Coach T's Football Spot: Using Sprintout to Pressure the Defense

The sprintout passing game helps protect your QB and helps to put maximum pressure on the perimeter of the defense. It helps protect your QB by varying the launch points, or where he releases the football. This makes it so defenses cannot just pin their ears back and rush a certain point in the pocket where the QB throws the football. They have to be aware of these changing launch points. For more information on moving the QB launch point and pocket, check out this video from ChiefPigskin.com. Once the contain of the defense is broken, tremendous pressure is put on the playside defenders. It does this because the defenders need to be aware of the run threat the QB is posing. This wouldn't be the case if the QB was in a traditional pocket.

Other Advantages of Sprintout:

1) provides the QB with more of a chance to make something happen when receivers are covered

2) it provides the opportunity to neutralize excellent pass rushers by sprinting away from them

3) it shortens the throw for the QB, giving the defense less chance to make a play on the ball

4) it provides natural passing lanes and increased vision for the QB

Sprint out protection:
These basic protection rules, I got from this article an article on Sprintout and Half-Roll passing from SmartFootball.com

Backside Tackle: Turn and Hinge
Backside Guard: Turn and Hinge
Center: If covered or shade to callside, reach. If uncovered with no shade to callside, turn and hinge.
(Get depth as you turn and hinge)
Playside Guard: Reach, plug hole/backside
Playside Tackle: Reach (Note: On any reach block, if you are unable to reach, ride your man out to the sideline. Don't get beat outside trying to reach hopelessly. A man pushed out of bounds and kept on the LOS is just as effective.)

RB: Take two steps to callside, looking at outside rusher. Look for OLB or outside rusher to come shooting, block first color that shows. If none show, check middle and then backside. You are the QB's bodyguard. Step to rush, do not wait for him to get to the QB.

QB:

Sprinting right from under center: The QB's first step should be at 6 o' clock to help him gain depth, he should then take 4-6 more steps (depending on how you protect, where you contain point is, how long the routes take to develop, etc) before sticking his right foot in the ground attacking the LOS. To clarify, the QB should stick his right foot in the ground on his 5th or 7th step. I recommend placing a cone where you want the QB to stick his foot in the ground and attack the LOS. Both a left handed and right handed QB should carry the ball on his right shoulder, which is away from the defense.

Sprinting right from the gun: Instead of 5 or 7 steps, the QB should stick his foot in the ground and attack downhill on his 3rd step. The first step should still be at 6 o'clock to provide depth and maintain consistency with the under center footwork.

Sprinting left from under center: Everything remains the same as sprinting right from under center for the first 5-7 steps, except the ball should now be held on the QB's left shoulder. Like I mentioned earlier, this carries the ball away from the defense. After sticking the left foot in the ground to attack the LOS, the QB should transfer the ball to his right shoulder to a good pre-pass position.

Sprinting left from the gun: same as sprinting right, only the QB transfers the ball from his left shoulder to his right after the 3rd step.

Other coaching points on the QB:

1) Because it is natural to have a forward lean when running, the QB should fight to stay vertical from the waist up in order to support his elbow to the get to right position on the throw.

2) When the QB cannot attack the LOS because he is threatened by defenders, sticking his right foot in the ground and extending on the throw is critical

Basic Sprint Out Concepts:

Curl-Flat- the right side of the picture below demonstrates a curl-flat concept