ORDER TO MAINTAIN A CONSISTENT OFFENSE, OUR MOTTO WILL BE: "DRIVE FOR FIVE." ON EACH PLAY WE WILL DRIVE DOWN THE FIELD FOR FIVE YARDS. WE WILL BE SUCCESSFUL IF WE CAN MAINTAIN A HIGH NUMBER OF PLAYS THAT NET A FIVE YARD GAIN. OUR SQUAD MUST CREATE WITHIN ITSELF A BURNING DESIRE AND PRIDE, THAT WILL NEVER ACCEPT ANYTHING LESS THAN ITS BEST EFFORTS. EACH PLAYER MUST ABSOLUTELY KNOW HIS ASSIGNMENTS WITH NO EXCEPTIONS. LACK OF AGGRESSIVENESS IS OFTEN THE RESULT OF NOT KNOWING YOUR BLOCKING ASSIGNMENTS OR A FEELING OF UNSURENESS. A LINEMAN OR A BLOCKER MUST HIT, HIT, HIT, HIT, AND DRIVE! A BALL CARRIER MUST RUN, RUN, RUN, AND NEVER BE BROUGHT DOWN BY JUST ONE MAN.
BASIC FORMATION
BALL CARRIERS MUST FIRST HOLD ON TO THE BALL. FUMBLES WILL DEFEAT A TEAM QUICKER THAN ANYTHING. SECONDLY, BALL CARRIERS MUST DEVELOP AN ATTITUDE THAT NO EFFORT IS TOO GREAT TO SCORE. NO DEFENSIVE TACKLER WILL EVER BRING YOU DOWN. GUTS, DRIVE, AND DETERMINATION WILL WIN MORE GAMES AND MAKE UP FOR LACK OF SPEED, OR ELUSIVE RUNNING ABILITY.
OUR OFFENSIVE ALIGNMENT IS UNIQUE. IT IS UNLIKE ANY OTHER OFFENSE OUR OPPONENTS WILL ENCOUNTER THE REST OF THE SEASON. THEREFORE, THEY WILL HAVE TO SPEND EXTRA AMOUNTS OF TIME DURING THEIR PRACTICE WEEK ADJUSTING THEIR DEFENSES TO COMBAT OUR OFFENSIVE SCHEME. IN ADDITION, OUR OFFENSE FORCES THEIR DEFENSIVE PERSONNEL TO PLAY IN ALIGNMENTS THEY ARE NOT ACCUSTOMED TO PLAYING. SIMPLY STATED, OUR OFFENSE GIVES US AN EDGE BEFORE THE KICKOFF.
THE FOUR THINGS THAT A DEFENSIVE COORDINATOR DOES NOT LIKE TO SEE FROM THE OPPOSITION ARE:
1. AN UNBALANCED LINE,
2. MEN IN MOTION,
3. BASTARD END SPLITS,
4. TRIPLE OPTION FOOTBALL.
OUR OFFENSE HAS ALL THREE BUILT IN. THESE THREE THINGS FORCE THE DEFENSE TO THINK AND ADJUST ON THE FIELD FOR EVERY PLAY. IT GETS THEM TO THINKING ABOUT SITUATIONS THEY HAVE NOT ENCOUNTERED THE ENTIRE YEAR AND FORCES THEM TO MOVE AND ADJUST JUST BEFORE THE SNAP. THINKING ADJUSTING, AND MOVING AT THE TIME OF THE SNAP TAKES AWAY A CERTAIN AMOUNT OF THE DEFENSIVE AGGRESSIVENESS. IT PUTS THEM ON THEIR HEELS AND GIVES US THE ADVANTAGE.
