Wichita State in the late 1970's, was looking for an "equalizer" to help them be competitive with schools that were bigger, faster, and stronger. The staff there sat down and came up with what we know as the midline option. Of course true triple option teams such as Georgia Tech and Navy run the midline option, but it is starting to be implemented by more teams in both high school and college that would not be considered true option teams.
Advantages of the midline:
1) The tight mesh of the QB/FB serves as a means to freeze the linebackers to give the offensive linemen a half step advantage 2) Forces DTs to close one of two gaps 3) Collapses the defensive front 4) Allows option football to be ran to the short side of the field 5) Allows a dominate DT to be "read" instead of having to be blocked 6) Hits quickly 7) Minimizes chance of lost yardage play 8) Easiest of all the veer reads
How to block midline:
The following two diagrams show how midline is blocked versus a 4-2/4-4 look. For information on blocking midline versus odd fronts, visit the different links in the resources section at the bottom.
As you see in the diagram above, the QB is reading the 3 technique DT for a give or keep read. If the DT gives him a keep read, the QB will then key the SAM linebacker. He will pitch the ball to the back if the SAM closes inside.
In this diagram, the QB's pitch key has changed from the SAM linebacker to the DE. As mentioned, this scheme takes advantage of an over aggressive OLB playing the QB. The pull and pitch on this play can be very "bang, bang", so repping the pull and pitch process with your QB is vital. At the 0:10 mark, you can see Navy running this exact scheme vs. Notre Dame.
Instead of using the remaining back as a pitch guy, some prefer to lead the back up on the outside linebacker/most dangerous defender instead of pitching off of him. This turns the play from a triple option to a double option. Here is a clip from The University of Charleston where instead of using the motion back as a pitch guy, he leads up for the QB carrying the ball.
The following two videos feature Muskegon (MI) High School and their midline game out of their spread pistol formations:
How often as coaches have we said or thought, "how can this be that hard"? Or, "I don't understand why he can't see that"? I believe one common mistake we make as coaches is we always assume our kids understand what we're teaching, unless they express is some way that there is confusion. I assume most of you reading this blog coach football. We eat, sleep, and breath football. We often times forget that football probably isn't near as important to the kid you're coaching as it is to you. Things aren't as simple to the kids as they are to us. Also, we as coaches don't have to worry about the physical aspect of performance. It is a lot easier to see what is going on from the sidelines or the press box when you're not the one being rushed or blitzed.
I'm going to steal the example used by QB guru Darin Slack, that compares a typical quarterback's understanding to an iceberg. What the quarterback understands is symbolized by the part of the iceberg that is above the water. Now, let's look at what you, the coach, understands. That is symbolized by the entire iceberg, both what is above and below the water. How do we get our quarterbacks to understand the entire picture, see the entire iceberg?
There are a lot of things on the quarterback's plate: receiving the playcall from the sideline, relaying the playcall to the other 10 guys, checking to make sure everyone is aligned properly, checking the front, counting the safeties, checking the corners, looking for potential blitzers, mentally reviewing his technique and read on the forthcoming play, and all of this while keeping an eye on and beating the 25 second clock. That is a checklist of 10 things a QB is responsible for...PRE-SNAP. After the snap, the job is even more difficult as he's trying to drop, go through a progression, and make the proper throw while bullets are flying all around him. Without question, quarterback is the most challenging position on the field. In my opinion, it is the most demanding position in all of sports. All of these things are on our QBs' plate, and that doesn't take into account the physical performance aspect of the position.
Football is a gray game more often than it is a game of black and white. What do I mean by that? Well, let's say you are running a typical curl- flat concept to stretch an OLB. You tell the quarterback, "if the OLB drops throw the flat, if he runs to the flat throw the curl." Here's the problem with that logic; you are assuming there are only two things the OLB can do. What if the OLB hangs in the balance between the curl and the flat? Well coached defenders are very good at slow playing their responsibilities and making a "cloudy" read for the quarterback. Also, that school of thought doesn't consider if a robber technique safety or a deep dropping inside linebacker getting in the curl window. Let's say a robber technique safety jumps the curl and makes an interception. The kid comes over to the sideline and says, "coach, you told me if the OLB jumps the flat to throw the curl." He did what you as a coach told him to do. As coaches, we sometimes are guilty of making this game black and white when it is in fact a very gray game in the eyes of our quarterback.
Quarterbacking is indeed a different animal and a position unlike any other. It only makes sense for quarterbacks to be trained unlike any other position as well. Welcome, the R4 QB Expert System. The R4 system is a product of The Darin Slack Quarterback Academy and Jenks (OK) passing game coordinator Dub Maddox. Coach Maddox describes it as a "powerful system of QB reads, recognition and decision-management. A system that accelerates passing game progressions, defender keys, and disciplined footwork in any offensive scheme." Some people make the mistake of assuming this is an offensive system. That is definitely not the case, but it is a system that can take the offensive system you already have in place to a level you hadn't seen.
Here is a trailer video from Coach Slack's website that provides an overview of what R4 is and how it can help your program achieve the goals that are set:
Brian Blevins, the head coach at Kettering Fairmont High School in Ohio talks about how the R4 has taken his quarterback and passing offense to a whole new level.
