Packaging plays: Inside Zone & Quick Screen

The current trend for offensive coaches is packaging multiple plays together so the quarterback has multiple options once the ball has been snapped.

In the "old days," I would call a play and we were basically locked into it unless the quarterback was savvy enough to audible us out of it. Today, we are working to package as many plays together so the quarterback can choose the best option he has based on what the defense gives us post-snap.

In previous posts, I wrote about combining Draw and Y-Stick, and our Double Screen. 

Last year, we packaged Inside Zone and Counter-Trey with a quick screen. It paid huge dividends. There were a couple of obvious benefits:

• It gave us an easy 5+ yards on the quick screen if there was a big cushion on the receiver.
• It forced our Wide Receivers to block on every run play. In the past, our receivers were very lazy blocking on plays that were designed to hit inside, like counter-trey and inside zone. With the quick screen tagged, they knew the ball could be coming their way every play. Incentive to block!

Rules:

For the offensive line and running back, it was inside zone. They honestly did not know where the ball was going.

We taught our inside receiver to run a "bench" or "flat" route, and then block the first threat. Ideally, we wanted him to hook the flat defender so the receiver catching the ball could get up the sideline. 

The receiver running the quick screen would take two-steps vertical, then then work back to behind the line of scrimmage. Once he caught the ball, he sprinted upfield. Ideally, we wanted him to get outside and away from the extra defenders in the middle of the field. 

Last year our quarterback was not a runner, so we did not want him to carry the football. We taught him to pre-snap read the cushion of the receiver and defensive back. If there was significant cushion there (+5 or more yards), he did a quick flash fake to the RB and threw the quick screen. If the cushion was not there, we handed off to the RB on the inside zone or counter-trey. If we had a QB who was a running threat, we would also give him the option to read the backside defensive end and keep the football like true Inside Zone Read Option.

Playbook:

Oklahoma State "Diamond" Plays

Last weekend, our staff visited Oklahoma State's coaches clinic and spring practice. Here are my observations from watching practice.

They worked on their "Diamond" formation that became popular last season. This is a great analysis of OU's package from the "Offensive Break Down" Blog.

Here are two new wrinkles that I saw Oklahoma State working on during practice: Power with the back kicking out instead of the backside guard pulling, and outside zone that looked more like inside zone.

Run Game: Counter-Trey

If Mesh is the most versatile passing concept in our offense, then Counter-Trey would probably be the equivalent in the running game. It is another variation of "Double-Down Kickout", but it is very effective from a spread set.

It is a very simple concept for the linemen to execute, and you can dress it up and give it multiple looks in the backfield. I am all for any play where the linemen have the same job to do up front, but the backfield action can change. Counter-Trey is a perfect example of that.

Offensive Line Rules:

To the playside we are working to build a wall. We like to double-team at the point of attack. Our rule for the playside TE, Tackle, Guard, and Center is ANGLE. They are on an angled path in the opposite direction of the play. Anyone who crosses their face, they take. If we can get a double-team, we want them to have four hands on the down linemen, and four eyes on the linebacker on their path. One of them will come off and take him.

The backside guard will pull and trap the last man on the line of scrimmage. If he is trapping right, he should hit with his right shoulder. If the end squeezes, the guard will "log" block him and set the wall by reaching him (a log blog).

The only exception to the backside guard and center's rule is if the guard has someone in his gap opposite the play.

Against. a 4-man front, you usually see a shade to one side and a 3-tech to the other. Ideally we would like to run it towards the 3-tech side. If we are running it to the shade's side, then the guard would have a man in his gap (the 3-tech) and he therefore can't pull to trap. We would then pull the center and have him trap, and the backside guard would angle block the man in his gap.

The backside tackle will pull and lead up on the playside backer. He should work to make sure his shoulders are square on the linebacker. It is very similar to ISO, just with the tackle leading instead of a fullback.

Backfield action:

There are over a dozen variations you can use with this scheme. You can use fakes and misdirection to get it to virtually any ball carrier within five yards of the center. We have had the RB, QB, FB, and Slot Receivers all carry the ball on this play. I like to figure out who our most explosive player is, and come up with a way to get him the ball on Counter-Trey. Here are some examples:

Here are some cut-ups from this year (powered by Hudl):



Here are some more cut-ups from my previous school. We ran Counter-Trey from multiple looks and formations:



What coaching points do you have about the Counter-Trey? Do you have other variations that you like to use? Please feel free to comment below!