JUST BEFORE EVERY SNAP OF THE FOOTBALL, THE PLAYERS ON DEFENSE MUST RECOGNIZE THE FOLLOWING, ANSWER THESE QUESTIONS AND MAKE ON THE FIELD ADJUSTMENTS IN THE FEW SPLIT SECONDS PRIOR TO THE SNAP:
1. UNBALANCED WHICH WAY? HOW DO I ADJUST?
2. WHERE DO I LINE UP?
3. HOW DOES THE MAN IN MOTION AFFECT MY COVERAGE?
4. WHAT IS MY OPTION RESPONSIBILITY?
THE UNBALANCED SET FORCES THE DEFENSE TO ADJUST OR BE OUT FLANKED. THIS ADJUSTMENT PLACES THE DEFENSIVE PERSONNEL INTO POSITIONS THEY ARE UNACCUSTOMED TO PLAYING AND THEY ONLY HAVE A FEW PRACTICE SESSIONS TO PREPARE. THE MAN IN MOTION FORCES FURTHER ADJUSTMENTS BY THE DEFENSE WHICH PUTS ADDITIONAL PRESSURE ON THE MENTAL ACUTENESS OF THE DEFENSE. WE ALWAYS HAVE THE HREAT OF THE OPTION. ON EVERY PLAY THE DEFENSE HAS TO RECOGNIZE THE OFFENSIVE SET, LOCATE THE UNBALANCED, ADJUST, REACT TO THE MAN IN MOTION, KEEP THEIR PASS RESPONSIBILITIES STRAIGHT, ADJUST AND REMEMBER WHOM THEY HAVE ON THE OPTION. THERE IS A GREAT DEAL OF THINKING AND REACTING THAT MUST GO ON IN THE MINDS OF THE DEFENDERS DURING THE 3 - 5 SECONDS BEFORE THE BALL IS SNAPPED. FORCING THEM TO THINK - ON EVERY DOWN - TAKES AWAY MUCH OF THEIR AGGRESSIVENESS. IN FACT, IT IS PROVEN THAT IF YOU PUT TOO MUCH INTO THE HEADS OF HIGH SCHOOL FOOTBALL PLAYERS, THEIR FEET DON'T WORK. YOU CAN GET PEOPLE OUT OF POSITION VERY EASILY BY JUST PUTTING ONE MAN IN MOTION. WE HAVE SEEN AS MANY AS SIX PEOPLE MOVE AND ADJUST ON DEFENSE WITH THE MOVEMENT OF JUST ONE MAN ON OFFENSE.
THE BASIS OF THE OFFENSE FORCES THE DEFENSE TO CONTINUOUSLY BE MAKING DECISION WHILE THE PLAY IS BEING RUN. DUE TO THE NATURE OF THE PLAYS, OFTEN WHATEVER DECISION THE DEFENSE MAKES WILL BE WRONG. IN OTHER WORDS, WHEN THEY COMMIT TO ONE ASPECT OF THE OFFENSIVE, WE WILL TAKE ADVANTAGE OF THAT COMMITMENT AND DO SOMETHING DIFFERENT OR UNEXPECTED. THIS IS "SMART" FOOTBALL. NO ONE IS COLLECTIVELY ANY SMARTER THAN WE ARE. THROUGH OUR PRACTICE AND COMMITMENT WE CAN OUTSMART OUR OPPONENTS.
PART OF PLAYING SMART IS TAKING A BASIC PLAY AND BLOCKING IT SEVERAL DIFFERENT WAYS. IF YOU ARE PLAYING DEFENSE AND ARE CONSTANTLY GETTING HIT FROM MANY DIFFERENT DIRECTIONS, IT CREATES INDECISION ON YOUR PART. OUR OFFENSE WILL USE MANY DIFFERENT BLOCKING SCHEMES FOR OUR PLAYS. THESE BLOCKING SCHEMES ARE DESIGNED SO THAT YOU MAY HAVE THE BEST BLOCKING ANGLES IN THE EXECUTION OF YOUR ASSIGNMENT. ONCE AGAIN, EVEN IN BLOCKING ASSIGNMENTS ON CERTAIN PLAY, WE WILL ALLOW THE DEFENSE TO MAKE A DECISION. WE WILL ALLOW THE DEFENSIVE MAN AT THE POA TO MOVE DOWN THE LOS ONE WAY OR ANOTHER. WE WILL THEN BLOCK HIM IN THE DIRECTION HE WANTS TO GO AND KEEP HIM SEALED OFF IN THAT DIRECTION. WE WILL THEN REACT TO HIS DECISION, GO THE OPPOSITE DIRECTION INTO THE OPENING CREATED BY HIS MOVEMENT, AND GAIN YARDS.
