Saturday, December 24, 2005

Coach Bill Adams



Bill Adams: July 6, 1930 - Dec. 21, 2005


I was saddened to learn this weekend that my high school football coach had passed away this Wednesday. At first, I couldn't comprehend it; Coach Adams was a big strong guy and sometimes the term "bigger than life" seemed to fit him pretty well. Guys like that are supposed to outlast us all. At least it seems that way in Coach Adams' case... although I must admit I am certainly biased.

He was one of a dying breed: the truly hard-nosed coach who knew when he needed to lay into a kid... yet also knowing when he needed to offer a kind word. He didn't tolerate anything but perfection, althought during the lean years when I played, perfection wasn't something his players often managed to produce. But he taught me that you always play with intensity and guts and that you shouldn't walk out onto a football field unless you were man enough to dish it out or take it. "Mouth" didn't win football games in Coach Adams' world and he sure didn't tolerate showboating or poor sportsmanship. And the head-spinning gal in "the Exorcist" didn't have anything on what your's would do if Coach Adams got hold of your facemask after you had made a particularly bone-headed play. Looking back, what was nice was that parents didn't get hot and mad if it happened, they knew that Coach Adams was simply making a point the best way possible: simple, blunt and direct. They didn't get mad and pull their kids and all the mess you see these days. On the contrary, they appreciated that Coach Adams would give it to us straight. Kind words might be few and far between on the sideline Friday nights, but he would always give you your due when we ran through film. I learned fast that all it took was all I had. Be it drills, team O and D, sprints, or game time... I gave everything I had... and after a while it became a habit. I have no doubt he appreciated it.

Regardless of individual ability or the outcome of the game, all Coach Adams asked of his players were their best. If you gave him that, then he managed to find the positives... even when they weren't always obvious or in great supply. I learned a lot from him that has helped me make it through life's ups and downs... and I'm a better man for having known him. Of course I didn't tell him this directly the last time I talked with him a year or so ago at his home... that would have been out of character for him and me as well. But he did listen intently as I told him what I had been up to over the past few years... about the teaching and especially the coaching. I told him how a lot of what I learned under him had helped me and he seemed pleased. I guess even then, I still wanted to impress the man. I hope he noticed... I'm sure he appreciated it if he did.

Some things never change.

Thank God.


Coach Bill Adams' Obituary

Merry Christmas!


Wow, I've been really impressed on the "Happy Holiday" Backlash this Christmas. I never expected that people would be quite so vocal in telling the "social elite" to butt-out of their holiday season. All I can do is clap my mitten-covered hands together and say, "Heck Yeah!" Perhaps we are seeing the begining of the end of the era of political correctness. Let's certainly hope so.

If you like the pictures below, you might have the political slant necessary to appreciate the humor at www.sacredcowburgers.com There you'll find many, many more political satire pics along a similar line.

Enjoy!



Gameplanning : 3-5 and 4-3 Defenses




This post is something I've been wanting to do for a while now: Gameplan against defenses we see at the high school level. I've decided to start off with the 3-5-3 (or, if you're semi-middle-aged like me, the 53 Cov 3 with drop ends) I've seen a lot of coaches asking questions on the message boards on how to attack the 3-5-3. I've drawn it up against a 3 wideout splitback formation... but don't feel you have to stay with that formation alone. Also, the DTs are shading to 5 tech's when the DEs are dropped off... and they get in 4-Is when there's a TE liked up to thier side. The DE walks up and plays a "tough" technique on the TE - squeezing him down hard if he combos with the OT and staying on the LOS. The OLBs are mostly playing QB to Pitch, but they and the DEs are playing games whenever there is a TE lined up. I've got my own ideas on what might work best (hence the 3 wides), but feel free to get into 2 tights and run it down thier throats. BTW, the D line is pretty good, so good luck. Every so often, they also will jump into Cover 0 (man with no safety) and send the house.

My advice is to finesse this group as your O line is faster, but out-weighed around 30 lbs a man from tackle to tackle (if they weren't, what's to keep you from lining up in the Power I and running it down thier throats?!) Have fun.


The second defense is your standard 4-3. They are insisting on shading to the twins (DTs - 3 and a 5) and the DEs play a 5 if there's no TE and a 7 tech if there is a TE. The OLBs and DE's are playing games and the safeties are rolling up like a shot if near back dives about 75 percent of the time... but every so often the SS rolls up and they give you a cover 3 behind it... or the corners and safeties switch up who rolls up to take pitch. they don't play man - at least on the film you've seen. The front 7 is quick and athletic and the LBs all scrape fast and are very agressive.

I feel like the guy on the old Mission: Impossible TV show who records the taped message at the begining. Your "mission," should you choose to accept it, is to come up with the best game plan possible for each defense. Try to stick to around 5 running and 5 passing plays total since I'm one of those "purists" who will "run no play before it's time." (some of you may remember the old Earnest ans Julio Gallo Wine slogan - some of you won't)

Send your comments, scans, etc. to veersite@gmail.com. In the subject line, put "gameplan" so I'll know what it's about. And if you're one of the several coaches I've promised to send some video to, I'm working on it (although a nice email to remind me might be wise!)

Well, have fun with it and I'll tabulate and post the results as they come in. Please state if you do or do not want to be credited with your solution. If you don't specify, I'll assume you're cool with having your name posted. You've been warned!

Have a good one and Merry Christmas!

Coach Smith

Sunday, December 18, 2005

Update: No-Mesh Mesh

I added some links to game footage where you can see the No-Mesh Mesh being used. Again, the first place I ever heard of using this was Carson-Newman under Coach Ken Sparks. He and his staff are the originators of the No-Mesh Mesh to the best of my knowledge. (scroll down and you'll see scans of this years' clinic flyer. Hey, Coach Sparks, I need a little, uh, payola for all these free "plugs" I'm giving the clinic! LOL)

You will also find a new diagram that might show the angles better than my written description did. I know I've had some questions about the point-read method method over the last couple of weeks and hopefully this will help make things more clear. They say a picture is worth a thousand words, so hopefully it will!

The No-Mesh Mesh


Coach Smith

Sunday, December 11, 2005

Brother... Can You Spare A Job?

Ha, ha... just joking! Well, sort of... I mean, I am looking for a new job for next year, but I'm not really looking to go around bugging you, the loyal Veersite reader, for a job.

Not yet, at least!

I am, however, looking for a challenge and a change for next year. Sometimes its easy to get complacent and get into a rut... each year blurring into the next until you look in the mirror one day and there's a tired, old face staring back at you whispering, "the Horror... the Horror..."

Wait, that was Colonel Kurtz from "Apocolypse Now." Sorry.

How about, "Where the hell did all the time go?" Yeah, that's more like it.

