The Spread Offense: Four Receivers Pt.l

hen people iliink
about lliL- .spiead
offense, they
think of a iio-huddlf, iast-teinpo, high-linessi' style ol
play. While the spread is a fasl-tenipo,
no-hiiddle ofiense. we don'l really
view it as liigli finesse. We see the
spread as an offense that contintiousiy
applies pressure to the defense, while
iillowing us to play with a distinctly
physical style.
Every coach attempts to create an
advantage for his fodiball team. The
spread offense gives us a number of
advantages. Il forces a defen.se to
align quickly and reduces defensive
suhstitutions. which can directly dictate ihe tempo of the game. Because
oi tlie lack of defensive substitutions,
conditioning becomes a major factor.
Other major advantages associated
with the spread are that it forces a
defense to cover the entire football
field, tbus creating space in which our
athletes can work. .-VJong with creating
space, the spread also helps create
U ar pictures for the quarterback,
:iaking it a quarterback-friendly
)1 Tense.
m
The Spread Offense:
Four Receivers Pt.l
By Rich Rodriguez, Head Coach, West Virginia University
Excerpted from "Football Offenses & Plays" with permission from
Human Kinetics.
16
UGUST 2007
The ba-sic elements of running an
ffective shotgiin spread offense are
listed here:
1. Make the defense defend the
entire field.
2. Play with multiple tempos.
3. Make the quarterback a dual
threat—rim and pass.
4. Make the execution of the offense
simple but not predictable.
5- Execute base plays. Practice repetitions. Get good at something.
The base formations used in the
tour-receiver shotgun spreati oiTense
aie doubles (2-3-2 set. figure 8.1a)
and trips {3-3-1 set, figure 8.1b),
Wiien using tbese two formations, recogtii/ing and reading safety alignments becomes very imporiant.
COACH AND ATHLETIC
FOOTBALL The Spread Offense: Four Receivers
Figure 8.1 Four-receiver shotgun spread base formations.
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a doubles
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b trips
Figure 8.2 Double-hi.
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The first safety alignment is what
we call single-hi, meaning ihai there's
one safety in the middle of the field
(figures 8.1a and 8.1b). With a singlehi look, no more than six defenders
can be in the box unless a receiver is
uncovered.
The next safety alignment is the
double-hi, meaning there are two
safeties high (figure 8.2). With doublehi safeties, no more than five defenders can be in the box unless receivers
are uncovered.
Based off these two safety alignmenLs, double-hi or single-hi, the
scheme allows the offense to choose
which plays to run, creating numbers
or angle advantages for the offense to
run or pass.
Before installing base offensive
plays, understand and teach the basic
formations and fundamentals associated with the procedure of running an
effective no-huddle, spread offensive
attack. As in any offensive attack, the
execution of base plays still depends
on having an effective system that can
be easily communicated to players,
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UGUST2007
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a 2-X-2 set vs. double safety
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3-X-1 set vs. double safety
allowing them to concentrate on the
fundamentals associated with the running and passing schemes and not the
procedure itself.
In our running-game system, we
concentrate on three schemes: zone
schemes (zone), man schemes (draw),
and pull schemes (trap and dart). In
our passing game, we throw five base
concepts, based on areas on tbe field:
quick game, intermediate, deep,
sprint, and run-action passes (nakeds).
As the spread offense has evolved
and become more popular, defenses
have devised different schemes to
defend the spread. Defenses try to
give mtiltiple looks by stemming and
disguising, looking to confuse the
quarterback and play caller. Stemming
defensive line techniques (for example, three lechniqties become one
technique and vice versa) is often an
attempt to slow the tempo of the
offense and clutter the picture. Other
defensive line movemenis include
angling and slanting the line once tbe
ball is snapped.