YOU SEE, DEFENSE IS ALL REACTION FOOTBALL. THE DEFENSE MUST REACT TO THE OFFENSIVE FORMATION, ANY MOTION OR SHIFTING DONE BY THE OFFENSE, WAIT FOR AND REACT TO THE SNAP COUNT OF THE OFFENSE, RECOGNIZE WHAT THE OFFENSE IS TRYING TO DO, REACT TO THIS ACTION, GET TO THE POINT OF ATTACK AND MAKE THE TACKLE. ALL THIS NEEDS TO BE DONE IN 4.5 SECONDS OR LESS WHICH IS THE AVERAGE LENGTH OF THE AVERAGE FOOTBALL PLAY. IN A CERTAIN NUMBER OF OUR PLAYS, WE FORCE ANOTHER DEFENSIVE DECISION INTO THIS EQUATION, REACT TO THAT DEFENSIVE DECISION, AND EXECUTE AN ALTERNATE OFFENSIVE ACTION THAT THEY DO NOT HAVE TIME TO REACT TO IN THE SPAN OF THESE 4.5 SECONDS WHICH WILL ALLOW US TO GAIN YARDAGE.
THERE IS AN OLD COACHING CLICHE THAT STATES, "WHOEVER HAS THE CHALK LAST, WINS." AN OFFENSIVE COACH WHO HAS THE CHALK AFTER THE DEFENSIVE COACH HAS ALIGNED HIS FORCES CAN DESIGN A PLAY TO DEFEAT IT. CONVERSELY, A DEFENSIVE COACH WHO HAS THE CHALK AFTER THE OFFENSE HAS DESIGNED THEIR ATTACK CAN POSITION HIS FORCES TO STOP THE ASSAULT. AND THE DEBATE RAGES ON AND ON. OF COURSE, THE OFFENSE HAS THE ABILITY TO AUDIBLE, BUT THE DEFENSE CAN ADJUST TO THE AUDIBLE. AUDIBLES ARE GOOD, HOWEVER, YOU ARE RELYING ON ELEVEN 16 - 17 YEAR OLD KIDS HEARING, ADJUSTING CORRECTLY, AND EXECUTING IN THE SPACE OF LESS THAN 5 SECONDS.
OUR OFFENSE GIVES THE BIGGEST PIECE OF CHALK TO THE INSIDE OFFENSIVE TACKLE (IOT). HE WILL MAKE OFFENSIVE LINE BLOCKING CALLS BASED ON DEFENSIVE ALIGNMENT, STRENGTH, AND STRENGTH OF OUR OFFENSIVE LINE VS THEIR DEFENSIVE PLAYERS. THIS IS AN AUDIBLE, BUT IT IS SOMETHING WE WILL HAVE WORKED ON TOGETHER, EVERY DAY, FROM THE FIRST DAY OF PRACTICE WITH THOUSANDS OF REPETITIONS. THIS BLOCKING CALL ON THE LOS PUTS OUR PLAYERS AND TEAM IN THE MOST ADVANTAGEOUS POSITION AS THE BALL IS SNAPPED. IT IS UP TO YOU TO EXECUTE AFTER THAT. IT IS WHAT GOES ON IN THE 1.5 SECONDS AFTER THE BALL IS SNAPPED THAT DETERMINES THE SUCCESS OF ANY OFFENSE.