Well, don't worry - I'm not that guy. I hope I never will be, either. What I am is a coach looking for a team that wants to run the option and work the short to medium range passing game. I want to be in the thick of it, working hard and making a difference. I would rather not move - again- but I've got to face facts and be real; we're a small football team with a lot of good coaches and I'm running a bit low in the seniority department. And I'll be 40 my next birthday.

Nuff Said.

It could be worse... at least I've still got (most of) my hair.

If you know of a team that is looking for a motivated option coach, please drop me a line at coach.steve.smith@gmail.com . I would like to remain in the Southeastern US, but I'm not ruling anything out at this point. The last time I checked, a regulation field was 53 & 1/3 yards by 120... no matter where you put it.

Have a good one,

Coach Smith

Before:

After:


Friday, December 09, 2005

March 3rd - March 5th Mark Your Calendar

It came today in the mail, the brochure for the 2006 Carson-Newman Football Clinic. I know I have gone on in the past about this clinic, but let me take a moment to do so again.



I love this clinic. I love the fact that Coach Sparks knows the great responsibility we as coaches have concerning the young men who play for us. I love the fact that you see coaches sitting up and taking note of what's being said - not worrying about skipping out to do who-knows-what. I like the fact you can bring your wife to this clinic and she won't be bored out of her mind. I like the fact that you will hear men give testimony as a matter of fact. I like the interesting speakers you'll find there and the break-out sessions where you can quiz the coaches of what might be the last, best veer program in the nation. And I especially like the fact that you will meet some of the best coaches and all-around nice guys you're likely to find anywhere.

I once heard that "if you want to make God smile, just tell him your plans." Well, I don't want to ignore that sage advice, but if it's all the same to Him, I know where I'd like to be on March third 2006.

Nuff Said.

Coach Smith

click each image for a larger version







Wednesday, December 07, 2005

Laughing My A$$ Off

I was browsing through various posts on the X's and O's of Football Forum and ran across this. I almost fell outta my chair when I read the last line!


Re: tantrums
« Reply #5 on Today at 5:19pm »


We had a good one in practice this year. A DE took some of the DL's motivation to heart and went off. He grabbed a set of small aluminum bleachers-the kind about 5 seats high- turned it over and rolled it. During the break the guys were all trying to pick it up and nobody could (and, yes I did try it after the kids left.Heavy).

The kid has an anger management problem. Last year he got mad about something and ripped the locker room door off the hinges.

Why do we keep him around? Two reasons:
1. He's really a good kid. I mean, he really is. "Yes sir, No sir" kid who takes things out on things, not people.
2. Well, duh! He's a DL who can throw bleachers and rip doors off the hinges.

Well, Duh!!! :-)



Have a good one,

Coach Smith

ps. New update this weekend and - coming soon - Coach Smith hunts for a job!

Thursday, November 17, 2005

Repeat: Veersite Member Map

Hey, I thought I would copy this back to the top of the site since I haven't gotten a single person to leave thier zip since the "no-mesh mesh" post went up! I hate to admit it, but I got addicted to checking throughout the day to see if any new "pushpins" had been added to the map!

Veersite Member Map

I saw this over at The X's & O's of Football Forum . It's a tie-in with Google Maps that allows someone to add themselves through zip codes to a U.S. map. It's a cool way to see where the viewers of Veersite are located. Not sure how many of you will try it, but it's pretty painless and is pretty cool. But then again, I'm easily entertained!

Veersite Member Map

Coach Smith

Thursday, November 03, 2005

The No-Mesh Mesh

A while back, I mentioned I would do an article concerning the no-mesh mesh or what I like to call the point-mesh method of reading the dive on the Inside and Outside Veer. So here it is. Actually, this is an excerpt from an email I sent a coach a while back concerning the topic. It's been cleaned-up and spell-checked a few dozen times - which means there's probably no more than 2 or three dozen errors left to correct. Fortunately for me, I can live with that many errors so here it is. Here are my notes and observations from watching Coach Spark's veer install video, hearing him speak about it at his clinic, and first-hand observations from our use of it at M.H.S.


The Point-Mesh Method or No-Mesh Mesh



1. The speed of the dive is important. If you have your HBs sitting back at 5 yards off the ball, it's going to seem like the QB is just standing there waiting for the dive back to make it to the line. In C-N's splitback alignment, the HB's feet are 4 to 4 1/2 yards off the front tip of the ball... And are aligned so as to split the inside leg of the guards (who are 2.5-3 ft from the center.) The dive hits FAST- so the misdirection of the ride-and decide is replaced by the misdirection of Oh-sh**-there-goes-the-dive-back-with-the-ball. The HB's aiming point for ISV is the outside leg of the guard and the inside leg of the tackle for OSV.

2. The path of the QB is important. The QB path is not only down the LOS but up into the LOS as well. This is important- the QB needs to work his first step towards the dive read forward as well as sideways. He is trying to put his foot in line with the toes of the playside guard before the snap. We will lay a half bag down at that angle so it forces the QB up into the LOS as he works down the line during the individual period. They all hate that, but it helps get them going at the proper angle.

3. There is no ride-and-decide in the no-mesh mesh. The QB extends the football out straight at the dive read while gripping the football firmly in both hands. If the dive read does anything besides step straight in at the QB, he leaves the ball extended and hands off to the HB. If the dive read comes at the QB, he pulls slightly before the HB arrives and continues to the pitch read. The HB rolls over the "ball" and is either tackled by the dive read or if he is able continues up field to help seal-off inside pursuit.

Coach Sparks said on his tape he did this due to 60% of C-N's fumbles on the option coming from mesh problems. I also heard at one of his excellent C-N clinics that the speedier dive (and the QB being up into the line) helps reduce problems with backside pursuit. It also takes away angles for defensive linemen trying to slow-play the dive, feather, etc.

4. Some might think the no-mesh (or point mesh) is too difficult to read. The idea to put into the QB's head is this: if he just guesses every time on the dive read, he should be right about 50% of the time. All we want him to do is be right 25% more of the time. Don't pressure him too much- many times our QBs have missed the dive and given the ball when we should have kept -- but we ended up with decent yardage due to the HB's momentum, the speed of the dive, and the dive read not being able to get more than an arm across the path of the ball carrier. Our biggest plays seem to come off the dive... The HB hits it and nobody knows he has the ball until he's at the depth of the FS.




Here is a video clip where you can see the angle pretty good. Notice the QB is getting up in the LOS and he doesn't swing the ball back and ride the HB. In this clip, we are facing 40 front and end up reading a DE instead of a DT.


