As you can see we have produced formations to accomplish the things that we need to get done. However, we can run so many of our plays from each of these formations that we can mask the real reason we introduced the new formation to begin with.

These formations were dreamed up to support both the running game and the passing game. Sometimes it may not be apparent as to why we run a formation the way we do until you see the passing scheme as well. A decent running game is important at any level of competition and most of these formations have been designed to let the offense get a back one on one with a defender. As mentioned earlier they are also designed to put blockers in positions that give them advantages over the defenders.

Pass protection is crucial to any team that uses the pass even in its most basic form. Some of these formations are designed to get skill position players in positions to not only help with pass protection but also to run delays and screens. Pass protection will be discussed in detail in X-streme Schemes vol. 2.

X-treme Schemes

Spread Running Game

Playbook

The F-back will crack the DE and must line up outside of him. If the DE refuses to let the F-back line up outside him we will run the ball inside of him and can audible to a play that takes advantage of this.

The C-back needs to be at full speed when the handoff is made. You may think that this takes too much timing to work out but it just does not. This is not to say that the timing is not important. Timing is important to this entire scheme but it is not as hard to obtain as many might think.

Depending on the defensive alignment the blocking scheme is fairly basic. You may have to adjust it to what certain teams run against you but the formation cuts down the number of defensive formations that you might encounter. The spread formation limits the defense by formation, alignment, and reduces blitz options.

The QB will simply handle the snap and hold it out in front of him at handoff level. As the handoff is being made the QB will swivel in the direction of the handoff then run a counter to the opposite side. The swivel makes it harder for the defense to know if the handoff was made or not. On plays where the QB keeps the ball the back making the handoff fake will slap his elbow or chest to simulate the sound of the ball hitting him. After the handoff the QB can fake a drop-back pass, QB trap up the middle, or roll opposite the play. In general I would have him fake either the trap off the backside or the QB roll. These fakes set up future plays.

The most important part of the play is the timing of the snap. The QB must not only make sure the motion man is in position but also needs to focus on the ball as it is being snapped. Here is a diagram of where we try to snap the ball. You may have to adjust it for the speed of your back and the speed of your snap.

If the QB can not make the handoff, or has miss handled the snap we have him run the QB blast play to the sweep side because the blocking is identical for that play. This way we do not waste a play unless the snap goes over the QB’s head.

Jag Lft Mo 58 Mon Bl (monster blast)

This is a variant of the crack where you can pull the tackle to the corner. You can give the linemen an option to pull the tackle or guard depending on which is uncovered. This is also a good way to deal with the motion blitz (a blitz from the motion side). P is the letter designated for our left tackle.

The next variant is a basic play with a unique twist. You can see that we have motioned the T-back to take the handoff but I have also drawn a dummy pull by the Tackle to keep the defense guessing. You can do this with many of these plays on the backside. I just threw this in as an example.

Jag lft Tmo 48Mon Cr "P"

One thing to keep in mind with this play is that the T-back did not have near the distance to cover before the snap that the C-back usually does. The snap must be made quicker.

Plays with pulling linemen take pretty quick tackles. In this case the C-back is moving at a high rate of speed when he gets the ball so the tackle needs to get out on the corner as quickly as he can. This also gives the running back an option to cut inside. The fake of the QB is very important. You may want to fake the QB trap onside, backside, or the sweep backside. If the QB makes a good fake to the inside the slot may not have to chip to the onside LB.

This is the basic sweep with a single crack playside. The QB can fake a QB sweep away (59), a QB trap to the right side (158) to freeze the LB, or a drop back pass. You can pull the playside T here to get more blocking playside but the LB might key his pull. This play is great in conjunction with the "Zoom" Option and "C Zoom Go." A QB so involved with the running game creates problems for the defense when an offense strikes as quick as this one.

This is a good play if the LBs are over pursuing the sweep.

Jag lft Mo 48 Rev (reverse) Mon Cr

Here is the slot reverse off the sweep. This variant takes more work. The handoffs are very quick but also very hard to follow for the defense. Here the C-back motions and takes the handoff from the QB. The C-back must put the ball in position for his handoff to the F-back as soon as he has the ball. The F-back needs to make a good pocket and level the pocket so that the C-back does not have to adjust the height of the ball for the handoff.

This play is actually a "Monster Blast" play because we use the QB to lead on the backside corner. We do not call it a blast because our team associates the word "blast" with the QB sweep. If you do not like the idea of leading your QB on the corner or you would rather bring him inside on a fake QB trap you can pull your center or guard (most likely which ever one is uncovered).

Faking the handoff and the reverse with a QB trap or play-action pass is a good twist to throw at a team late in the season.

S/T lft Mo 48 Rev Cr

This is the same play from a formation that spreads the field even more. If the defense decides to motion blitz (blitz the man covering the motion man) the QB or the T-back will have to pick the blitz up. We do not call this play a "Monster Crack" because we do not have a double crack on the playside.

S/T lft Mo Rev Lp (loop) lft

This play looks very complicated but it really is just a combination of two plays. The 48 reverse play with a "Loop" block. "Loop" means we will pull the Guard to the end man on the L.O.S. Loop left means we will pull the right Guard to the left. The QB will drop back to and pump fake to the T-back who is faking a rail route to the left. This will pull the LB away from the play.

