Hey guys, I did a little breakdown of why we run bubble screens earlier this year, and I’m back to try and breakdown a play series we ran on the first drive against Penn State. I heard some people in the game thread questioning why we did it and I thought it would be fun to explain and hopefully teach someone something. I am not a coach or anything, I just played in a similar offense in high school and know some of the in and outs. So without further ado.
So the play I’m talking about today is what I am going to call inside zone with a TE flat tag. We open in 11 personnel (1 RB, 1 TE, 3 WR) with trips to the field and a TE to the boundary. Our offensive line, WR’s and RB all run a traditional inside zone play with the QB reading the backside DE. However, the TE is not blocking with them and instead running a flat route until the boundary. The QB’s first read is the DE. If the DE crashes (or if the QB thinks he can beat him to the edge), the QB pulls. Otherwise, he hands off. If the DE crashes, then the QB moves onto a second read man (I believe it is whoever is responsible for setting the edge, in the first video an OLB and in the second one a corner). If the readman shifts to cover the TE, the QB keeps it. If not the QB tosses it to the TE. I have the play diagramed here and two instances that we ran it in a row (one where we threw it and one where Luke kept it.
These plays put the defense into a bind and adds an extra element to our play. It forces the skill position players on the defense to hesitate in order to stay honest to three different possible ball carriers (in a way its a modern continuation of a triple option like most of the other RPO’s in our playbook). The TE’s may not be our most athletic players, but they can turn this play into a four yard gain like Austin Allen did here.
Immediately after running this play two types in a row, we run a PA play based on this alignment. The o-line does play-action passing block and the TE runs the same flat route. However, Wandale runs a crossing route and the two outside wideouts run a smash concept. This is wide open but unfortunately pressure make Luke rush a bad pass. However, and accurate pass and this is 6.
I hope I did an adequate job explaining the perks and why we ran this. Frost is great when scripting plays which this part of the drive shows really well. If you have any questions just ask (tho I don’t know ALL that so I can’t guarantee and answer).
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