The next clip shows the QB keeping on ISV. If you watch it a few times, you'll se that he almost immediately pulls the ball back in for the keep. The "give" is technically what we are supposed to do when the dive read squats on the LOS, which is pretty much what the read did. However, he does "box in" completely, and seeing this gave the QB the impression that he had committed to the dive. I've said it before, reading the dive is more "art" than "craft." Another factor may be that the QB is one of only four seniors on the field along with a host of freshmen - including the dive HB. I think the QB might have taken it upon himself to try and carry the team at times. He was (and is) a competitor.





Well, that's about it. If you want to see a few more clips, here is the link to some Outside Veer from a previous post.



Coach Smith


Addendum 08 Dec 2008

from a post on the Flexbone Association:

Personally, I don't worry what the QB is doing with his feet on ISV as long as the following things are happening:

1. The QB's getting into the LOS on ISV.
2. The dive back (FB or HB) isn't tripping over the QB and isn't being forced out closer to the dive read.
3. The QB isn't bowing back into the backfield on a pull.
4. The dive is hitting fast and not taking too long.

If all that is happening and we're racking up 300-400 yards rushing... I don't care if the kid is hopping on one foot back there.

I think there is a tendency to over-coach QB's... just video your QB+backfield period and the inside period. If there's a consistent problem, address it. If not, don't give your QB more to worry about.

But to try and answer your question, we use point mesh in the Flexbone (before that in split backs). I have the QB step with the playside foot towards the read and then brings the opposite alongside it on his next... he advances using short steps and keeps his weight as evenly distributed as possible so he can push off either foot (inside for a pull, outside if he has to tuck up into the LOS for some reason.)

"If it ain't broke, don't fix it." - Will Rogers

Sunday, October 23, 2005

More Non-Football Stuff; But Cool...

I saw this over at The X's & O's of Football Forum . It's a tie-in with Google Maps that allows someone to add themselves through zip codes to a U.S. map. It's a cool way to see where the viewers of Veersite are located. Not sure how many of you will try it, but it's pretty painless and is pretty cool. But then again, I'm easily entertained!

Veersite Member Map

Coach Smith

Next Post: The Point Mesh (or No-Mesh Mesh) Explained.

Wednesday, October 12, 2005

Too Funny

I'm working on some new posts that are actually X's and O's... and as soon as they pass that new law where there's 30 hours in a day I'll have it licked! Until then, I'll have to get by on posting this awesome graphic... click on it to see it full sized!





BTW... I "swiped" it off The X's & O's of Football Forum ... Be sure to go check it out.


Coach Smith

Sunday, September 04, 2005

"Failure to prepare is preparing to fail"

First, I want to say that's a pretty pessimistic quote to put up considering we won a big game Friday night. Its just that I've got other things besides football on my mind. We lost a Senior band member last Saturday night in a traffic accident. I was lucky in a sense - I had never had the young man in class and was spared that deflating, gut-wrenching feeling you get when one of your students is cut down too young and too soon. Make no mistake, it was tough going to the wake and paying my respects to the family, but it's not the same as when you really, really know the kid - get used to all that damned energy they possess, and then have to go see them in a casket... see that awful, final stillness. By all accounts, he was a talented kid with a bright future ahead of him. I had spoken with him once or twice before a game during pre-game or some such... noticed that he was the one that played what I call that "big mess o drums" - the ones that sound so cool if you have a person who can really play them. There are about 4 or 5 sections all in a cluster and it takes a pretty strong individual to cart them around. I thought he should have been out for football but never said anything to him about it. You could tell he was doing what he liked the most, and he was good at it. He'll be missed.

My thoughts turn to the other three seniors in the vehicle - all three of whom I had as students in my class as underclassmen... two of which are currently in my 4th block class. I think of the one who will blame herself although it really was not her fault. I wonder if it will cripple her in ways that can't be seen except through the effects it has on your life. I hope she is mature enough to know that some things are not our decisions to make, and that some things that happen are not our's to control or to question. I hope she can find the strength to accept what happened for what it was - a freak accident that was beyond anyone's ability to control. I hope she realizes the best way to honor the memory of her friend is to go on and have the best life she possibly can.

I think of another in that truck and I remember how many times he aggravated me to the point of wanting to, well, put a size 10 "where the sun don't shine." Seeing him after the accident was a relief and made me realize how glad I was that he had escaped serious injury, despite injuring his back. Finally, I think of the last student who is still in the hospital and likely to stay there for some time to come. I think of her artistic talent and I hope and pray she will be whole again. I hope they can get her arm and hand back in shape and leave it without a hint of injury. She has a long way to go, but she is smart, and stubborn and has guts - and sometimes guts is the best thing to have going for you during tough times.

Please add Jerica, Courtney, Andy, and the one that didn't make it, Josh, to your church's prayer list. I'd appreciate it if you did.


______________________________


I've worked in education and I've worked in the private sector and I've realized something; What we say and do on a football field... the work ethic and attention to detail a good coach should have... that stuff is directly applicable in other areas besides our sport.

"Failure to prepare is preparing to fail"

- Coach John Wooden

Our country is in dire need of men who can make decisions and act. Period. As coaches, we must not ignore the fact that there are issues in our community that might need our time and energies besides football. I only say this because it has become obvious in the passing of Hurricane Katrina, there is a void in this country of men who are willing to take on challenges, go to the trouble spots to assess situations themselves, make decisions and then act on them.

Katrina is over. The effects are only beginning. I am left with the question, how well would my community deal with a catastrophe? How many would die simply because of poor planning, poor preparation, and failure to act in a timely fashion?




Went up on a mountain today with three other amateur radio operators to begin the task of rebuilding our repeater (radio) system. Perhaps the most useful thing an amateur radio operator can do is provide reliable communications during times of emergency. Undoubtedly, the Katrina coverage has me wondering if all the hours I'm spending in the afternoon blowing a whistle might be better spent working thru the amateur radio community to help build our ability to react to, well, the things you hope never happen. I love coaching but there's only so many hours in the day. Here in the mountains, we have a series of semi-isolated communities that could pretty much be cut-off from the rest of the world if just a handful of roads were to become impassable. I honestly don't know if we have a hardened communication center that has the ability to stay online for an extended period without power. And, to be completely frank, our amateur radio capability at this point is pretty much a non-factor.

I'm done rambling. But I'm going to be spending some more of my spare time with some things besides football... I can see that now.



Speaking of football, we were up 40-0 at the half and the starters only saw the field on special teams in the second half in route to a 40-12 win. Our guys finally woke up and all I can say is that IT WAS ABOUT TIME! No matter your ability, on a football field there is no substitute for effort and determination.

No football in this post... Just upset about the aftermath of Katrina. I feel I should take my sick leave and drive down to help... but what would I do? What can one person do?

I won't end on a bad note. Instead I'll share a Cherokee story that might be useful when dealing with some kid somewhere someday.

