Dolphins Offense: Using Formations & Motion to Create Angles in their Gap Run Schemes

The Dolphins are very creative in the run game at creating angles and moving their players with motion into favorable positions. They do it with various motions and concepts that make the run game effective. In this article, we will look at how they use them to attack both 3-4 and 4-3 schemes.

The Dolphins are in their 21 personnel grouping and come out with a twins bunch look with a reduced split with the TE on the same side. They put the FB outside and motion

The defense is in a 3-4.

This forces the OLB to walk out and create angles in the run game. They create great angles by doing this.

As the play develops you see the FB who is in motion has a great angle to the LB. The Guard has an easy kickout on a wide OLB. The WR blocks out on the corner. The RB starts left to get a little flow and cuts back to the right.

Example #2

Same play but a different formation. This time the defense aligns in a 3-4 look but bring the OLB in over the TE and bring the SS so the blocking scheme doesn’t change.

The WR blocks the SS on the line, The Guard kicks the OLB and the FB comes inside for the LB again.

Again they create angles and still have answers even though the defense changed the look from a 3-4 in their secondary look by bringing the safety down to the bunch and walk the OLB to a tighter 9 look, they still get what they want offensively.

Clips of both plays.