The Flex Option Offense

Veersite Is On-Hold Indefinitely

2011-08-15T22:36:00.001-05:00

I will not be monitoring or adding to this site for the foreseeable future. I also will not be replying to emails. This is mostly due to a family illness. I’m also very tired of dealing with ever-increasing hassle of staying in coaching. Lately I’ve seen too many quality coaches be replaced with men of lesser integrity and ability and I’m not digging the thoughts going to war with ‘em.

I simply don’t need the hassle badly enough to put up with the bull at present.

I will try to fix the video links sometime in the near future but after that i have no plans to add content to Veersite.

You are welcome to use anything you find here. I hope it helps.

Sincerely,

Steve Smith 8/15/11

Game Footage

2011-04-19T10:21:00.006-05:00

Several years ago I decided to use Google Video to store the clips I use on Veersite. My thought process was simple - Google is one of the "800 pound gorillas" of the Internet, right? My videos will be there for as long as Google was around... probably a long, long time.

Wrong.

Google bought Youtube and before you know it they won't accept new video uploads to Google Video. However, Google infused a lot of cash and upgrades to Youtube, reducing it's Suck Quotient and making it a more attractive host for video content. At least for me.

Well, according to Google, all video content hosted on it's old Google Video servers will cease to be available on April 29. That's a few weeks from today.

I will do my best to fix the clips so that they remain available without interruption on Veersite.

However, I have no timetable on when this will happen except that it will be in the next 3 weeks.

So if you click on a video link in the next few weeks and it doesn't work - don't worry. In a matter of a few weeks the situation should be resolved.

Coach Smith

Note: As I feared, the web filter at work blocks access to Google Video and I have no other access to high-speed internet for another 2 weeks. This may take a while.

2011 Georgia Southern University Spring Coaches Clinic

2011-04-01T15:57:00.002-05:00

Spring is almost here and that means…

CLINIC TIME!

Georgia Southern is having their annual Coach’s Clinic April 1st and 2nd on the beautiful GSU campus in Statesboro, GA.

Coming off a great 10 – 5 playoff season, Coach Monken and his staff proved that the triple option is truly the heart and soul of GSU football – and you’ll not find a better venue to improve as a spread option coach.

At the GSU Coach’s Clinic you’ll find a staff that’s taken a program in trouble, installed the option, and in a single season and blasted GSU back as a frontrunner in the Southern Conference. The GSU coaching staff will have plenty of sage advice to help your program implement the explosive GSU option offense and stingy GSU defense!

Nuff Said. Clear out your schedule for the first week of April and prepare to learn from men who have “been there, done that, and bought the tee shirt.”

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Brochure 2011
2011 Supplement

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Coach Smith

An Interesting Diversion...

2011-03-29T10:27:00.009-05:00

I found a site here that produces "Word Clouds" from text. (gotta pass this on the the English Department!) Anyway, it's kind of fun gauging the content of the text simply by looking at a graphical representation using the words used.

My last two posts on Veersite got the word cloud treatment below.

As a fun aside I took a word cloud of the Presidential speech last night and compared it to Patton's speech to the Third Army on June 5th 1944. Terminology has changed since WWII.

Like I said... and interesting diversion.

Patton's Speech... which in my opinion is the best speech I've read concerning the matter.

Now, I want you to remember that no bastard ever won a war by dying for his country. He won it by making the other poor dumb bastard die for his country. Men, all this stuff you’ve heard about America not wanting to fight, wanting to stay out of the war, is a lot of horse dung. Americans traditionally love to fight. All real Americans love the sting of battle. When you were kids, you all admired the champion marble shooter, the fastest runner, the big league ball player, the toughest boxer. Americans love a winner and will not tolerate a loser. Americans play to win all the time. I wouldn’t give a hoot in hell for a man who lost and laughed. That’s why Americans have never lost and will never lose a war. Because the very thought of losing is hateful to Americans.

Now, an Army is a team. It lives, eats, sleeps, fights as a team. This individuality stuff is a bunch of crap. The bilious bastards who wrote that stuff about individuality for the Saturday Evening Post don’t know anything more about real battle than they do about fornicating.

We have the finest food and equipment, the best spirit and the best men in the world. You know, by God I actually pity those poor bastards we’re going up against. By God, I do. We’re not just going to shoot the bastards, we’re going to cut out their living guts and use them to grease the treads of our tanks. We’re going to murder those lousy Hun bastards by the bushel.

Now, some of you boys, I know, are wondering whether or not you'll chicken out under fire. Don't worry about it. I can assure you that you will all do your duty. The Nazis are the enemy. Wade into them. Spill their blood. Shoot them in the belly. When you put your hand into a bunch of goo that a moment before was your best friend's face, you'll know what to do.

Now there’s another thing I want you to remember. I don’t want to get any messages saying that we are holding our position. We’re not holding anything. Let the Hun do that. We are advancing constantly and we’re not interested in holding onto anything except the enemy. We're going to hold onto him by the nose and we're going to kick him in the ass. We're going to kick the hell out of him all the time and we're gonna go through him like crap through a goose.

There’s one thing that you men will be able to say when you get back home. And you may thank God for it. Thirty years from now when you’re sitting around your fireside with your grandson on your knee and he asks you what did you do in the great World War II, you won’t have to say, "Well, I shoveled shit in Louisiana."

Alright now, you sons-of-bitches, you know how I feel. Oh, and I will be proud to lead you wonderful guys into battle – anytime, anywhere.

That’s all.

Using The Freeze And Belly Options As An Introduction To The Option (part 2)

2011-02-23T18:46:00.001-05:00

Chalk it up, mark it in your calendars – this is the day when Coach Steve Smith said, “no, I don’t think you need to run the Triple Option, guys.”

What’s this world coming to?

Okay, here come the caveats, men. By all means, drop everything and start running the Triple - if you manage to hire a couple of coaches who have experience installing and running it. But if you’re an old Wing-T coach, or Spread Gun Coach who hasn’t had a QB under center for years, and you don’t magically have a few new hires who are God’s Gift to installing the option, then you might want to calm down and consider a less radical approach.

All things considered, unless you’re just blessed with all things happening at just the right time, such as the planets aligning or such, then you might want to put the Triple on hold for a while and start off by putting your toe in the water – not holding your nose and jumping in off the deep end. In your current offense, you may already have the makings of a nice called-dive and double option package. So let’s take a look at some of the possibilities and see if this makes any sense. If you do and if it does, then you may find out that running “an” option (or two) can be almost as good as running “the” option.

The Belly Option Series:

Basis – I’m not sure of the exact origin of the Belly Series, but it looks like something a Wing-T coach cooked-up somewhere along the line. (It wouldn’t surprise me if those guys at Delaware didn’t dream it up.) The whole notion of the Belly Dive appeals to me due to the old quote attributed to Lou Holtz. “Easy to Read, Hard to Block -- Hard to Block, Easy to Read.” Stemming and slanting teams can make an option coach’s life hell if he doesn’t have an answer ready to dial in. But if you consider that quote and what it says, then you can begin to see why a simple play like the Belly Dive can be a great supplementary play for an option team. The defense is trying to blow-up your QB’s reads – but in doing so it can provide easy angle and fan blocks for the linemen… while the LB’s and DB’s still have to play their assignments and can’t just run to the ball. So even when you’re not actually running the Triple Option, the threat of it can assist you nonetheless.

But I’m going to go out on a limb and say that the Belly Dive and Belly Option can be the meat of the offense – and not just the potatoes. I’ve seen huge gains made on simple dive plays made by option teams facing defenses hell-bent on stopping the option. The same goes for the Rocket Toss – when you get a 5 and 9 tech pinching so hard that they are helpless against a simple pitch to a wingback motioning to the perimeter. But why were they pinching so hard to start with – to get heat on the QB.. trying to give him hot 1st and 2nd reads in succession so he will make a bad read. As for a counter play, either the Counter Trey or the Sally complement the backfield action of the Belly Dive and Belly Option well.

But the Belly Series isn’t the only one available for those seeking to ease into running the option. Attacking right up the gut is the Freeze Option Series – which like the Belly Option – eliminates the QB’s dive read and takes the pressure off making a correct read right after the snap. Like the Belly Option, the QB has some time before making a pitch or keep read- and doesn’t have to worry about defenses forcing him to make two correct reads quickly. Between the two series, I like the Freeze a little more. By using some different backfield motions and actions, both the called FB dive and the perimeter Double Option can be used as counter plays as well. If you’ve seen Navy’s or GSU’s Counter Option, then you’ve seen pretty much seen the Counter Freeze Option.

Hey, any time I can teach two plays to my linemen yet make the defense think we’re running as many as six different ones (using sets and motions), I’m going to do it.

Okay, now you’ve heard my reasoning. In the next installment, we’ll look at some diagrams and see how the Belly and Freeze Series can help you get some option into the mix.

(to be continued)

Using The Freeze And Belly Options As An Introduction To The Option (part 1)

2011-02-23T17:51:00.001-05:00

If you’re a coach who is thinking of installing the option for next season, you may want to read the following.

First, let me say that I think that without a doubt, the one offensive system that gives most teams an edge over their opponents year in and year out is the option. If you ask defensive coordinators any time any where what the most difficult offense is to defend, nine out of ten will reply, “the option.” The main reasons seem to be the difficulty in preparing for it… forcing the defense to play assignment football… forcing the defense into fewer and simpler coverages – making them susceptible to the play action pass. The reasons are many… yet few coaches opt to run the option - even as teams like Georgia Tech, Georgia Southern, Navy, Army, and Air Force rack up the wins running various flavors of it. I found myself asking why this is the case and came up with the following:

1. It’s not the Spread Gun, The Wing T, or the Power I. As coaches, we know what we know and not many head coaches are familiar with the system. Many guys just don’t know enough about the offense to stick their necks out for it.

2. It’s hard to teach. This is a deceptive statement, as I strongly feel that once a good coach is familiar with the offense and the drills and skills necessary to become proficient, the option is no harder to teach than the Spread Gun or the Wing T systems. But until you are proficient, there is a danger of “getting in over your head” with the offense… and there are many misconceptions and pitfalls that can trip-up a rookie option staff.

3. Coaches don’t want to sell-out to the option. No other system is predicated on making the defense stop one play as is the option offense. Almost all the supplementary plays take advantage of the defense “robbing Peter to pay Paul” in order to stop your base play – be it the Inside Veer, the Midline, or even the Outside Veer. You have to commit to learning – and running- your base play over and over and over again until it is ran to perfection – each player knowing what do do and every adjustment needed to counter defensive tactics used to stop it. But many coaches insist on hedging their bets – spending hours of practice time getting in the Gun, or Power I, or whatever they turn to when things just aren’t going their way.

4. Knowledge. With the advent of several option groups springing up on the Net (and even sites like this one) finding our specifics on running the option has never been as easy as it is today. That said, like any offense, there is much detail and expert knowledge that goes with coaching it well- and there simply is no substitute for experience. Since the option isn’t ran half as much as any of the other popular systems of today, finding coaches that have spent time coaching the option can be a challenge. A line coach that has spend half a career coaching zone blocking and pass setting is facing a huge paradigm shift when switching to the option. Size and heft take a backseat to quickness off the ball and knowing who to block. An OC that’s used to running the Tony Franklin system is no doubt mystified when he sees an option QB has thrown for over 1,000 yards in a season – mostly using simple two -and sometimes single- receiver routes. And what’s keeping them from being eaten alive by the blitz – look at how small that O-line is! Heh… I’ve heard all that… and more. Those of us that have run the option know the reasons why, but to a novice option OC, all this can seem like a mystery.

5. It takes athletes. Many coaches like to use the excuse, “well, I just don’t have the kind of hosses it takes to run the option.” While it’s true that great athletes can make almost any coach look like a genius (well, almost any), No other offense has the potential of spreading the ball around like the option. The fact that the option coach can truthfully claim not to know who’s going to get the ball each time he calls the bread and butter play is the single best argument I can make. And if great athletes are all it takes to win, how can Navy and the other service academies manage to play with so many teams where their players couldn’t even get a scholarship?

So having given you 5 good(?) reasons NOT to make the Triple Option the linchpin of your offense, you’re probably wondering when I’m going to start telling you to drop everything you know and start running it. And that would be the funny part.

I’m not.

(to be continued)

Condredge Holloway

2011-02-16T14:11:00.001-05:00

Great article on Holloway… who always left it on the field.

Link: http://instalawyer.blogspot.com/2011/02/i-happened-to-come-across-this-while.html

ESPN Link: http://espn.go.com/espn/page2/index?id=6123998

Wikipedia Info: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Condredge_Holloway

Over a Dozen Football Players Hospitalized - Possibly Due To Supplements.. Certainly Due To Stupidity

2011-01-28T12:56:00.003-05:00

A bunch of Iowa Hawkeyes have to be hospitalized after an "intense" workout.

Read about it here:

http://baltimore.cbslocal.com/2011/01/27/13-univ-of-iowa-players%E2%80%94-1-from-md-%E2%80%94hospitalized/

Lessee... pump 'em ful of creatine and literally run the piss outta them. What could possibly go wrong?

I wish I could say that this moronic behavior was an isolated instance in the coaching profession.

Hopefully after that careful "internal investigation," somebody will get handed their walking papers. It's just a frigging game.

Coach Smith

House Cleaning

2011-01-05T16:13:00.004-05:00

I went through the links along the right-hand side and got rid of any dead links I found.

Notes:

The Flexbone Association home page re-do looks very, very good. Nicely done and professional.

The Flexbone Message Forums went pay-to-play. I have mixed emotions concerning charging for advice, but people deserve to be compensated for time, resources and effort. I don't charge... so if the advice I give you is crap, I can say, " hey, you get what you pay for!!!"

You can easily find the forums by going to the Flexbone homepage and looking around... Great group of guys over there. I'm sure I'll join at some point in time, but for now I have some other things to tend to. Coach Jaz and Coach Cella will run good site.

Rich Kelly has started the OFS Forum (Option Football Society) over and Proboards. You have to register (a necessary evil to eliminate spam) but it's free so I'm linking to it. It has sections dealing with Split Back Veer, Flexbone, Wishbone, and Shotgun option systems. We'll see how it does... and remember, the quality of the forum reflects the quality of the coaches participating on it. I'm glad to see another board out there since Rolling Thunder faded away along with the MegaClinic's board.

I know I still owe a couple of you coaches some DVD's and I promise to come through for you... perhaps before you retire. I have my main system back up and running so I can copy DVD's again. I'll email you when they are in the mail...

That's all for now,

Coach Smith

Quote of the Month

2010-12-16T11:30:00.006-05:00

Saw this today while reading the News You Can Use" section at Coach Wyatt's excellent Double Wing site,

WWW.COACHWYATT.COM

"Watching the spread (shotgun) offense in high school is like watching touch football at a picnic."

- submitted by reader

I think that sums it up nicely.

I've said it before and I'll say it again, if you're not checking out Coach Wyatt's site, you're missing out on one of the best football sites on the Net.

Coach Smith

Quote of the Month

2010-12-16T11:30:00.003-05:00

Saw this today while reading the News You Can Use" section at Coach Wyatt's excellent Double Wing site,

WWW.COACHWYATT.COM

"Watching the spread (shotgun) offense in high school is like watching touch football at a picnic."

- submitted by reader

I think that sums it up nicely.

Coach Smith

Quote of the Month

2010-12-16T11:30:00.002-05:00

Saw this today while reading the News You Can Use" section at Coach Wyatt's excellent Double Wing site,

WWW.COACHWYATT.COM

"Watching the spread (shotgun) offense in high school is like watching touch football at a picnic."

- submitted by reader

I think that sums it up nicely.

Coach Smith

Interesting Observations

2010-10-28T09:25:00.001-05:00

The following quote is from Lou Cella, O-Line coach extraordinaire and co-owner of the great Flexbone Association site and Flexbone Forum (both of which I have been avidly following for years, btw.)

How many athletic scholarship players did Navy have on Saturday (23 Oct 2010)?
A: zero

How many athletic scholarship players did Notre Dame have on Saturday?
A: 85 on roster

What was Notre Dame's 2010 recruiting class overall rank as compared to all Division 1 schools?
A: #20 (on average)

What was the score on Saturday (I was there and for the press conference afterwards)?
A: 35-17

Oh yeah, and Army is 4-3--most likely 5-3 after Sat. afternoon (I'll be there).
How many athletic scholarships do they have?
A: 0

They (Army) start running triple option and all of the sudden they are up for their first bowl game since 1996...
I rest my case.

Food for thought.

Interesting Email

2010-09-27T15:35:00.003-05:00

I read the following post at Coach Hugh Wyatt's great Double Wing site, www.coachwyatt.com, the other day and just had to get his permission to repost it. I particularly like Coach Wyatt's reply (shown in bold text)

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*********** As a fan of Georgia Tech and Navy, I'm accustomed to reading derogatory comments about triple option-oriented offenses from fans even more clueless than me, and Tech fans in particular enjoy referring to Paul Johnson's offense as "our high school offense," primarily hoping that no one else in southern 1-A college ranks starts running it.

Anyway, I started googling around a bit for the weekend's college results. Looks like option-oriented offenses did pretty well this weekend.

Georgia Tech wins on the road;
Navy wins on the road;
Air Force loses, but pushes # 7 Oklahoma to the limit, 24-27;
Army wins;
Georgia Southern wins;
The Citadel wins;
Wofford's wingbone gets a victory; Div. 2 Brevard College wins; Div. 2 Lenoir-Rhyne wins;
Div. 2 Carson-Newman (still running the old split-back veer) wins; Div. 3 Maine Maritime wins (and "only" gets 615 total yards in the process);
Div. 3 Springfield College wins (with over 500 yards rushing);
Div. 3 Ripon College wins;
Cal junior college College of San Mateo wins;
and Shorter College from the NAIA ranks wins.

Just wanted to pass along the above, thinking you might get a kick out of it.

Dan Walker
Tallahassee, Florida

That is great. Really good research.

I don't think many opponents will take up unconventional offenses until Georgia Tech provides them cover by winning something really big, and even then I don't think too many guys at the college level will swing over, because it’s not politically popular to run the ball. And at the high school level it gets the quarterback's father on your ass, and sometimes that's all it takes to get your fired.

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ps. I've said it before and I'll say it again... if you're not reading his excellent News You Can Use section, you're missing one of the great football resources on the Net!

Coach Smith

2010-09-11T09:55:00.002-05:00

01/11/01

No Football For You!

2010-08-25T10:48:00.002-05:00

Well, it looks like I'll be sitting out this season. It wouldn't be appropriate to go into it now, so I won't.

If anyone on an option staff needs any help, you can contact me at coach.steve.smith@gmail.com . If nothing else, I can throw some ideas out there.