Coach Smith

___________________________

An old Cherokee was teaching his grandchildren about life. He said to them, "A battle is raging inside me ... it is a terrible fight between two wolves. One wolf represents fear, anger, envy, sorrow, regret, greed, arrogance, self-pity, guilt, resentment, inferiority, lies, false pride, superiority and ego. The other stands for joy, peace, love, hope, sharing, serenity, humility, kindness, benevolence, friendship, empathy, generosity, truth, compassion and faith."

The old man fixed the children with a firm stare. "This same fight is going on inside you, and inside every other person, too."

They thought about it for a minute and then one child asked his grandfather, "Which wolf will win?"

The old Cherokee replied: "The one you feed."

Sunday, August 28, 2005

0-2

Well,

For the second straight week we have out-gained our opponent and yet have managed to find ways to "snatch defeat from the jaws of victory." Last week special teams turnovers helped us to a one point loss, and this week 4 turnovers and a no-show defensively led to a 40-30 stink-fest. If we busted alignments and assignments once, we did it 5 to 10 times. Several led to big plays and/or touchdowns. That's a sign of lack of discipline mentally. At least that can be corrected. The other problem isn't so easy.

We were flat and showed a lack of heart in general.

400 yards of offense and we still manage to lose the game. No wrapping up, arm tackles everywhere, standing and watching on both sides of the ball, a lack of hustle... The list goes on.

I'm thinking we night need a new decal for our helmets if we are going to stand a chance this Friday:

In fact, starting Monday, we're going to be having a major team-wide heart transplant-o-thon...



... or I know some athletes that might need to start thinking about having a nice, long J.V. season for the rest of the year.


Coach Smith

Monday, August 08, 2005

Still Got It!

Much to our shock and horror, Coach Gilbert and I discovered this week we had been plastered over the pages of our local paper. Actually, after reviewing these photos, the only conclusion I can come up with is...


"We still got it, Baby!!!"

'Nuff said. Click below for the hi-rez versions of these action shots!


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Coach Gilbert puts the boot to it!

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Note the perfect stiff-arm and tongue action as these players are "posterized" ala Jordan!



Unfortunately, towards the end of practice, things took a turn for the worse. Thank goodness for us both, these additional potentially embarrasing photos didn't make it into the paper along with the others. A word to the wise: It's always a good idea to have excellent relations with the local sports reporters!


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The staff carefully examines what's left of Coach G's toes

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You can't see it from this angle, but I still had the tongue-action going... but not much else.

Lucky for me Life-Flight was nearby.


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Funny... I don't remember posing for this.


Friday, August 05, 2005

Digital Video Coaching Software Heads-Up

I ran across a post on Rolling Thunder's Option Board tonight about a coach needing help with some free digital editing software he had received. Never one to look a gift-horse in the mouth, I proceeded over to Proscout Video to check things out for myself. Much to my suprise, they seem to indeed be giving away copies of their software (which looks very capable from the product info and screen shots). It looks like they received a grant from NFLHS.org to provide somewhere around 2000 high school football teams with their product.


USA Football Providing Free State of the Art Technology to High School Coaches

VIENNA, VA- USA Football announced today that it is partnering with Proscout Video to offer high school football coaches free video editing software. Through a grant from the NFL Youth Football Fund, USA Football will provide 2,000 high school programs a complete Proscout Video software package.

The software, similar to what college and professional coaches have been using for years, will help coaches index game film. Coaching and instructional tools, such as tendency reporting, statistics, and a video telestrator with text overlay, interact with the game film. The result is an expedited and more effective use of game tape at the click of a button.

"The benefits of good coaching last a lifetime," said USA Football Chairman JACK KEMP. "This donation by the NFL will provide an on-going benefit to high school coaching staffs around the country, and more than 150,000 players."

Every high school football team across the country is eligible to participate in this program. The first 2,000 to respond will receive the Proscout Video easy-to-use software package. To learn more, contact Proscout Video at www.proscoutvideo.com or call 877-766-7268.


Story courtesy of USA Football

Here's the link to Proscout's home page... Look for the menu link to register. I don't know about you guys, but I've wanted to get my hands on something like this for quite some time.

Coach Smith

The Cutback Veer

Cody Mallory
Offensive/Defensive Line Coach
Frankfort High School
Frankfort, MI


This play is a variation of the midline veer play, and just like Coach Dieterich's out scheme, it is a way to take the "fall" player out of the play. Typically, when running midline from a split back formation, we are forced to block defenders one on one with poor angles.

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For some teams this might not be a problem, but when you are outsized by most of your opponents, this is unsatisfactory. As you can see from the figure above, the pitch back is a wasted player. The odds that the ball is going to get out to him on the pitch are not good. Therefore, to give ourselves an extra blocker and eliminate the wasted player, we switch roles.

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Now the backside halfback is going to recieve the dive, and the frontside halfback will kick out the outside linebacker. The quarterbacks footwork will change slightly for this play. He will step with width and depth at seven or five o'clock. The quarterback also has to get his shoulders parallel to the path of the runner. From there, the quarterback carries out the normal midline ride and read. If the quarterback does not give the ball he will slide into the B gap and make a cut off the block of the frontside halfback.
Another thing that we will do to get better angles and a double team is run a horn block with the PST and TE, with the PST going first and the TE coming down on the inside linebacker.

Position responsibilities
Quarterback- step to 7 or 5, get shoulders parallel to the path of the dive player, preform the dive read, slide into the B gap and get vertical.
Backside Halfback- Step inside foot first directly at the centers butt, no dancing allowed.
Frontside Halfback- Step with outside foot first, and kick out the outside linebacker.
Tight End - Horn block with the PST, seal the inside linbacker to the inside.
PST - Kick out the playside defensive end.
PSG - Inside release to the inside linebacker

...You can determine the rest of the assignments using the play diagrams provided.


Thanks again, Coach Mallory, for sharing with us with a fresh new take on the Midline from splitbacks!

ps. (you'll no doubt notice that some of the position responsibilities "disappeared" when I opened or saved the document... "DOH!" I have no idea what happened, but I'm going to blame MS Word on this one... )

Coach Smith

Tuesday, August 02, 2005

Midline from Splitbacks

Midline. To the option coach, it just may be the "Last of the Mohicans." In fact, the Midline is about the last option play a coach can "get away with" running from under center these days... Without being referred to as a "Dinosaur," that is. Why, the very mention of the word gives Flexbone coaches an almost visible shudder of joy. And while it's not as "sexy" as running outside veer from the shotgun, (I wonder how many times the words "Urban Meyer" were mentioned in job interviews this past spring??) it is certainly can still get the job done with respect to moving the football.

