Backside Tags

In the next post I am going to give you the Backside Tag's I have used over the last several years.  Each tag attacks particular people or coverages and usually are used for our home run within that weeks game plan.

The First Tag is "Switch"  I am sure you have all heard of this play/tag:

We run this against any coverage because it has an answer for everything we may see.  The Slot and Flanker "Switch" responsibilities and at 12-14 yards make their decisions on keeping true to their vertical routes or hooking up/running a dig route by the now slot receiver.

The Second Tag is Double Post:

We like to run the Double post tag against a 1 hi safety or a team who likes to play cover 2.  We will read the weak side safety vs. 2 Hi. The read is always the same vs 2 or 1 Hi reading Slot to Flanker.  The slot post is at 7 yards while the flanker is 12 running a skinny post.  You can also tag your running back to run a Wheel route to the Double Post side as well.

The Third Tag is "Read"

The Read tag is my favorite tag we primarily run this against a 2 Hi safety look.  The slot receiver runs his basic corner route that he would with any smash route he runs.  The Outside receiver is the unique route.  At 5 yards he is going to break down or stutter like he is doing his basic hitch route for smash however he is reading the near safety to him.  If the safety is in a true cover 2 and widens with the Corner the Receiver will run a post where the safety just vacated.  If the safety is back pedaling like cover 4 the receiver will run a post curl route at 12-14 yards.

To go along with the Read tag we also use a Scissors tag:

Scissors tag is again for Cover 2 we are trying to Hide the Post from the Safety with the Corner of the Slot.  The Corner will be occupied by the RB running in the Flat.  We like to have to slot receiver on the line and run his corner at 12 yards.  While the #1 receiver runs his post at 10 yards.

Wave is an excellent concept vs. a team who likes to play cover 4:

Wave is a tag when we want to try and take a shot against a team who plays lots of cover 4.  We want the Safety to "trigger" on the Dig route running at 12 yards while trying to hid the post from him behind him at 7 steps.  The slot can be a curl as well but we feel the dig goes a little better with our offense and not tipping anything to the defense about what route is coming.

The Last Two tags we use the same we use Levels and Drive:

Levels and drive are excellent concepts vs. teams who like to run cover 2 but we have had tremendous success against all coverages with these concepts.  Drive our Outside Receiver runs a 3-4 yard drag as fast as possible across the field.  The dig will come behind at 10-12 yards.  We read  #1 Outside Receiver #2 Slot Receiver and #3 RB.  Levels Is the same type of concept we like running out of a 3 receiver formation but do run it a lot with 2 receivers.  The Dig is at 16 yards and the Outside Receiver is at 3-5 yards.  The read is the same as Drive.

Personnel Groupings

I want to talk about the personnel groupings we use within our offense.  The First group is our Jet Personnel which we use with our 4 WR 1 RB.  We also use Bronco which includes 1RB 1FB and 3WR if we want two running backs instead we call it Quick Bronco and it changes to 2RB 3WR.  Falcon is 3WR 1TE and 1RB.  Cowboy is 1RB 1FB 1TE and 2WR we also have Quick Cowboy which again exchanges the FB for another Running back.  Fin is our 2 TE 2WR 1 RB personnel.  and the last Personnel we use is Zebra which is 2TE 1RB 1 FB 1 WR.  We have signs made for each Group so the kids on the field look to that sign before we give any other formation.  We also have different tempos so they know to look at the sign or the guy's on the sideline are listening for our formations and once they hear the formation they particular personnel goes on the field.

Formations vs. Play's

I get asked by coaches all of the time how many play's are too many?  Most high school coaches think we run tons of plays along with division 1 team.  I believe there are two types of styles you can use.  The first is a team like Stanford who uses 350 plus play's and can call any play at any certain time.  However they do not use a significant amount of formations and obviously they are at Stanford for a reason usually not for their dreams of going to the NFL.  The second would be Fewer plays and a lot of formations.  Formations are very cheap, meaning they usually don't cause confusion with players they only need to remember where I am on this particular formation.  However play's are expensive, not for everyone in the offense but for linemen, the QB and RB have multiple things to think about on any particular play within any look they may see from the defense.  These types of offense usually are spread teams.  The last fits into this category as well Few play's with lots of shift, Motions, and formations looking different week to week while running the same play a la Boise State.

The Numbering System

The first topic I want to talk about is the numbering system I use with my offense.  Its not revolutionary but it has worked for me along with Hand signals and thats the reason we are able to go as fast as we do on offense.

1-9=Zipper/Inside Zone/Option

•10’s=Stretch/Outside Zone/Sweep

•20’s=Power

•30’s=Counter

•40’s=Screens to RT

•50’s=Screens to LT

•60’s=3 Step Passing Game Strong RT

•70’s=3 Step Passing Game Strong LT

•80’s=5 Step Passing Game Strong RT

90’s=5 Step Passing Game Strong LT

With this numbering system we do what most everyone does odd's to the LEFT Evens to the RIGHT.  When we want a particular player running a play we give his position before the number.  If he is after that means his particular motion for that week.  Ex.  Ace H 2 = 2x2 H motions in a orbit motion into the backfield and Run

Zone RT QB reads end and F Run's option away from call with QB. 

Welcome

Hello Coaches I am looking forward to writing this blog for everyone hopefully you can take at least one thing from it and use it within your program or organization!  I will have topics of my own but would really love feedback from each and everyone of you about what you would like to see as well.