Thoughts on Developing an Offensive Philosophy
Every coach should develop an offensive playbook if they want to be a coordinator. It is essential to your development and will help make you a better coach. It could take time, but it will be a project worth while. We need to stop just taking a playbook and making it our own and start thinking things through. It will help you grow.
Also, what do you want to be. Are you a tempo team that you get them lined up and then make the call or do you want to huddle and play at your own pace.
Here are 10 thoughts in developing an offense. I'm sure there are many more.I may be leaving out but here's my thought process!
1. Run game- Choose the run game that best fits your players. Well we ran wide zone the last 5 years so we have to continue to run it, NO! Especially in HS where one year you have a running qb and the next year your QB runs a 5.5 40. Develop a run game that fits your kids.
Personnel groupings: 12, 11 ,21 or 10. What do you want to be on offense. What run schemes can we run successfully. Do we want to be under center or in the gun?
Gap/Zone Team- If you can move laterally and have quicker o lineman then run a zone scheme. More size and less speed run a gap scheme. Don't try to force round pegs into a square hole.
Every run game you should have:
A. Bread and butter-what 3 plays are you going to have in your offense that are your go to plays. Plays you can get to and run when you want to run them.
B. Perimeter run-toss, jet sweep, wide zone, maybe pin and pull-You need to stretch the field horizontally as most big runs will happen with a missed tackle on the edge.
C. Misdirection: Counter and trap. With all the 4-2 fronts, why we don't see more trap is a big surprise to me.
D. QB designed runs: Always a fan of 3x1 speed option away from the trips. QB power game is a great play and some of the other ones you can scheme up. So many t o draw up if you have the QB to run it.
E. Zone read game: We all have our zone read and rpo variations. We can write a book on those. Choose ones you like and stick with them.
F. Wildcat component-If you don’t have a running QB, you may want to consider the wildcat component!
2. Pass game- Your pass game should focus on having answers vs every coverage. Don’t limit yourself by trying to draw the perfect play for a certain coverage.
A.Drop Back- quick and 5 step game with route concepts that will work vs both man/zon concepts:
3 Examples include: Mesh, dagger, shallow sit and sail route. These route concepts are universal and have answers vs every coverage concept.
B. Boot game & Play action pass game- Every run scheme should have a play action off of it.
C. Screen game-In college and High School you can block when ball is thrown behind the LOS. Take advantage of that with a a crack screen game and take advantage of 2 for 1's on the perimeter vs teams that play man. Do we want a traditional or quick screen game.
D. RPO game and ability to make things a definite give. Having an RPO game is important but don’t let it take away from your play action game. Don’t become too RPO heavy. I like RPO’s off perimeter action that can stretch defenses horizontally.
E. Protection schemes-drop back, sprint or dart and move the pocket, Half man-half zone, and full/4 man slide protections are all questions to consider. You should have 3 options for the RB: 1. Stay in 2. Check Release 3. Free Release
3. Pre snap Read Component:
There are always some easy throws that defenses give you on early downs. Rather than check to it make it part of the equation and system on early downs.
Here's an easy example:
You come out in 3x1.
A) you have 3 over 2 to the trips side, the qb can throw the bubble
B) You have a 1 wr pattern that is built in to your system: slant, hitch or out for arguments sake.
C) Neither look you like you run the designed play. It may be a zone read or an rpo but you have A and B built into your offense.
You have a pre snap throw to the single wr side. If CB is 7 yards off you throw it.
4. The ability to play tempo at any time:
A. 1 word calls to get them off quick. This can help you in 2 minute as well as if you want to speed the game up. It’s 3rd and 1 and you want to catch a defense, make the 1 word call. Or, maybe you just hit a 30 yard gain and they had their nickel personnel in and you want to catch them quick and not let them sub.
Example: Arizona-everyone gets lined up in the predetermined formation and runs inside zone
Pass game: Michigan-Auto mesh
B. Something to get lined up quick and try to draw them off. A quick call like Delta, its's 3rd and 2 get lined up try to draw them off. If it doesn't work, call the play at the LOS. We used to call Delta 5, we knew the ball wouldn’t get snapped, get up to the line and see if you can draw them off.
5. Unbalanced component
A. Run to the strength of unbalanced, run away from the strength
B. Pass play away from unbalanced when teams over rate in the secondary (CB in the middle of the field)
6. Formation into the boundary
A. How do they handle this:
Do defenses roll the coverage into the boundary? Do they align the Sam to the boundary? How do they play it and have a few answers depending on what they do.
7. Stack/Bunch Formations:
You can run stacks to both sides or Will they give you a 5 man box. If so run the football. Give you 6 have a few easy pass concepts from stack formations. That’s 1 example.
How do they line up to bunch formations. What do they give you when you come out in 3x1 bunch. Do you have the ability to check the play to either side.
8. Motions
How do they handle it. Most teams will tell you zone or man. Use motions to give you leverage and angles in the run game and also help you create running lanes. Create movement and displacement at the LB and secondary level.
Some will spin the secondary and others will shift some LB. Have your answers based on what they do.
Motions to consider:
1. Hip, TE outside and motions to the hip of the tackle 2. Jet Motion: 3x1 and run jet the other way (Jet slice schemes are great) 3. Orbit Motion 4. Tear Motion with the RB to the sideline 5. Motion to stack, starts with twins with the outside wr off, he motions to a stack behind the other wr 6. TE Escort or fast motion
9. Empty Component out of 12/21/13
If you run 12/21 you should run empty, most teams will go zone vs 12 defensively so you can create some easy throws and completions with some easy formations and routes. Stick to the 3 wr with 2 slants weak is an easy one. You can obviously run empty out of any formation but 12/13/21 can sometimes get you into favorable coverages.
Special Situations
The following need to be addressed and thought about:
a. short yardage
b. red zone
c. coming out
d. 3rd down situations
e. 2 minute
f. Playing with a lead and behind
g. end of half, end of game scenarios
h. fast field goalIn Closing:
Have answers for everything the defense can give you. You don't need too many plays to accomplish that. Take 10% out of your playbook and see what happens. Have answers!!
These are my 10: Subject to change!