Coaching Football Offense: College Football Screens that Compliment your RPO Game
College teams defensively are playing more man free on early downs to take away the RPO game. This is especially the case vs 11P. They will also play some cover 4 split field concepts but a major answer has been to play man free vs 11P Y-off. They will play man free with a safety coming down into the box to give them 7 hats in the box.
This article looks at screens thrown behind the line of scrimmage that compliment your RPO game and routes that work vs man coverage. These screens are mostly designed to be effective vs man free and man coverage concepts. Most are excellent man beaters. They are passes thrown behind the line of scrimmage where players block and can crack inside on another player downfield at the same time. It’s a great concept vs teams that want to play man free.
The college screen game is a little different than the NFL game because if the ball is thrown behind the line of scrimmage, WR, TE and OL can block downfield. It's a definite advantage and teams are taking advantage of it with some short yardage type RPo's and crack screen game. They like them especially vs man type coverage.
Arizona Angle Screen
A simple screen in which the RB angles to the sideline and comes in behind the LOS. The center releases down field to block the 2nd level as the ball is caught behind the line. Although they get man coverage, this is a great play vs man as well.
Film
USC Crack Screen with the tackle pulling
12P back to the TE side. Wing Left, twins right
The defense is in man free coverage. The nickel runs with the slot and the tackle gets out. He can bypass the nickel and works to the safety because of the man coverage. Nice design.
The RB slips out as they crack with #2 and get the tackle out on the perimeter. They make it look like slide protection. Nice scheme.
Film!
TCU Vs. Michigan
One of the biggest plays vs Michigan was a pass downfield that was actually caught behind the line of scrimmage. Michigan was in man and they ran a mesh concept ,but the wr was actually behind the line of scrimmage when he caught it.
This was a 79 yard touchdown at a key point that sealed the game in the 4th quarter.
Michigan brings pressure 6 man and goes cover 0
You can see the mesh developing as the slot wr is waiting to block the Michigan DB
The slot blocks him as the ball is caught behind the line of scrimmage. Not pass interference.
Now he beats the Michigan DB 1x1
Vanderbilt vs Alabama
Crack screen vs Alabama man Free
Alabama shows man free and plays it with the LB responsible for the RB. He releases but the offense cracks with the #1 WR.
The CB is in man so locks on his man as the WR cracks.
The RB is open as the LB covering him is blocked.
Film
Tiffin runs a version of the same play but uses the Guard in the design. You could probably use both guards and get them out on it!
Coastal Carolina
The next one is an RPO. They are reading the DE for run. The QB reads the DE staying inside on the run action so he pulls the football.
They start stacked and motion the wr down, He blocks the edge run support and they get a nice 10 yard gain on the h back to the flat off play action
They bring the WR in motion they want to throw to the tight end coming across.
Niec fake the wr cracks on the LB and it frees the tight end up. Nice 20 yard gain.
QB gets the tight end the ball.
Film
Wisconsin Crack Screen
This crack screen is mostly run vs 3x1 with some type of man coverage on the backside. Excellent play to run vs those type of coverages. The WR will crack on the man covering the running back, and the tackle will block the CB. Easy play and design to run as it takes advantage of angles and leverage.
Wisconsin runs it for a nice 20 yard gain.
They get the tackle on the CB with a crack from the WR.
RB in space with the 3 blockers
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Miami Hurricanes 12P
The last one is in the red zone out of unbalanced. Orbit motion and throw the ball back to the orbit man off play action. This is a very good play in the red zone!
The tackle blocks the safety and the H back gets out to lead in and block the corner or 1st color.
Film
Well, use some of the screens that will compliment your RPO game.