THE AVERAGE BLOCK IS NOT SUSTAINED IN HIGH SCHOOL FOOTBALL. THE AVERAGE HIGH SCHOOL FOOTBALL TEAM IS COMPRISED OF AVERAGE HIGH SCHOOL ATHLETES. AVERAGE HIGH SCHOOL ATHLETES ARE 5'10" TALL AND WEIGH AROUND 170 - 190 POUNDS. THERE ARE PLAYERS WHO ARE BIGGER, BUT THERE ARE PLAYERS WHO ARE SMALLER. WHAT GOES ON AT THE POA 1.5 SECONDS AFTER THE BALL IS SNAPPED BECOMES CRITICAL. TIMING AND EXECUTION ARE CRUCIAL. EVERY FOOTBALL TEAM AND PROGRAM HAS A SIGNATURE PLAY. IT IS THE ONE PLAY THAT THE OPPONENT MUST STOP. IT IS THE PLAY THAT YOU TURN TO FOR THE FOUNDATION OF YOUR GAME PLAN. THE GREEN BAY PACKERS UNDER LOMBARDI HAD THE SWEEP. THE 49'ERS HAVE THEIR SHORT PASSING GAME. ARCHIE GRIFFIN WON TWO HEISMAN TROPHIES AT OHIO STATE FROM THE TAILBACK (TB) POSITION WITH THE I FORMATION ISOLATION PLAY. OUR BASE PLAY IS THE FULLBACK (FB) DIVE PLAY.
THE BASE PLAY
OVER THE YEARS WE HAVE HAD GREAT SUCCESS WITH THE FB DIVE RUN A VARIETY
OF WAYS. WE BELIEVE THAT THIS SCHEME GETS THE MOST BANG. THE SUCCESS WE
HAVE HAS HAS BEEN WITH A WIDE VARIETY OF ATHLETIC TYPES PLAYING FULLBACK.
WITH ALL ELSE THAT GOES ON OFFENSIVELY, THE MYRIAD OF THINGS THAT SPIN THROUGH
THE MINDS OF THE MEMBERS OF THE DEFENSE, OFTEN THE SIMPLE DIVE PLAY IS EITHER
OVERLOOKED OR NOT GIVEN THE RESPECT IT DESERVES. WE KEEP ATTENDING COACHING
CLINICS AND HEAR COACHES TALKING ABOUT "KISS" (KEEP IT SIMPLE
STUPID), AND THEY GO INTO COMPLICATED OFFENSIVE AND DEFENSIVE SCHEMES. NOT
ONLY IS THEIR A LOT OF INFORMATION THAT FLOWS THOUGH THE MINDS OF THE DEFENSE,
THERE IS ALSO A LOT OF INFORMATION PROCESSED THROUGH THE MINDS OF THE OFFENSIVE
COORDINATORS OF THE WORLD.
WE HAVE TRIED IT ALL OVER THE LAST 25 YEARS - OPTION, VEER, 1 BACK, QUICK
PASS, RUN-AND-SHOOT AND ON AND ON. WE HAVE COME TO THE CONCLUSION THAT THE
ONLY THING WE HAVE DONE IS COMPLICATE MATTERS MAKING IT MORE DIFFICULT TO
BE SUCCESSFUL. THE FB DIVE BASE PLAY PROVIDES A MINIMUM NUMBER OF REQUIREMENTS
OF EXECUTION TO BE SUCCESSFUL:
1. QB TAKES THE SNAP, SEATS THE BALL, OPENS AT A 45 DEGREE ANGLE AND HANDS OFF TO THE FB.
2. FB TAKES HANDOFF RUNNING STRAIGHT AHEAD WITH HEAD UP LOOKING AT THE BLOCKING DEVELOP AT THE POA.
3. AT THE POA A BLOCKING CALL HAS BEEN MADE THAT WILL MAXIMIZE OUR BLOCKING ANGLES, SKILLS AND STRENGTH OF OUR PLAYERS VS THEIR DEFENSE.
