DeMeo's 3 Step Boot

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

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...

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

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

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