Coach Smith

Cumberland University Flexbone Camp A Success

2010-06-28T07:45:00.001-05:00

Players from Middle and East Tennessee and Central Kentucky were on hand for a hot but productive camp. Sorry about the low number of pics – it’s hard to snap ‘em and coach, too. (Anyone game for creating a hat-mounted “Coach-Cam??” On second thought… probably not a good idea!)

You want reps…? We’ve got reps!

Taking time to go over assignments.

Getting it done.

Even with 3 sessions per day, there was still time to mug for the camera.

Logan and Ethan from Campbell County… I’m going to miss you guys next year.

Jacobi and Zach from Portland… two players from my new school.

Camp Picture.

At first I thought the heat had gotten to this unidentified player from Kentucky. His coach assured me he’s just like that all the time…

Scott and Lou take a break from the heat between sessions.

Coach Smith

Sometimes You Just Have To Share

2010-06-04T17:59:00.001-05:00

I found this under the heading:

“Why there was no looting after the Nashville Flood.”

Indeed.

I Still Get Goosebumps...

2010-05-04T19:21:00.005-05:00

The highlights from the biggest upset I personally have witnessed on the collegiate gridiron.

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I would have put this second clip in except it's not an upset unless you don't expect 'em to win... I haven't counted Navy out of a game in a long time!

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To prove that it indeed wasn't a fluke, Navy defeats ND once again...

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Coach Smith

Flexbone Association Camps in 2010

2010-04-21T11:43:00.002-05:00

Check out the link below to find one near you!

http://www.flexboneassociation.com/camps/camps.htm

Cumberland University (Nashville, TN) June 20- 23

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Cumber Land 10

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Coach Smith

The Benefits of High School Football

2010-04-21T11:37:00.002-05:00

Nice Rebuttal.

http://www.star-telegram.com/2010/04/18/2122935/stockard-high-school-football.html

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Http Www.star-telegram.com 2010-04-18 v-print 2122935 Stockard-high-school-football
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Coach Smith

Navy Football Highlights

2010-04-14T21:48:00.006-05:00

2008 Navy Football Highlights

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Midline Option

2010-04-14T21:15:00.008-05:00

I've got to give the "Link of the Week" award to The Birddog Navy Blog for this great write-up on the different flavors of Midline Option. Outstanding!

http://thebirddog.wordpress.com/2008/10/10/the-midline-option/

Below are the vids - but do yourself a favor and make the trip to their site!

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Oldmid
Uploaded by phatphelix. - Basketball, baseball, pro wrestling and more sports videos.

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Rutgers midline2
Uploaded by phatphelix. - Check out more sports and extreme sports videos.

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Rutgers midline4
Uploaded by phatphelix. - More professional, college and classic sports videos.

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6th Anniversary of Veersite Coming Up

2010-04-14T10:24:00.003-05:00

Hey, I just realized that on May 26th of this year, Veersite will have been around for 6 years.

Man, it doesn't seem like it's been that long since I was asking, "what's the best way to block a 3 technique on Inside Veer...", etc...

I wonder if I should do something different this year... I totally ignored April Fools Day this year (can't mess with you every year or you'll get wise to me...)

Any ideas or thoughts are appreciated.

Coach Smith

Bob Ladouceur describes De La Salle Football

2010-04-14T10:04:00.004-05:00

De La Salle Football Coach Bob Ladouceur describes his coaching philosophy, O-Line drills, weight room, etc. One of the best football coaching articles I've ever read... possibly THE best.

If you haven't read this before, do yourself a favor: take the time to do so.

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De La Salle High Motivation
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As always, if anyone associated with this article has a problem with me posting in on Veersite, email me and I'll take it down. Nuff Said.

Coach Smith

Reminder: 2010 Georgia Southern Clinic April 8-10

2010-03-29T13:04:00.001-05:00

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2010 Georgia Southern Football Spring Coaches Clinic
April 8-10, 2010

Thursday, April 8
3-4 p.m. Check-in at Parrish Football Building
4-6 p.m. Practice open to visiting coaches

Friday, April 9
Film Rooms open to visiting coaches

8:30-10:30 a.m. Check-in at Parris Football Building
11 a.m. Strength Clinic with Tom Melton, Iron Works
2 p.m. Offensive Presentation with Offensive Coordinator Brent Davis
3 p.m. Defensive Presentation with Defensive Coordinator Brent Pry
4 p.m. Open Chalk Talk with Georgia Southern Coaching Staff
5 p.m. Social
6 p.m. Defensive Presentation with Georgia Southern Defensive Coach
7 p.m. Offensive Presentation with Georgia Southern Offensive Coach
8 p.m. Open Chalk Talk with Georgia Southern Coaching Staff

Saturday, April 10
8 a.m. Clinic with Coach Jeff Monken at Paulson Stadium
Continental Breakfast (provided)

9 a.m. Scrimmage at Paulson Stadium

Brochure available for download (below).
$40 per coach, pre-registered, pre-paid.
For more information, contact Vic Cabral at (912) 478-5522 or by fax at (912) 478-5059.

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Link to Clinic Info: http://www.georgiasoutherneagles.com/ViewArticle.dbml?DB_OEM_ID=18700&KEY=&ATCLID=204892979

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GSU Spring Football Clinic Flyer
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I'm very excited that the Triple Option is making a well-deserved return to Statesboro. I can't wait to see what these guys can do!

Coach Smith

Southeast High School Football Jobs Sites

2010-03-19T13:00:00.005-05:00

Below are the best sites I can find for finding high school coaching jobs in Tennessee, Georgia, and Florida.

Georgia:

http://ga.prepcountry.com/?m=9000&w=1&v=28

Florida:

http://www.fhsaa.org/classifieds/positions.htm

Tennessee:

http://www.tssaa.org/newspages/classifieds.cfm#POSITIONS

As I find others, I will add them to this post.

Coach Smith

Flexbone Association Camps

2010-03-19T12:57:00.002-05:00

Reposted from the Flexbone Association Forum (see links)

Coaches -

Five camps are now active, with brochures available on the camps page.

http://www.flexboneassociation.com/camps/camps.htm

Eastern Michigan
Wingate
Wilmington
West Alabama
Saint Louis

We are working hard on getting the rest of them finalized. If you have any questions please let us know.

Scott Jazdzewski
Head Coach / Offensive Coordinator
Waupun HS
Waupun, WI
Freedom - Faith - Family - Football - PS:27 - Proverbs 26:4
2002 - Wisconsin D6 State Champions (St. Mary's Springs)
www.flexboneassociation.com

2010 Georgia Southern Clinic April 8-10

2010-03-10T12:17:00.017-05:00

Carson-Newman Football Clinic Feb 26-28, 2010

2010-02-08T13:03:00.005-05:00

Here's the link to the brochure:

http://static.psbin.com/k/j/asqkkqt3j8le15/CN_Football_Clinic.pdf
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CN Football Clinic-2010
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Coach Smith

Addendum: 3/10/2010

The clinic this year was very good... it was nice to meet up agia with some old friends and see the guys at Carson-Newman. The list of big-name speakers was lower this year, but the X's and O's and testimony provided by those that did speak were wonderful. I sometimes walk into Coach Spark's clinic tired and a little burned-out, but I always leave fired up and spiritually recharged.

The staff break-outs were outstanding and it was refreshing to see the cutups of C-N doing the "same old thing" running splitback veer... and still pounding folks in the process.

You just cant stop the option.

Motivational Posters

2010-01-28T10:39:00.011-05:00

Below are some of my personal favorites.

...and my personal favorite.

Coach Wyatt is The Man!

2010-01-19T08:41:00.004-05:00

After reading and watching the slow-motion train wreck that was the Lane Kiffin departure from the University of Tennessee... and the ensuing search for a replacement, Coach Wyatt summed it up better than anything else I've seen.

The following is from the excellent football website, www.coachwyatt.com, in the "News You Can Use" section...

If you don't visit his site at least twice a week, you're missing out!

--------www.coachwyatt.com--------www.coachwyatt.com--------www.coachwyatt.com-------

FRIDAY, JANUARY 15, 2010- "Never interrupt your opponent when he's destroying himself."Paul Begala, Clinton advisor

(This quote seemed so appropriate to Lane Kiffin's grand arrival on the Pac-10 scene that it had to be carried over.)

Two of my newest favorites (plus anybody who's playing USC)

*********** Well.

Now that Lane Kiffin has taken the latest Dream Job on his rapid ascent to Wherever He's Headed, I can resume liking Tennessee and hating USC.

I couldn't root for anybody coached by that a**hole Kiffin, and it really was hard to dislike Pete Carroll.

But now? Bring out my UT hat and my UCLA sweatshirt!

Did you catch the self-congratulatory way Kiffin described his hiring as a "perfect fit?" Actually, he didn't realize how spot-on he was: out here on the West Coast, USC is short for University of Spoiled Children. Kiffin and USC? Perfect fit.

Despite Kiffin's vaunted ability to recruit, his hiring is not exactly striking fear among Pac-10 rivals. In fact, between the likelihood of NCAA sanctions and his yet-to-be-demonstrated ability to actually coach, Kiffin's arrival at USC has the potential of increasing the job security of every other coach in the Pac-10, not the least of whom is just across town - Rick Neuheisel.

So detestable is Kiffin that he makes Neuheisel downright likable, not to mention trustworthy and loyal. And unlike Urban Meyer, who chose not to return Kiffin's fire, Neuheisel will fight back. It won't take long for loudmouth Lane to discover that Slick Rick is a pretty handy guy with the jab himself.

Oh, and by the way - with Kiffin's loss to UCLA this past season, he's already 0-1 against Neuheisel. So go Vols! Go Bruins!

And Go Beavers! Go Cardinal! Go Cougars! Go Ducks! Go Golden Bears! Go Huskies! Go Sun Devils! Go Wildcats! Go anybodythat plays USC! (Yes, even Notre Dame!)

Beat Kiffin.

--------www.coachwyatt.com--------www.coachwyatt.com--------www.coachwyatt.com-------

I told ya Hugh was the man...

Coach Smith

Kiffin Pre-Statement Video (Alternate Title: Big College Athletics Is Full Of Arrogant Jackasses

2010-01-16T09:03:00.012-05:00

I love the University's representative trying to lay down the law on the media prior to his statement at U.T.

"This is OUR building... you know that don't ya?"

No it's the taxpayers of Tennessee's building. The problem is arrogant jerks like yourself have forgotten that fact. Perhaps a drop in ticket sales will remind your sorry ass next season.

Another thing I noticed was how well-tapped those papers in that hand are! I don't suppose he was nervous, was he? You'd almost think it was this guy that had just broken his promise to all his players and recruits. Personally, I would have just let the press tear Kiffin a new one. Why does he think he has to run interference for lil' Kiffin? Loyalty, lol? The "dignity of the University??" What a crock of shit.

I also love the "professionalism" of telling the TV guys that "they cut their noses off to spite their face." Is it really his responsibility to inform them of this? I thought he was there to set up the interview of shut it down. Feeling the need to inform other's of how they should act -according to you - is very telling on the part of the University. It's also the province of the schoolyard bully. They all sound tough until somebody gets tired and punches 'em in the nose. Then all you get are half-hearted taunts as they crawl off to lick their wounds.

Final assesment of U.T.'s attitude: How dare the press question us - don't you know who WE are??? (There's a lot of that going around on the institutional level these days, unfortunately.)

I would who this guy is. Ain't if great when a big fish from a little pond walks in and starts bellowing just how it's gonna be.. and it blows up in their face. Priceless.

I really wish someone had called his bluff when he keeps saying Kiffin might just walk. Why didn't someone just say, "Fine, let him walk. That will really look good - turning tale and running out of Knoxville without the guts to face the music. No YOU guys decide how you want to look in the court of public opinion. Make it quick... I've got a deadline." I would have made Kiffin and he University out to be what they are - jerks who think they can dictate just how it's going to be to anyone and everyone - and then think they can make you like it.

Newsflash Jerko. no you can't. Not one bit.

Screw these overpaid jackasses. I'll never watch or go to another U.T. football game again. Good luck to Dooley, but count me the hell out. And Kiffin's attitude is, "hey, how dare anyone get pissed at ME over all this! I'll just walk out without a statement." I don't know why he deserved to give one anyway. Hey, you needed a job, you told the interviewers anything they wanted to hear in order to get it, and when you got a chance at another job with more money and stature, you jumped ship. And you'll leave USC too, if you can find a pro team dumb enough to hire you.

The final blame lies in the ones who chose Kiffin. It was no secret what he was. That's who the fans should really blame. They are the ones who should be getting the boot. But they will continue on... sitting in the skyboxes and flying aroung on the Pilot Fuels corporate jet and making the big bucks.

The irony is that Fulmer would probably had the same record this season as Kiffin's crew.

I hope you enjoy this little glimpse into big college coaching. Don't forget a barf bag next time you get another.

Coach Smith
(who is proud to say has no endorsements, no contract, and is happy and proud to coach real high school athletes who play for the love of the game.)

University of Tennessee Students Show Their Displeasure

2010-01-14T21:50:00.007-05:00

University of Tennessee Students are shown here running to the athletic offices to barricade the junior Kiffin inside and slow his departure from Rocky Top for a couple of hours...
Not a riot so much as an intense bitch session/party. Not much exscuse is needed in Knoxville for the latter, I can attest to that.

I remember helping to instigate a 1,500-strong snowball fight that eventually brought in about 50 Knoxville City and Highway Patrol cruisers onto campus... which proceeded to do the smart thing and simply keep us corralled on the intramural fields until we tired and dispersed. Good times.

Gee, it would have been sweet if they could have talked the Air Force coach into coming...

is it too late to hope the UT Learjet makes it's way to Annapolis?

Coach Smith

Update, Thursday evening, Jan 14
"Duke head coach David Cutcliffe will be named Tennessee’s next head coach barring a last-second snag in negotiations, a source told the News Sentinel."
Cutcliffe would be a wise choice.

Revised Playlist -Lessons Learned - General Rambling

2010-01-05T06:42:00.005-05:00

While looking forward to Spring Practice, I've been looking back over the past season... what worked, what didn't work... how much was caused by inexperience and injuries and how much was due to coaching (i.e. too much, too little, shoulda changed more, shoulda "stayed the course...")

Lessons Learned:

Have a base and stick with it. It's fine to add a play each week or add a wrinkle or two if it helps you attack a certain defensive scheme. However, don't make big, wholesale changes unless you know without a doubt it will give you a definite advantage. That being said, we changed things up 3 times this season (sometimes to cover for an injury, sometimes to feature a player that was "hot," and sometimes because we just didn't have the right kid for the right position in order to execute the offense. ) Our first change was as this: Switched from Flexbone Option to Double Wing to hide lack of production at QB, move a Guard to FB - since both FB's were out, and feature our most consistant two RB's. Result: a close win (our second) against a team that had obviously prepared against wide splits and a suspect option team. They were not prepared for tight splits, pulling both G and T on our Powers and Counter Treys, or an offense that could move the sticks just enough to give the defense a fighting chance. The second change was switching to split backs to utilize two big, hard running backs and run OSV against an odd front. At least that was the plan. Result: a big loss that cemented the fact that the upperclassman we hoped could play QB was in over his head running the option and that our RB's, while our best, still needed help in order to us to win. The third change was switching back to a spread set going back with our soph QB (who had choked hard earlier in the season,) and running Freeze Option against a team that had obviously prepared to stop a very mediocre Double Wing team. We spot-played our senior and ran plays that suited him and also used him at RB and rec. Running Freeze and a little Freeze Option took much of the reading off the back of the soph. QB. Each successful play helped build his confidence mightily. Result: a close- but big- win at home. We finished our season with a 30 point loss, but with also ran for lots of yards and 1st downs against a quality opponent. Most importantly, our soph QB grew into his cleats, our JR FB showed guts and heart playing on a badly sprained ankle, our O-line came off the ball and frustrated the defense, and several other young players got quality reps and contributed. With two kids that can run the option and throw the football, we won't lack for an identity next season.

Less is More. Period. End of Story. Alternate title: You can Never Run your Base Play Too Well or Too Often. Most defenses can't stop inside veer and midline. Those that can stop them mostly because they have vastly superior athletes. The moral is that they will probably beat you running the "I", Wing T, Shotgun, etc. Just run what you run as best you can and let the chips fall where they may. You might just be surprised.

Less is More. Fewer plays mean that your players come off the ball with confidence because they know who to block. They will learn faster. They will be able to check-off at the LOS. Minor adjustments (like switching to double option instead of triple) will be easier... and supplementary plays will eventually take their toll on defenses selling-out to stop ISV and Midline (Rocket, P.A., and the quick passing game will be easier.)

Sometimes, it just ain't gonna happen. You can start off with 80 kids dressing for Spring Ball, but when 30 quit over the summer (heart transplants needed) and you lose a bunch of producers to injuries, swine flu, etc... well, you just aren't going to win as much as you'd like. Nuff Said.

So to get back to the title of the post, I think the main plays an option team should emphasize going into Spring are:

ISV - triple and double varieties. We need to have multiple perimeter schemes and we need to know them sooner and execute them better.
Midline - double and eventually triple varieties. Sometimes you just have to move it in and read that three tech!
Inside Trap - Both the Frozen and countered variety. Mostly Countered. The C-Trap is our inside misdirection and the Freeze is for those special moments when you "just want to hand the ball off." Also handy for getting that 2nd string QB through some tough spots...
Counter Option - it is our outside misdirection... and as a bonus it builds off the C-Trap. Since we can't cut in high school, we'll have to pitch off EMOL and take the puller up to LB - which means we can't run it against ever front. but if the defense wants to slant hard to take away the FB on ISV, they make it easy for the psT to get his block and with the QB leverage pitching, the ball should get out on the perimeter. A lot.
Play Action. Nothing says "I love your option-stopping defense" like a wide-open WB running alone down the middle of the field as the Safety flies up to play linebacker... watching the entire opposing bench go "Noooooooooooooooooo" in slow motion... like the replay at the end of a Youtube video of a guy getting punched in the nuts. Good Times.
Sprint Out. Just when the contain man thought it couldn't any harder... B.O.H.I.C.A. And what's wrong with giving a running QB the option to, uh, run if everybody's covered?
Just a little 4 receiver dropback passing. One- because 4 vert's is a beautiful thing. Two- because they're giving it to ya. Three- cuz Bill Walsh and Norm Chow kick all forms off a$$. Well, Norm still does. Bill (RIP) did... I just like giving him his due.

Supplementary Plays. Not sure which ones will make the cut or how much we'll use the ones that do make the cut.

There's still going to be Rocket - it's easy (well, it's easy if you have a WB that a) knows to go in motion early and get wide and b) can break a 4.9 sec 40.

There's going to be Belly... tho maybe not so much at first. Then there might be a whole lot. Especially if we can get good running the latest variation of it. Mark my words, this is going to be huge... but that's all I'm gong to say about it.

WB counter or counter lead of some form or other... The counter Trap and counter Option may be enough.... but if not, we'll have these ready to install.