I decided to go on a quest to find the best possible way to run the midline from splitbacks this past off-season. After a film trade a while back, I had noticed that a team down in Georgia, Thomas Co. Central, ran the midline and brought the backside halfback thru to lead for the quarterback. Later, at the Carson-Newman football clinic this past year, I heard Coach Turner (O.C.) mention that the Yellow Jackets staff had convinced him to stop "wasting" the backside HB and bring him thru on the midline like they do. At that point I knew I had to get some more film with this scheme on it.

I posted on several message boards that I was looking to trade film for midline from splitbacks (or something to that effect) and before I knew it I was in contact with Coach Jeff Schlieff from Spring Lake Park High School in Minnesota. Coach Schlieff mentioned he ran the midline and brought his HB thru for the QB keep, and soon I was watching his highlight tape and some midline cuts he had made for me as well. It was exactly what I needed to see, and I can't thank Coach Schlieff enough for taking the time and effort to help us run the midline to it's maximum potential. He is not only a great option coach, but also one of those all-around good guys you meet every so often in this line of work. I wish him and his staff the best of luck for this upcoming season.

Below are several game cuts of Coach Schlieff's SLP Panthers running the midline. You will see what we call a "K" block with the psTE and psOT as well as some base blocking to the split end side as well. After watching this, you may note that the QB keep, with that HB leading him up the field, is almost an isolation play in itself. I hope you enjoy and learn from these clips and perhaps it will help you as well in fine-tuning your midline option.



Cut Three: Midline to TE with base blocking


Cut Five: Midline to TE with base blocking


Cut Seven: Midline to SE


08/05/05
Below is a play diagram... thanks for the props, Coach B in MI!

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Coach Smith

Tuesday, July 12, 2005

What's Going On with Veersite

You may have noticed the lack of updates this summer on veersite.com. Believe me, that's not what I had planned. I am currently in the process of selling a house - and all that goes along with it. This has left me away from my computer (and the ability to generate play diagrams and encode video) for weeks at a time. I assure you that once I'm back from Camp in early August and fall into my regular schedule, there will be plenty of new material up on veersite!

Here are some of the things I have planned:

Creation of an Index page which groups and links all the technical posts so you don't have to go back through the past posts blindly searching for material on outside veer, for example. Blogger.com is a great free resource, but lack of an easy way to generate a meaningful table of contents has driven me nuts over the past year!

Getting more in-depth about the execution of plays in the veer offense. It's one thing to slap up a play diagram and say, "Lookit!" It's another to go through and list the responsibilities of each player beneath it (just like you may see in many playbooks.) I plan on revisiting the bread and butter plays and do just that. Besides sharing this info with other coaches, I also hope to add insight to my own understanding by going back and examining these plays versus the defenses of today.

Moving to a "real" webserver: I'm still undecided about this one. One of the nice things about Blogger is that it's free - nice when you're on a teacher's salary. Hosted plans aren't that expensive, but I'm not sure how easy it would be to set up and maintain compared to veersite. Blogger is even allowing the hosting of at least a gigabyte of images, so I won't have to worry about having my play diagrams sudden;y disappear one day should the free host I use go belly-up. Video clips take bandwidth, however, and a hosted solution is really the best for stuff like that. Right now, I'm hoping I can keep the current set-up going as-is through this upcoming season.


Well, that's about it for now. I'm really excited about this season and the team I think we'll field. We're looking at really fleshing-out the running game this year and digging deep into the veer playbook for some "oldies-but-goodies" this season. Utilizing a watered-down version of the West Coast passing offense to greater effect is also a priority for us. There's a reason we're seeing eight and nine in the box and sometimes play-action alone won't cut it. Here's to hoping we give at least 5 D.C.'s nervous break-downs this year!

Coach Smith

Sunday, June 12, 2005

A Short Post About Two Great Sites

I ran across another great coaching message forum today It doesn't focus on one particular aspect of the game but instead has a broad topic base. I have added it my links section along the right side of the opening page for Veersite and expect I'll be hitting it several times a week (if not several times a day!) So if I get fired for non-work related internet use, it's Coach Huey's fault!! Here's the link:

The X's and O's of Football

While I'm on the subject of great message boards that I probably spend WAY too much time on ... Coach Williams' and Coach McClatchy's excellent Rolling Thunder's Message Board has been having trouble for the past couple of days with posts getting erased. They have put up a message on the site explaining the current situation. The coaches have contacted the board hosts at sportsonly.com and hope to have the problems under control shortly. I cannot recommend strongly enough that all option coaches check out this great resource. Rolling Thunder's board has been around for a while and I consider it to be THE #1 option message board on the net.

Coach Smith

Tuesday, May 10, 2005

Veer Reverse

Here's a short post detailing a little reverse option Coach Roark has been known to run from time to time. Actually, it's blocked the same as our version of the Spin or "Crazy" option with the exception of the wingback carrying out the duties of the quarterback.

I'll let the diagram speak for itself...


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If you are a team where the QB reverses-out a lot, I think this play will work as well. The QB just has to remember to get back off the line and out of the way of the pulling guard. (this can be tougher than it sounds if if you use the point-and -read C-N method that we use.) The combination blocks on the noseguard and psDT aren't for show - if you can get movement on those guys, there's a much greater chance of the play hitting quick and getting some yardage.





Looking back, we could have done a better job preparing the wingback... he's not really trying to get the CB to take him and thus giving us the pitch - and the sideline. The WB was a great young man and a hard-nosed football player. But it's easy to forget that the WB doesn't get the reps running the option that the QB gets. Verbalizing reinforces the coach - not the player!

Coach Smith

Wednesday, May 04, 2005

DeMeo's Triple Screen

Coach Tony DeMeo is an option coach that I consider to be an innovator in the modern option game. I first heard about him when I bought a book of his, Football’'s Explosive Multibone Attack, at the suggestion of a coach I met at football camp one summer. It was a good book, but I was at a school that ran no option and it soon became a forgotten memory filed away somewhere in my pea-brain. Anyway, the next time I ran across his name was when I first joined the staff at Middlesboro. Several of the coaches had travelled to Washburn University to talk to him about his style of spread option offense. While there, they bought his complete flexbone option offense video tape package. I later found these tapes buried in a locker in our football office. Eager to learn all I could about the option in as short a time as possible, I began watching the tapes. I was struck by two things simultaneously: one, Don't ever let Coach DeMeo get his hands on a deck of cards, and two: He's a really good teacher concerning the game of football. His material is easy to follow. His teaching mottos are also great ways to get your kids to remember their assignments. While we are split back team, Coach DeMeo's flexbone material is easily adaptable to our particular needs. It would also be a good primer on the option offense in general, and I would recommend his option videos without reservation.

You can learn more about Coach DeMeo here from an article at American Football Monthly.


