Isolating the TE in Four Verts

No one executed Four Verts better than Peyton Manning and few TE’s had a better feel for the Bender Route than Dallas Clark. Obviously, these two players formed a great connection, but OC Tom Moore and QB Coach Jim Caldwell did some things with play design that made this play incredibly difficult to defend, especially if the defense was going to play Tampa 2.

• Deuce Formation into the Boundary (TE on the Ball + WR Off the Ball)

  • Play Action Power (TE Releases & Guard Pulls for Boundary Pass Pro)

• Tampa 2 Coverage - Middle of the Field Open

  • Four Verts with WR’s taking inside Releases and Fading to the Sidelines

  • Slot works outside the Nickel and Bends to the Hash

  • TE Stacks on top of Will LB and Bends Inside the Boundary Numbers

Play Action (especially with a Pulling Guard) is able to hold the Will and Mike LB’s just long enough for the TE to stack on top and bend into the Window behind the Will LB and in front of the FS. It also helps when the Mike LB in Tampa 2 opens up to the Field - leaving more room in the Boundary. When the ball is released the TE looks covered, but this play is perfectly designed to open late. Throw it to grass and trust your TE to Bend into the opening.

Tampa 2 is coming back in a big way with Iowa State style 3 Safety Alignments. This relatively simple play design (even from the Gun) could have the same influence on LB’s and Safeties in a modern Spread Offense.

This is just the beginning

I am officially stepping down as the Head Football Coach at St. David’s School in Raleigh, NC.

I am unbelievably grateful for a school community that was willing to take a chance and promote a 24 year old to lead the entire program for the past 4 years. More than anything I appreciate the parents who supported me as I grew and the athletes who embraced the vision.

The best part of being a coach is seeing people achieve more than they ever thought possible. These are a few of the stories I cherish:

• A Freshman Quarterback who threw interceptions on 3 straight throws in his first 7on7 tournament. He asked me to switch positions, but he persevered and his Senior year he was named All-State in his first year as a starter.

• Two Lacrosse guys who joined the team their Senior year to play Offensive Line and helped take us to a State Championship Game.

• A 120lb Running Back who was cut from the football team at another school, transferred in and became the State Player of the year his Senior Year and went on to play Division 1 Football.

• A Defensive Linemen who fell in love with our off-season Speed Program and got so fast that he’s going to be a Division 1 Sprinter.

There are so many more stories to tell, but if you played for me I am proud of you. Thank you for all the time you spent, the sweat you poured and the tears you cried to make coaching you an unforgettable experience for me.

I have three core values for my life that hopefully permeate every team I lead.

1. Transformation

   • No one stays the same. Keep Growing. If you are a part of my team I want to see you transform. That means growing, maturing, and developing as a whole person - physically, mentally, emotionally, spiritually.

2. Courage

   • Every obstacle you face will will test and reveal your character. If you are a part of my team I want to see you progress in the three stages of courage:

     • The Courage to be yourself.

     • The Courage to better yourself.

     • The Courage to lose yourself in love and service to others.

3. Creativity

   • Team success boils down to connection. Creativity is the ability to both connect ideas and connect people. If you are a part of my team I want to see you fully express your creativity by solving problems for each other both on and off the field.

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In the past two years, my wife Grace and I have added two beautiful children to our family. “Coach” will always take a backseat to “Dad” for me. In these critical years of development for my kids, I am committing to being a present father to them. I am attempting to construct a life for my family that is authentically aligned with my values, while still allowing me to do what I love.

Football is special to me, in part, because when I was a kid I attended 3 different high schools in 3 different states in 3 years. For each of those challenging transitions, I had coaches and teammates who welcomed me with open arms. That kind of hospitality is why I believe football is the greatest sport.

I love football and because of that love, I want to change the game for the better. I want to help equip coaches to make football the most engaging and impactful experience possible for their athletes.

I am not stepping away from the game - far from it. I absolutely intend to be back on the sidelines soon - at the right time with the right people.