Shotgun. Because, well, running P.A. on 3rd and 20 ain't foolin anyone. But not a lot of Shotgun. Cuz just when you start to get things going - Whoops! - there goes a snap over the QB's head. Shotgun. Pffffttt. Nuff Said.

Coach Smith

Big East Clinic Jan 8-9th

2009-11-17T13:14:00.002-05:00

"I (Coach Busby) just got the letter in the mail today about the big east clinic Jan 8-9th in Gatlinburg, TN . Johnson is speaking at 8:45 am on the 8th. the clinic is $30 if you pre-register or $40 at the door. for more information you can contact Graham Clark at (423) 378-8518. Gatlinburg is a good place to bring the family if you want to bring them (my family goes on vacation there sometimes). Hope to see some of ya there."

Thanks to Coach Jason Busby for posting this on the Flexbone Association Forum.

Game 10 Video

2009-11-03T22:05:00.008-05:00

I'm not sure if I should be excited that we have 3 quarters of pressbox level video posted online (nice way for Grandpa & Grandma to see the game; positive exposure for the program, etc) or dismayed (scouting video, anyone... anyone?) Regardless, it's out there and here's the link to it.
(Yes... we football coaches are a paranoid lot, lol!)

Campbell County vs. Oak Ridge at Cougarsrock.net

Link to 1st half- larger video

Link to 2nd half- larger video

Link to video part 3

Thanks to the folks at Cougarsrock.net and the play-by-play crew at 104.9 FM for a nice video of the game. Thanks to their tireless efforts, Cougar sports are getting more and more recognition each season.

Coach Smith

The Mother of All Trap Option Posts

2009-07-11T20:31:00.003-05:00

Note: Post updated on 07/11/2009 - two GSU video clips added below.

FB Trap (GSU Whirleybird QB action)

Pitch Phase of GSU Option

I think I'm likin' me some 'whirleybird' Trap and Trap Option. All that spinning around makes it hard to find the football. Combine this with the reverse-out by the QB on Belly and Belly-O and you might have a viable alternative while your QB's get solid on midline and ISV.

Note: Post updated on 12/10/07
Along with Inside Veer, Outside Veer, and many other option plays, the Trap (or Freeze) Option will be heard mentioned as well in hushed tones in darked doorways and back alleys across America.

Run the football?? Coach, are you crazy??

Unfortunately, the finer points of the Trap Option are hard to find in this modern age of Empty sets and Shotgun offenses. However, I was fortunate to learn some Trap Option this past year while coaching with Bobby Bennett. Coach Bennett was a G.A. at East Carolina in the late 80's when they were running the Trap Option. It is from installing the Trap and Trap Option part-way through this past football season at Suwannee, watching a video of game cuts from Coach Bennett's time at East Carolina, some vintage Miss. State Trap Option from the "I," and a borrowed copy of the excellent George DeLeone Syracuse Freeze Option clinic tape that I solidified my grasp on the theory of the Trap Option.

Trap Option High School Team In Tennessee On It's Way Winning State Title

Link to larger video

Almost every team runs some kind of inside trap. If you run the Wing-T, then you of course run it. So if you do happen to have the inside FB trap in your playbook, then you essentially have almost 50% of the Trap Option in already!

Most option teams have a call that lets the QB know that he's going to give the ball to the dive back - no matter what. Blocking this "called dive" is as varied as there are ways for football coaches to hide a receding hairline from the fans in the stands.

Some will base block it and others will still veer block it, but one thing is certain: the dive back is the one who is going to get the football. One bad thing about base blocking your dive might be the fact that you might be running the option precisely because you aren't a very good base blocking team! Of course, if you veer block it and the dive read pinches and takes the dive... well, that's no good, either. No, we need a way to use quick linemen and angle blocking to our advantage while still going with a predetermined give.

This is sounding more and more like we need to be looking at the blocking scheme for the inside Trap.

Vintage So. Miss. Trap Option

Link to larger video

Lets start with the backfield footwork. I'm not going to set this up with any particular offensive set. Stay with whatever backfield set you already use- you don't really have to change things around unless you just want to. If you have a set with a true fullback, like the "I" or Flex, or Wishbone then you are fine. And there are many teams running Midline very effectively from splitbacks.

So if you can already run Midline, then you have the backfield action needed for running the Trap Option series. If you have been afraid to install the Midline, here's a nice way to move in that direction without initially having your QB learn to make a dive read.

If you already have the Midline installed, then many of your existing coaching points will probably work pretty well with the Trap.

Note: Some may ask, "Why run both?" Well, I look at the Trap Option series as a way to get some option out of a QB that just hasn't "gotten it together" with the option. This might be a good series for a sophomore backup QB to run if he's suddenly thrown into a big game ("Just hand the ball off, Kid - it's the Trap! And stop looking like you've seen a ghost and swallowed your tongue!") You might also use it for a wide receiver that's your second-string QB and just doesn't get enough quality reps on Midline and Inside Veer. Survive the game with him running Trap/Trap Option... Then you've got the next week to get him more up to speed. - SS

The QB will clear the midline of the Center stepping back and gaining depth away from the LOS. Coach DeLeone, however, extoles the virtues of the long ride on both the Trap and Trap Option.

This is the point where I deviated somewhat from traditional thinking regarding the FB depth, type of mesh, etc. I had four days to install some semblance of the Navy offense this spring at my ill-fated non-job, and I wanted to make it as simple as possible. I like the point mesh and will not have one mesh for ISV and another mesh for Midline and Trap.

First, I decided that the point mesh was my mesh. I have my reasons and you are free to agree or disagree. What I needed to do was find out if it would work with the Veer, the Midline, and the Trap.

I based the FB depth from the 4 - yard HB depth that we had used at Middlesboro. Hey, go with what you know, right? However, I had the FB's adjust their depth a little depending on which play we were running.

On ISV, I had him think "I want my heels just an inch or two in front of the 4-yard mark." (Oh, and I put his aiming point as the crack of the psGuard instead of the outside foot. More on this in a later post.) On Midline I had him think, "I want my my toes right in the paint marking 4 yards." And on Trap/Trap Option, he was to think, "I want my toes a couple of inches behind the paint." In a nutshell - Midline = 4 yards, ISV = cheat up, and Trap = cheat back.

I honestly don't think it was enough for the defense to pick up on as I watched for any signs of recognition among the defensive players and coaches - and saw none.

Now to the mesh.

Somebody once said that consistency is "the hobgoblin of little minds." Well, consistency in your mesh (whatever type you choose) equates to improved ball security. Feel free to quote me - it will make me feel better.

Anyway, pointing the ball directly at the read isn't that difficult on ISV - whether or not you're in Split Backs or the "I" or the Flex. Now, the QB's first step isn't as far as it it is when running ISV from Splitbacks, but it's still up into the LOS and the ball still gets seated then extended.
Like I mentioned above, I cheated my FB in the Flex so it would hit as quickly as it would is Split Backs... not leaving the QB standing there poking the ball and whistling while waiting on the dive back to finally get there. It looked good and I was satisfied when our gives on ISV left defensive players "breaking their necks" as they realized the ball had been handed... and that they were definitely heading in the wrong direction.

Gotta love it when the dive breaks!

Now, how did the point mesh work when applied to Midline and Trap Option? The short answer is: it worked . But you're not entirely running the point mesh, either. Confused? Read on.

When you try running the Midline and Trap with the point mesh, don't go nuts because the ball isn't pointing directly at the defensive Tackle. Take a second to think about the QB's footwork and what's going on with the positioning of the football.

The QB must dropstep - clearing the midline of the Center, and gather. This leaves him oriented parallel to the LOS - not pointing into it like he would be running ISV. The ball still gets seated then extended... and the ball is still right out there directly in front of him like it would be if he were running ISV. It's his orientation with respect to the LOS that's different - and that's okay. His footwork has changed, but not how he seats the ball nor what he does with it afterward.

That doesn't mean that you're not going to have some challenges, however.

The QB might start tryiing to reach the ball back to the FB since he can now see him out of the corner of his eye (due to his being parallel and not into the LOS.) My only coaching point concerning this was for the QB on Midline and Trap/Trap Option was to concentrate on pointing the ball at the "tip of the read's nose" - instead of his center of mass like we do on ISV.
This seemed to work.

You "ride and decide" aficionados will be happy to here that I actually think a short ride is okay on the Trap Option. Of course, I tried to limit the ride to just the back hip of the QB to the front hip of the QB at it's greatest. So maybe there's hope for me in your eyes yet, lol! I've noticed that the "back hip to front hip" ride many times is the extent of the ride used by several of Navy's QBs, so I guess that's cool.

As far as the line play, just stick with your rules for inside trap. Some teams won't try and trap an "A-gapper" while others just say to hell with it - trap the first man past the center. It's probably best to be consistent to your existing rules and go with it.

Figure 1. Trap (no motion)

Figure 2. Trap Option (no motion)

Note that the blocking rules of the Trap/Trap-Option are pretty close to those of the Midline Triple. Both plays have the "Seal N' Wheel" block of the bsTackle... and the front side blocking is pretty similar. The Trap/Log block of the bsGuardis the main difference... other than that, it's pretty close. I believe this is why we were able to put in the Trap Option series in short order and be fairly successful with it - we had repped the heck out of Midline in the Spring And Fall.

Well, that's about it on Trap Option. Below are some diagrams showing how easy it is to make two plays look like a whole bunch. I've not even got into running it from Trips or from other offset formations.

Figure 3. Trap (with twirl motion)

Figure 4. Trap Option (with twirl motion)

Figure 5. Counter Trap (with twirl motion)

I'll probably have a short video of to go along with this post by the end of the week.

Coach Smith

ps. It feels good to be back on veersite.

The Birddog: Futility of Defending the Option.

2009-07-05T23:16:00.002-05:00

There is an awesome post over at the Birddog (Navy football blog.)

Very detailed info on why the flexbone works...

Article is Here.

G.T. Spring Practice

2009-06-27T22:36:00.002-05:00

Thanks again to Coach Darlington for the invite to see this in person.

Thanks to Coach Steier for posting the link to this video on Flexbone Association.

- S

Spring Practice Results

2009-05-21T11:01:00.004-05:00

Well, I'm going to sum up our Spring Practice in a Hunter S. Thompson gonzo stream-of-consciousness fashion. Mainly because I'm ADHD as a mug... and I don't have a lot of time today.

When the only returning starters returning to your offense are your center and two guards, you're going to have a lot of mistakes, do a lot of coaching, and answer questions you haven't answered in a long time. Sometimes a very long time.

Notes from 1st film viewing:

Confucius say "never spit in man's face... unless man's mustache is on fire." Confucius also say, "Coach with slow Option Quarterback will be bald by Fall." When you pull the ball, ATTACK the damned pitch read! Midline Triple might have to be my new best friend...

Stalk blocking is not something great athletes are born with. They have to have it drilled in to them over time. Lot's of reps coming for our SE's this Fall...

We scrimmaged a state championship private school to the tune of a 3-0 loss. The defense bent but didn't break. We moved the ball in spurts - always seemed to have 7 or 8 guys doing exactly what they were supposed to do and the rest... well, the rest weren't. At least those few were facing the proper direction when the ball was snapped. Whew!

Our Frosh QB with the arm was introduced to varsity football when he did as he was supposed to on a Sprintout when he tucked it and ran for a 1st down... the only part he didn't look good doing was that "dodging" part at the end - you know, the part where the Free Safety almost breaks him in half except for that last-second wiggle by the QB. Dodge, Tuffy, dodge!! Doh!
As Tuffy lay there contemplating his navel after getting beheaded, the trainer asked him if his ribs hurt... he replied with the affirmative. When asked if his chest hurt, he also replied with the affirmative. I asked him if he could "narrow it down a wee bit..." Tuffy replied, "Coach, it All hurts..." A minute later, the only thing hurting was Tuffy's pride...

Tuffy returned the next series and damned if he didn't play better. Well, they do say a near-death experience will change your life...

Our FB kept cheating back to 5 yards... a far cry from 3.5 to 4. No wonder the veer looks slow. He let the ball rattle around a little during his runs, but after a good ass-chewing, he started two-armed it every time and is moving the pile 3-5 yards. Hmmm... I may have to piss him off before every game.

SPEED IT UP. EVERYTHING LOOKS SLOW!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Our wingbacks don't know what to do about 30%-40% of the time. But they do it at 100 miles an hour and hard. It's fixable. Gonna have to make a playbook, tho... sigh...

Our 2nd string QB is too slow on the option, but does okay at WB... blocks well on Belly and Belly-O... on Rocket Toss... runs tough on Counter during inside drill at practice. And he knows the plays. I think he's found a home at WB.

All the offense is in except for Counter Option and Barnyards. A lot of guys are shaky about what they do on certain plays, but we're getting there.

More to come...

Coach Smith

DeMeo's 3 Step Boot

2009-05-21T08:16:00.006-05:00

I've wanted to run DeMeo's 3 Step Boot for years, but for one reason or another never really have been able to do so. This Spring, we were looking for simple but effective plays we could run that fit well with our established playlist and decided to give the 3 Step Boot a look.

Since we run the naked bootleg pass off our Rocket Toss, most of the skill players know exactly what we're trying to accomplish with the play. With the 3 Step Boot, we have the opportunity to utilize one of our two 6-foot-plus Split Ends as the primary receiver and still have an "out" for the QB should the defense take the route away.

Blocking - if we're running it as the diagram shows, the O-Line is stepping left and the FB is picking up the EMOL to the right. The left tackle doesn't need to be able to hook the DE (4 front) because he has help (for a 2 count) from the left WB before he releases to to the Flat. If it's a 50, then the WB and Tk are one on one and it becomes more difficult... however, I doubt you'll see the DE and DT come hell-for-leather up the field on 1st-and-10 so you should be able to hold a block long enough for the QB to boot - if that's what his read is.

Our right handed QB runs this 75% of the time with the Read Receiver on the right and the boot phase on the left. Reverse this for our Lefty QB. When the backs and receivers come together in practice, we have 2 QB's side by side and all the backs and SE's in the base alignment. The QB closest to the read throws the 3 step route called. The 2nd QB pumps then twirls to the boot phase and throws to a predetermined route. 2 coaches (or a player and a coach) will throw the remaining routes. We'll run this 3 times before swapping the QBs... the boot QB hits all 3 boot routes and the read QB will usually throw a Stop, a Fade, and a Slant or Out. Then we swap it out and repeat. Then we will go the opposite direction. We do our Play Action Pass in a similar manner... 2 QBs close together with each throwing a predetermined route and a coach/player behind throwing the third. We'll run a bout 3-5 each direction with each QB throwing each route at least once. We can get a lot of reps in a 10-15 minute period.

Let's take a look at the Hitch by the primary receiver.

Versus cover 4/2 -- QB reads the CB over the SE. If he backpedals during your drop, then throw the Stop. If he hangs to bump or funnel, then proceed to the boot phase.

Versus cover 3 -- QB reads the playside OLB if the DB is 7 or more yards off the read receiver. If the OLB drops into the throwing lane, continue to boot phase. Our read on the boot phase is to try to locate the Crossing route 1st, then check from Post Corner to Flat. If you get heat, get it to the Flat or OOB. If you boot and no one is open, remember that you are a running QB - tuck that football and go!

If your read route is a deep pattern (Go or Fade), then use the reverse thought process. If we call a deep route and the D lines up in a Cover 3, we will automatically know we're going to the boot phase.

Note: The diagram has the left WB blocking 1 & 1/2 counts before releasing to the Flat... we are using a 2 count. My point (such as it is) is that there's no real difference between the two - especially when a hyped-up teenager is doing the counting!

The main problem we have to date is the QB's wanting to boot no matter what... I guess they are so used to having success with the naked boot off Rocket they just like running boots. We ran this 4 times in our scrimmage and completed the Stop, the Post corner, the Flat, and the Flat (could have thrown the Stop but didn't.) Our shortest gain was 7 yards. Not a bad 1st down passing play for a running team, eh?

Link to previous article:

http://veersite.blogspot.com/2007/01/demeos-3-step-boot.html

Coach Smith

7/11/09 Update

We've ran this in Passing League and have yet to be dissappointed. It might end up being a go-to play for us this season.

Midline from Splitbacks

2009-05-21T08:05:00.005-05:00

I got an email this week from an option coach up in Michigan concerning running Midline from splitbacks... Below is the diagram I shared with him...
The top is the double version and the bottom is the triple version. Note that we aligned our HB's similar to the way Carson-Newman does - splitting the inside leg of the guards with their heels at 4 yards from the back tip of the football. Those that align their HB's deeper and/or wider may not have the same results as we do, i.e. play hits slower, too wide, etc.

Here's a link to a previous Midline article...also from Splitbacks:

http://veersite.blogspot.com/2005/08/midline-from-splitbacks.html

Coach Smith

Charlie Brown Sigh...

2009-05-13T07:37:00.007-05:00

Increased numbers equals more players (of course) and the ability to two-platoon. However, more players also equals a net decrease in overall football knowledge... and more "incidents" like the ones listed below...

Installing the (Venus fly) trap

"Alright... you're going to pull and trap the 3 technique..." - Coach 1
"What's 'pull' mean, Coach?" - Player 1
"Do you 'Trap' him by tackling him?" - Player 2
"What's a '3 tech, tech, technique'?" - Player 3

(Offensive) offensive line drills

"Okay, I want you to fire out and 'punch' me in the chest..." - Head Coach
Player proceeds to haul-off and roundhouse-slugs the H.C. in the gut, knocking the wind out of him.
"***Gasp*** Not like that!!!" - H.C.

(Cruel and Unusual) Punishment Run

"Kid, go run around the Blaster..." - Coach 2
Kid runs to blaster... then proceeds to run thru blaster -without pads- until Coach 2 notices a few minutes later and rushes over to stop him.

There have been a lot more than this since the beginning of Spring practice... wish we had them on film... the revenue from such a blooper reel could let us all retire early!

In Support of Lead Option

2009-05-08T10:59:00.005-05:00

Last installment, I extolled the virtue of the base dive versus the shaded 44 stack defense. The problem we were having was dealing with the stacked backer over the 3 tech on ISV. Since we were double teaming the 3 tech, the shade was able to scrape hard and hit our FB in the mouth on the dive. We've decided that rather than try and check off on the LOS with our green QBs, we would just base it on the line and let the FB hit A gap... and it has worked pretty good for us so far.

However, running right up the gut every time you encounter a 3 tech didn't seem to be the complete answer either.

Then we remembered that old veer standby, the Lead (double) Option.

No matter if you have a 3 tech or not, you still have the psILB accounted for with the FB. But that's not the best thing about running the ISV Lead Option vs. the 44. Remember the 5 tech you've been using as the read for the dive? Well, unless you call time out and tell the Defensive Ends the deal, they're still going to be playing the FB. What we've seen from this play, the 5 techs crash in, giving the QB a quick - but managable- pitch read. And let me tell you - man, does the 5 tech give the QB a pitch key!