This is one counter to the sweep. You can run it with any motion fake. This is the QB trap and can be run from all of the formations. It can also be run to the same side the fake is made on.

At times you will want to motion your motion man completely to the other side before snapping the ball. This keeps the defense honest and cuts down on motion blitzes. The QB trap is a good play to run with or without motion. The motion makes the QB trap a counter to the sweep.

S/T lft Tmo lft 159

This is a 159 QB trap with "motion away" (from the QB). Depending on how teams respond to motion you may be able to use it to gain an advantage in the running game just like you can in the passing game.

S/T Mo 131

The motion man (in this case the C-back) slows his motion before the handoff. If he does not he will fly past his trap block. When this play is run in conjunction with the QB trap it looks much like the old cross trap play that has been run for many years from I and the Splitback formation.

The blocking rule for the trapping "G" is to block the first man on the L.O.S. past the center.

S/T Wide Mo 131

Here is the counter to 149 and 131. It is the same QB counter to the sweep. You do not have to run motion to run this play. The motion is good because it allows you to fake for the counter but it also pulls a defender back to the formation. You also have to realize that all these plays have play-action passes to make them even harder stop.

On this play you have two receivers faking quick spot passes while the other receivers are faking longer routes. It is good to combine some combination routes with these receivers to get the secondary focused on more than the running game.

These formations also get some players into the secondary that may not be used to being out there.

Tri Mo 149

148 and 149 are traps using the motion man or a halfback. Here again 158, and play action are great counters. You could motion C-back, T-back, or F-back to run this play. This formation is also great to run cluster and bunch routes.

Trips Fmo 148 T

This is a great variant to 149 and the sweep play (48 & 49). The QB will fake to the motion man (here the F-back) then hand the ball to the T-back (lined up at halfback) for the trap. We can add the letter T to the end of the play if we need to. This tells the team the T-back is going to run the trap play. A great pass counter to this play is to make the fakes then fire a pass to the F-back on a rail routes down the left sideline.

Trips Fmo 158

This play takes a little more time to run but attacks a large portion of the defense and from many sides. The QB fakes to the motion man for the sweep then fakes 149 trap to the T-back, and finally runs the QB trap (158).

You will have to adjust the blocking scheme to what the defense is running but you would not have to trap block these plays if you did not want to. You could adjust them for your own base run block schemes.

Our Reno formation gives us a tight end but also adds a defensive man to the mix as well.

Cobra Mo 48 Fly

The "fly" is the basic handoff sweep. It occurs at high speed. From this formation you can slow the defense’s ability to react by faking the T-back trap (148) after the handoff. The QB can fake the QB trap (158) or a drop back pass. This Cobra formation is a very good formation for the passing game and brings a tight end to help block.

The Fly (48 &49) can be run from many sets. You can run it with our without a tight end. There are times when you can run right past the DE and never have to block him. As a suggestion I would say that I would not run the fly without a block on the tight end too often. However, about once a game or so you could run it after you ran the trap to the inside.

Cobra Mo 48 Cr Arc

This is just a different way of blocking the fly. Here we use the F-back (in the wing) to crack or seal the DE to the inside. The TE will rocker step just like a pulling G and pull to the Corner. The ball carrier has the option to stretch it to the sideline or cut up by reading the block of the end.

S/T Tmo Lp (loop) lft Shov

This is another good counter to the sweep (48 Crack). This shovel pass uses a trap block to the left which we call "Loop Left." The QB fakes the handoff, drops two steps, and pitches the ball forward to the F-back. These are some great play action pass plays off this look as well. You can see the C-back sitting down behind the outside back for a pass. If the back clears this pass should be open.

Ren (renegade) Mo 16 Mon Cr

This is a motion to an option play with the "Monster Crack" blocking scheme. The motion man becomes the pitchman. You may have to adjust your motion if people start to key the deeper motion that the option requires. You may want to have the motion man stay at regular depth until the last second before bouncing out for the pitch. He must stay in pitch relation with the QB. On the backside we have the T-back faking a screen. Here is a good opportunity for an assistant (in the press box) to check for a possible play action screen to the backside of this option play. The seal on the DE is very important. Anything outside the DE should be positive yardage. If the safety is playing deep you may want the Split End (R) to block the corner.

S/T Fmo 17 Cr

This is the Crack Option from the Super Trips set. We hope to pitch off the defender covering the left slot (T-back). You do not have to crack down on the DE. At times you may want to arc release the slot to block a DB and pitch off the DE. Here again play action & QB traps counter these plays very well.

S/T Fmo 17 Lp (loop) lft

This is actually a QB trap with our Loop blocking scheme. We fake the option play to the left and running the QB trap to the left. If something goes wrong (blitz or missed assignment) we do not want to waste a play so even though we are countering the option we allow the pitchman to be "hot" that is the QB can run the option if he needs to. This blocking scheme is much like the blocking scheme of the "Freeze Option" that many teams have run from I.

S/T Fmo Lp Rt

Here is the QB counter trap off the option play. This play keeps the backside LB honest and is effective in slowing down the secondary flow to the option and sweep plays. The QB will take a few steps into the option play then break back for the counter.

Here we are running the Rolling Thunder Drill and working the reverse handoffs at the same time. We have our motion man at full speed and taking the handoff from the QB. After the handoff he hands off to the slot-back coming back from the other side.

IGWT t 2k2

  ©    Copyright 2002 Robert B. Babcock All rights reserved