Let me say, I am writing this endorsement for the R4 system not because I'm being asked to or because I'm trying to drive business to a friend. I wrote this because I believe in the system and believe it will help your quarterback reach a level of play he's never been to before. You can purchase the 3 DVD set R4 QB Expert System here and start training your quarterbacks on their reads and recognition in a new and effective way.
As always, check out Chief Pigskin.com for lots of great videos and articles that will help improve your program.
When some people hear the terms "zone read" the term "innovative" may come to mind. When some hear the terms "inside veer" they may think "archaic" or "outdated". However, when dissecting these two plays, they are very similar and even blocked exactly the same way in some instances.
Nevada, #1 rushing team in the FBS last year makes it's living off of the inside zone read. While Georgia Tech, the 2nd ranked rushing team in the FBS made a good chunk of its yardage off of inside veer. When breaking down these plays, they seem more like identical twin brothers than an than products of different generations. The inside veer has made a comeback in college football, as many spread teams are using variations of it to create a numbers and angles advantage for their offense. Both the inside zone read and inside veer feature one or two guys being "optioned", combo blocks, and both number and angle advantages at the point of attack.
The play in the following video shows Nevada's patented inside zone read out of the pistol. Missouri is playing what looks to be a shade nose or 1-tech and a 5-tech on the left side. The guard and center will combo the A-gap defender up to the backside linebacker and the tackle will release to the MIKE linebacker. Nevada gains an extra blocker on the perimeter by bringing the wing around to block the OLB in case of a pull read by the QB. You'll notice the DE closes on the dive like most coaches will teach in defending option football. The QB pulls the ball and is out on the perimeter, with a 1 to 1 blocker to defender ratio.
In this clip, you see the inside zone read ran to the side of the 3-tech and 5-tech. The guard and tackle work a combo block, to get the 3-tech sealed and the guard releases on an inside track to the MIKE linebacker. Again, the DE takes his dive responsibility and Nevada is out on the perimeter with good numbers.
Now, let's take a look at one of the staple plays in Paul Johnson's flexbone repertoire, the inside veer. On the left side, Georgia appears to be playing a 3-tech and a 7-tech. Much like the second clip of Nevada's inside zone, you'll see a combo working from the 3-tech up to the MIKE linebacker. The DE is of course the man being optioned, just like in the inside zone read.
In the following clip, Georgia lines up with what looks like a head up zero technique. The center scoops the nose and the guard and tackle release up the field to the play side linebacker.
In this last clip, inside veer is ran to the 1-tech and the 5-tech. Just like in the first clip of Nevada's inside zone read, the guard will combo with the center on the 1-tech and work to the backside linebacker. The playside tackle releases to the OLB.
As you can see, the plays are blocked nearly identical at the point of attack, but differ depending on where the combos are taking place. For insightful video on inside zone schemes, check out this video and others at ChiefPigskin.com
For more information on installing inside veer as a part of your offense, check out the following sites:
In the last part of this series, we will look at the fly/jet sweep as a way of getting the ball in the hands of your playmakers. This concept uses the lateral motion rule to it's advantage in getting the ball to a player who already has momentum built up. The fly sweep is a concept that seems to be catching on at all levels, from youth football all the way up to the NFL. It's a simple means of getting the football to the perimeter of the defense to one of your best players. I could spend several posts talking about all the different way to run this play, but it is just my intent to provide you with a basic overview and provide some resources/video to learn more about the play.
When to run the fly sweep:
Like the bubble and tunnel screen, the fly sweep is a simple and sure fire way to get the football to a guy in space that can make something happen. Also, if you're hurting a team with your base run scheme between the tackles, most likely they will adjust to that by doing something such as pinching their DEs to take away the b-gap run game, etc. Running the fly sweep is a great way to take them out of that scenario and loosen up the core of the defense. Obviously, we want at least a stalemate or a man advantage when it comes to blockers vs. defenders on the perimeter.
Blocking:
When the fly sweep was first introduced, it seemed to be strictly an outside zone/reach scheme on the offensive line. However, since it's become popular, many have played with the blocking schemes to fit their offensive philosophy and scheme. For example, Bryon Hamilton at Foothill High School in California runs what he calls the "Shotgun Zone Fly Sweep"; which he created to fit how he wanted to block the fly sweep. It features a combination of both man and zone schemes. Coach Hamilton has based his entire offense around the fly sweep, and you can read more about it here. Below, I've provided some video to show you some different ways in which the fly sweep is blocked.
In the following two clips, Oregon is running what appears to be counter trey and inside zone away from the fly sweep and reading the DE on whether to give to the sweeper or have the QB keep the ball and run the counter or zone.
The University of Charleston, uses what appears to be a reach and overtake scheme towards the fly sweep. For a great drill to teach reach blocking, check out this video from ChiefPigskin.com.
The following clip is a digital playbook from East Valley High School, created by coach Ayinde Bomani; which shows in detail how they block their fly sweep. They choose to block it using what appears to be outside zone rules.
As you see in the diagram above, the QB is reading the 3 technique DT for a give or keep read. If the DT gives him a keep read, the QB will then key the SAM linebacker. He will pitch the ball to the back if the SAM closes inside.
In this diagram, the QB's pitch key has changed from the SAM linebacker to the DE. As mentioned, this scheme takes advantage of an over aggressive OLB playing the QB. The pull and pitch on this play can be very "bang, bang", so repping the pull and pitch process with your QB is vital. At the 0:10 mark, you can see Navy running this exact scheme vs. Notre Dame.