We let the FB take care of the fake on the dive and it seems to work. We usually have a 3 tech, a 5, and 2 ILBs trying to tackle the FB. The best part is when the interior defensive players all look up and see the Wingback sprinting into the secondary.

Priceless.

Coach Smith

Addendum (11 May 2009):

After running this a few days, something else has become evident. While the Load Block has been outlawed in all states but Texas... and the Load Option has pretty much faded away because of this, you might get a 5 technique so fixated on tackling your FB that you get, in effect, the Load Option while running Lead Option. We had this happen about a third of the time we called Lead Option. The 5 tech crashed so hard the FB never made it to the LOS... the QB pitched right behind the collision and the pitch back was off the the races. The ILBs were also compressing down on the dive and were out of the picture as well.

So why run Lead Option instead of Rocket Toss? Well, I really like Rocket Toss so I'd say you'd better keep running it! But if everybody - and I mean everybody - is compressing down on your dive on ISV, the the Lead Option can get the ball out on the edge almost as fast as Rocket... with the added benefit that inside out pursuit will be slowed as well. (And don't forget Midline Triple or Freeze Option as other means of getting the ball on the perimeter while as the same time getting the defense to compress down instead of fast-flowing to the ball.)

In Support of the Base Dive

2009-04-30T09:49:00.004-05:00

We had our first Spring team practice Tuesday (half-pads; lot's of new kids... lot's of coaching) and it went pretty well. Our line (veterans) are already using smartsplits, calling even or odd frints, etc. Our green backfield, however, is still very much a "work in progress." We are going with our 2nd string QB from last season at left WB (and backup QB,) a new transfer at FB, and a SE converted to WB. The group is rounded out with our promising Sophomore at QB. I am currently casting him as the new villian in the next Batman movie, the Fumbler, after he ran off a string of 5 fumbled snaps in a row during our inside drill. It looks to be a combination of a new Center/QB combination, a Center doing a better job getting off the LOS, and too little bottom hand pressure by Tuffy.

Heh... the Fumbler. Tuffy hates that, but I'm having a lot of fun with it. I bet I don't have to shoo him onto the practice field early today to get snaps and footwork reps with the centers, hardy-har.

Anyway, while working thru the inside drill, something really cool happened. We had called ISV right and when we got up to the LOS, we had a 3 tech sitting in the gap. For whatever reason, our right Guard didn't call for a double on the three. The psTackle, not getting a call to double team, shrugged and widened his 5 tech out with a nice 5 ft. split. With a 2i on our bsGuard and our bsTackle taking his man out 5 ft., there were definitely some running lanes out there. Our "D's" answer to our Flexbone is a 44 look behind the 5-2i-3-5 front, so running ISV to the 3 is definitely a lot harder to combo than versus a 43. Personally, I was thinking we would have to learn to recognize that we would have to run a ISV Lead scheme (double option) to the 3 tech and stay with the triple to a 1/2i... but that's just me.

What happened next changed that.

Our psG drove the pi$$ out of the 3 tech, our C was up and on the bs ILB like a flash, our bsG scramble-reached the 2i and the QB left the ball for the FB... who proceeded to cut straight up psA Gap and right by the FS who was thinking the QB still had the ball.

I guess the Base Dive is going to have a place in our scheme this year.

And really, really big splits.

Coach Smith

All Good Things Must Come To An End

2009-03-30T01:22:00.001-05:00

APRIL FOOLS!!!!!!!

Well, I knew this day would come.

Since starting Veersite back in 2004, I’ve watched the site change slowly from an introductory option site of sorts into something more wide-ranging and (slightly) more sophisticated. What started as a means for me to learn as much as possible about the split back veer option eventually became a hub to share option information with many coaches across the U.S. and in some instances, around the globe.

Football itself is changing, too. Once a “three yards and a cloud of dust” game, it is now an exciting and ever-evolving means to score points. And as I’ve evolved from a 2 back set option coach to a 1 back set coach, the time has come for me to make another leap into the next level of option football.

It is with a heavy heart I must announce that as of Tuesday of this week, www.veersite.com will no longer exist. It’s been a good run, and I’ve made a lot of friends along the way. But the days where a coach could get by simply running the ball are fast coming to an end, and I don’t want to be the “last dinosaur standing.”

So while, Veersite and the simple triple option may begin to lapse into the pages of football history, I want to introduce you to the next phase of football…

The No-Back Shotgun Option Site!!!

Beginning Tuesday, I will post info on this new and exciting step in the evolution of the option. I don’t want to go too far into it, but I will give you advance few a peek or two of what you can expect to see in the coming weeks.

The Zero Technique Option -- Yes, your QB can learn the option in a single practice session!

How to read the noseguard for a foolproof Shotgun option TD every time!

For a small investment of several installments of $350, you as a coach can invest in your career’s future with my set of DVD’s and computer installation program. Spring Ball has never been so fun… or EASY!!!

Turn the old West Coast Offense into your new Gulf Coast Offense as you seamlessly combine the Mesh, Y Choice, Y Stick, Y Cross, Sail, Flood, Dig, and Tomahawk Cruise Missle passing routes with Speed Option, Lead Option, Triple Option, Counter Option, Freeze Option, Boiled Option, Gumbo Option, Breaded Option… all from the shotgun in only minutes a day! Your practices will be so short your wife will think you’ve lost your mind!

Breaking down film will become a thing of the past. Our system is so flexible and adaptable that you wont even need to practice against an actual defense – all adjustments are included on our handy gameday playsheet.

Okay, I’ve done it – I’ve given away too much! But as you will soon see, scoop blocks, the QB-Center exchange, and double digit scoreboards are about to become a thing of the past! It’s time to get in the Gun and air-it-out… and have an unstoppable running game to boot (we’ve gotta give those Boosters something to bitch about, lol!)

Veersite is dead… but

The Multi-Gun Opton Air Raid Offense

is about to arrive!

APRIL FOOLS!!!!!!!

Coach Smith

Georgia Tech visit included such notables as Mike Sewak, Rick Darlington, and... Ron Jeremy???

2009-03-28T22:10:00.001-05:00

Notables I saw during my trip to Atlanta and Georgia Tech's football practice included Mike Sewak, Rick Darlington, and...

Ron Jeremy?!?

Uh, yeah.

And then things got a little surreal...

More to come...

Gilligan's Lunch Break or The Three Hour Tour!!

Smokey and the G.T. Tour Buses!

When NOT to go into a seedy juke-joint in a strange city!

Misdirection for the Flexbone Team

2009-03-16T23:29:00.001-05:00

Back in the Split back veer days, misdirection was pretty easy. You had your Cutback Dive (I like mine trapped, btw…) and the old “Crazy Option” (or Spin Option.)

Now that I’ve forsaken such plays for the allure of open sets, Rocket Toss, a true balanced set, and the ability to check-with-me on the LOS and truly be able to run Veer to either side equally well, I find myself a little conflicted on my choices for misdirection.

There’s the Counter Option. It’s devastating when you get to the corner with it. But I’ve also heard it referred to as “a train wreck waiting to happen.” A little slower that cutback dive, it does take advantage of fast-flow LBs and tend to slow ‘em down if ran repeatedly. Get to the pitch and your WB “just – might – go – all – the – way.”

Counter Option.

Then there’s Inside Veer ran with Twirl motion. I’m even wondering how it might look with a Carson-Newman “C” tag – which tells the backs… or back in our case, to flash pads opposite before hitting the dive… the QB reverses out then runs his point mesh (I’m thinking just having him do the flash-pads head-fake instead of a complete pirouette, tho.)

ISV with Twirl motion.

Watch the near “Drop DE” in this 3-3 Stack defense. Who sez the veer doesn’t have misdirection?!

I’ll have more on this post later in the week. Just wanted to get it rolling tonight. TIme for bed.

Coach Smith

SPLIT BACK VEER ASSOCIATION CLINIC APRIL 25TH 2009

2009-03-11T23:23:00.000-05:00

SPLIT BACK VEER ASSOCIATION CLINIC APRIL 25TH 2009

FEATURING:
Bruce Bendix, Greg Williams, Steve Smith, John Sterner

Hosted at:
South Lyon High School
1000 N. Lafayette
South Lyon, Michigan 48178

Saturday - Check-in 7:00 am-7:45

John Nicholson, Oak Hill High School (OH)
Welcome and Introduction 7:50-8:00

Bruce Bendix, Heritage High School (MI)
QB drills and "Why the Veer Offense" 8:00-9:00
Drop Back Passing in the Veer Offense 9:00-10:00

Steve Smith, Campbell County High School (TN)
Using formations and motion to your advantage in the splitback and flexbone formations 10:00-11:00
Interior and Perimeter blocking versus 3-5, 3-4, 4-3, and 4-4 fronts (blocking tags, selecting the pitch read, nullifying stunts and secondary coverages designed to stop the option) 11:00-12:00

Lunch 12:00-1:00

Greg Williams, Juan Diego Catholic High School (UT)
Breaking up the 8 man fronts 1:00-2:00
Our experience with No-Huddle & No Mesh 2:00-3:00

John Sterner, Former Head Coach Muskego High School (WI)
The Football Coaches' Guide to Clock Management 3:00-4:00
Wedge blocking in the T-Veer Offense 4:00-5:00

Veer and Midline Install Clinic Notes

2009-03-11T22:54:00.002-05:00

Tim Stowers - GSU - Installing the ISV

Publish at Scribd or explore others: Manuals football

Midline Presentation

Publish at Scribd or explore others: marketing business

I have no idea where this material originated. If you are the author and have a problemo with it being posted here, contact me, coach.steve.smith@gmail.com , and I'll remove it. Nuff said.

Point Mesh From the Flex

2009-03-11T15:10:00.001-05:00

Several of you guys wanted to see the point mesh from the Flex… and I’ve finally got a semi-efficient method to get game clips up again.

These haven’t been selected for any reason other than I was able to get them up the quickest. It should however, give you an idea of how we looked during an average play from scrimmage this season.

Clip One: ISV from Game 7

Trips Left ISV Weak vs. 43. w/SS alley(3 Clips)

Play One: We’re cracking the psOLB and using the CB for the pitch read. Not a bad job by the psSE on the crack, either. The QB is flat (would prefer him to be up into the LOS a little more) but he makes a good descision on the Dive.

The QB is a Senior and this is his first year running the option as the bread and butter play. Since I was broke by the end of summer and too proud to ask for help with gas money(long story), I didn’t begin coaching him until after school had started. My thoughts were to rep the poop out of the point mesh, but not get too “bent” when he would inevitably swing the ball back or not get up in the LOS enough to suite me. Like Jules Winfield in Pulp Fiction, I feel it is better to be a “little Fonzie” and stay cool and matter of fact – not screaming, ranting, and turning my play-caller into a hysterical basket-case.

Play Two: Trips Right, ISV Left. vs. 43 w/SS alley

Same blocking scheme as Play One, only we end up pitching off the Dive Read… which is bad. On a positive note, when you get speed in space, good things happen… and we still get a decent gain on the play. One of the risks of moving the Pitch Read farther out on the perimeter is that sometimes you just don’t make it there. You might also note how the QB swings the ball back on this particular play… and how he and the FB end up “fighting” for it. This is precisely the thing the point mesh is designed to eliminate.

Play Three: Trips Left ISV Right vs. 53 (?)

Well, they jumped into an Odd front, so the Crack call has to go… (it didn’t.) and versus a balanced defense, the first rule of thumb is to run strong (we didn’t.) Again, the nice thing about the Option is that ol’ speed in space thing… and the fact that it can be pretty damned hard to find the football. I honestly can’t recall if we had expected this team to get in an odd front (probably not.) So remember, if you’re going to run the Option, there’s no free lunch. You have to be able to check at the line to different blocking schemes as well as checking the play to the other side.

At least it helps if you can.

Game 7: Midline

We use the Point method on Midline, too. It’s quick.

Game 6 Midline

They didn’t have any film of us running Midline… and I don’t think their 3 techs were ready for it. I think it was just different enough to allow us some success in that first drive and get the momentum going.

Game 10: ISV clips vs 52 with Safety alley

We wanted to get the ball more on the perimeter since teams were going nuts late in the season playing our FB. This week we worked during our Indy periods on attacking the Pitch Read’s (gasp!) outside shoulder. Just something George DeLeone used in his Syracuse Freeze Option to get the ball on the edge when facing feather DE’s, etc.

Game 10; ISV Clip 1

Over Left ISV Right

No complaints on this one. Not up into the LOS enough for me, but I can live with what we’re doing.

Game 10; ISV Clip 2

Flex I Left, ISV Left

No complaints, but I think the QB could make the DE “sell-out” a little more before the pitch. Then again, I’m not the one going to get cut in half by that Huge-mungus DE, either!

Game 10; ISV Clip 3

Nasty, ISV Right

The good, the bad, and the ugly. I have no idea why the SE is chasing the Pitch read. Or why our psT doesn’t block a soul. Well, you’re seeing us warts and all on this clip. Thank Goodness for “speed in space!” The right WB (QB’s twin brother, BTW) does a good job on the “switch” call for the perimeter blocking… I think we were setting up the Wheel Route for later out of Nasty Slot. Like Coach Roark says, “you’ve got to love a system where you don’t block a soul and still make big plays!”

Game 10; ISV Clip 4

Nasty, ISV Left

At first, I got annoyed at how far back the QB bows it after keeping on the Dive. On closer inspection, I can see why he did it… the DT/FB collision is a little messy. What looks like a little “blip” from the pressbox looks a whole lot different from the playing field. It’s easy to forget how things look at game speed after all these years.

Game 10; ISV Clip 5

Nasty, ISV Right

(keybuster. Hey, we can run to the boundary.)

I have no complaints on this one concerning the QB. We’re working the outside shoulder to force the DE to give us the pitch (which was successful)… unless he feathers to a ridiculous degree and the QB can glide right on by.

Game Two ISV Clips.

I wanted to give you a comparison from earlier in the season. You will notice that the new veer QB is more apt to give the Dive than not… probably a good thing. You will also note the tendency to reach the ball back – a hold over from the previous season’s ride-and-decide method. Once that habit is learned, its hard to break it. Our Soph QB started with point mesh and is quite happy to just point the ball while he reads the dive key.

Well, there it is… point mesh out of the Flex. Do I have clips where he’s doing it better? Yeah… but this is how it looked for us as a team selling-out to the option for the first time.

I’ve never mentioned it, but our QB only a year before was starting on the other side of the ball… worrying more about coverage calls and Blood stunts. Personally, I think he did a hell of a job. If he had been running option three years prior… well, it’s scary to think about.

Coach Smith

ps. Here’s a clip of Counter Option from Game 10. We pitch off EMOL and wrap pulling G up to backer… although in this case, there’s “nobody home.” Not sure why the SE and WB didn’t X on the perimeter, tho… I thought I would include it so those that think I’m nuts might reconsider…

Counter Option

2009-03-05T00:16:00.000-05:00

Counter Option

(Alternate Title: The "well, hell..." Article. Read on. You'll figure out why.)

The Flexbone Counter Option was a conundrum for us this past year. We kept repping it, and repping it, and repping it... but never could get up the nerve to run it for quite a few games. I think it was the "watch the QB turn and get flattened by a fire-breathing 5 Tech coming Hell-for-leather nightmare" that Coach Wells and I both seemed to have concerning the play.

Ironically, it wasn't the concern about not being able to cut the 5 tech... unlike a lot of the guys I've read over at the Flexbone Assoc. Nah, neither of us worried too much about trying to log the psDE and pitch off the OLB. It just seemed natural to pitch off the 5 tech and wrap the pulling G up on the psOLB. If you're faking it well, he will at least be planted for a count, and that should give the pulling G a pretty good angle on him. If the pulling G ends up colliding the psDE (the pitch read for us,) he should collision the outside hip... and the QB should work past it until he gets a pitch read - probably the psOLB. We worked this in individual periods, inside run... and in team.

And by the way, our QB never got hit in the chops running this play. Are you kidding? If anyone had been stupid enough to fly their 5 tech in for a kill shot, the give on ISV would have eaten them alive... and they knew it.

We will double a playside 3 tech if we get one. If the linemen smell a rat (look for the cheese!), they will call "Down" and we should pick up trash. But it's nice to have the FB to fill for the pulling Guard nonetheless.

I tell the Twirl WB to align a little wider... and since the pitch WB has no motion "One and None" is the alignment rule for him. We will try and widen the read with the psT... unless we have a 3 tech, which will cause him to tighten just a bit.

The QB is to do exactly what we DON'T want with our point-mesh veer, we step back off the LOS and ride the FB... then turn inside and attack the outside shoulder of the DE. We want to make him make us pitch... and won't try and keep it unless he just comes upfield something ridiculous. I picked that up from Coach George DeLeon's Freeze Option Video. It works. Good stuff. His take on the Freeze can also be directly applied to the modern-day Midline 100%.

It's good to "X" block with the SE and WB on th e perimeter... although we frigged that up a few times... yet it still seemed to work okay for us. In fact, the pulling Guard often had no one to block as the OLB would fly across the formation thinking Veer. When this happens, Life Is Good - buy a tee shirt.

This play works well out for the Nasty Slot as well. I love saying "Nasty Slot." Anyway, it also works well weak in Unbalanced SE-Over sets as well. It's not bad when run to the boundry since you usually pitch behind the Tackle... leaving room for the WB to get north and south.

We will run this vs. a 52 (or 3-4 if you're into all that 3-stuff). It helps if the DT's are pinching or at least playing B Gap. However, if the psT can just stalemate and the QB works his magic and forces the DE to take him... that pitchback going up the sideline for a big gain is a wonderful sight to behold.

I'm not going to get into debates about the pros and cons of logging the DE and pitching off the OLB. While it can happen... for us, it's an accident at best. This is the way we run it. In the words of the immortal Flip Wilson, "What you see is what you get." Feel free to improvise - just don't waste time trying to convince me to do so as well (why do guys attempt this? I think it makes you feel good if you can talk me into something... I don't know.)

Anyway, here are a few last thoughts... we won't run this if the 43 OLBs are Eagled outside the 5 tech in 90's. Why the hell would we? Find the 1 tech and run Belly, Belly, and more Belly until the OLB lines up where you want him or you score. Run Midline Double at the 3 tech. Don't try and force a play to work against something where it can't, Grasshopper. Ommmmmmmm...

It helps to spend some quality time with the QB and backs explaining what it is you're trying to accomplish - in a perfect world we'll get a pitch every time and score up the sideline. I tell the QB, "look, Johhny, don't be a hero..." sung out of tune. He has no idea what the hell I'm talking about, but it eventually sinks in that is not one of those plays where we expect him to be running the TD. It can happen, but we really want to get a pitch. He will eventually get this. I tell him not to worry, he will get much better chances on ISV and Belly Option. Maybe Freeze Option, too... if we can get it in. We're going to try and two-platoon this season... which will give us much more time to do such things. We have around 100 boys out for football and I honestly think we'll have at least 22 that CAN play dead in that proverbial Cowboy movie. Yippee Ki-Yay, Mother- "watch yo mouth... Shaft!"

