The Coolest Book I've Ever Read (MUST BUY)

I hate reading.  It isn't that I can't read, read slow, or have poor comprehension.  I am actually an excellent reader, however it is probably the most boring activity in the world in my eyes.

The more text, the greater my chances of falling asleep mid paragraph.

With that said, if you ever see my recommend a book, just know you will probably enjoy it very much.

I HAVE to tell you all to drop what ever you are doing right now and go get Coach Grab's iBook.

101 pro style pistol offense plays

You can read more about it here and here.

Now that you know where to get it let me explain why it is so awesome.

I think calling it a "book" is a disservice.  It is an interactive offense in a box.  It is a clinic that you can fit in to your backpack or briefcase.  It is everything you need to know to be able to run a successful offense at any level.  The way the text is broken up with the diagrams and videos (embedded straight in to the "book") makes it very easy to read.  You are not weighed down by text.  There is never a problem visualizing what he is talking about because there is video (which is intercut with sideline and EZ view) as well as diagrams (that advance like a slideshow every time you tap the screen).  The book moves seamlessly from page to page and when you enlarge the video player or diagrams.  I never had an issue with it lagging or loading ... just a flick or tap of the finger/thumb and the videos/diagrams make the text come alive.

I have never seen a resource that is so complete and that appeals to any type of learner.

All of the benefits I have listed are just about how cool the product itself is and the way it is packaged together... any offense would be easy to digest when presented to elegantly and functionally.

Now getting in to the football side of things.  The information presented by coach grab and the way the offense is structured is excellent.

We don't even run pistol, I don't want to run pistol.  However there are so many things within this iBook that I found to be worthwhile I am adapting many of schemes to our offset gun offense.  I think no matter what offense you run you will find things you can take way from this offense.  I now have to edit my playbook because of the changes this iBook has compelled me to make to our Play Action/Boot Leg game.

The best part is that the iBook is only $20.  Seriously most people waste that on Starbucks during the week.  Any coaching DVD you buy online is going to set you back more and I do not think it will be able to compare to what Coach Grab has created.

This is a valuable resource for anyone using a pistol, gun, pro style offense, or anyone that just wants to have a better understanding of a well structured, complete, multiple offense.

I am in now way a paid endorser of this product, and I have nothing to gain for writing this piece so please just trust my advice.  If you have an iPad (the iBook is only available for iPad) then do yourself a favor.  Go buy this iBook right now.  I promise you will not regret it, I give it the official Coach B Dud seal of approval!!!

I planned to read a chapter a day but simply could not put it down.  I finished the whole thing in 24 hours.  Now I will continue to revisit it as I finalize my playbook and install schedule for Spring Ball.

Again, people, what are you waiting for?? Go buy it now and enjoy the awesome reading/viewing experience.

Using Spread Concepts in a Pro Style Offense

I got the idea for today's post from Internet celebrity @Lochness

I do not know if a combination of routes and reads can necessarily be defined as "for spread teams" or "for pro style teams"... to me they are just moving players and manipulating the defense.  But I decided to take some plays that are widely viewed as "spread" plays and break them down from an under center 21 personnel offense.  I drew up split backs because the RBs are balanced and I have some experience in a pro style splitback offense.  However these concepts could just as easily be used from any other 2 back formation... I do think it is easier for a FB to release if he is offset those extra couple yards than compared to being straight behind the QB.

Each of these plays is a part of most spread passing arsenals... they are the most popular plays I see being talked about by spread people.

I think each of them would work just as well in a 21 set and could be done off of straight drop or play action.

I am by no means an R4 expert but I will do my best to put the concepts into it's terms.

1. Snag
Seriously, did you guys think I would write about anything else before bringing up Snag?  If you have followed my activity recently you have probably seen how enamored I am with the 3 man snag concepts and variable tags on the backside.  I just think it is a money concept.  In my mind it is just as potent in a pro set.
TE has the Corner route, this is our Rhythm.  The snag by Z is the Read.  The playside RB has a swing (or shoot) route to provide the Rush horizontal stretch on the #2 defender.  X route on the backside can be a quick slant or snag route as a base.  I have it drawn with a Dig tag to exploit middle LBs who want to cheat to the 3 man side.  The backside RB can be left in for protection or run a swing to the backside for a 2 man snag combination.

2.  A similar 3 man triangle concept... Stick!
This concept is essentially the same as Snag as it has the same reads for the QB, and attacks the same grass, it merely inverses who the deep route and the settle routes are and is a great way of getting the ball to the TE (or slot depending on formation) the ball quickly. Z has an outside release GO and is our Rhythm.  Y has the Stick and is our Read.  The Rb is again the Rush route on a flat/shoot/swing whichever you prefer for a horizontal stretch.  I have X drawn up on a slant for  the possibility of working that 1 on 1 matchup should you desire.

