Football Offensive Innovation: What is the next evolution?

[OSU_Sports_Nut]

Could some of these ideas & concepts on Madden be used and applied to real life? Very interesting breakdown on the video at 4:40 regarding disguising your scheme. I could see high school and college football teams starting to use this tactic (just like the hurry up offense is used to confuse and not allow a defense to get into the proper play call or alignment).

The thought is... an offense runs out in one formation then switches to something else. The key is for the offense to hike the ball before the defense is able to adjust or change their call (obviously everybody on offense has to be set).

Additionally, to make this strategy even more effective... an offensive coach must look at the tendencies of a defense and know what kind of play call that defense will be in based on certain formations and find the best counter against that defense and quickly switch to that offense and hike the ball.

This can also be very valuable clock management strategy (i.e. when teams have taken a big lead going into the fourth quarter) and still need to run the clock out and not be so predictable. Plus, the changing of offensive formations can be done multiple times to confuse a defense and further run down the clock.

 

[OSU_Sports_Nut]

IN KNOWN RUNNING SITUATIONS (i.e. 3rd and short or in the fourth quarter when a team has a lead), I'd also like to see offensive coaches use extra lineman for unbalanced sets. Most defenses will not get properly aligned (missing gaps and run fits) and thus create advantages for an offense.

So why not use a second string offensive tackle or DE (at the tight end position) or a second string guard or DT (at the fullback position). This change would give those second team offensive & defensive lineman extra reps on the field blocking (even though it's a different position) and it would add a more physicality to the offense.

In addition, this would allow us to play some SMASH MOUTH FOOTBALL with these jumbo and unbalanced sets. Plus, these unusual sets create pressure and confusion on defenses because most teams will be ill prepared to defend these types of plays.

When the ball is thrown to these OL they are usually wide open because if they keep their normal numbers (but still check in with the referees as an ineligible receiver) once the ball is snapped most linebackers lose them during a play-action pass. In addition, unbalanced sets can be used to gain an advantage and create confusion on the defense. For example, if a OL comes in to play TE and lines up at the right tackle position, as long as no player covers them up they are still an eligible receiver and can be slipped out into the flat for a screen on the opposite side of the field as the RB.

 

[OSU_Sports_Nut]

When I coached, we used to do take ALL of our players through catching drills at the beginning of the year to identify offensive and defensive lineman who could catch the ball so we could use them during the season to play TE and FB (assuming we ever needed or wanted to throw to them). Btw, in my last year of coaching our two best hands on the team were offensive lineman. Check out the hands of this offensive lineman.




Additionally, why don't more power 5 teams take time to identify current players on the team for other positions. For example, sometimes a DT could be the best TE on the team or a RB could be the best passing rushing LB'er on the team. Imagine a few years ago when we had James Castleman and Tyreek Hill. Now imagine Hill (or an elusive RB like Hunter) lining up as a standing DE (really wide) on the blind side of quarterbacks on 3rd and long. Don't tell that wouldn't make a QB rush a throw, or an offensive lineman sweat, or an offensive coordinator completely freak out. And just think if James Castleman had gotten noticed as a pass-catching TE before the last game of his career (he probably would have been a devastating blocker at FB too). I think Castleman could have played in the NFL at TE/FB. I just don't understand why most division 1 programs get so arrogant they forget to look on their own team (instead they rely on the evaluation of a high school coach). Smaller colleges (division 2 and 3) and smaller high schools (divisions 3A, 2A, A) seem to always find players to use at multiple positions. Gundy is innovative and always looking for new and creative ways to do things. Therefore, I will continue to hold out hope that his teams will eventually implement some of these things.

 

[OSU_Sports_Nut]

I also hope teams go away with coordinators having to coach a position. By not having them coach a position, it really benefits them during a game when they can focus on adjustments. During practices, it allows the coordinators to float between position groups to make sure things are being taught the way they want them to be taught and it allows them to have more oversight for position groups that are weaker than others. Here would be my recommendation.

OFFENSE
QB -
RB/FB -
TE/WR -
OL -
OC - who also coordinates special team return units like punt return and kickoff return.

DEFENSE
DL -
LB -
CB -
S -
DC - who also coordinates special team coverage units like punt and kickoff.