Utah - Urban Meyer Zone-Read

Football's Golden Son for now is worth looking at a bit. Nothing revolutionary, but lots and lots of coaches incorporate some of these concepts now, and they are quite sound. I have never incorporated the triple from gun and am not an expert--check out Jerry Campbell's books and notes or study Meyer and others' offenses this coming fall--but it is fairly easy to incorporate the backside read by the QB in the zone or any frontside run play from gun.

Petrino at Louisville will incorporate this into more than just the zone, which is how I have used it. I use the QB read of the backside end with our "base" or "Wrap" or guard-pull scheme, which I diagrammed a few months ago here.

The University of Louisville will pull both the backside guard or the backside tackle (not something I do as much because it is harder to get the tackle over there in time) but both are viable tactics and easy to do.

Incorporating the QB read is simple and can essentially add another runner to your offense. From there you can add a pitch relationship with another runningback or a slot man. (Check out the earlier article on the no-back shovel and Meyer's offense here.)

Also, along with this are some broad outlines about the Utah/Bowling Green/Meyer offense and some coaching points, and diagrams from the 2002 Bowling Green playbook (very simple, so not overly informative, but the written material is excellent).

Mike Sanford - Bill Williams Football Clinic, San Diego, Ca March 2005

Offensive Strategy and Goals

1. about 65% run 35% pass
2. 95% out of shotgun
3. Most physical and best zone blocking team in the country
4. Stretch the defense across the field and make them play assignment football

3 Critical Keys

1. Protect the football
2. Score in red zone
3. Convert third downs, practice scenarios

5 Offensive Goals

1. Win
2. Score 66% red zone TD
3. No Turnovers
4. 45% on 3rd down conversions
5. 55% run efficient (4 yards a carry)


Wide receivers have key blocks every single down

Center's snap needs to be perfect everytime

Zone Read Play - 14/15 Read

Rules

- 7 in the box / cover 0 = audible to option or pass
- 6 in the box = block playside 5 and leave 1 (backside DE) Read
- 5 in the box = block 5 (give inside zone)

Running Back:

Alignment:

- Toes at 6 yards, inside foot on guards outside leg

Footwork:

- Shuffle step, step replace step and go, looks like a draw play, close gap with QB, responsible for creating mesh point, rollover ball , hands together even if QB keeps

Aiming point:

- Outside leg of PSG, Read first man of center to outside foot / butt of tackle (B gap)
- Slow to, Fast through - make cut and get vertical

Quarter Back:

Alignment:

- Toes at 5 yards, shotgun (practice everyday with center for a perfect snap)

Footwork:

- Wide open step, pivot opposite foot, extend ball, watch inside shoulder of read man - upfield = give
stay home = give
down line = keep

Aiming point:

- C gap in general
- Read C gap defender - could be DE or LB


Offensive line:

- Inside zone blocking front and backside
- Splits are 2 ft guards, 3 ft tackles

Draw Trap

I hope to put more run game stuff up in the future and be able to tie it together, however, I'd like to call attention to one of my favorite runs that I don't see run or talked about much: the draw trap.

The draw trap is a very simple play, that does require good execution and timing. It can be run from a variety of sets and doesn't require different calls for one-back versus two-back, etc.

The primary purposes of the play are:

1. To provide a running play that looks like standard drop-back pass action to help hold linebackers and safeties when you do and to help make the fake-draw playaction more successful. Without good draws your dropbacks and fake-draws aren't going to be very successful.

2. To provide an effective counter for upfield charging defensive linemen.

3. The draw-trap is particularly effective because it is designed to specifically attack defensive ends, which are often the most dangerous and aggressive, and can make them more weary of charging hard upfield.

4. Also, the draw-trap is much better than the regular draw versus certain blitzes. The traditional draw is most effective versus hard charging defensive linemen and fast dropping linebackers and safeties (outside rushers can also be negated), but the draw trap can seal inside dog blitzes better and get the runner more to the outside quickly.

The rules, in quick and dirty form are as follows. Then you can look at some of the diagrams. Sorry I did not have time to better label some of the fronts.

QB: Dropback, deliver the ball, and carry out your fake.
All linemen will pass set for a quick count. Traditional draws and slow screens have a much longer pass set up than the draw trap, which is fairly quick.

PST: Quick set, combo down with the PSG guard to near linebacker.
PSG: Quick set, combo 3 or 2 tech with PST, combo 1 or 0 with C to linebacker.
C: Reach/combo nose, drive 0, seal backside.
BSG: Quick set, pull and trap first man that shows. If no one turn up to LB
BST: Step playside, seal, drive, release downfield if nothing

PSY: Outside release like pass, block LB
BSY: Step playside, seal, drive for a count then release downfield

Playside back: Release outside tackle like pass route, block first man that shows
Ball carrier: Shuffle playside with head up--show pass pro look. Take ball and follow pulling guard, cut inside his block, get upfield and then look outside.

Wideouts and slots will block man on to, release for safety away.