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The Triple Screen sounds complicated at first and might look somewhat intimidating. If you think about it as a swing pass to the FB with a middle screen thrown in for good measure, you have a more accurate description of the play - at least to me. The fact that the HB check the weak side CB to make a ball call is the 3rd element of the "triple" screen. That's it.

I'll go back over the coaching points in the diagram.

In a nutshell, the QB reads the DE as the FB flares out and throws to him if the DE rushes or squats. He will only move to his #2 if the DE jumps the swing route of the FB.

The middle screen portion is just as you would expect. The line should momentarily stop the charge of the defensive linemen before going to second level... The Split End takes a big step downfield then comes back down the LOS - getting behind the D line and looking for the ball from the QB. The HB is also running a swing route and he is eyeballing the CB over the SE. If the CB jumps the screen, he immediately calls "Ball" and the QB should hit him in the flat.

That's it. It sounds complicated, but as his video shows, all it takes is a good practice routine filled with plenty of reps.

Coach Smith

I'm posting a link to my original Triple Screen notes (in Adobe PDF format) here. This also shows how he runs it from the flexbone formation using some wingback motion.

Monday, April 11, 2005

Veer / Wing-T Game Cuts



Running Wing-T from the Veer


I've written before about blending the Wing and the Veer as I have seen Coach Roark do in his offense over the years. I've also ran across some other material concerning this on the web and posted a link to it as well. I've finally got around to digitizing a few game cuts. I added them to the original Wing-T / Veer post which you can find here. The game cuts are from the 1998 State Championship season... which, unfortunately, was before I arrived here at M.H.S.!

Coach Smith

Monday, March 28, 2005

Happy Birthday to Me!

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Well, I turned thirty-nine today and it got me thinking. How much stuff do I have that's 39 years old? Seems like that's awful old to be gettin'...

Socks? Nah, the elastic would be dust by now and they just might cover a toe or two. I definitely don't have any 39 year old socks.

Underwear? See above concerning socks.

Coins? A quick search of the change-jar yielded a 1959 penny... Which certainly matches and exceeds my 39 year old requirement. Unfortunately, the 1959er is green, scratched-up and looks pretty ragged. Compared with the newer pennies that are shiny and robust with the exuberance of youth, it looks pretty old and pathetic.

Comic books? I used to read comics all the time as a kid. In fact, I continued reading and collecting them thru most of college. After that, I starting reading "graphic novels." These are, of course, just big comic books, but the snazzier title allows post-adolescent males to continue their vice without owning-up to the reality that they are now giant nerds. I found a comic dated in the early seventies (oldest I have)... It is brittle, yellowed with age, crumbly, creased, dog-eared, scribbled-on, and the cover is half-gone. Indiana Jones once searched for such ancient relics.

Automobile? Are you kidding? If I had a classic car like that, it would be kept garaged and pampered... Heck, I doubt if I would dare drive it that often for fear some worn-out part would fail, leaving me stranded and in search of some hard-to-find and doubtless expensive replacement part.

Well, that leaves me pretty flat. In fact, after considering all this, I may just lay quietly in bed, hoping that nothing bumps into it else some body part shatter or crumble...

Nahhhhhhhhh!

ps, check out this great pic of some kid on HIS birthday. I ran across it looking for that Bday cake clip art. I think he is giving his birthday JUST the right amount of deep reflection and careful thought.

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Coach Smith

Sunday, March 13, 2005

2005 Carson Newman Clinic Notes

A Tale of Two Clinics... (well, one, actually!)

Before heading down to the Orlando Nike Coach of the Year Clinic, I went to what has become my favorite clinic of all time: the Carson Newman / Sports Belle Football Clinic.

This year's clinic was no exception - it was filled with many high school coaches looking to improve themselves both as coaches and as Christians. The tone was enthusiastic, relaxed, and optimistic. You will not find it filled with guys looking to duck out in order to sample the local night-life.

I was especially glad to finally make the acquaintance of two coaches I had met online through Veersite - Mark Poston and B.I. Salyers; both are dedicated option coaches and nice guys to boot. I only wish there had been more time to hang out and talk. Mark's crew even had to leave early in order to navigate through a winter storm in Virginia!

I consider Carson Newman's Clinic to be the best football clinic in the South East... And if you like the option, the CN coaches break-out sessions at the end of the second day are not to be missed. I wish I could go and hang out with those guys during their camp... I know I would learn a huge amount of Veer football in a very short time!

I'm posting a link to the Clinic notes (in Adobe PDF format) here.

Please understand that I only typed-up the notes that I myself were most interested in. I'm much too slow a typist to go through and get them all!

ps. My wife's great-grandmother died this weekend, so I'll be out of touch for the first half of the week. I'll try and check my gmail account, but I may not be able to do so.


Coach Smith

Monday, February 21, 2005

More Wing-T / Veer Info

I found a mirror of the old B.C. Warrior website. Interestingly, the coach submitting the Veer section has as his base formation Splitbacks with a wing. The link is below - click it and scroll down to the bottom of the page.

Option from the Wing-T


Here is the main section of the B.C. Warrior mirror site. It's a little hard to find your way around in it, but each directory had an .HTM file - click on that and it will make it much easier to navigate in that section.


Thanks to CoachD86 over on Megaclinic's Option forum for the link!


Coach Smith

Monday, February 14, 2005

The Passing Game from Split Backs: Y Cross & Y Stick

A while back I posted some pass patterns under the heading, "Improving the Passing Game." Here is a closer look at one of the patterns - the Y Cross.

On our staff, the Y Cross is referred to as being from the (Hal) Mummy Package. From what I have gathered, Mummy used it well, but the play itself has been around since the early eighties and perhaps even before that. I have seen it in Homer Rice's Air Option book and I've seen it in various West Coast Offense playbooks. Sometimes it's called Y Cross and sometimes it's not.






The premise is the weak side flood. X pushes off the deep cover and then either settles underneath an overlapping safety, runs past a hesitating or slow safety, or runs an out around 15 (12 for high school??) against a cover 3 -nobody's-getting-behind-me-safety. The A back free-releases for the flat at 3-5 yards depth looking over his outside shoulder. He should be prepared to stretch the coverage to the sideline. The Y comes across at 10-15 (8-12 for high school?) and looks for an open area behind the weak side linebacker and underneath the safety or safeties. The Z aligns himself slightly tighter to the Y than normal and runs a post reading the middle of field. If it is open he continues the post, if it is covered he can break it off into a dig route if the ball hasn't been delivered. My read vs. a 3 deep would be A to Y to X and vs a 2 deep it would be A to X to Y. (But then again, I like possesion passing on first and second down! The progression on the diagram would be better for a 3rd and 10, I'm sure) The Post can be tagged if determined that it will be open. The sister to this play is the strong side flood, Y Stick. It's reads are almost the same - B to Y with the secondary coverage and personnel dictating whether the Z or the X will be third in the pass progression. Y stick is closer to a 3 step drop than a 5 step drop, however.



