The Vanderbilt Offense-3rd Down and Other Pass Concepts.

The Vanderbilt football team is having a great season. They are currently 5-2 and have 2 tough losses to Missouri and Georgia State. Even in those losses they scored 30 points and 36 points respectively. They knocked off Alabama and beat a very tough Kentucky team. Part of it is due to the very creative play calling of offensive coordinator Tim Beck.

Under Beck this year the offense is averaging 29.5 points per game. Most importantly, they are 4th in the country on 3rd down. They do this without the most talented team in the country. They utilize their personnel very well with creative play calling. They will often run numerous pick and rub routes in those situations as well as utilize some interesting unbalanced sets.

Here are some examples

3rd and 5 vs Alabama

Alabama is in their 3-2 front with bracket coverage on their best wr at the #3 position in the slot and man free on everyone else. The offense runs a designed pick route for the RB. The outside WR can block on this because the ball is thrown behind the line of scrimmage.