3 Wides vs. the 33 Cover 3

Well, I'm still working on this post, but I thought I would put up what I've got. All I've got so far is the diagram below and what's staring at me from the whiteboard hanging on the wall.



Play action looks good to the flat since it's cover 3. If the DEs start hanging in the flats, then Speed and Lead Option should go big when you get the ball to the perimeter. I like running lead draws if they tend to just rush 3 on passing downs. Motioning a HB out and trapping to the motion could be a big gainer. I also like motioning the opposite HB weak and getting him matched up with the weak side OLB on the Smash (or Corner) route. Running ISV or Lead/Speed to that motion might or might not be worth a look depending on how they react to it... be ready. It's a balanced defense, so running strong makes sense. Pass plays I like against it are All Curl, the Seam (reading the FS), Sail, and the Hitch weak and the Bubble strong if they insist on bring the DEs in from the flats.

I'm out of time for tonight... I'll get some play diagrams up this weekend.

Have a good rest of the week,

Coach Smith

Starburst 3-Way Kickoff Return

I know this isn't veer related, but I've gotten so many requests for info on the 3-Way K.O. Return from over on Coach Huey's board that I've decided it would just be easier if I posted the info up here on Veersite. Now, instead of retyping (I'm not a very good typist), all I have to do is refer coaches back to this page.

We ran a version of this return back in the late 90's at Crockett County High School. My tape with that footage is gone, but there is a clip of it on that old freshman highlight video I put up. If I could get it going on the Freshman level, I hope this would encourage you to try it on the varsity level as well.


Coach Smith

Link to video of a team running the return very well.


Link to PDF of an article about the return: here.

Blogger.com Problems

Blogger.com, the host for veersite and about a zillion other personal websites is having some problems this weekend. They are working on fixing the problem(s) but it may take a couple more days from what I've peiced together.

Also, If you have been expecting film from me and havne't gotten it, please email me at coach.steve.smith@gmail.com and give me a reminder. I've gotten two emails from coaches I should have sent stuff to a long time ago...

Coach Smith

ps. I don't want to jinx it, but there's a very good chance I'll be coaching in Florida next season. I've visited with a great coach down there who is commited to running the split back veer and I'm excited about the prospect of being a member of his staff. I'm not crazy about moving so far from my family members who are getting up there in years, but I'll know what I need to do when the time comes.

Gameplanning Defenses Continued: The 43

Here's the 43 with 1 and a 3 technique defensive tackles and 5 tech DEs mentioned a few posts ago. The DEs are taking dive, the OLBs are scraping hard for QB, and the Safeties are flying up for pitch.

I sat down and came up with a few ideas concerning what might work veresus this alignment and player responsibilities.




Against a 52 or a 43 with the rolling cover 4, the cutback-fold or cutback trap can be a good gainer if the halfback can break into the second level. The safety opposite backfield flow is usually concerned about getting back to that deep third (as he should be) and isn't hanging around for misdirection. Now for the next two plays. If you find that the ps DE is squeezing down and getting the HB, you are primed to run some boot action his way. I have this play diagrammed here.




The Midline ran to the 3 tech and the ISV ran to the 1 tech is standard fare for option teams everywhere. There are two problems with the 3 wide alignment I've chosen, however. For the Midline, you really would like to have a TE coming off the psT block of the DE to seal on ILB. You can adjust to this with some motion by the "Y." (Just be sure to use this motion in other situations to avoid giving the defense a coveted 100% key) The second problem is the balanced defensive alignment. You really want to run strong in this situation to take advantage of the numbers. But if you do, you have that problematic 3 tech that can be a challege to block one-on-one with the psG and unleash the MLB if the psT can't come of the doubleteam fast enough to cut him off. My solution is to motion the "Y" quickly across the formation to the side of the 1 tech and arc him to the OLB or FS. If the defensive secondry rolls up to the motion, you probably have the playaction slant and Speed Option away from motion for sure.





Speaking of runnng strong, the Speed Option to the strong side looks to be a solid play - especially if you have repped the "C" backfield action to perfection. This action will serve to freeze the LBs and safeties for a moment - setting them up for the crack blocks of "Y" and "Z."

Getting back to the passing game, the 4 across look by the secondary might aid the safeties getting to the pitch, but it should serve to hinder pass drops - especially if they like to run a cover 2. For this reason, I've decided to try the old BYU "63" "middle flood" route. Like Chow says, you get that "oblique stretch" by the receivers - right in the middle of a secondary aligned to help stop the option. You also get 2 backs in blocking to better protect your five step drop.
I like this route and especially play action in this situation.




Speaking of play action, I've seen the "Y" come wide-open against this coverage at the SS runs up to make a big stick on the option. I've also seen the backside Post (or Split route) come open against safeties that tend to come flat as they rotate to their third. I've got this drawn up where the QB is reading the SS then switching backside if the SS drops. the backside route needs to be ready to turn the Post into a Dig if it looks like he can't get behind the FS. It will probably be so obvious from the box which route is open that you may want to just tag it when you send the play in.

The last play I thought might be worth a look is our take on the "Crazy Option." We trap or log the DE instead of pitching off of him, so I've gone to calling our play the Spin Option in order to highlight the differences between the two plays. Anyway, I like misdirection versus the secondary rotation and this is about the only other misdirection play I can think of other than running the counter-trey. I really like running that to a TE, so it's out as long as I stay in 3 wides. You could run it, though.

There's a lot more that you can run against this, and I'm eager to see that your suggestions will be.

Coach Smith

ps. I'd like to send out a big "Hello" the latest two members to Veersite who have signed up on Frapper (Friend Mapper), Coach Nicholson and Coach Kennedy. And I've hopefully fixed the problem registering for the message board - I see new posts beginning to spring up again.

Coach Bill Adams

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

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

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

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

Some things never change.

Thank God.


Coach Bill Adams' Obituary