Monday, January 31, 2005

Sunday, January 30, 2005

Game Cuts: Speed Option

I've talked about the Speed Option before here, but I thought I would take another look at this great football play now that I have some film to go with it.



Clip One



The defense is a 53 with 4i DTs and 9 DEs with the OLBs in 40-50 technique alignments. We are in a Pro Left formation and have given the TE the flex call. Notice how much of a bubble this gives us playside. This can come in really handy when you want to run the Speed Option (or OSV or Spin Option, too). You'll notice that the key block is the psOT who must be able to block the DT one on one or the play is toast (well... not exactly. See Cut Three for explanation)

The Flanker takes the CB out as far as he will go but will look OLB to FS for his block.
Notice the nice scoop by the center and offside guard... which allows both the psG and C to knock the MLB out of the play. the psHB takes a good route to the CB and throws a nice block out in space.

Clip Two



This cut shows the Keep off of the Speed Option. The read comes upfield and the QB cuts up. The CB tries to recover, but is too wide to get there in time. The ps OT does a man's job reaching the DT and getting outside position. Checking to the called dive might have been a good idea when looking up and seeing that 5 tech DT. The psTE could have done a better job of getting and keeping outside position on his block on the OLB. The psG (a freshman) took a poor angle to cut off the MLB and could not get position on him. Luckily the MLB got caught up in the trash and couldn't make the play. Note that the flanker (a freshman) goes ahead and finishes the TE's block - and even though the FS doesn't get blocked and makes the eventual tackle, we get a nice gain on the play.

Clip Three



Not much to say differently except that even though the psOT doesn't get position on the DT, sometimes he's occupied just enough to keep from making the play. Not recommended, but just an example of why you want to hit it fast. That's the great thing about the option... many times the QB can pitch himself out of trouble!

Coach Smith




The Invisible Man

Play Action Passing to the TE


No, I'm not doing movie reviews. I'm talking about the Tight End as a receiver. I know its sexy and all to line up with 4 wides and send everybody deep, but have you ever actually worked with wide recievers? Do you really want to deal with more of those guys than you have to? Its non-stop whining about not getting enough touches... that the QB likes the other wideout and won't throw to me... or having to stalk block on those rare occasions where the ball is actually ran. If you really want to hear that all the time, then, by all means, run 4 or, God forbid, 5 wides. You'll go nuts before game 5. Guaranteed.

Me, give me Tight Ends over wide recievers any day of the week... Preferably a mutant that's 1/3 tackle, 1/3 fullback, and 1/3 mike linebacker who just wants to line up and crush the guy across from him. "Touches..?" They would rather be flexed-out and crack some OLB into next week. No, I much prefer TE's and FB's and LB's... The last of the dinosaurs... Kids that just like contact.

Well, back to today's topic. I decided to mix it up a bit and look at some play-action passing to the tight end - the "invisible man" referred to in the title. Off of play action (especially in the flat vs cover 3), the tight end is the great (sometimes) untapped resource of the veer offense. So much defensive thought goes into prepping for the option that who notices that lone player heading up the seam or into the flat all by his lonesome? Among all the "who's got dive, who's got QB, who's got pitch," it's easy to under-emphasize the role of the TE in the veer package. Against a zone team where all eyes are on the backfield, there's a lot of room for a TE to roam around and get open. These few game cuts by no means the only routes we run to the TE, but they should serve as an example of how wide-open the TE can become when a defensive coordinator gets tunnel vision.










Coach Smith

Photoshop Foolishness

Well, if you can't guess that this winter storm has me iced-in and stir crazy... well, you get another guess. Man, I'm bored. I've been making video CDs to send to the guys I owe tapes, but I've been working on getting a picture of myself (I've only been in about 2 in the last 5 years) that I thought I'd post on veersite.com. I thought you might want to know what ol' Coach Smith looked like.

Well the wait is over, as you can see for yourself. Personally, I like the 5'-1", 275 lb. Ernest Borgnine stunt-double description... but will settle with the picture below instead.


(Me!)


Later,
Coach Smith

btw, I used to work as a graphic artist and print specialist in another life. I still like to mess around with it. I started the MSN messenger icon-man above at the potrait illustration maker website and tweaked it a little with Photoshop.
It's a really cool place where you can make "people" to use as avatars in programs like Messenger. I still think I should have used that Hawaiian background, though. Aahhhhh, Hawaii... warm weather, the beach, and fun in the sun - now THAT'S what I'm talking about!


Saturday, January 29, 2005

Game Cuts: Outside Veer

The next series we'll look at is the Outside Veer.


(Note: putfile.com links open in a seperate window and play on that window. When you are done, just close the window as you would any other.)


Outside Veer





The first clip is OSV vs a 53 with 4i DTackles and OLBs just chompin' at the bit. You might notice the depth of the Safety - this is why we check OLB first and don't always account for him. We are running some unbalanced trickery so don't be thrown off when I go over assignments. The SE is Over and both OT's are together on the same side with a Guard and TE to the weak side. The backside TE takes a good inside release and continues on to the next level. Note the great pancake block the ps"TE" (actually the right tackle most of the time) puts on the OLB playside. This contrasts with the non-block of the wing. He's a great soph. reciever and second team QB, but he's not gonna be mistaken for a blocking back. The SE widens and stalks the corner. The QB and pitch back carry out thier assignments and the ball carrier makes a nice gain on the play. There is no combo block called at the line since the DT's are playing 4i techniques. I cannot emphasize how important it is to hit the play fast and for the line to stay low and get thier heads across the playside thighpad of the defender. We have 2 freshmen starting in this clip on the line.


Cut One: Unbalanced Wing OSV vs 53




Clip two is the mirror of clip one. The downfield blocking is better and this time the dive scores.





The last cut is OSV from a Pro left set. The defense is a 62 cover 3 - a favorite target for the OSV! We stalk the corner and the FS is the pitch read (although we don't get to him). I personally like bringing the Flanker down on the FS and pitching off the CB. If you do this, you make sure the pitch read can't tackle your dive back should he be given the ball.

The line play is pretty good. Notice the zone step by the psTE in case he has to double with the psOT although this proves not to be the case.








Friday, January 28, 2005

Game Cuts: Inside Veer

Well, I finally found a place to host small video clips. It is called Putfile.com and thier free hosting package seems pretty decent for what I need; a place to host lots of small, short video clips of individual football plays. I have no idea how long putfile.com has been around or how long they're likely to stick around, but while they do, we'll have a place to host some play clips!