Disguising occurs through showing
a double-hi safety look and rotating to
a single-hi safety look, seeking to gain
an extra defender in the box for rtm
support. A defense can also attempt to
disrupt the picture by using the alley
defenders as gray-area defenders (outside linebackers or strong safedes),
again looking to gain an advantage in
the running game and quick passing
or perimeter throws. To counter this,
the offense must have a thorough
package to attack the sienuniug and
disguising defenses, such as quick
screens, quarterback rtms, and runaction passes consisting of drop-backs
and nakeds.
RUNNING GAME
Because of tbe various ways that
defenses are now defending the
spread, the first run scheme tiiat we
install in our running attack is the
zone scheme.
ZONE
The zone scheme (figure 8.3) helps
us against teams that are slanting or
' stemming and disguising.
Figure 8.3 Zone.
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a doubles zone
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b trips zone
COACH AND ATHLETIC DIRECTOR
FOOTBAI.I. The Spread Offense: Four Receivers
The zone forces a defense lo play disciplined. Including the quarterback as
a run threat allows us to even the
numbers versus a six-man box by
allowing the quarterback to read the
extra number.
To be an effective /.one team, every
ofTensive position must be on the same
page, and all must be accountable for
their roles. The five offensive linemen
must handle the five most immediate
ihreaLs in tbe box. The running back
must make correct reads, tbus making
the offensive line correct. The running
back must demonstrate great patience
to the hole, but not through the hole.
The running back is responsible for
placing the linemen on their blocks.
For the running back to be able to do
tbis. the back's course musi be consistent witb each back carrying the football. The quarterback must be disciplined and correct in reading the
extra defender. Tbe receivers must be
able to block the gray-area defenders
by using proper landmarks and taking
ibe coriect paths to their blocking
a.ssignments.
All covered offensive linemen mtist
take a directional zone step at the
defensive linemati's outside-arm breast
plate. Uncovered ofTensive linemen
must take the proper landmark to
block second-level defenders. All linemen must stay on their tracks (not a
man scbeine). The guard to the bubble side (1 technique or 5 technique)
must he alert for the 1 technique nose
to chip him before taking bis hack to
the second-level defender (figure 8.4).
The running back's steps in the
Figure 8.4 Guard waits for nose
to chip-block him before taking his
track to the second-level defender.
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AUGUST 2007
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zone scheme consist of an open step
and a crossover before meshing witb
tbe quarterback. After the handoff,
tbe running back takes two steps past
the quarterback, rolling downhill, aiming at the butt of the offensive tackle.
The running back reads the first down
defensive lineman to second down
defensive lineman. The back has three
options after his read of the down
defensive linemen: bang. bend, or
bounce.
The quarterback secures the snap
and stays flat-footed for the mesh,
making sure to keep his eyes on his
read defender. He executes tbe handoff or keep, based on his reads.
The inside receivers take the proper path to block the alley defenders.
Tbey mtist work to a position in which
they can dig the defenders out and get
them displaced vertically up the field.
The outside receivers block base,
blocking the man over.
This is our base running play; we
can run many plays off the zone concept, inciuding nakcds, play-action
passes, screens, and reverses.
DRAW
The first man scheme in oui- 1 uii
game is the draw play (figure 8.5).
This scheme allows us to attack the
defense downhill, while the defense is
displaced covering the formations.
The draw play is used to slow down a
defensive team's pass rush, to take
advantage of alley defenders expanding in tbe passing game, and to continue to keep the defense off balance
belwcen run and pass. The draw play
has been very effective in passing situations, whether the running back or
the quarterback carries the hall.
The offensive linetiien must show
pass, allowing the defensive linemen
to get up tbe field to rush ihe passer.
The linemen must transition from
being pass setters to run blockers. The
center and gtuird to ibe nose side
must be ready to set together and
combo the backside linebacker.
The rtmning hack takes a natural
pa.ss set action while sliding in for the
mesh with the quarterback to receive
the ball. Tbe running back's aiming
Figure 8.5
Draw.
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a draw QB
(FS)
(SS)
b draw RB
Figure 8.6 Trap.
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a trap read
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b trap QB
COACH AND ATHLETIC DIRECTOR
FOOTBALL The Spread Offense: Four Receivers
point is downhill at the biibble.