At the line the QB is responsible for running this play to the side that it will be most effective. I do not ask my QBs to constantly check plays at the line, but I do ask them to run the ball where we will be most effective. We do that through common sense ("Don't attack walled cities") and some rules of thumb.

For the draw trap we tell the QB that if they are in odd (noseguard) we want to run it weak unless they are heavily shifted weak. If they are in even we want to run the trap to the "widest 3 technique", or I suppose it can be thought of as the wider defensive tackle. This adapted from our rule for the quick inside trap, but has served as well for wider traps as well.

If the defense is in some kind of monster style or slanting defense that is trying to fool us into running into their slants, then we will gameplan this.

Below are some diagrams:

Mini-Curl/Spacing Concept

A play that is gaining in popularity is the spacing/mini-curl. A simple route that happens quickly (especially important with protection becoming more and more difficult), Norm Chow at USC, the University of Michigan and many others have been using this play.

This description comes via Ted Seay, via the Chucknduck boards.

Coach: No film, but the following comes from Jody Ashby, on Coach [Andrew] Coverdale's staff at Newburgh Castle HS in Indiana:

Spacing - is the old curl/out route cut in half. So, think miniature post curl, arrow, and a sit route. You can make this look a ton of ways, but I'll give you the most basic way we would run it. Michigan does a lot of this (for your reference). Lets take a bunch formation, the outside receiver who is off the ball runs a miniature curl (4 yards vertical, skinny post to 7, drumroll and stick the toe in the ground, present your numbers to the quarterback, you will get some width on your initial steps to help create spacing), the middle receiver on the ball, runs the mini sit route (he should aim for the far shoulder of the "danger" defender, his depth should be @ 4-5 yards, he is the outlet), the inside receiver is off the ball and runs the arrow route (he should get width fast, aiming point would be 4-5 yards, but should emphasize width first, if he reaches the numbers and hasn't received the ball turn up).

The quarterback uses a big 3, because we want the mini-curl. He will use his shoulders to encourage the flat player to chase the arrow, opening up the mini-curl lane. He will often see the arrow pop open quickly reading flat defenders shoulders, but he will complete it for 2 yard gains, if he's patient, the mini-curl will work itself open. If his mini-curl lane was invaded from inside, he would go to his outlet "the sit." We often have a single on the backside of this and we will always check to see if we can throw single first. If we are unable to throw single, then we should have the numbers (unless 0 coverage) to work the spacing route. If you have "The Bunch Attack" book and look at the mesh route with a stem call, which gives you a sit route (because of the sandbox rule), there you have it - A quick version of mesh stem AKA "spacing."

Diagrams below are mine:

Sid Gillman Theory

Via Coach Bill Mountjoy and www.chucknduck.com. These are some basic principles of Sid Gillman, the father of the modern passing game. These are even more true today (and a surprisingly large portion of coaches still are not familiar with them!).

SID GILLMAN PASSING GAME THOUGHTS

TIMING OF PASS:
1. The timing of the delivery is essential. It is the single most important item to successful passing.
2. Each route has its own distinct timing. As routes and patterns are developed on the field, the exact point of delivery will be emphasized.
3. Take mental notes on the field on timing of the throw.
4. If you cannot co-ordinate eye and arm to get the ball at it’s intended spot properly and on time, you are not a passer.
5. Keeping the ball in both hands and chest high is part of the answer.
6. Generally speaking, the proper timing of any pass is putting the ball in the air before, or as the receiver goes into his final break.
7. If you wait until the receiver is well into his final move, you are too late.

ATTACKING DEFENSES:
1. You must know the theory of all coverages. Without this knowledge, you are dead.
2. You are either attacking man for man, or zone defense.
3. Vs. Man for Man Defense, you are beating the Man.
Vs. Zone Defense, you are attacking an Area.
4. Not knowing the difference will result in stupid interceptions.
5. Study your coverage sheets so that by merely glancing at a defense you know the total coverage design.
6. Man for Man Defenses
a. Hit the single coverage man. This will keep you in business for a long time.
b. Stay away from receivers who are doubled short and long.
c. Do not throw to post if weak safety is free unless you are controlling him with another receiver, and even then it can be dangerous.
d. Flare action is designed to hold backers. If backers are loose, HIT flare man.
e. The secret to attacking Man for Man is to attack the single coverage man who is on his own with no help short or to either side.
f. You must know the individual weaknesses of our opponents and attack them.
g. There are many methods of dropping off by deep secondary men. Each method provides a weakness – know them.
7. Zone Defenses
a. To successfully attack zone defense, concentrate on attacking the slots (X-Z Curl, Y Curl, Cross Routes).
b. Flare action is a must to hold the backers close to the line to help open up the zones behind them.
8. Exact knowledge of defensive coverage and the patterns to take advantage of these is a
must.

SUMMARY OF THE PRINCIPLES SID GILLMAN LIVED BY:
1. Spread the field horizontally and vertically with all 5 receivers;
2. Pass to set up the run (NOT the other way around);
3. One-Back formations are a MUST!