3. Spacing is a very popular quick game concept with many coaches.  There is no vertical stretch but we are able to put a lot of pressure on the defense to cover horizontally.  Y is our Rhythm and has the Spot/mini curl, Z is the Read with the Snag route (carry over teaching from Snag Concept) and again our RB provides the Rush with his flat/shoot/swing.  I drew it with the same X slant as above to work 1 on 1.

4.  Now on to a vertical stretch.  I love the horizontal stretches given by the plays above but a vertical stretch play is a necessity in my opinion.  The simple flood concept is easy out of a Pro Set.  This was our best concept when I was at my first coaching stop.  Z has a skinny post, I used to run this as a GO but I like the idea of running a Skinny post instead to occupy a safety lined up on the hash... keep him out of the picture of that out route. That skinny post is our Rhythm.  Y has a 12 yard out and is our Read.  RB is the Rush with another flat route.  Works great off of a play action half roll action with that RB setting up faking a lead block then leaking out.  Key is to work the timing in practice and keeping proper spacing between Y and the RB.  There needs to be vertical spacing (Y at 12, RB on an angle to 3 yards at the sideline) and Horizontal distance between them to increase the chances of hitting one of them.  Backside can run a post or dig route that we can capitalize on later in the game when we see an over reaction.

5.  Finally I want to touch on 4 verts.  So far everything I have drawn has involved the RB releasing on some sort of flat route from the backfield.  Verts is a great play that not many 2 back teams run, or can only run from one of their 1 back sets and somewhat give it away.  I think it is reasonable to be able to run it from a 2 back set with the right field spacing.  X and Z own the numbers.  Y has the right hash.. and ideally we run this play from the left hash or close to it so the RB can start his flat route and turn it up the hash... this route is very difficult to cover from a defense's perspective.  It should fit in with our timing because the Y is our rhythm and always our first read... We want to zip that ball in to him as soon as he clears the OLB every time... then if we see that taken away by collision or FS jumping it we move to our Read... the left hash vertical (Rb from backfield). The Rush is the backside RB checking down.  Coaches can use tags to work reading an outside vert first if that is the match up you prefer.

My final note is that on any of these concepts with the Rb getting out... We can always tag "Wheel" to convert his route into a flat then up the sideline... this is a nice constraint off of his usual flat route and can hurt the defense that wants to jump his flat route.  Make sure any other deep route to that side is converted to a Post or Dig on this play so we don't have 2 men running their routes into one another.  For example if we worked that 3 man snag with a "wheel" tag... Y would run a Dig... because a corner would put him and the RB (wheel) into each other's way deep down the sideline.

Some Cool Things to think about for Spring Ball

Here are some more recent thoughts of mine.  They might look familiar.

4 man stick

#1 has an outside release go

#2 has the stick route

#3 has a spot route over the ball (they ran this route like a slant)

RB has 3 yard shoot/flat route

 WR screen to the backside of trips.  We have run "solid" screens for a while with OL zoning away but the new thing is pulling the guard to sell the power look.  So now the defense sees Guard Pull and RB flow that way.  The tackle has the key block because he starts his hinge block stepping to b gap and hinging, then has to get flat down LOS and kick out the Corner.  The Center works laterally like a down block for pulling guard, then slides down LOS looking to pick up LB chasing it from inside out.  Tackles have to understand the difference between a multiple WR side screen and a single WR side screen so they know to go flat and pick up Corner. When we release all of our OL we use the "out up in" method and this is essentially what they are doing... The Tackle has out, the Guard is pulling so he isn't there but you don't need the Up lead block because there probably isn't an OLB to that single WR side.  The center still has his in block because he is picking up the PSLB who has sucked in some from his run read.

Practice Segments:
I like the idea of incorporating all "team" portions of practice mixed between individual drills.  Pre practice, then tempo.  Indys then some inside run.  Back to Indys or group and then into team... I think it helps break up practice well.

Injured Players:
I like the idea of not giving injured players a day off.  Keep them moving and make them work.  A simple circuit can be set up on the side of a field or behind the end zone for these guys to get reps in.  If you have coaches who only coach one way, they can handle your Injured Reserve and make them work,

Rb screen:

OL quick set, Tackle stayed locked on DE, while GCG released, just like my out, up, in I have described here in the past.  The RB is taught to buzz his feet, then run his swing.  I like running the screen this way because it is more believable to the defense.  We free release RBs all the time, then on screen we ask them to step up to block, and sneak out through the hole... no one is fooled and last year our RBs sucked at getting out this way.