I'm full of it tonight.

Coach Smith

ps. if there's a video clip of us here running Cntr-O, then I had insomnia and got it finished. If not, look for it Monday or Tuesday night. Oh, hell, it's 1 am. I'm going to bed. Goodnight.

pps. If you don't like the SS left untouched, you can have the bsT release off the bsDE for him. With the Twirl motion and counter action, inevitable secondary rotation, etc, the Tackle should have no trouble getting in the way if he takes an intelligent cutoff angle.

HOLY COW! Carson-Newman Clinic THIS WEEKEND!!!

2009-03-03T20:04:00.001-05:00

I really feel like I dropped the ball on this one... but the annual Carson-Newman clinic is this weekend, Gentlemen. I've looked at a flyer for a few seconds, but didn't have a means to scan it. I've missed the last two clinics and am no longer on the mailing list... thus, no flyer for me this year.

You can rest assured, however, you will not be disappointed if you attend.

Coach Smith

The No-Mesh Mesh... One More Time

2009-02-27T21:12:00.001-05:00

I keep seeing questions about the Point Mesh online, so I thought I would re-post my article on it again. I've included a few new clips, and plan on adding a couple of more recent ones in the coming weeks.

If a particular video won't play for you, refresh the page. It should fix any problems.

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 they are. I'll get some in from the Flexbone when I have the proper setup in a couple of weeks. Flexbone is similar, but the QB's first steps are a lot shorter than Split Back QB's steps... and the FB's toes are closer to 3.5 yards from the tip of the ball than the 4 yard depth we had them at MHS. Actually, it was the heels, but who's counting?

OSV Point Mesh Below

How C-N does it.

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

Windows Sucks

2009-02-26T21:03:00.001-05:00

I've thrown in the towel. Ever since upgrading to Windows XP 64, I've had no luck installing 2 items: A Fujitsu duplex sheetfed scanner (perfect for scanning those 100+ page playbooks, natch!) and my TV Tuner card. The second item is what has chapped my a$$ of late. Without the ability to hook up a small DVD player to the composite inputs and record plays to AVI format, I'm having a hard time getting clips up on Veersite.

I managed to find 64 bit drivers for the damned thing, but the TV program itself insists on doing nothing except screwing up and freezing my computer.

So I'm bidding on a used IBM with good ol' regular 32 bit XP on it on EBAY tonight and hopefully I can get that sucker here in the next week. Then I can install the TV / Video Capture card in it and get down to ripping some video.

Coach Smith

UPDATE: 2/28/09

I got a good deal on Ebay for a nice little compact 3 gig Pentium 4 computer with Vista on it. I should be able to install my capture card and get it to work, since all the software is supposed to work with the 32 bit version of Vista. Hopefully, in a week or two, I'll have some updated clips dealing with the Flexbone.

Play Installation (In Progress)

2009-01-12T13:03:00.009-05:00

Well, it's that time of year, Coaches. Spring Practice will be upon us and before you know it we'll all be going round-and-round with baseball coaches from Pacific to Atlantic over the skill players.

After running the Flexbone for the first time through a complete season, and running the option for going on seven years, it's time to develop a plan for installing the particulars of the Flexbone offense.

Below is the loose framework I've got so far to construct this article. I'm leaving it all up as a post as I work on it instead of hiding it as a Draft. Watch me work!

Coach Smith

--------------------------------------------

**Formations:

1. Flex - Alignment and spacing depending on hash, middle of field.

2. Unbalanced Flex - Alignment (mostly to Field) and spacing.

3. Nasty (Slot) - Alignment is pretty much the same no matter where we are on the field.

4. Flex RT & LF - Alignment... 1/2 Nasty and 1/2 Flex. Nuff Said.

5. Tripps - (also Gun) Alignment and spacing (mostly to Field). Save 'til last.

**Plays:

1. ISV vs shaded 4 front and 2 odd fronts (52 and 33 stack)

teach and tag the following perimeter blocking schemes:
Base, X, Seal, Crack.
teach and tag the following interior blocking schemes: Veer, Loop, Load-Double option... pitch phase only. Show the O-Line and WB what it means to to "bracket" the psOLB in a 33 stack on ISV (Dive read the DT and Pitch off the Drop End.)

2. Counter Option

3-4: psT bases psDT and pulling G turns up on playside 20 tech ILB
4-3: psT and psG deuce or down up to MLB... pulling G turns up on ps 30 OLB.
(4-3) Every so often, practice the pulling G colliding with a flat DE and the QB being forced to wrap around to find another pitch read.
Ever so often, have the pulling G trap a penetrating playside defensive player and the QB just tucking it up underneath and getting all he can.

3. Rocket Toss

4. Play Action Pass from all formations - even tagged single or two man routes from unbalanced sets and Trips... boot from rocket as well.

**Supplemental Plays as time and personnel allow:

Midline double and triple options

Belly + Belly (double) Option

3 step game with boot

Sprint out with max protection (QB keep replaces third read in progression.)

Trap + Freeze (double) Option

-----------------------------------------------

Since all our prospective QBs are green, think about how we can install the system to maximize their potentia for success. Installing called dives and double options before installing triples might be best. On the other hand, some of the footwork needed for the non-triple plays might hurt QB development as it relates to the triple option.

The "Green" QB Install Plan - Spring

Belly Dive. Don't reverse out. Pros - can look like ISV. Cons - FB needs ball deep... all that QB reaching back might come back to haunt us when we point-mesh ISV.
Belly-Option. Pros - double option; easy to teach. Cons - its only a double option; psT & psWB have to seal DE; LBs have to bite on FB for it to work.
Trapped Midline FB Dive aka Freeze. Pros - good angle blocks on trap; no read needed as with Midline - "just hand it off." Cons - gotta have guards that can trap; QB has to "find" the 3 tech.
Trapped (logged, actually) Option aka Freeze Option. Pros - double option; easy to teach. Cons - it's only a double option; guards have to be able to pull and log.
Midline Double. Pros - double option; easy to teach; backfield action was established with Freeze series; easier to block than Freeze. Cons - psT must maintain block on 5 tech; works better against a 4 front than a 3 front.
Rocket Toss. Pros - nobody to read. Cons - none.
Midline Triple. Pros - most of it is "in" already. Cons - green QB.
Triple Option (Inside Veer). Pros - If you have to ask... Cons - green QB.
Counter Option. Pros - great misdirection play, motion keybuster, big gainer if pitched. Cons - lots of teaching and reps needed.
Play Action off Dive (Belly/ISV). Pros - takes advantage of secondary adjustments to option. Cons - don't get into 3rd and long.
Sprintout. Pros - takes advantage of mobile QB... lets his "wheels" be the 3rd read in his progression. Cons - ?

----------finish section --------

Coach Smith

2009 Carson-Newman Clinic

2009-01-09T11:15:00.002-05:00

Word on the SplitBack Veer Association Forum (registration required) is this:

The Carson-Newman Clinic will be March 6th-8th.

More info as it becomes available.

Coach Smith

Funny Stuff...

2008-12-13T13:11:00.006-05:00

This has absolutely nothing to to with football. However, most football coaches love a joke (intentional or not) more than that average Joe walkin' around out there. I found this little gem particularly funny.

Here's the set-up...

A cab driver walks into a TV station in England to apply for a job... then the unexpected happens.

"A cab driver walks into BBC headquarters to interview for a low-level job. They mistake him for an IT expert who is scheduled to come speak on the air about copyright issues...

...they make him up, mic him and the guy just goes along with the whole thing. The look on his face when the interviewer introduces him is priceless. Then he makes up a lot of sh*t to respond to her questions.... even the interviewer's kind of laughing by the end.

- Apparently the man in the vid wasn't Guy Kewney, it was a man called Guy Goma who they accidently mistook for Kewney. The humourous thing was that this man who had no idea what was going on was actually able to answer the questions she was asking."

Roll Video!

You gotta admire the guy for not missing a beat and being a cool customer through the whole thing... he actually looks to be having a great time by the end of the interview!

I hope he got the job.

Coach Smith

GT - UGA Highlight Video

2008-12-12T11:46:00.000-05:00

In case you missed this...

GT - UGA Highlight Video

Awesome Quote

2008-12-10T14:16:00.002-05:00

I ran across this at Coach Hugh Wyatt's Double wing site: www.coachwyatt.com

There once was a coach (whose name escapes my memory) who was asked why the only linemen he recruited were defensive linemen. He answered, "If they don't work out, you can switch 'em to offense. But if you recruit offensive linemen and they don't work out, all you got are fat managers."

Nice.

Have a good Wednesday,

Coach Smith

Future Article

2008-12-04T13:28:00.001-05:00

After my first year coaching the option from the flexbone, I've gotten a pretty good idea what to concentrate on in the upcoming season as far as formations to initially put in, runs, passes, etc.

**Formations:

Flex, Unbalanced Flex, Double Nasty Slot, Tripps.

**Plays:

1. ISV vs shaded 4 front and 2 odd fronts (52 and 33 stack)
i) teach and tag the following perimeter blocking schemes:
Base, X, Seal, Crack.
ii) teach and tag the following interior blocking schemes:
Veer, Loop, Load (double option-pitch phase only)

2. Counter Option where psT goes to psLB and pulling G Logs the DT (odd front) or Wraps to LB (even front) We will pitch on EMLOS or duck up if pulling G has to trap the DT (odd front) instead of log

3. Rocket Toss

4. Play Action Pass from all formations - even tagged single or two man routes from unbalanced sets and Trips... boot from rocket as well.

**Supplemental Plays as time and personnel allow:

Midline double and triple options (either this or Trap/Freeze Option must be added by mid season.)

Belly + Belly (double) Option

Trap + Freeze (double) Option

3 step game with boot

Sprint out with max protection (QB keep replaces third read in progression.)

Lastly, if possible (big if) running ISV, trap, and zone option from Gun IF a team shows a significant weakness against it. Again... a big if.

I honestly feel that we could have beat 50% of our opponents this year with only ISV, Counter Opt, and PAP. Period. I think we quite possibly have won 50% of the games we lost if we had been better at 1) audibling into our out of one of those three plays, 2) being a little more solid in handling on-the-fly blocking changes on ISV.

Look for this in the upcoming weeks here and at the Flexbone association.

Coach

Happy Thanksgiving

2008-11-27T09:10:00.001-05:00

Take some time today to reflect on who and what is truly important to you.

Happy Thanksgiving,

Steve

28-6 and We're In the Playoffs

2008-11-01T15:18:00.002-05:00

After 2 consecutive losses filled with turnovers (10 in 2 games) and penalties, we got back some of our Mojo with a 28-6 win against Region rival Karns. The win gives us traveler status in the playoffs. I don't know for sure but this may be the first time in school history where the football team has made it to post-season play in back-to-back years.

But on to the specifics... or at least as many as I care to share while we are alive in the playoffs. I doubt any of our opponents know about veersite, but you never know. I recall George C. Scott in "Patton" saying, "Rommel, you magnificent bastard, I read your book!"

We saw a 5-2 cov 4 with rolling safties but decided it would be best to "formation" them out of it for much of the night. They seemed very intent on tackling our fullback every play (11 carries for 79 yards). However, the QB managed the keep and, more importantly last night, the pitch to the tune of 386 rushing yards. One wing had 189 yard on 8 (!) carries on ISV pitch or Rocket Toss and the other around 80. I still am not happy with our inability to master the play action phase of the attack, but we work on it hard daily and have shown much improvement on the practice field. I hope when the time comes it will prove to be effective... providing the final piece of the puzzle.

The defense has also improved to the point that our opponent, while having larger athletes, had difficulty executing their shotgun option offense. While they completed some long passes with some very nicely thrown balls and superb catches, they found little yardage that they failed to earn the hard way.

I don't know what the future holds for our undersized team, but it I think as long as we execute and don't make a ton of mistakes, we're going to make it interesting for anyone we face.

Coach Smith

We Came Up Short : 14- 21

2008-10-13T09:41:00.004-05:00

Whew. Ever feel like a vein was going to pop out of your forehead? I had that feeling a lot Friday night.

Turnovers, a hot, humid evening, failure to score in the Red Zone, and a very athletic and well-coached defense combined to help defeat us Friday to the tune of 14 to 21. A 4-4 cover 3 and sometimes a 4-3 man cover 0 was the defense de jour Friday. It was obvious from the first series that they were determined NOT to let our fullback have another 198 yard night (he finished with just over 100.) Our QB picked up the slack with a 100 yard rushing night himself and also threw for just over 100. In fact we rushed for over 260 yards and our total was around 370. But we didn't look as sharp as the week before... either on the line or at the skill position. Having a few skill guys sit out most of the week due to injuries didn't help. Our play-action passing didn't look "ready for prime-time." Our halftime adjustment to running Belly Dive lead to 38 yards on two carries... but we fumbled the drive away and there it was. We had 5 fumbles and lost 2 - but all served to either stop or complicate drives. I will say that one happened on a slant where 3 DB's held up our split end for almost four seconds (yes, I timed it on film.) The ball came out at four. I guess forward progress wasn't a priority Friday. Oh, well...

One thing is for sure, we might not know how to handle a big win, but we have shown in the past that we do know how to get ready after a close, disappointing loss.

Coach Smith

Week 7 (Or Week 6 if you start with week 0... I'm very confused!))

2008-10-04T11:25:00.004-05:00

Well, we managed to do it right Friday night to the tune of 48-28 versus Sevier County. Our fullback was a marked man and still racked up 198 yards. All our running backs had a great night with our rushing offense coming in at around 430 yards. We threw twice for 16 yards. Each week we have installed a new component of the offense and continued to fine-tune what already is installed. Self-scouting is a continuing process and it's nice to find what should be an advantage for the defense and instead turn it into a liability.

I'm purposely being a little vague as all the teams in our remaining schedule are quality opponents... and it's amazing just how much a Google search can turn up! I'll get into X's and O's once the season is over.

I hope that is a long time coming! :-)

Coach Smith

Week 6 : 47-18 Win and We're Now 3-2

2008-09-28T23:43:00.004-05:00

Well, we had a pretty good outing. After 2 weeks to stew over a 3 point loss, we started out a little rusty but came alive after our opponent's first drive. We went 80 yards for a score on our first play on offense (off of ISV - pitch) and never really looked back after halftime. Our FB had 184 yards Friday night and one of our Wings had just over 100. The QB and other WB combined for over 100 and we were 2 of 2 passing for 11 yards (in all fairness, they counted a big gain on a swing pass as a lateral, so go figure.) I think we totaled just over 400 yards of offense and held them to 12 points until putting the little guys in. The mercy rule was in effect before the 3rd quarter was finished or our stats would be undoubtedly higher. The HC said today that we are averaging over 380 yards of offense to date... and our 2 losses were by a total of 5 points.

I think we are ready to head into Region play this week. We face a good opponent, but the HC said that he's noticed something offensively. He feels that we've stopped having to come up with things in order to move the ball and the burden has shifted to defenses to have to come up with ways to stop us.

I think he's right.

Coach Smith

I Find This Amusing

2008-09-25T12:06:00.006-05:00

Well, here is a headline (and a PDF) from an article earlier this year wondering if Paul Johnson and the Option were going to be a good fit at Georgia Tech.

Is the Option A Real Option In Contemporary College Football?

1--Is the Option a Real Option - Upload a Document to Scribd

Story Link

Now that we're into week 4 of the college season, here is another headline I saw today concerning Georgia Tech.

This Option Thing Just Might Work Out After All

2--Option Just Might Work - Upload a Document to Scribd

Story Link

Do Ya Think??

Coach Smith

Back Again

2008-09-01T21:06:00.007-05:00

After 2 months broke as a joke and without reliable Internet, it's nice to be back online. And although many things seemed to get in the way (including myself), I'm coaching again on a great staff for a team of great, hard working kids. We are 2-0... (32-6 week one... I think... I'm getting old! ...and our FB had 145 yards rushing) ...we won this Friday 41-22 with around 300 yards rushing and had a starting drive of 19 plays (8+ minutes in length) covering 80- some yards resulting in 7 points.

Now that's how you rest your defense and keep an all-state passing QB off the field.

Flexbone Option, Belly, and some spread gun passing are getting it done in Tennessee so far this season, so wish us luck! The scary part is that we don't have all our base running game in as of yet...

More to come soon...

Coach Smith

Life Lessons

2008-05-28T11:39:00.000-05:00

As a coach, finding that "button" that motivates your team can be tough. You must constantly be on the lookout for complacency among players on a successful team or apathy among those on one that is struggling. It's usually not easy and there is always that one kid where nothing seems to work.

Like I said, finding the "button" can be tough - if not outright impossible.

Other times, it can be staring you right in the face.

Meet Lt. Colonel Greg Gadson and see how he inspired the N.Y. Giants football team.
"When the Giants were scheduled to play the Redskins in Washington three months later, Sullivan sent his friend tickets-along with a request: Would Gadson speak to the team before they took the field? Having lost the first two games of the season, the Giants had already given up 80 points and, worse, seemed to be playing with no heart."

Read the story here at Reader's Digest

Coach Smith

The Mythical 4 Verticals

2008-05-28T10:44:00.001-05:00

If you're an option coach sitting through yet another clinic lecture by some flexbone coach, you are likely to hear the following exchange:

Attendee: "Coach, why the flexbone? Why not split backs or the 'I'??"

Clinic Dude: "Why... so I can spread the defense and make them defend four verticals, of course."

Attendee: "Uh, Coach... how many times have you successfully ran four verticals?"

Clinic Dude: "Anyone have any more questions out there??"

Well, I finally found a clip of a good flexbone team running 4 verts(from GSU's first Natl. Championship game, no less)... a quarter roll left while looking off the Safety then hitting the right wing... Nice.

Wow.

2008-05-28T10:19:00.002-05:00

There are times when I like to just sit back and be nothing more than a fan of the game.

This is Adrian Peterson's 57-yard run against Youngstown State in the 1999 Division I-AA Championship. (Inside Trap Left... Sweet!)

Below is a little more Peterson. The last 50 feet he crosses at the very end is the most important... be sure you don't miss it.

Test of the Scribd Service

2008-04-15T20:06:00.001-05:00

Gentlemen, sharing PDF documents and playbooks on the net just got a whole lot more interesting.

I present you with SCRIBD. A basic account is free, and you can see what it can do below.

Enjoy... but watch posting stuff that's copyrighted ... they do take things down from time to time.

A link to the full-size document is HERE. You can zoom in, scroll, and also get to the online document using the controls on the the viewer below, too.

Have fun.

