Spread option offense manual

Spread Option Offense Manual 4. Theory The defense has 4 down lineman and 3 backers, with 2 safeties over the top, and 2 corners, usually pressed up on the receiver.

The front is tailor made for the Cover 2 system. Strengths It allows you to have two deep safeties, and run the Cover 2 look to defend against the pass. Also has a variety of Dog blitzes and line stunts. Weakness It only has 7 defenders in the box to defend against the run, and linebackers are usually forced to play man against slot or running backs Vulnerable to: Outside run game, Option.

Theory The Defense has 3 down lineman and 4 linebackers, with 2 corners and 2 deep safeties. This front is more often used for its Cover 3 capabilities, but it can be used for cover 1, allowing a disguise of which of the linebackers is going to be sent on the blitz. Strengths It allows you to have two deep safeties, run Cover 2 or Cover 3 effectively, and utilize a multitude linebacker stunts, much more than the Weakness It only has 7 defenders in the box to defend against the run, the linebackers are usually forced to play man against slot or running backs, and there is only 3 down lineman, making it very weak at the POA.

Strengths It allows you to have one deep safety to take away the middle of the field, 2 strong safeties to take away the flats, and 3 backers over the middle. Can apply lots of pressure without sacrificing their pass coverage, or vice-versa. Theory The defensive front allows you to have safeties up for run support, and still enabling them to drop back into pass coverage. It has 2 linebackers, 2 strong safeties, 2 corners, and 1 deep safety.

Strengths It can have the safeties move up to make an 8 man front, or drop back into pass coverage in a tight zone coverage. Theory The defensive front is a variation on the defensive front, it brings the two hybrid linebackers up to the line of scrimmage in a defensive end role. It has 2 deep safeties and 2 corners. This front is used a lot for cover 2, and a multitude of zone blitzes, where lineman drop back into coverage.

Strengths It allows you to plug up the line of scrimmage at the POA, and have a player in great position to cover the running backs going out into the flats. The alignment fits right into the cover 2 scheme. Weakness Its weakness is that it does not have an adequate amount of linebackers to pursue backside and contain the quarter backs.

It also is in trouble if the backs run any route deeper than a flare. Vulnerable to: Option, Quick flats. Theory The defensive front moves 8 players up into the box. It has one deep safety, and 2 corners on the edges. Weakness It does not allow you to cover the pass very well, with only one deep safety and 8 players in the box. Vulnerable to: Passing Game. Theory This defense puts 4 down lineman, and 3 linebackers up at the line, along with this, is a hybrid safety Monster Back up near the line.

Strengths This defense allows you to throw unorthodox looks at the offense, and is loaded up against the run, great goal line formation. Allows you to bring lots of pressure through blitzes. Weakness The defense does not allow you to drop a lot of players back into coverage, and chances are, you can only run zone in this defense. Nickel Defensive Front I. Theory This is a defensive front with 4 down lineman With the exception of Nickel 5 and 2 linebackers, with 3 defensive backs up on receivers, and 2 deep safeties.

Strengths This defense allows you to keep 4 defensive lineman to apply some pressure, 2 linebackers to play zones in the middle, and 3 defensive backs playing up to a good coverage player on the slots or backs. Allows you to blitz faster defensive backs from the secondary, and disguises your blitzes.

Weakness The defense does not apply a lot of force at the POA, and is very vulnerable to the running game. Dime Defensive Front I. Theory This is a prevent type defense, it has 4 down lineman, 1 linebacker, 4 defensive backs, and 2 deep safeties. Strengths It has heavy coverage on all passing areas, and you can play man or zone easily.

Weakness Has very little up to support on running plays. Quarters Defensive Front I. Theory This is a prevent type defense, it has 3 down lineman, 1 linebacker, 4 defensive backs, and 3 deep safeties. Cover 0 I. Theory Cover zero is a full man coverage with no deep safety over the top, accompanied by a blitz from either the linebackers, corners, or safeties.