4. EVERYONE ELSE ON THE LOS EXECUTES A "CUT OFF" BLOCK, I.E., CUTS OFF THEIR ASSIGNED DEFENDER FROM A DIRECT PATH TO THE BALL CARRIER. A DEVASTATING BLOCK IS NOT NEEDED, BUT JUST A SIMPLE SCREEN WILL DO. THIS SCREENING TECHNIQUE IS VERY FRUSTRATING FOR THE DEFENSE.
5. THE REMAINING BACKS CARRY OUT AS GREAT A FAKE AS POSSIBLE. AN OLD MAXIM OF OURS IS, "A GOOD FAKE IS WORTH AT LEAST THREE BLOCKS." IN THIS SCHEME WITH ITS MINIMUM NUMBER OF PLAYS, MORE EMPHASIS AND WORK CAN BE DEVOTED TO FAKING AND THE FINER POINTS OF THE PLAY ACTION.
IN YEARS PAST WE SPENT MUCH OF OUR PLAY PATH TIME WORKING ON VARIOUS SERIES. WE HAD A SWEEP SERIES, OPTION SERIES, VEER, COUNTER ACTION, SPRINT-DRAW, BLAST SERIES AND ON AND ON. WE PUT SO MUCH INTO THE ATHLETES' HEADS THAT THEIR FEET DID NOT WORK RIGHT. THEY SLOWED DOWN. WE AS COACHES WITH OUR ELABORATE OFFENSIVE SCHEME ROBBED OUR PLAYERS OF THEIR AGGRESSIVENESS.
LOU HOLTZ IN HIS CHAMPIONSHIP SEASON AT NOTRE DAME TALKS ABOUT A SUCCESSFUL HIGH SCHOOL PROGRAM. WHEN ASKED WHY THAT PROGRAM IS SUCCESSFUL HE SAID IT WAS BECAUSE THAT COACH DID NOT TIRE OF RUNNING HIS BASIC PLAY.
NOT TIRING OF RUNNING THE BASE PLAY IS ESSENTIAL. IF YOU ARE SUCCESSFUL TO SOME DEGREE WITH YOUR OFFENSE, YOU WILL RUN 50 - 60 PLAYS DURING A TYPICAL HIGH SCHOOL GAME. THAT FACT DICTATES THAT YOU CALL THE FB'S NUMBER 20 - 30 TIMES A GAME. THAT MEANS THE TB, QB, WB AND RECEIVERS SHARE THE REMAINING 30 REPS.
THE FB POSITION IS THE HEART AND SOUL OF THE OFFENSE (BEHIND THE MUSCLE OF THE TANDEM IN FRONT OF HIM). YOU CAN SUB FOR THE FB ON OFFENSE. IN FACT, IT CAN BE ADVANTAGEOUS TO DO SO. A NEW DIVE BACK HALF WAY THROUGH THE 2ND QTR WITH FRESH LEGS AND A DIFFERENT RUNNING STYLE CAN BE DEVASTATING, EVEN MORE SO IN THE 4TH QTR.
THE FB NEEDS TO AVERAGE CLOSE TO 4 YARDS PER CARRY TO BE SUCCESSFUL. THAT EXTRAPOLATES TO 100 - 120 YARDS OR MORE PER GAME FROM THE FB POSITION. THE OTHER 5 PLAYERS WHO HANDLE THE BALL WILL HAVE A MUCH LARGER PER AVERAGE ATTEMPT ONCE THE FB IS ESTABLISHED EACH BALL GAME. THE SE AND THE TE WILL AVERAGE AROUND 10 YARDS PER RECEPTION. THE WB WILL AVERAGE AROUND 8 - 10 YARDS PER CARRY (WHICH WILL ONLY BE AROUND 4 - 5 CARRIES PER GAME) AND 15 YARDS PER PASS RECEPTION. THE QB AND TB WILL AVERAGE 6 - 8 YARDS PER ATTEMPT. THIS OFFENSE WILL GENERATE 300 - 400 YARDS PER GAME WITH 200-250 ON THE GROUND AND 200 - 250 IN THE AIR.
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