Coach Smith

Why You Will Never See Me Trying to Establish the Run from the ShotGun

2008-04-10T14:10:00.001-05:00

Check out this video. I guess you really do need a Tim Teebow to make that sh*t work...

Gee, that Midline is slooooooooowwwww....

Check out the stances of the linemen... of the "Dive Back..." they're all standing up, for Pete's sake!!! No wonder I thought the slo-mo was first, lol!

Below is what Midline is supposed to look like...

Below are some cuts from when I was at MHS. There are four freshmen on the OLine... and you'll notice they don't stand up and play titties like the shotgun linemen do. I guess that's why we had so much down-field blocking... Of course, we're running ISV instead of Midline, but you get the point. You don't have to have everyone block-back if you can hit it quick.

Props to Coach Adams and Coach Crawford who were doing the line at the time.

One more thing to think about... if your backfield ain't the fastest in the conference, do you want to run a slow-developing offense that hits East/West... or do you want to attack that defense North & South?

You make the call.

Hunter Adams

2008-03-10T11:06:00.006-05:00

Hunter Adams began his varsity football career at Middlesboro High School playing wide receiver his Freshman year. While you tend to grit your teeth and hold your nose when you start a freshman, this was not the case with Hunter. He was the exception. He was making circus catches from game one and wasn't afraid to run routes across the middle - and got the concussion to prove it. By his Sophomore year he was giving defensive coordinators fits as MHS's legitimate deep threat to defend -- along with the shotgun option. This past year, Hunter was switched to QB to give the running game a needed boost as Coach Roark decided to get out of the shotgun and spend more time back under center. The highlight video below is Hunter as a Junior...and is his first year as an option quarterback. I remain in contact with Coach Roark and wish him and the coaching staff all the best. I certainly know I'll miss seeing Hunter for his Senior season. I was very excited when his father, Vic, sent me the link for this video and am very proud to post it here on Veersite.

Coach Smith

MHS (yellow and black) Hunter Adams #7 (QB and rush DE or dropped in coverage)

Football Coaches Reference Site

2008-03-10T11:03:00.002-05:00

Be sure to check out Jeff Teed's Football awesome Coaches Reference Site, www.coachteed.com.

I have also added a link to it on the sidebar. Good stuff.

Coach Smith

Starburst KO Return Video Updated

2008-01-11T01:01:00.000-05:00

I re-upped the video of the Starburst (or 3-Way) KO return and fixed the link in the original article. The PDF of the Starburst article has been fixed as well.

The link to the original page is below.

http://veersite.blogspot.com/2006/02/starburst-3-way-kickoff-return.html

McCain 08

2008-01-08T23:44:00.001-05:00

While I try not to espouse my political views on a football website, I'm making the exception today. While I find it hard not to root for fellow Tennessean Fred Thompson, I have come to realize that John McCain has the qualities we need at this point in time in our Commander in Chief. I hope his win in New Hampshire leads to more success in the future.

Senator John McCain: http://www.johnmccain.com

McCain has been-there, done-that, and bought the tee shirt. He's flown missions in Vietnam, was eventually shot down, spent 5 years as a POW... the man is tough, the man is a winner,and the word "Quit" isn't in his vocabulary. He is a conservative but is realistic with his views. McCain isn't perfect, but I honestly think he is the best choice, that he is a good man, and that he will do more to unify the country than any other candidate from either party.

You can find out more about him here as well.

Alright... I'm off my soapbox. It's safe to come out from hiding. I promise more football is on the way.

Oh, And One More Thing...

2008-01-08T22:47:00.001-05:00

I'm looking for a program needing a motivated HC or OC. And while I think winning games is a great way to keep yourself from living under a highway overpass, I honestly think that how well we help the boys who enter our programs grow into young men is the ultimate litmus for any coach.

If you know of a program that is interested in making both goals happen, please drop me a line at

coach.steve.smith@gmail.com

- Coach S

My Resume (Unzip then open with Adobe Reader or Foxit PDF reader)

ps. I decided not to re-post the "will coach for food" pic. I think it scares people.

I'm More Convinced Than Ever...

2008-01-08T22:34:00.001-05:00

...that the formation isn't the important thing. It's the Option philosophy itself that makes all the difference.

I finally got to watch some of the Bowl games after being on the road all last week. While Navy and it's flavor of flexbone option has been the main team I've studied this season, it was nice to watch the Air Force Academy run it's new multiple-set option attack. While they are getting in the gun and running a lot of zone-option, I have to admit that when they run the old Colorado "I-Bone" I get a little misty-eyed, lol!

Wofford Spring Clinic

2008-01-08T22:01:00.001-05:00

Thanks to Coach Vince Fields for passing this info along... be sure to mark March 13-15 on your calendars!

- Coach Smith

Link to Clinic Pamphlet

Senior College Tape

2007-12-22T11:41:00.000-05:00

I thought I would digitize a tape I made to send colleges for one of our Senior classes at MHS. Each copy was sent with a xeroxed sheet with each play numbered from first to last. In each play, the Senior being highlighted was noted (position on offense or defense, position with respect to the screen, name, and number.) I found this easier than trying to do an individual tape for each kid. I could take a highlighter and mark the plays if a school was interested in one or two kids. I thought you might like to see it as it has a lot of Splitback Veer on it as well as Coach Roark's "Send the House" defense.

Another thing to think about is getting them ready for financial aid assessment (can you say FASFA, boys and girls? ...I thoughtcha could...) You can do this entirely online IF someone in the kid's family has a working email address (better check this out... many schools block access to personal email such as Hotmail, Gmail, and Yahoo. So if you're planning to have a big session in the library to make this happen, you better spend some time with your technology person making sure it all goes well.

You will also need to make sure they are entered in to the NCAA Clearinghouse. You can find more info about it here as well.

Calling Plays in an Option Offense

2007-12-20T14:33:00.001-05:00

I mentioned in a previous post that when I first starting calling plays, I was convinced that you needed a minimum of 3 things offensively in order to be successful:

1. An off-tackle play of some sort good enough to make the defense over-commit in order to stop it.

2. A counter play to take advantage of a defensive adjustment dealing with the front 7.

3. A play action pass to take advantage of a defensive adjustment with respect to the 4 defensive backs.

While this was a somewhat simplified view of running an offense, I still feel the overall premise is sound on any level.

PART ONE: Off- Tackle

The great thing about some type of option being your "bread and butter" off-tackle play is the fact that it is really 2 or 3 plays in one (2 if a double option or 3 if its a triple option.) Let's choose the Inside Veer (ISV for short) as our main off-tackle play. Depending on the reaction of the defensive reads, the ball may go off the guard with the dive back, off tackle with a QB keep, or around the end if the ball is pitched.

The diagram above is a generic Flex formation ISV right. The football might end up in the FB's hands, the QB's hands, or the WB's hands. The PsDT is the dive read and the PsDE is the pitch read in a traditional 52 defense ('Scuse me... the 3-4 defense for you younger coaches!)

The PsG and PsTk release to psLB while the C and BsG Scoop the NG to BsLB. The BsTk cuts-off Bs B gap then goes second/third level. The PsWR has #1 and the PsWB has #2 in the base perimeter blocking scheme. The BsWR releases to the middle cutting-off whoever tries to cross his face.

In the screen captures below from Navy's great win vs. Notre Dame , the Midshipmen are using a modified blocking scheme.

Navy's Tight Slot Set

The WR's have moved down to what I call the Nasty Set (recalling the old Nasty Slot Set).

Backfield Paths for the FB, QB, and WB

The PsWR's block has been adjusted so that he is now responsible for cracking down on the fast-flow ILB. I have used the word "Seal" to tag this adjustment in the past. The PsTk is doing what we've called a "round" or "loop" release. I'm using the term "Loop" for the tackle releasing not only outside the DT, but also the DE as well. He will end up blocking the SS.

Blocking Paths

At the high school level, vs. a 4-I DT we sometimes give a "Round" call for him to release outside the DT (but still inside the DE) as his route to the PsLB (or SS if the PsLB isn't there to be blocked.) Again, I'm calling the technique that Navy employs a "Loop."

In the shot below, the QB has pulled the ball due to the DT pinching. In fact, the DT is "squeezing" down on the PsTk and keeping him from getting upfield. It is just as well, as the PsLB is scraping hard C to D gap. This is why the formation was tightened down - to allow the WR the ability to seal the LB.

Dive Read, Pitch Read, and Looping Tackle

Dive Read pinches

Pitch Read takes QB - ball is pitched

WB has ball and is getting North and South

WB accelerates through traffic for a big gain

Notre Dame's 2 weeks of defensive preparation are rendered useless by a simple change in formation and a built-in adjustment to the perimeter blocking.

By running fewer plays but knowing how to block them against a host of defensive schemes, Navy is on track to pull the upset and end the losing streak to N.D.

PART TWO: The Counter

Whether its to slow down pursuit, take advantage of an unsound secondary rotation, or simply as a change of pace, the Counter-Option is one way to do it.

The play starts with "Twirl" motion (PsHB motions away from the play before coming back (to the left in this case.) The FB dives and fills for the pulling guard and the QB opens right - faking the ball to the FB before turning back to the left and acquiring the Pitch Read, the left DE.

Everything looks the same...

My attempt to show the backfield action!

The DE will be the pitch read.

The pulling RtG will try to seal the ILB.

The play is underway... notice the LB's and secondary are frozen

In the case of this particular play, the N.D. linebacker does it right - he stays at home then sniffs out the play. The pulling RtG takes a slightly bad angle and instead of sealing the LB, he lets him cross his face... almost resulting in a loss.

The LB has crossed the RtG's face. The guard has no choice now except to try and wash the LB upfield.

But the wingback proves the wisdom of Tony DeMao's phrase, "Getting Speed in Space..." he makes a nifty cut and breaks the play for a 10+ yard gain.

Below is the entire sequence again.

Backfield fake right- freezing the LBs and secondary

The QB has faked away from the pitch read... so even thought the DE is charging him, the QB has time to make a good decision.

The ball is pitched... The pulling Guard knows the LB has beaten him

This not being the Wingback's first "rodeo," he jukes the LB and cuts back up inside.

The Wingback is heading North and South on his way to a another big gain.

Next time...

PART THREE: Play Action Passing

Niumatalolo named new head coach at Navy

2007-12-19T23:44:00.001-05:00

In the "Gee, I'm a little late posting this" Department...

"ANNAPOLIS, Md. -- Navy athletic director Chet Gladchuk already had a new coach in mind when Paul Johnson left for Georgia Tech on Friday after six successful seasons."

Story is HERE. And HERE.

If you are a fan of the option, the past week has got to be up there with the best of them. Not only is Coach Johnson headed to the ACC to prove the option can give the "big boys" fits, his long-time assistant coach, Ken Niumatalolo has been named the H.C. at Navy. Guess what? He's an option man, too.

Good luck to both Coach Niumatalolo and to Coach Johnson. I may have to break down and get a Tivo by next season. Dang it.

Coach Smith

Interview Up at the Georgia Tech Sports Blog

2007-12-19T23:36:00.001-05:00

Scott over at the Georgia Tech Sports Blog was kind enough to ask me a few questions about the Option and what I thought of Coach Johnson heading to G.T. Needless to say, I was pumped. Here is the article. Now you know where I've been (wearing out the spell-check!)

Coach Smith

ps. I'm posting a copy below. (1/06/08)

Original post is on the

Georgia Tech Sports Blog

I have a treat for my Georgia Tech brothers and sisters out there. With all the talk of the triple option, I thought it might be useful to start providing some insight into the system. However, why let a two-bit hack like me try and explain things? With that in mind, I made contact with Coach Steve Smith, a guy who has coaches the multiple option, studies the multiple option and is a believer in the multiple option. He's so much of a follower, that he has his own website - called "The Multiple Option Offense" at http://www.veersite.com/.

Coach Smith agreed to do a Q&A with the GT Sports Blog and provide some insight into the triple option and share some thoughts on Paul Johnson and what we might expect on the flats. With that in mind, let's go to the questions:

First, tell us a little bit about your background.

Coach Smith: I’ve been a high school football coach for 15 years and have become something of a minor “option guru” on the Net since starting Veersite.com back in 2004. I started it as a resource to become a better option coach myself and to share what I learned with other coaches. Somewhere along the way I started answering more questions than I asked… funny how it worked out. I’m just glad I started a resource where folks can go to learn more about the option.

BTW, One of the early adopters and creative forces in option football back in the day was Homer Rice at Fort Thomas Highlands, Kentucky. I believe he retired as Athletic Director at G.T. only a few years ago. I know this because he married a lady from my home town of Middlesboro… and two of the most successful head coaches at Middlesboro, Chalk Stapleton and Ken Roark both ran Rice’s Veer Option. Coach Stapleton was and is good friends with Carson Newman’s head coach, Ken Sparks, who got a few National Championship rings while running the Veer option… It really is a small world after all.

What are the high level basics of option offenses? What are the advantages? Disadvantages? Misconceptions?

Here are a few general advantages of running the option. There was a really great post concerning this over in the Forums at the Flexbone Association site (http://www.flexboneassociation.com/) and I’m borrowing heavily from it below.

Advantages of the Option

• Reduces the need for a dominant offensive line (O-linemen are blocking low and fast playside or releasing to screen linebackers- one on one blocks aren’t needed as much as in other schemes.) Also, since the quarterback's reads eliminate defenders, there are fewer defenders to block. (ps. You don’t have to recruit traditional D-I talent to run this offense – although it wouldn’t hurt)
• Enables a physically inferior team to control the ball by running it, thus giving its defense more time to rest while wearing down the rival defense. Option teams are often great 4th quarter teams.
• Is adaptable to the team's personnel (A running QB will love it and a passing QB gets simpler coverages to throw at due to the defense having to play the option)
• Forces the defense to play assignment football (the Dline must play with some control which also slows the pass rush, blitzes become much more of a risk, etc)
• Reduces the number of coverages that the secondary can use and forces the secondary to get involved with the run.
• Is a goal-line to goal-line attack that requires no special red-zone or goal-line plays.
• Uses a variety of perimeter blocking schemes, thus simplifying the task of making game adjustments.
• Opens the door to more big plays… because the defense must concentrate on stopping the option, passes, reverses, and other “trick” plays can really catch them off-guard.

Disadvantages of the Option

• It can sometimes be harder to showcase a singularly talented back in the option unless you go out of your way a bit to tune the offense and get the football in one back’s hands. The option is designed to “spread the wealth” with respect to carries… most see this as an advantage.
• Penalties can be harder for an option team to overcome.
• It requires more timing, discipline, and practice time to perfect than some other offenses.
• The option was designed to win football games, not “sell beer and hotdogs.” Fans expecting to see a “mini-Pro” game on Saturday might be disappointed.

Misconceptions about the Option

• The option will get your quarterback “killed.” If your QB lives through Spring Ball (just kidding!), he’ll get adept at making guys miss at the last second just like any good running back does. Think of it this way; put your QB in the shotgun 40 plays a game while those defensive ends pin their ears back and he’ll take a lot more blind-side shots. Pick your poison.
• The option is easy for D-1 defenses to stop. Hmmm… really? Vintage Air Force and more recent Navy teams have put the points up on some decent opponents. Besides, if it were so easy, why aren’t more option teams scheduled to be “Homecoming patsies” for the big schools?
• Good recruits won’t go where they run the option. True, some blue chip QBs don’t like getting that uniform dirty, but then you have those guys like Tebow at Florida who don’t seem to mind. You should also remember the option is designed for smaller, faster offensive linemen… it lets you recruit smaller, faster O-linemen that the D-I schools mostly overlook. And it won’t effect the defensive recruiting either way.

Can you help fans understand some of the different terminology? Spread offense, triple option, multiple option, veer, run-and-shoot, etc.

Running a spread offense usually means you feature formations with two split ends and either receivers or wingbacks… or that there’s one back in the backfield with the QB instead of two or three. Spread can mean either the QB is under center or in the shotgun. The term Flexbone is pretty much the same thing, but I take it as emphasizing that the QB is under center and you’re looking to run more than pass.

Running the option (another link) is when the QB “reads” the charge of a particular defensive lineman (succinctly called the “read” in this case). Depending on what that lineman does, the QB may hand the football to a dive back up the middle, keep it himself off tackle, or pitch the ball to a trailing running back. The analogy of the 2-on-1 fast break in basketball is not bad. The defensive player can’t cover both at the same time.

Are you familiar with the offense Paul Johnson ran at Georgia Southern and Navy? Is there something Jacket fans should know about the system he put in place at those schools? How is Johnson's system different from others?

The main thing GT fans should consider when thinking about Coach Johnson is that programs win when he shows up to coach there. Look at Johnson’s time at Hawaii… also at Ga. Southern as coordinator and as head coach… and most recently his time at Navy as a HC. The man wins football games. I have faith in his ability to make a big difference in a couple or three years – IF he’s left alone and allowed to coach.

Johnson has made it clear that he customizes the offense to the talent he has on the field. There is some evidence of that from his days as OC at Hawaii, where they passed at a higher rate. However, what is your guess as to the type of offense he installs at GT? What are the critical factors in making that decision?

I have no crystal ball concerning Coach Johnson’s offensive system for his initial year at Ga. Tech. I would be surprised if it were a complete clone of Navy’s offense right off the bat. Johnson and his staff will have to make their schemes fit the athletes that have been recruited over the past few years. But you never know… a lot of high school coaches still run the option and I’d almost bet there’s at least one kid on the team that’s ran it before. Regardless, I would also be surprised if you didn’t see the option play a huge role in the offense right away.

Talk about the importance of the QB in the option system. What are the key traits you are looking for at QB?

The option QB is the focal point for the offense. It all starts with the QB and his ability to make correct reads during the option. A calm, level head is a must… really the same things you look for in a QB in any offense. Option QBs tend to be competitors who don’t mind “getting their hands dirty” running the football. Most good option QBs are respected on the team because they are willing to take a lick or two and be physical and athletic in the process of winning. But things really get cooking when you get a kid that has the system down well enough to check-off at the line of scrimmage and hit the defense where it’s weakest. I honestly think that once a QB is confident in his ability to make option reads (pull and pitch stuff), a lot of the pressure is off. The option spreads the runs around the backfield and passing becomes more a situation of opportunity rather than necessity. I’d say an option QB has less pressure than a run and shoot QB who knows the team’s fortunes ride heavily on his throwing arm.

What role do the wide receivers typically play in the option? With the popular wide receivers these days being 6'4" big guys (like GT's former star Calvin Johnson), do typical option offenses get these type guys? What do you think are the ideal traits of a WR in this system?

The main thing the option gives them is predictable coverages – and the option almost assuredly eliminates the defense’s ability to double-cover any one receiver. I personally think that the option has allowed the teams I’ve coached to have a very explosive passing games. I’m not talking 20 completions a game but more like 6-12 completions with 3 being genuine big plays that went for big yardage. Think quality and not quantity. You aren’t likely to see an option team make a living off short passes thrown in the flat. But you are likely to see long balls like a backside Post, or a playside Fade or Wheel route go all the way for a score. The defensive coordinator must use his DBs as run support and it really puts them in a bind. I really hate that for ‘em.

