Checking In With Chip: Part 2

See the link below for the first part of this series. This article refers to a play in the first breakdown:

 http://theofficialpetersreport.blogspot.com/2016/08/checking-in-with-chip-how-49ers-their.html 

In week 3 of the preseason, the play diagrammed below broke a tendency for the 49ers, while allowing them to run one of their base concepts.

The formation is similar to the formation that the 49ers used in week 1 of the preseason, to hit their tight end on a corner route for a touchdown (see link above). This time, the tight end will release, and break for the corner route. Only to break the route off into a curl route after three steps.

The play works well against both man and zone, as a man to man defender will be thinking about the corner route after watching the film from week 1. The video below shows the play working, with a completion to the tight end. The Packers played man coverage, and the tight end was able to get open.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=krIs9-tOitA

The whole field curl flat concept is a staple pass play for Chip Kelly. This adjustment allows him to run a concept that he already has in his playbook, while breaking the tendency of sending the tight end on a corner route from a closed trips formation. Two birds, one stone.

Click here to find out how to make the “stick” concept more explosive: http://theofficialpetersreport.blogspot.com/2016/08/stick-adjustment-adding-some.html

Checking in with Chip: How the 49ers & Their New Coach Will Attack Teams Through the Air

Chip Kelly’s stint with the Philadelphia Eagles was shorter than anticipated. In his final season, the offense struggled to produce on the ground, and through the air. In the passing game, the offense ranked 21^st in the league in yards per attempt, and 22^nd in passer rating. This is a startling decline from the 3^rd ranked scoring offense in 2014. What went wrong? A big reason is the quarterback position, as the Eagles had a new quarterback. Sam Bradford did not perform as well as Nick Foles and Mark Sanchez had in the previous season.

So what will Chip Kelly change about his offense? From watching week 1 of the preseason, the base concepts will be similar to what was used in Philadelphia. In a trips-closed formation, inside zone paired with a quick screen is a staple of the Chip Kelly offense. The video below shows an example of the play:

After the 49ers used this play a couple of times in a no huddle manner, the 49ers scored a touchdown on a play that is designed to take advantages of defenses recognizing the formation. The smash concept to the tight end side will take advantage of a loaded box, and should get a tight end matched up with a run defender.

 

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

Chip often uses a trey formation in the run game. His main pass concept out of this formation takes advantage of defenses playing the run. The 49ers used a full field curl-flat concept, anticipating the defense loading up the box on a run down. This play works best against a cover three, which is typically what defensive coordinators will call against a run heavy look.

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

This last video shows a shallow cross concept the Eagles used quite often the past couple of seasons. This play was called on a 3^rd and 8, and the 49ers converted for a first down.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6hXJXl-Mlbw

With the right people around him, Chip Kelly can be a successful coach. He understands offense and puts his players in positions to make big plays. It will be interesting to see how his tenure in San Francisco concludes.

"Stick" Adjustment: Adding Some Explosiveness to the Concept

The stick concept is arguably the simplest concept in football. There are many variations of the concept that can be used out of almost any formation. The basic theory of the play is to horizontally stretch a defense, specifically the linebackers. The figure below diagrams the traditional stick concept out of a trips formation. The quarterback reads the flat defender, and throws either the out route or the stick route.

 

Oklahoma ran a unique version of stick against West Virginia in 2015. The adjustment involves a switching of route responsibilities by the two receivers farthest to the right. These receivers will switch their landmarks, and run each other’s routes. The outside receiver will run a hitch route, and the slot will run what many coaches refer to as a “Spray 9”, or a “Spade” route. The play is diagrammed below.

The adjustment adds a few benefits to the play. First and foremost, a deep threat has been added to the concept. In the typical version, the fade route is merely a decoy. The throw is much too difficult for a majority of high school, and even college quarterbacks. The spade route is an easier throw, as the route takes longer to get to the same landmark. This allows the quarterback to put a little bit of air on it, unlike a traditional fade route to the wide side of the field. 

Secondly, the quarterback now has an option against man coverage. The original version struggles against man coverage and is widely regarded as a zone beater. The video below shows Oklahoma hitting the spade route against man coverage for a big play.

https://youtu.be/fo6_AlMemOA?t=8

Making small adjustments to the most basic plays in football can pay large dividends. All it takes is the creativity to put your players in a better position to succeed.

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