The qtiarterback secures the snap,
taking a small-rhythm, three-step drop.
The quarterback mtisl foctis his eyes
downtield, giving the illtLsion that a
drop-back pass is occurring.
The receivers must have great getoff on the snap, selling as if a pas.s is
occurring. The outside receivers block
man over, while the inside receivers
are responsible for the alley defenders. Just as in the zone play, the inside
receivers must take a great path to
blocking their assignments.
The draw scheme is a great complement to a passing game as well as a
rtmning game. The draw can slow
down a good pass rushing defense,
making the pass rushers hesitate.
TRAP
When putting together a running
game package, a coach needs a quickhitting, downliill running play. The
play we use most is the influence trap
(figure 8.6). which allows us to package
(IK- zone play with the irap play.
Packaging the two together creates
stress on a defensive tmit's run fits, hi
the trap game, either ihe i unning back
or the qtiarterback can carry the ball.
The tackles apex in to the near-side
linebacker. The center blocks back.
The playside guard influences out to
the defensive end. The backside guard
pulls and traps tbe playside 3 technique. (Note that on occasion, if numbers allow, we trap the 5 technique, as
shown in figure 8.6b.)
The running hack takes a directional downliill 45-degree angle step
toward tJie aiming point ofthe center's playside hip. The back reads the
playside apex linebacker.
The quarterback secures tbe snap
and works the downhill action, stepping with the foot opposite the running back (for mesh purposes). On
QB trap, the quarterback's reads are
tiie same as the running back's.
The outside receivers block man
over. The inside receivers are responsi-
22
.UGUST 2007
ble for the alley defenders. They'll use
the same technique as tised with the
zone play.
Running the trap play allows us lo
take advantage of angle blocking and
force the defen.se lo defend another
run scheme.
DART
The dan play (offensive tackle pull
play, figure 8.7) is a staple of the
spread offen.se and can he a very productive football play. Because of the
hackfield action, the dart gives the
appearance of the znne play but allows
you to attack the bubble with a diflerence scheme. The quarterback mtist
read the extra defender in the box
and may also run the play himself, if
tieeded (figure 8.7b). The darl is a
great misdirection lo add as one of
your base plays to successfully run
your spread offense.
reach tlie defensive end to sell the /one
action. The playside guard and center
ace block to the Mike or bacLside linebacker. The backside guard blocks
man-on, and the backside tackle pulls
and blocks the playside linebacker.
The running back takes an open,
crossover plant step, selling the zone
action, which causes the deiense lo
flow. At the mesh point wilh the {|uailerback, the running back pivois oul
and picks up tlic pulling tackle for his
read on the leverage of the playside
linebacker. It's imperative ihat llie
back doesn't rush oiu ofthe pivol,
which allows the tackle to get position
on his block.
The quarterback secures the sna[),
then puts his eyes on his read, which
is the backside defensive end. The
quarterback must stay Hal and alk)w
the running hack to stay flat, because
this helps prevent starling downhill
too quickly. The qtiarLerback must
The playside tackle must attempt to
read correctly for the give or
keep. If ihe hail is given, the
Figure 8.7 Dart.
quai terhack will fake hoot
action.
Receiver blocking is the
same as for all the base runLB T
ning plays. The inside
receivers are responsible for
the alley players, and the outside receivers are responsible
for man over. At times, we'll
game plan tbe receivers*
blocking responsibilities to
include blocking siiielies.
a dart read
The dart play is a great
change-up to combat fast-flow
defenses. If executed correctly, the dart can complement
the zone play by slowing the
c
flow of serond-level defenders.
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Based off the game plan, we'll
also change the playside tackle's assignmeni hy pass setting
the playside defensive end,
which might create a bigger
bubble lor tbe run lane. •
b dartQB
(See Parl 2 in ihc nexl month's Lvsur of
Coarh.f
COACH AND ATHLETIC DIRECTOr