Talk about the difference in play from the offensive line when comparing the option to a traditional pro-set.

The Option is designed for smaller, faster, and more agile offensive linemen… most of the blocks are low and quick since the running game is north-and-south and hits fast. You can get “more with less” concerning size and strength. The main requirement for the option lineman is quickness off the ball and a nasty disposition. Pass protection is much simpler since it’s usually either play action or turnback protection. In the first case, the defense has to stay under control and not just come sprinting up the field for fear of being “read” or “trapped.” In the latter, the O-lineman has the angle to begin with and thus an advantage.

I have read many comments that Georgia Tech is going to be watched closely next season by writers, fans and "experts" to judge the success of the triple option at the highest level - almost like some science experiment. What is a fair amount of time to judge the success of his system, considering he is starting over with a new team, new players and has to teach a brand new system? Will the fact that he will be playing more talented competition be a factor?

Coach Smith: I’ve already seen articles where the writer wasn’t wondering “if” G.T. was going to be successful but instead wondering just “how” successful they might be. No coach wants to “spot” the competition a season or two so I expect Johnson to get as much of his scheme in place as he possibly can. But most option teams –especially young and inexperienced ones- tend to start off slow but peak late. I expect some initial problems but think the team will begin clicking by mid-season. Barring any key injuries, I’d say the latter games of the season will be the ones to look at with regard to the future despite the strength of the opponent. The Yellow Jackets do have the ability to be 3-0 going into the Miami game. If they do, and confidence is high… then who knows what might happen. But I’m going to be cautious in Johnson’s first year and err on the conservative side and say a 4-6, 5-5, or 6-4 season is most likely. But if the players learn the system and most key players stay healthy… Well, let me say that I’d love to be eating my words as G.T. wins 8 games and heads to a bowl!

Johnson has said that he does not have a playbook. He basically runs only a handful of plays over and over, and may alter the formation instead. What advantages does this offer for players in the system?

Players go harder when they are sure of what they are doing and what their responsibilities are. They will have fewer blown alignments and fewer blown assignments in a simpler system. Also, the fewer plays you have, the more time you have to practice them to perfection. In this day of 20 hours of practice per week, Georgia Tech has the advantage with respect to the opponent’s defense. It has 3-4 days to prepare for G.T., probably the lone option team on the schedule.

It has been said that the triple option is a great equalizer in terms of reducing the impact of talent gaps between two teams. Johnson proved it at Navy, where he consistently held his own against more talented teams. So we know the option works in those situations. However, what happens when you get equal or greater talent running the option as your opposition? Does it further distance your team in terms of winning games, or is the advantage a lot smaller in this case? In other words, the multiple option can neutralize the disadvantage of inferior talent, but can it exploit the advantage of equal or better talent?

Better talent helps any offensive scheme you run; period. When you are significantly superior to your opponent, you just get to name your score.

There is a perception that recruiting into this system is a challenge, as high level future NFL caliber players don't think it prepares them for the NFL. Is there any truth to this? Obviously Johnson will have his first real access to bigtime Div IA talent. What should Jacket fans expect in terms of the types of recruits he will go after? Do you believe he will have success recruiting high level athletes into this system?

Remember Eric Crouch at Nebraska? He won the Heisman trophy in 2001. He wasn’t the best passer but I don’t think it lessened his ability to shred college defenses in the least. Yet how many pro teams wanted him as a QB? Not many. There are a lot of great running QBs in high school who every year who are forced to join D-I teams as receivers because their talents are largely ignored by college coaches eager to prove they can run what the pro coaches run. Every high school option QB in America now has a D-I school (other than a service academy) where he can now aspire to play. I honestly don’t think G.T. is going to hurt at the QB position. The biggest talent at wide receiver might look elsewhere, but G.T. will get plenty small, fast wideouts who will be very open due to the coverages they will see. Big-time tailbacks will most likely try other schools running the “I” or one-back sets, yet bruising fullbacks will see an opportunity to carry the football at G.T. Also look for Johnson to have success recruiting the utility-back type to play wingback/receiver. What you lose in one area you make up for in another. Georgia Tech recruiting will be fine.

How will option offense impact the Georgia Tech defense? What about the fact that they will not be practicing against a conventional offense during the week and will have to rely on the scout team more heavily? What about during gametime? Can the defense expect to stay on the field less because the offense will control the ball more?

If the option game is going well, then the G.T. defense can expect to be rested when it hits the field. It might also allow the defensive coordinator to gamble a little more. I don’t think the scout team situation will be much of a factor. No scout team in America is going to be as good either physically or execute as well as a D-I offense. Scout team plays are scripted and drawn out for the players… who most likely will have to emulate pass patterns and pass-pro drops. It will be far tougher for G.T.’s opponents to get a good option scout team ready when you consider the timing and practice involved. And they will have only 3-4 days to make it happen.

I hope I’ve made things a little clearer. And like G.T. fans everywhere, I’m really excited about the 2008 season.

Coach Steve Smith

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Coach Smith, I just want to thank you for the interaction and insight into the Triple Option. It is great to have someone who has implemented these schemes share their insight. Hey, and the insight into Homer Rice was priceless and will be appreciated by Jacket fans!

You are welcome back anytime!!

Trap Option

2007-12-10T23:07:00.000-05:00

Note: Post updated on 12/10/07
Along with Inside Veer, Outside Veer, and many other option plays, the Trap (or Freeze) Option will be heard mentioned as well in hushed tones in darked doorways and back alleys across America.

Run the football?? Coach, are you crazy??

Unfortunately, the finer points of the Trap Option are hard to find in this modern age of Empty sets and Shotgun offenses. However, I was fortunate to learn some Trap Option this past year while coaching with Bobby Bennett. Coach Bennett was a G.A. at East Carolina in the late 80's when they were running the Trap Option. It is from installing the Trap and Trap Option part-way through this past football season at Suwannee, watching a video of game cuts from Coach Bennett's time at East Carolina, some vintage Miss. State Trap Option from the "I," and a borrowed copy of the excellent George DeLeone Syracuse Freeze Option clinic tape that I solidified my grasp on the theory of the Trap Option.

Trap Option High School Team In Tennessee On It's Way Winning State Title

Link to larger video

Almost every team runs some kind of inside trap. If you run the Wing-T, then you of course run it. So if you do happen to have the inside FB trap in your playbook, then you essentially have almost 50% of the Trap Option in already!

Most option teams have a call that lets the QB know that he's going to give the ball to the dive back - no matter what. Blocking this "called dive" is as varied as there are ways for football coaches to hide a receding hairline from the fans in the stands.

Some will base block it and others will still veer block it, but one thing is certain: the dive back is the one who is going to get the football. One bad thing about base blocking your dive might be the fact that you might be running the option precisely because you aren't a very good base blocking team! Of course, if you veer block it and the dive read pinches and takes the dive... well, that's no good, either. No, we need a way to use quick linemen and angle blocking to our advantage while still going with a predetermined give.

This is sounding more and more like we need to be looking at the blocking scheme for the inside Trap.

Vintage So. Miss. Trap Option

Link to larger video

Lets start with the backfield footwork. I'm not going to set this up with any particular offensive set. Stay with whatever backfield set you already use- you don't really have to change things around unless you just want to. If you have a set with a true fullback, like the "I" or Flex, or Wishbone then you are fine. And there are many teams running Midline very effectively from splitbacks.

So if you can already run Midline, then you have the backfield action needed for running the Trap Option series. If you have been afraid to install the Midline, here's a nice way to move in that direction without initially having your QB learn to make a dive read.

If you already have the Midline installed, then many of your existing coaching points will probably work pretty well with the Trap.

Note: Some may ask, "Why run both?" Well, I look at the Trap Option series as a way to get some option out of a QB that just hasn't "gotten it together" with the option. This might be a good series for a sophomore backup QB to run if he's suddenly thrown into a big game ("Just hand the ball off, Kid - it's the Trap! And stop looking like you've seen a ghost and swallowed your tongue!") You might also use it for a wide receiver that's your second-string QB and just doesn't get enough quality reps on Midline and Inside Veer. Survive the game with him running Trap/Trap Option... Then you've got the next week to get him more up to speed. - SS

The QB will clear the midline of the Center stepping back and gaining depth away from the LOS. Coach DeLeone, however, extoles the virtues of the long ride on both the Trap and Trap Option.

This is the point where I deviated somewhat from traditional thinking regarding the FB depth, type of mesh, etc. I had four days to install some semblance of the Navy offense this spring at my ill-fated non-job, and I wanted to make it as simple as possible. I like the point mesh and will not have one mesh for ISV and another mesh for Midline and Trap.

First, I decided that the point mesh was my mesh. I have my reasons and you are free to agree or disagree. What I needed to do was find out if it would work with the Veer, the Midline, and the Trap.

I based the FB depth from the 4 - yard HB depth that we had used at Middlesboro. Hey, go with what you know, right? However, I had the FB's adjust their depth a little depending on which play we were running.

On ISV, I had him think "I want my heels just an inch or two in front of the 4-yard mark." (Oh, and I put his aiming point as the crack of the psGuard instead of the outside foot. More on this in a later post.) On Midline I had him think, "I want my my toes right in the paint marking 4 yards." And on Trap/Trap Option, he was to think, "I want my toes a couple of inches behind the paint." In a nutshell - Midline = 4 yards, ISV = cheat up, and Trap = cheat back.

I honestly don't think it was enough for the defense to pick up on as I watched for any signs of recognition among the defensive players and coaches - and saw none.

Now to the mesh.

Somebody once said that consistency is "the hobgoblin of little minds." Well, consistency in your mesh (whatever type you choose) equates to improved ball security. Feel free to quote me - it will make me feel better.

Anyway, pointing the ball directly at the read isn't that difficult on ISV - whether or not you're in Split Backs or the "I" or the Flex. Now, the QB's first step isn't as far as it it is when running ISV from Splitbacks, but it's still up into the LOS and the ball still gets seated then extended.
Like I mentioned above, I cheated my FB in the Flex so it would hit as quickly as it would is Split Backs... not leaving the QB standing there poking the ball and whistling while waiting on the dive back to finally get there. It looked good and I was satisfied when our gives on ISV left defensive players "breaking their necks" as they realized the ball had been handed... and that they were definitely heading in the wrong direction.

Gotta love it when the dive breaks!

Now, how did the point mesh work when applied to Midline and Trap Option? The short answer is: it worked . But you're not entirely running the point mesh, either. Confused? Read on.

When you try running the Midline and Trap with the point mesh, don't go nuts because the ball isn't pointing directly at the defensive Tackle. Take a second to think about the QB's footwork and what's going on with the positioning of the football.

The QB must dropstep - clearing the midline of the Center, and gather. This leaves him oriented parallel to the LOS - not pointing into it like he would be running ISV. The ball still gets seated then extended... and the ball is still right out there directly in front of him like it would be if he were running ISV. It's his orientation with respect to the LOS that's different - and that's okay. His footwork has changed, but not how he seats the ball nor what he does with it afterward.

That doesn't mean that you're not going to have some challenges, however.

The QB might start tryiing to reach the ball back to the FB since he can now see him out of the corner of his eye (due to his being parallel and not into the LOS.) My only coaching point concerning this was for the QB on Midline and Trap/Trap Option was to concentrate on pointing the ball at the "tip of the read's nose" - instead of his center of mass like we do on ISV.
This seemed to work.

You "ride and decide" aficionados will be happy to here that I actually think a short ride is okay on the Trap Option. Of course, I tried to limit the ride to just the back hip of the QB to the front hip of the QB at it's greatest. So maybe there's hope for me in your eyes yet, lol! I've noticed that the "back hip to front hip" ride many times is the extent of the ride used by several of Navy's QBs, so I guess that's cool.

As far as the line play, just stick with your rules for inside trap. Some teams won't try and trap an "A-gapper" while others just say to hell with it - trap the first man past the center. It's probably best to be consistent to your existing rules and go with it.

Figure 1. Trap (no motion)

Figure 2. Trap Option (no motion)

Figure 3. Trap (with twirl motion)

Figure 4. Trap Option (with twirl motion)

Figure 5. Counter Trap (with twirl motion)

I'll probably have a short video of to go along with this post by the end of the week.

Coach Smith

ps. It feels good to be back on veersite.

Some Old Video

2007-12-10T00:00:00.000-05:00

My first coaching job was in West Tennessee at Crockett County High School. I volunteered to do the Freshman team my first year in order to learn more and get experience calling plays. Below are some O cuts of the 6-2 '96 team and the 8-0 '98 team which later lost by a touchdown in the 3A championship game in 2000. The video below is from a tape I made to show for a meeting with prospective football players in the 8th grade. My goal was 35 players for the Freshman team. If we lost 10% a year due to transfers, jobs, girlfriends, rules violations, etc., that would still leave us with over 20 Seniors and around 25 Juniors (with a healthy sized Sophomore class, too) with which to field a varsity team. Not bad for 3A.

Note: Google Video is having problems (12/11/07). Hopefully the video will be back online soon. - sts
Crocket Freshman O Cuts '96 and '98

Link to larger video

One thing both teams had in common was a great work ethic. We had the majority of them lifting after school and they didn't just go through the motions. Inertia is a two-way street. Get them used to working early on and it becomes second nature. All things said, the '96 and '98 players were that rare breed that simply will do what you ask them to do with 100% focus and effort... what a great group of young men.

One thing I learned from my time doing Freshmen was that you need a bread and butter straight ahead running play, a bread and butter misdirection play off of that, and a couple of playaction passes to finish it off. I think I called it the "Nuclear Triad." What an idiot... Regardless, I had blundered onto something which I still hold fast to this very day. You need to know how to run your base plays against any front - period- before you start piling-on the supplementary stuff. The same goes for your defense and it's adjustments to various sets. Stick to that, and have a great kicking game, and you reduce your chances of making mistakes and giving your opponent the game on a silver platter. The '96 group ran off tackle iso, power sweep, FB dive, counter trap, playaction, and boot. All plays and rules were straight out of the high school playbook, too. I just kept the formations simple so the guys could help each other when they discusses what they did on each play. Our defense was the high school's base 53 cov 3 and we taught technique. If we called a blitz that season, I can't remember it. The '98 group was even more pared-down. We ran our power toss, counter tray, and playaction passes. We didn't hit a defense that could stop all three phases all season long. In fact, those guys game me the best complement as a coach that you could hope to get. After getting up 28-0 in the first quarter on a pretty good 4A team and watching them fold after that, my guys said that after the practice and prep the actual game was almost a let down. They knew everything to do from both an offensive and defense perspective.

Don't think I didn't walk away from that after game huddle with a big old grin on my face, either.

Coach Smith

Paul Johnson To Georgia Tech

2007-12-07T16:03:00.001-05:00

I am sad for Navy, but I'm hopeful we will see some triple option in the ACC. Congratulations Coach Johnson!

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GEORGIA TECH FOOTBALL

Tech to introduce Johnson as football coach
Navy coach will be unveiled Friday afternoon
By TONY BARNHART
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Published on: 12/07/07

Georgia Tech will introduce Paul Johnson as its next football coach at a press conference at 5:30 p.m. Friday.

Johnson's timetable to take over the Georgia Tech program was not immediately known. Navy (8-4) is scheduled to play Utah in the Poinsettia Bowl on Dec. 20.

Now that Johnson is Georgia Tech's head coach, what happens to Jon Tenuta, the Yellow Jackets' defensive coordinator? Tenuta has been serving as interim head coach since Gailey's firing on Nov. 26 and is currently preparing the team for the Humanitarian Bowl on Dec. 31 against Fresno State.

Contacted Friday morning, Tenuta would not speculate whether he will remain as Georgia Tech's defensive coordinator under Johnson.

"My job is to manage the football program and get our team ready to play Fresno State," Tenuta said. "I look forward to that because our players deserve every chance to succeed. I have made that commitment to them."

Johnson, who is 107-39 in 11 seasons as a head coach, won a pair of national championships at Georgia Southern in 1999 and 2000. He took over a Navy program that was 0-10 in 2001. He has won five straight Commander in Chief Trophies, which goes to the top school among the service academies. He is 11-1 in six seasons against Army and Air Force.

Johnson's decision to come to Georgia Tech will send a ripple throughout the coaching carousel. Johnson entertained strong offers from SMU and Duke, which are still looking for new coaches today.

Johnson was named Navy's 36th head coach on Dec. 9, 2001. The program had been 1-20 in the previous two seasons and Johnson was 2-10 in his first season in Annapolis. But over the past five seasons he is 43-19.

Johnson has been successful at Georgia Southern and Navy by running a version of the triple option offense. But over the years he has made it clear that if he landed a job at a BCS school, his offense would be more diversified. He spent eight seasons as the offensive coordinator at Hawaii (1987-94) before going to Navy as offensive coordinator (1995-96).

Johnson then took over at Georgia Southern where he was 62-10 with two Division I-AA national championships. He was on Erk Russell's original staff at Georgia Southern when the program was started in the early 1980s.

A native of Newland, N.C., Johnson has an undergraduate degree from Western Carolina and a Master's Degree from Appalachian State. He and his wife, Susan, have a daughter, Kaitlyn (14).

Find this article at:
http://www.ajc.com/sports/content/sports/gatech/stories/2007/12/07/gtfoot_1208.html

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Report: Johnson leaving Navy for Georgia Tech

Atlanta, GA (Sports Network) - Navy coach Paul Johnson is set to become the next head football coach at Georgia Tech, according a report in the Atlanta- Journal Constitution.

Citing two anonymous sources close to the hiring process, the newspaper reported that Johnson has yet to finalize the deal by signing a contract.

Johnson, 50, would replace Chan Gailey, who was fired November 26 after a 7-5 season ended with his sixth consecutive loss to Georgia.

Johnson turned around the Navy program that suffered the worst two-year stretch in its 122-year history prior to his arrival, going 1-20 between the 2000 and 2001 seasons.

After a 2-10 mark in his first year, Johnson led the Midshipmen to a school- record five-straight bowl games and a school-record six consecutive wins over arch-rival Army. He finished 37-29 at Navy.

Prior to joining the Naval Academy, Johnson posted a 62-9 record in five seasons with the Georgia Southern Eagles.

Johnson won consecutive I-AA National Championships (1999 and 2000), five straight Southern Conference championships, and was also named Division I-AA National Coach of the Year four straight times (1997-2000).

12/07 14:59:00 ET

I've Said It Before And I'll Say It Again...

2007-12-06T11:38:00.000-05:00

...www.coachwyatt.com is one of the best football sites on the Web. For my money, his "News You Can Use" segment is the best reading I may do all day.