Usually has 5 or 6 rushers. Strengths The strength of Cover 0 is that they are playing man on all backs and receivers, and can rush up to 6 players, utilizing dogs or twists to confuse the protection of the QB. Weakness The weakness of Cover 0 is that there is no deep safety to help on inside routes, and having linebackers man against faster slot receivers or running backs.

Variations A. Bump and Run — The corners will get up to the line against receivers to disrupt their routes and timing B.

Press — The corners will play yards off, in a bump and run look, to cause the quarter back to make a misread on the coverage. Coaching Point Most man coverage is well disguised, they will try to hide it by using shifts, or doing other things to distract you from your reads. The defenders will take an inside position to try to take away inside routes. Before the snap in this coverage the safeties will either slide up to cover a receiver or come up as a linebacker to blitz.

One or two deep safeties. Read Keys - Players showing blitz - A defender lined up across each of your eligible receivers - Linebackers coming out of the box to cover receivers.

Cover 1 I. Theory Cover 1 is coverage where there is a free safety in the middle of the field, providing over the top coverage help on middle routes. The coverage could be accompanied by a blitz from the linebackers or defensive backs. Usually has 5 pass rushers. Strengths The strength of cover one is playing man on all the backs on safeties, and having a free safety over the top to help on post routes. The defense also has the ability to bring more than 4 rushers on dogs, twists, and stunts.

Weakness The weakness of Cover one is that linebackers are man on the running backs or slots. Bump and Run: The corners will get up to the line against receivers to disrupt their routes and timing B. Press: The corners will play yards off, in a bump and run look, to cause the quarter back to make a misread on the coverage. Coaching Point There will only be one deep safety in this coverage, so if there are 2 deep safeties in the initial alignment, one of them should either align up to cover a receiver, or creep up for a blitz.

Cover 2 I. Theory Cover 2 is a zone coverage. It has 7 players playing in zones, the linebackers and cornerbacks take the underneath zones, and the two deep zones are occupied by the safeties. The corners will try to funnel the receivers inside, also applying a slight jam to allow players to get to their zones. Strengths It allows quick response to underneath routes, allows the defenders to stay square and towards the quarterback, making scramble less deadly.

Weakness The deep middle and outside routes are open, and is subject to many route combinations aimed at one zone player. The gap between flat and hook player. Invert: The strong corner goes up to play a half while the strong safety plays the flat C. Tag: Underneath defenders play man on the receivers. Cover 3 I. Theory Cover 3 is a zone coverage, it has 3 deep safeties and 4 underneath defenders, one of the corners will act as the 3rd deep safety, it can rotate to the strong or weak side safety based on the call.

Tag: Underneath defenders play man on the receivers C. Bail: Strong side corner presses up, then sprints back to play a deep third. Coaching Point The quick game and short zones are left open, also, on the strong side, or where the corner has a deep third, fade routes are open if your receiver can beat the corner there. NOTE: Dead center of the field, directly in front of the QB and in front of the deep safety is also open but not pictured.

Cover 4 I. Theory Cover 4 is a read zone coverage, where the defenders read the routes of the offensive players to determine the strong side roll The backside roll is the corner, sprinting back, which puts him at a disadvantage, which is why they roll to the strength.

Strengths The strength of Cover 4 is having 4 deep safeties, also allows the safeties to be very active in run support.

Weakness The weakness of Cover 4 is that the linebackers will be reading receivers, trying to cover backs, and drop into their zone. Coaching Point Play action gives the linebackers problems in making their reads, throws off the roll and opens up the middle.

Equating Numbers We equate numbers to determine if we have a good play called for that situation. Equating numbers is simply subtracting the amount of defenders in the box from the amount of blockers you have This includes the quarterbacks read in plays where this applies. Take a look at the diagrams below. When the box players out number your blockers, you want to throw the ball.

The next diagram comes out even, and in this situation we want to run, because no one will be left unblocked.

