A Great Double-Move Concept for the Redzone

I noticed that this will be my fourth post about a play called by Lincoln Riley (unintentionally, of course). His offenses at Oklahoma have shifted from a pure air raid passing attack when he took over, to a run-based attack with heavy play action in 2016. Even with the focus on the run, Baker Mayfield finished the regular season at the top of the NCAA list for yards per attempt (a great stat for measuring efficiency in the passing game) while also finishing first in completion percentage.

With the prevalence of quarters coverage in today’s college football landscape, I like to look for the different ways that offenses try and take advantage of this coverage. In most cover 4 schemes, the safeties play aggressively to “rob”, or takeaway, any intermediate routes. This creates the potential for big plays down the middle of the defense.

Oklahoma used a play that takes advantage of this very idea. The image below shows the play. This play was taken from their game against West Virginia in 2015

The slant release by the slot on the right takes the safeties eyes to the outside receiver. The safety is no longer responsible for the slot once he goes inside. The slot will then run up the middle of the defense after he sells the slant route. The stem of the slant route must also sell the middle linebacker, to keep his hips square to the line of scrimmage.

After a few watches, this defense looks like it could be cover two. The idea of the play stays the same, the safety will still focus on the #1 receiver after #2 goes inside.

The videos below show the play. 

An inside release by the outside receiver on the right can also help draw the safeties eyes off of the slot receiver, as long as the outside receiver drifts back outside.

My new book has a few other double move examples. Click here to see what the book is all about.

My book is NOW AVAILABLE on Amazon

 "The Melting Pot: How to Adapt Old NFL Concepts into your High School or College Offense" is a thorough analysis of the Mike Martz Offense, with an interesting twist. Each Play that is diagrammed will have a modified version (or multiple versions) of the play, which will make them more effective at the lower levels of football. The Greatest Show on Turf has many unique characteristics that a lot of coaches haven't had the chance to study. with many coaches spenidng their time studying spread concepts,many of these ideas get thrown to the wayside. With an entire chapter dedicated to the "H Post" concept and its many variations and constraints, the book focuses on these rarely discussed plays. Taking a modern approach to the design of each play can give coaches a few new wrinkles to add to their existing offense.

Below is a link to my first book!

https://www.amazon.com/Melting-Pot-Acclimate-Concepts-CollegeOffense/dp/1535543590/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1481052691&sr=8-1&keywords=the+melting+pot+robert+peters

How the Patriots Capitalize in the Red Zone

As a play caller, one of the most important things is to be prepared to score touchdowns in the red zone. This is often an area that can be overlooked, as all coordinators are working to conjure up the “big play” (myself included...).

Josh McDaniels of the New England Patriots, as one of the best coordinators in the NFL, has his team prepared in the red zone. This specific example shows how he takes an idea that the Patriots use regularly, to set up a constraint in a high leverage situation.

The Patriots use the dig route quite often, in both the middle of the field, and red zone. This play in fact uses multiple dig routes on the other side of the field. McDaniels uses the route below to take advantage of that tendency.

Julian Edelman runs this route to perfection. At the top of the route, he leans inside to get his defender to lean towards the dig route. The timing from Brady is impeccable. The video link is below.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mdfseGuBxsY

In the NFL, that split second difference in timing is the difference between a touchdown and a 4^th and goal field goal attempt.

As a coordinator, it is important to have counter punches for your main plays. In the red zone, these counter punches can become knockout punches. 

This route is very similar to the "Spin" route in the Mike Martz offense. If you want to learn more about this route, and how to use it at the high school or college level, take a look at my new book:

 https://www.amazon.com/Melting-Pot-Acclimate-Concepts-CollegeOffense/dp/1535543590/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1480793690&sr=8-1&keywords=the+melting+pot+robert

A "Powerful" Play Action Play from the Pitt Panthers

(Please excuse the bad pun and alliteration in the title)

Many teams run a version of the “power read”, or “inverted veer”. Pitt ran a unique version of this play to get their first score against Clemson. Instead of the QB keeping the ball on the inside run, the H back will receive a shovel pass if the playside defensive end comes up field.

The video below shows Clemson in a blitz, with two players initially lined up in the C Gap. I tend to think that this was an empty check by the Clemson defense, as Pitt shifted into their formation from empty. Clemson ran a cover 0 blitz, which left nobody at the second or third level to tackle the pitch man. The H back shows good patience waiting for the left guard to get his block, before cutting to the inside.

https://youtu.be/-8vYiiaJHjw?t=310

The next video shows the same play, but out of an unbalanced formation. Pitt runs this play, and gets similar success.

https://youtu.be/-8vYiiaJHjw?t=777

On the next Drive, Pitt runs an innovative play action concept off of their version of power read. The backfield action will look the same, except the running back will run a wheel up the sideline. This play action concept more closely resembles a true triple option shovel read, made famous by Urban Meyer and Dan Mullen, with both Alex Smith and Tim Tebow (do yourself a favor and click on those two links, some great footage of the old Utah offense and Florida offense).

https://youtu.be/-8vYiiaJHjw?t=873

The video link above shows the play. Pitt catches the Clemson D man coverage once again, and the man guarding the running back gets lost in the backfield action. A tremendous throw from the quarterback with an unblocked defender coming at him. I am not sure how Pitt teaches the protection for this, but I would teach this as a kick out block for my left guard. Any feedback from O-Line coaches on this theory would be much appreciated (Twitter: @b_peters12).

This unique concept can fit into many spread offenses, and can give a little juice to your play action game.

P.S.: My Book is now available on Amazon