Below is an excerpt from comments mailed to him from coaches across the country. His own analysis of the Navy/ND game is about as an outstanding explanation of making blocking adjustments in the spread option as you're likely to see anywhere. Props to Hugh and his great site, www.coachwyatt.com.

*********** It was Notre Dame 28, Navy 28, with 45 seconds left. And even Notre Dame's NBC announcers up in the press box expressed mild criticism when Jolly Cholly, faced with a fourth-and-eight at the Navy 25, passed up the field goal and went for it.
Later Weis said something about the wind. What - your chances of making a fourth-and-eight were better than your chances of making a 42-yard field goal?
He might have tried a fake field goal, but he'd already tried that back in the first quarter, and it didn't work. Maybe that was because it was fourth and 15! WTF??? Fourth and 15, and he's faking it? Analyst Pat Haden did criticize that call. Come to think of it, the director probably told Haden that there'd be no more criticism of Coach Weis, which would account for the mildness of his comment on Weis' fourth-quarter idiocy.
*********** Give Pat Haden credit. He's essentially on the ND payroll as an announcer on NBC, the Official Notre Dame Mouthpiece, but he can still be fair. When Notre Dame's final incompletion - and an apparent Navy win - was instead ruled pass interference against Navy, giving ND a do-over, the camera showed us a very unhappy Paul Johnson, and Haden commented, "I think he has a right to be upset."
*********** After looking at the video of the Navy-Notre Dame game... What a job Paul Johnson did, closing down into a Double-Slot so that his nasty-split ends could crack down on ND's fast-flowing inside LBers. And Notre Dame "reacted" by not reacting at all - moving their corners in, of course, but keeping them at 6 yards depth and their safeties at seven. After Navy ate their lunch a few times with toss sweeps and option pitches, they got smart and moved them up. And then, to win the game, Johnson hit them with the wingback on a wheel!
But then, nobody said Charlie Weis was a defensive genius. He is, as we all know (and as Notre Dame's stellar offensive performance has borne out this year), an offensive genius. (By the way, anybody know how New England's doing without him?)
One of the beauties of running the same offense as long as Navy's Paul Johnson has is that he's seen just about anything a defense can do to him, and he's got answers. It took him oh, maybe two plays to recognize what Notre Dame was doing Saturday, and make the necessary adjustments.

With a bye week to prepare for Navy, here's the scheme that ND came up with to defense Navy's triple option: Slanting Def tackle has dive (D), outside LBer has QB (Q) and inside LBer has pitch (P). The first time Navy ran the play, the inside LBer was flowing so fast to the outside that the playside tackle (*) couldn't get to him, and the pitch man was tackled for a loss. On the next play, Navy turned the ball over.

And the very next offensive series, Navy came out in what we would call "Slot" or "Double Slot", with their ends in a "nasty split" of 3-5 yards. Notre Dame made no adjustment, other than to move their corners in (but still at 6 yards' depth). They left their OLBs in the "nasty" gap, vulnerable to a down block by the Navy ends.
Now, the man responsible for the pitch, the fast-flowing inside LBer, was blocked by the Navy end. The Navy tackle now released upfield for the safety, whom (this being NCAA rules) he was able to block at the knees. And the playside wingback, after a very slight pause - just long enough to freeze the OLBer so the tackle could pull across his face, arc-blocked on the corner.
For Navy: Problem solved. For ND: Two weeks of preparation out the window.
Haw, haw, haw! This, a flexbone version of an outside veer, was my favorite, because Navy proved once again that two "average," undersized Navy linemen working together can knock the ass off a Notre Dame blue-chipper. Knowing that the Notre Dame DT would be slanting to stuff the fullback dive, the Navy playside guard and tackle put the wood to him with a classic double-team. They mashed the Notre Dame tackles, actually hitting them with their shoulder pads (if you can believe that anyone in this modern age would still use such outmoded tactics), and driving them back into the paths of the scraping playside LBers. Hmmm. Anybody know anyone else who preaches doing that with their double-teams?
The QB appeared to read the unblocked OLB, who had been trained not to leave his main responsibility - the QB. So the QB's read was always "give." The playside corner, who as the game went on began sneaking closer to the line, was no factor, either, because he had to come up to take the pitch.
One of the reasons people hate to play Navy is that Navy blocks low. Legal, but low. Not very enjoyable for defensive linemen used to standing up and dancing with opponents on passing teams. As an example of what Notre Dame's nose man had to deal with on plays going to his left (Navy's right), here are three different techniques he had to face. On the left, the center fires low to playside and the guard comes in second - not a chop block, because the first hit is low; in the middle, as part of the scoop technique, the center slips past the nose and up onto the backside backer, while the backside guard takes the nose man low. Again, not a chop block because the Navy center is making a bona fide effort to escape the nose and is not "engaging" him. Finally, the center reaches the nose with a high drive block, while the guard steps at the nose then fires up on the backer.
*********** The irony of the Navy win over ND was that Navy's final touchdown - and winning two-point conversion - both came on passes. And both were to Reggie Campbell, who at 5-6, 160 pounds is way too small to play major college football. Except in Paul Johnson's offense.: -- Excerpt from www.coachwyatt.com

Video Clips Almost Restored

2007-12-06T11:32:00.000-05:00

I've gotten emails (for too long a time, lol) that the links to the video clips in some of my earlier posts are broken. Well, I've finally gotten most of the clips uploaded to Google Video and I'll be updating those links during the next week. I'm also looking to get a new article up on the art of play calling in an option offense (hint: it's so easy you Run-and-Shoot guys will be green with envy!)

Take care,

Coach Smith

Skills To Teach Your Players (installment 1)

2007-12-06T10:45:00.001-05:00

I've said in past posts how glad I am to have had the opportunity to have learned the Veer at Middlesboro High School under Head Coach Ken Roark. Middlesboro is the 10th winningest program in the state of Kentucky and Coach Roark is it's winningest coach. But today this post isn't about X's and O's... we'll have time for that later God willing. No, today I want to talk about something else.

I read a syndicated column in our local paper a couple of days ago that really touched me. (I've attached a copy of it at the end of this post as well as links to the site where the column originates.) It deals with some football players in Ohio helping a classmate with a terminal illness become a part of their team.

When I read it, it hit me that Coach Roark has always made his program available to special needs students. Actually, he does a lot more than make his program available, he goes out of his way to see to it that kids with disabilities know they are welcome. And I bet if you called him up and asked him right now about it, he wouldn't know what the heck you were talking about. Kenny is one of those people in life that can do more good accidentally than most folks can do when they set out to do it. It's the damnedest thing.
Anyway, while most are content to help with the logistics as a manager, I know we've had a few guys to dress out and warm up with the team. Both said that they would be happy just being on the sidelines in their uniforms helping the team stay pumped-up and motivated... and, man, did they ever! But I can remember many practices during water breaks where our regular ed player and our special ed players would run pass patterns and just be kids together. I can't think of one instance where an unkind word was said by anybody. And we're not talking kids from upper-crust elite families here, folks. On a scale from 1 to 10 our local economy might rank somewhere around a -25 since the big mines shut down... there are 5 assisted living apartment complexes in the city limits and as many Dollar Stores as well. Most of our players are tobacco chewing (off campus, of course), pickup truck driving kids raised in blue collar homes by 2 parents (if they're lucky) who, pardon my French, work their asses off just to make ends meet. But I'll tell your this about those kids, you won't find one of them that would sit still and let one of our special ed guys get picked on in a class or in the cafeteria.

So I'm going to take a moment and give you some props, Kenny. I think you're doing a good thing and making a positive difference in young men's lives. You get my first ever Good Egg Award for the month of December 2007.

Think about the lessons you teach your players, gentlemen. We have a golden opportunity to teach some great lessons to some outstanding young men. I challenge you not to let one opportunity slip by.

Coach Smith

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DISABILITIES

HOMEPAGE www.danieljvance.com

By Daniel J. Vance

Payton Printz and Andrew Teets became friends, and soon an entire Ohio high school football team and school district joined their friendship. This is a heartland America story worthy of becoming a Hollywood movie.

They both live near Urbana, Ohio, where the Urbana Citizen publishes this column.

The pair first met in 2000 when Teets was in sixth grade and Printz was starting as a junior high health and physical education teacher. “After exiting the (accessible) school bus, Andrew would need help getting out of his wheelchair so he could walk to and from classes,” said 44-year-old Printz in a telephone interview. “It took two teachers to lift him out of the wheelchair, one on each side. He had students carrying his books for him.”

Teets has muscular dystrophy, and from 2000 on he was losing a little more muscle function each year. For example, he could walk nearly all school day in sixth grade, but now he is able to walk only the first three class periods before tiring and having to use his electric wheelchair. Currently, Printz has the responsibility of helping Teets out of his wheelchair and assisting with his personal needs.

Printz is also coach of the Triad High football team. When Teets was a freshman, the team, after learning of his interest in football, asked as a group if there was any way their popular classmate could earn a varsity letter.

The coach found a way and the team pitched in to buy their classmate an expensive letter jacket. To earn his varsity letter this year he attended a four-day football training camp, where Triad High players voluntarily assisted with his personal needs. “They were washing him head to toe,” said Printz. “My heart fell out of my chest. His teammates were doing this and not complaining. Talk about selfless.”

This school year Printz again is helping his friend off the bus. “And my day is incomplete unless I see him,” he said. “We have great rapport. He is unbelievable. He has a smile on his face every day.”

After the last game of 2006, Printz said if possible he would give Teets the opportunity to score a rushing touchdown in a real game during the 2007 season. What happened then would fill an Ohio town with pride and tears.

[Part one of two columns. Read next week. www.danieljvance.com]

For more, see danieljvance.com [This column made possible by a grant from Blue Valley Sod, www.bluevalleysod.com]

If you know about a player or coach deserving an "attaboy" or "attagirl," please send me an email at coach.steve.smith@gmail.com.

I Can Remember A Few Times Like This...

2007-11-29T11:57:00.000-05:00

Yeah, back in the day, when leading with your head was just called "getting your hat on the football," I had a few discussions like this. Ahhh, memories... (or the lack thereof, lol!)

Coach Smith

Commitment.

2007-11-26T22:58:00.001-05:00

"There are a million excuses not to get things done, but the true winners in life just get on with it." -STS

If you haven't heard of De La Salle High School and Head Coach Bob Ladouceur in Concord, California, then you need to crawl out from under your rock and take a look at the links below. You might want to start here. And here.

The following speech by Coach Ladouceur to his incoming freshmen is a textbook example of what coaching should be all about.

Strategic goals are great, but what are you doing on the tactical level everyday to make those larger goals a reality?

"The most import person on my staff is the weight coach." - Bob Ladouceur

Where's Waldo (or Coach Smith)?

2007-11-26T17:25:00.001-05:00

"Whatever happened to ol' Whats-his-face??"

Well, I've decided to end the "suspense" and let you guys know what's been going on with me this past year. Some of you have expressed an interest and genuine concern about me through email these past several months, so I thought I'd just go ahead and let you know in the quickest way I know how... by posting here on Veersite.

The Present.

First let me address my job situation. It's really very easy to explain; I don't have one. Rightly or wrongly, I decided that I would rather take a year off than get involved in a bad situation. It's unfortunate that it happened so late in the hiring cycle, but I'll live.

Right now I'm simply substitute teaching on occasion and living on savings. I help out around my grandmother's and mother's house. I did help Coach Roark in the box at a few Middlesboro games this season, but I was unable to attend practices on a regular basis and even attend all of the games. But I feel fortunate to have the opportunity to coach this year even though I wasn't employed as a teacher.

In fact, if I can get my grandmother's garage cleaned out (without either one of us keeling over), and if I can help my mother finish some home remodeling, then I will consider this year a success.

I have toyed with the notion of getting back into the computer graphics business, but I know deep down that coaching football is where my heart is. I could have sat around feeling sorry for myself (and I did for a while) but my grandfather Bob had a great saying for just such occasions.

"Son, you can find sympathy between shit and syphilis in the dictionary..."

Remembering that saying of his -and what he expected of me as a man- put it all in perspective.

The Future.

A couple of coaches have contacted me this week concerning openings both at their schools and at others. I'm currently looking at HC and OC positions in North Carolina, Alabama, and Florida. I'm sure that there will be jobs opening up here in Tennessee in the coming months as well, but I've come to the decision that I will go wherever it takes to find a program where I can stay and make a difference.

I apologize for the long absence, but it was a necessary one. There are times you have to step back, take a deep breath, and assess where you are and where you want to be.

F.Y.I.

I'm gathering up info and material concerning the Option as well the complementary plays that go with it. Since I'm not on a regular schedule, I've actually thought offering my services to coaches in teaching their staff and players the option. The thoughts of making more friends in out coaching fraternity and helping more teams run the offense that I've come to know and love (and hopefully keep you from reinventing the wheel in the process) doesn't seem like a bad thing to me. And if I can make a few bucks and stay out of the "PoorHouse," then its all the better!

But no matter what, I will always be more than happy to chat thru email or on the phone concerning any and all things football.

If you are interested, I'm game. I have a feeling I'm going to be putting some miles on the Pathfinder in the next few months applying for some jobs. Who knows, I might be passing by your neck of the woods. Shoot me an email at coach.steve.smith@gmail.com or call 423.546.0431 and we'll work out the details. Meanwhile, I'll still be posting here on Veersite so be sure to visit again. I think the first thing on my agenda will be to re-up some old Veer clips to a more reliable hosting site and relink to them here on Veersite.

Sincerely,

Coach Steve Smith

The difference between the Wing T and the Veer.

2007-11-13T23:05:00.000-05:00

I was asked in the comments section " ...So what is the difference between the veer and the double wing system? I personally am a wing-t man..."

Well, for starters, the Wing T pretty much blocks every defensive player at the point of attack. The Veer leaves at least one and usually two defensive players unblocked at the point of attack. These unblocked players are accounted for by the "reads" made by the QB. The player that isn't covered by those two defenders (the QB and two running backs) will get the ball if the Veer QB does his job.

Below is a diagram of a Wing T sweep as best as I can remember it. I haven't ran the Wing T in over 13-14 years. It's kind of fuzzy.

As you can see, every defensive player playside is either down blocked or picked-up with the trapping guards. Once the QB fakes to the FB and hands to the HB his only responsibility is to carry out a good boot fake.

In the Veer, the Outside Veer in this case, you can see in the diagram below that the end man on the LOS isn't blocked and neither is the CB.

As the left HB dives, the QB opens and faces out. He extends the ball straight at the DE and steps toward him. The HB, whose heels were 4 yards from the tip of the football is running for the inside foot of the tackle as fast as he possibly can. The DE must decide in a split second whether to tackle the diving HB or wait for the QB. The angles taken by the backs and the line splits dictate that he must commit to either the dive or the QB keep... but not both.

If the DE squats or even better, comes hard up the field, the QB leaves the ball for an extra split second and the dive back takes it since it is there. The ball is handed and the HB hits up the field on a track which will take him to the hash, then the numbers, and then the sideline on his way to a touchdown.

If the DE collapses hard down and into the LOS, the QB pulls the football and proceeds around the collision of the DE and HB... and then gets upfield. The CB is read now for the pitch. If the CB takes the QB, the QB will flip the ball to the trailing HB who is maintaining pitch relationship at a 5 to 1 yard ratio. If the CB stays outside to take away the pitch, then the QB tucks the ball and keeps it on his way to the Veer lane. As you can see in the diagram, all three of the backs on the 12 Veer are darkened to signify that any one of the three may end up with the football. On 929 (am I remembering that correctly, lol?), the HB is the only one darkened since it is predetermined that he will get the football.

The Veer was developed to utilize undersized but quick offensive linemen who primarily double-team or veer release to block LBs at the point of attack. Backside linemen either cut-off (scoop block) or simply cut the remaining D-linemen. The deception of the Wing T lies in the QB reversing and hiding the ball from the defense as the play develops. The deception of the fast-mesh Veer is that the plays hit so fast to either side that the Dlinemen and LBs have a hard time finding the football since the dive hits so fast north and south. And if the defense collapses down to take away the dive, it will look up to find the QB or pitch back streaking down the sideline.

I hope this helps answer your question concerning the two offenses. Thanks for the interesting question.

Coach Smith

Moving

2007-05-29T20:05:00.001-05:00

I just wanted to let those that have sent me emails that I'm in the process of moving back to Tennessee this week and will not be able to reply until this coming Sunday-Monday.

Keep me in your prayers as the rig I am traveling in has over 180K miles on it, is loaded from floorboard to ceiling, and is pulling a travel trailer. Oh, and I have 4 dogs with me as well.

Like I said - prayers, people!

I promise pics as soon as I make it home!

Coach Smith

My Other Favorite Commercial

2007-05-13T14:35:00.000-05:00

Chuck Norris. 'Nuff Said.

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My New Favorite Commercial

2007-05-13T14:33:00.000-05:00

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Mr. T... a tank... and soccer players scurrying for cover. Hmmm... could it get any better than this! (Coach Wyatt said "I would have fired," lol!)

Florida Is Burning.

2007-05-12T14:39:00.000-05:00

Gee, just when you thought you had seen everything...

I've missed school due to snow, flood, Tropical storm... and now, forest fire.

Read a few of my observations concerning it here.

A Map of Florida on Fire.

Fires near our area (Live Oak, FL.)

Bad News

2007-05-09T22:54:00.000-05:00

At the risk gaining the nickname, "Hard Luck Charlie," I guess I'll go ahead and bring you guys up to date. I finished my first and last year here at Suwannee High School as OLine coach. I basically was the head coach's right hand man, which was nice. It probably pissed off some folks, but as far as I'm concerned, that wasn't my problem to fix. Anyway, I had a job to do, and I did it as well as I could. At Christmas the coach that brought me here got the can, and the best the new coach could find for me was a spot in the JV staff. Gee, thanks for the vote of confidence. Here's mine; good luck next season.

But all was not lost. I landed a job at a half-decent 4-A program in Tennessee as offensive coordinator and was excited to be installing the Navy style option. Coach B was hired as head coach of a school in North Carolina and things were looking good.

Then I find out the coach in Tennessee that hired me was leaving for another job. That possibility strangely had failed to come up in any of our discussions. Needless to say, I'm screwed. The good jobs are mostly gone and I'm just too old and set in my ways to just take a crappy job and be miserable. I have a couple of things in the works, but I honestly just don't know. You get one kind of offer when your stock is high, and quite another when your stock has dropped. I'd probably be better off just making a fresh start somewhere else.

So at this stage of the game, the author of veersite.com is thinking that finding a part-time job making widgets sounds pretty good. I think it's time to stop trying to make sense of head coaches, boosters, and principals. I'm not sure I'd believe anything any of them would tell me at this point, anyway.

One thing is certain, wherever I end up, the little league coaches there better get ready for some righteous ass-kickings on the gridiron! I might not be working at a high school next year, but I will be coaching it up on some field somewhere. On the bright side, I guess I'll finally have the time to keep Veersite more up to date!

Coach Smith