In the meantime, I have more projects like The Ultimate Guide to Counter and The Coaches Collective Podcast that I want to devote time and energy toward. Stay Tuned - there are a lot of projects coming!

Thank you for all your love and support through my coaching journey!

Goal Line Gadget Play

The best case scenario on the Goal Line is the ability to line up in a Heavy Personnel Package, push people off the ball and score. Unfortunately, not all offenses are built for that and creativity becomes essential in Red Zone and Goal to Go scenarios. Arizona Cardinals Head Coach Kliff Kingsbury has a deep bag of 2-Pt Style plays that allow his teams to find advantageous matchups at the Goal Line.

• Empty 4x1 Diamond with a Nub TE

• Jet Motion to the Nub TE Side

• Screen & Go to the Bunch Set

  • #1 Sells Screen

  • #2 Screen & Go Back Shoulder Fade

  • #3 Screen & Go Win Slant

In recent years, I’ve seen teams utilize Perimeter Screens in Goal Line situations. If you have the blocking matchups you like, it can create great scoring opportunities instead of running directly into a loaded box. The next step in the evolution of Goal Line Screen is the ability to run Screen & Go. This will allow receivers to win leverage and shield the defender with their body. If you have a TE who can dominate the point of attack on a perimeter screen and also use that strength to gain leverage on Screen & Go, you can create a lot of stress for the defense.

Bash QB GT Counter

I was recently talking with a group of coaches about Bash QB GT Counter. Some coaches have had a lot of success with it, others have been frustrated by it because it never hits like they draw it up. When diagnosing issues, one of the biggest markers of success on Bash QB GT Counter is the QB’s footwork. When teams struggle with Bash, it’s usually because the QB shuffles too far away from the Run Scheme when they read the Edge Defender. This cut-up from Sam Houston State is a great example of a QB “Short Shuffle” to the Bash to stay in sync with the GT Counter Pullers.

Another thing I like about this play is running it to the Nub TE Side. If your TE can block out on a 9 Technique, both your Guard & Tackle can insert on the Will LB and the Secondary Support Player. It can also hit downhill without the fear of being spilled.

• Nub TE

• Trips Lt.

• Bash (Back Away from the Run Scheme)

  • QB Reads the Strong DE for Give/Keep

• QB GT Counter

Another Option here is to Arc the TE to the CB. This will potentially widen the 9 Technique and allow for a clean kick out block by the Guard. But if your TE can handle a DE or walk down Jack LB, I like the idea of blocking out and inserting both the Guard and Tackle. Bash QB GT Counter is a great way to get your QB going in the Run Game!

Spread Option Leak Concept

The Leak Concept is a staple of the Shanahan Coaching Tree and it’s starting to find it’s way into all offensive systems. I’ve loved the way Spread Option Offenses have implemented it.

Check out a Longform breakdown in the video below:

The key to Leak from Option Teams is to throw the ball against the grain of the Option Action. Below are two examples of Leak - the first is to the TE, the second is to the Dive Back.

Coastal Carolina - TE Leak

Furman - RB Leak

Tackle Dart

The Tackle Dart play was really popular a few years ago. I’ve seen a lot of OC’s move away from it recently, but I still really like it if you have a mobile Tackle who can run the hoop. It’s almost like a hybrid between Power and Draw which makes it a perfect fit in pass heavy offenses.

• Nub TE into the Boundary

  • TE Blocks out on the Boundary 9 Technique

  • BSG Blocks Back on the 3 Technique

  • Center & PSG Work a Double on the Nose up to the Will LB

  • PST Pass Sets the Field 5 Technique

  • BST Pulls to Insert into the Playside B-Gap on the Mike LB

• Trips to the Field

  • Slot Bubble Screen to hold the Overhang Defender and Strong Safety

The threat of perimeter screens really makes this play go. If you are able to pull the Nickel Sam out of the Box to the Trips side and occupy the SS you can have the numbers advantage on Dart. Because Dart hits Same-Side, the QB can easily read out and throw the Bubble Screen if the numbers look good on the perimeter. I like Dart away from the TE side so you can Cap the Backside C-Gap and give the play time to develop!