Reading Pressure Reading pressure is the second step of your coverage reads. When trying to identify blitzers pre snap look for players feigning it, then check to see if they are on a receiver Probably fake , or if they are just floating Probably real.

Spread Option Offense Manual He should not focus on either Safety but see them both in his peripheral vision. It could be a Cover 3 or a Cover 1. The base running game allows you to use quick hitters to get quick yards, because more likely than not they will attempt to read who your giving the ball to in a choice situation.

It also sets up well blocked plays for the QB to get good yardage, because these plays use all 11 players on the field, unlike pro style sets, where the QB is excluded in the running game. The base run package consists of 3 major parts, choice plays, zone plays, and QB keeps. Outside zone plays refers to any play where the aiming point of the running back in the play art is outside of the tackle, I like to adjust this and say your aiming point is one yard outside the tight end No tight end you say?

Imagine where he would be, and then gauge your aim point. The inside zone plays are ones where your aiming point is inside the furthest lineman from the center No, X Receivers do not count. And finally the jet sweep, where a receiver motions and the ball is snapped as he passes the QB, where the QB hands it off, and he runs it around the corner.

This is only effective when they are in man coverage, because it moves all but one of the backers out of the box. Key the backer, and do not hold the sprint button until you choose a path. Read his angle, and look to go to the gap he leaves open, and if you go wide to the off tackle lane, be ready for the safety flying up. Steps to running the Zone run play: 1. Check for man coverage. Do not run this play against zone 2. Slide protect to the side you are running 3. Key the backer at the snap, if he slides over to the middle, cut back to where he came from, if he fills his gap, cut directly up field, and if neither is open stretch it to the backside off tackle lane and be ready for the safety coming up.

Notes Most times, the play that uses this concept will not have this name, and never appears like this in the play art. An inside zone run play is a run play where your aim point is the play side B gap, and thanks to the variety lack there of of blocking schemes in this game, you can turn any hand off from shotgun in the game into an inside zone run play.

This is a great play against zone or man. Since this is a passing offense, this is a key play to keep them honest. Key the backer again at the start of the play, but this time look to see if he drops into a zone, stays where he is, or blitzes. If he drops in a zone, just get the ball and take it through the open gap, if he stays at home, try and break your path to the other side of the line, take an off tackle path, and if he blitzes, look for a safety playing man on the RB, if there is nothing, just take off through the open gap and start running.

Steps to running the Draw run play: 1. Check for man or zone coverage, if man, key the backer, if zone, key the box players as a whole. Slide protect to the side you are running.

This is a great play against man or zone. At the snap of the ball observe the holes in the line, do not run up the middle at the snap, let the QB drift back before you begin running up the middle. Pretty simple play, just find the hole and run.

Steps to running the QB Draw: 1. This is the only outside zone run play in the shotgun set. Steps to running the Jet Sweep: 1.

Press the snap button to begin the receiver motion 2. If he attacks the QB, then hand the ball off, and if he pursues the running back keep the ball with the quarterback. Steps to running the Zone Read play: 1.

Check for man coverage, do not run this play against zone. Slide protect to the side that the running back is going 3. Read the backside defensive end at the snap, if he bows out at all at the snap, hand it off, if he runs in at the snap, keep it with the QB, and make sure you take a very steep path to the line of scrimmage.

This is a variation of the Zone Read play, this helps throw in another little hitch for this play, and prevents players from loading up the middle of the box, and helps you get the run wide in this game. From here it turns into a classic Triple Option read, where you will read the support player and his reaction. His read is much easier to make than the defensive end, because no one will bother to block him this time. Steps to running the QB Slot Option: 1.

Run directly at the support player with the QB to force a decision, if he bows out and gives you a cutback lane, take it and go. If he attacks the QB, pitch it to the slot receiver and try and get wide and up field with him. Steps to running the Triple Option: 1. Check for Man Coverage, its advisable to audible to a stretch concept against Zone, as it will net more yards.