(Note: putfile.com links open in a seperate window and play on that window. When you are done, just close the window as you would any other.)


Inside Veer




The first clip is ISV vs a 4-front. We do some good things and some "okay" things on this play... but it's mostly good. Playside, the guard is handling the 2 tech on his own and getting some push so the OT can seal ILB. The TE is arcing and the backs are doing okay. They were, however offset a bit to playside - which can become a nice key for the defense if you don't stay on top of it. Backside we do a nice job of scooping to playside and cutting off pursuit.

At the end of the play, it would have been better if the back had set up the DB for the TE a little better. Andrew is a little tenative and never makes contact with the Cornerback - but it is partially because the HB cuts inside (instead of staying in the veer lane!) and pulls the DB in with him. A head fake inside then hitting the sideline might get C.G. into the endzone.

Cut One: ISV vs. 4-front



ISV to the Twins
The next clip is ISV ran to the twins. The playside OT checks to double with the psG but ends free to help on LBs - head-up to inside. In this blocking scheme, the OLB is the pitch read but somehow gets caugh-up in the trash. The slot rec. is stalking the SS, but we could have called for him to block down on the OLB and used the SS as the pitch read. Anyway, the Z is getting the the way of the SS, but that's about all. It would be better if he locked the SS up, giving the ball carrier at least the possiblity of cutting outside if needed. The split end is stalking the CB but cannot be seen on the clip. The FS is late to the party and over-runs the QB when he does show up. Backside there is penetration by the DT (a 2 tech?) which is not a good thing. It looks like the OT was too high for a good scoop. If he had gotten his head across the knee, there would have been much less penetration. The TE is scooping and since the DE tried to cross his face, he is cutting him off. If he could have beaten the DE across, the TE would have continued to the second level. The QB catches the psDE stepping down and inside and correctly pulls the ball in and continues on to the "promised land." The dive HB does a decent job of getting in the way of inside pursuit after making it thru the line untackled. The pitch HB does an okay job staying in pitch relationship as long as possible.



Thursday, January 27, 2005

2005 Carson Newman Clinic



2005 Carson Newman - Sports Belle Clinic


March 4 - March 6, 2005

Music Road Hotel & Inn
Pigeon forge, Tennessee


After looking all over Carson Newman's website for clinic info for weeks, I got the flyer for thier 2005 clinic today in the mail... go figure!

I'm posting links to the flyer below. I had to cut it into sections and reduce the resolution a bit, but it should print out okay... the registration info is really the only part you would need to print, actually. File size limitations at my freebie image hosting site forced the cut-and -paste approach, unfortunately!

When I find the link to the actual PDF file, I'll be sure to post a link to it.

Coach Smith


Monday, January 24, 2005

Improving the Passing Game

The Veer presents many problems for a defense. One is how to use the secondary to help stop the option. This puts the DB in the difficult position of having to play the pass and the run with equal importance. Play action is especially dangerous as the LBs will be pulled up for a moment before making thier drops... and even the DBs might get fooled - and then be caught flat-footed.

Sometimes, however, you need a good drop-back pass to convert a 2nd and long or 3rd and long. this is where I am trying to incorporate some of another offense into the mix; the West Coast Offense.

Below are some play diagrams of what I feel are the more promising routes to bring in with a minimum of fuss and muss.

More later,

Coach Smith







Wednesday, January 19, 2005

Video Madness



Well, I have got the flexbone option material VideoCD masters ready to go. Each section has a menu entry and the whole thing fits on 3 CDs. I have tried them on two 1-year old Apex DVD players and they all ran nicely. I plan on taking them to school and seeing how some older DVD players take to them. I am having trouble creating the menus in the DVD format - the menu choices are there, but they don't get highlighted when you pass over them like the ones on the VCDs do. This can lead to some slight difficulty choosing the correct segment at times.

I already have the 2003 MHS highlight film on VCD along with 2 segments of game cuts from 2004. the De Lasalle ESPN special is also on VCD, so I hope that on Friday I can finally get to Post Office and get some of this stuff in the mail!




My next video project will be "scanning" in some play cuts for some in-house material for out players. I will take some examples of each play, freeze it for about 5 seconds with the play title at the top of the screen and lines showing each player's assignment. Now, all I have to do is figure out how to do it! This might help with the teaching process this spring. Let's hope so.

Coach Smith

Friday, January 14, 2005

1 Gigabyte Free Email Service

In case your email account is limited in the size of attachements it can handle and you are dying to trade for that 3 meg flexbone playbook, you might look into www.walla.com. Walla is a free email service I tried out before lucking-out and getting a GMail account. It's not flashy, but it there, and it works, and for some people it just might do the trick. So if your email account is bursting at the seams, you might give walla.com a try.

Coach Smith

Tuesday, January 11, 2005

Option from the Wing-T , Revisited

On Option from the Wing-T, I have added a link to a pretty good article about a coach running outside veer from the Wing-T.

Technique Alignments

Well, I got a question about numbering defensive players (technique alignments) and I had to think about it for a while. I've been around the block and coached at quite a few schools in a short time (are they trying to tell me something??), and each one has used a slightly different technique alignment scheme.

All were similar in that a 2 tech was head up on the guard, a 4 tech was head up on the tackle... but from there things just went "crazy-go-nuts!" (just like Billy Crystal's old "Fernando" character) . Anyway, all I can say is that there are several different ways to set up technique alignments, all of them work, and I can't tell you which one is best; it's the old "Less Filling" - "Tastes Great" debate all over again. Below are two that I like: the first is the one used where I coach now and the bottom one is the one I most likely would use were I to start from scratch.





Just do me one favor.

Don't make up any more schemes for this kind of stuff. Because If you do, I might have to shoot you in the kneecap.

Coach Smith


p.s. The info scanned-in below was submitted by Coach Tolly McClatchy on the Rolling Thunder Option message board. You can find it in my links section. You can find the link to Coach McClatchy's defensive website here. It is also in the links section as well.




If you look very closely at the top of this scan, you may notice the author was Paul W. "Bear" Bryant - who credits a Texas high school coach named "Bum" Philips with some input as well!

Thursday, January 06, 2005

Play Action Pass Protection



Nothing fancy tonight... just the basics on our play-action protection. the emphasis is on the QB and HB fake for deception. We want our linemen to be agressive and show run to the defense. However there is a point of diminishing returns where they start missing blocks and letting the D linemen by due to poor angles caused by "too much fake not enough block" syndrome. The main thing is knowing who begins the turn-backs... and then picking up the guy that crosses your face. The diagram shows how we would probably react to both a 44 and 50 front defense. We like the playaction look for the vertical game with the X backside Post, the Y Seam, and the Z Fade all working well at different times.

Coach Smith