Slide protect to the side the running back is going 3. If he attacks the QB, pitch it to the full back and try and get wide and up field with him. Steps to running the Wide Receiver Motion Option: 1. After you hit the seam its up to you and your stick skills. This play is a nice way to incorporate your quarter back into the rushing attack, because more likely than not, if this play was successful, you kept it with the QB. I drew so many paths because I like getting up field through the first open gap, not pitching the ball.

If there are linebackers there and the end will not give outside contain up, cut back inside of him on the left side of the B gap. Steps to running the Speed Option play: 1. Check for man coverage, you can run this on zone, but just try not to pitch it, it hardly ever works if you pitch against zone. Only audible to this if you see man coverage. The Air Raid took the West Coast passing game that became popular around this time, simplified it, and then unleashed it with a strong, option-based vertical passing attack.

Under the Air Raid, the offensive linemen use wide splits so the line of scrimmage extends out further, making the gaps between offensive linemen bigger and forcing defensive linemen to line up further and further away from the ball. The formation is run with the quarterback out of shotgun, not under center, with one running back next to him and four wide receivers on the field with no tight ends.

Tweaks to the Air Raid put in more running plays that involved plays where the quarterback could run on his own. In the Air Raid, all four wide receivers start by running straight Fly routes deep down the field to draw defenders away from the line of scrimmage and the middle of the field. Then, as the play develops, one or more of the receivers might break off the Fly route to either a curl, comeback, dig, or out route to get to the open space that was left free.

The Spread Option first became popular at the college level with Urban Meyer at Utah and then at Florida, especially at the latter destination with quarterback Tim Tebow. While this version of the offense is a similar formation before the snap, it works in a lot more running plays.

The Spread Option will normally utilize three wide receivers plus a tight end, along with the quarterback out of shotgun and the running back next to him.

The key to running a successful Spread Option is having a smart, versatile and skilled quarterback. This player must have a good arm, must be a threat to run and must have the smarts to read defenses and make decisions on the fly. Three wide receivers will split out wide, often on the same side of the field, the offensive linemen will take wide alignments along with a tight end, and the quarterback will be out of shotgun with the running back next to him.

The Smashmouth is similar to the Spread Option in that it will utilize the read option on a lot of plays. More often than not, though, this form of the spread will look to smash the ball forward on the ground and not through the air. Teams that run the Smashmouth Spread often have bigger, bulkier offensive linemen who can punish defenders and move them around with ease. The ultimate goal of the Smashmouth Spread is to take advantage of mismatches and holes created at the line of scrimmage with a strong lead power running game that will ultimately set up big plays in the passing game with play-action calls out of the read option.

The passing game will almost always attack either the deep part of the field or the short part with wide receiver screens. This last version of the spread offense is, not surprisingly, tailored more for offenses that run more of a basic Pro-Style offense. The idea behind the Pro-Style Spread is to use the same spacing and up-tempo pace to create mismatches, keep defenses off balance, and keep defensive coaches from being able to make substitutions for tired defenders. Through this, the Pro-Style Spread will often run what it calls the Run-Pass Option or RPO , which is basically just a glorified read option play, with the quarterback running not very often so he stays protected.

This Pro-Style Spread will have receivers running more traditional routes such as slants, outs and ins, and will incorporate the running game quite often to keep defenses off balance. While each of the four main styles of the spread are similar in their design and the concept behind them, each is different enough that it can be tailored to many different offenses with many different types of skill sets and personnel.

The most common being the double option Zone Read. The Spread Option offense is now more complex with various motion techniques and formations allowing teams to run triple and quad options. Spread Option teams also commonly use other formations in certain situations to either gain a numbers or leverage advantage over the defensive scheme they are facing. Take a look at some of the other Spread Gun formations and see what Spread Gun coaches run. While there are some variations, the typical alignment of players for the Spread Option are: Offensive Lineman — Offensive lineman in the Spread Option usually take a wide split of 3 or more yards.