anticipating who the 8th man is

Joe - you're making it TOO complicated. As Boomer Esiason said when he played Qb (VERY WELL) in the NFL: - "THE SAFETIES TELL YOU EVERYTHING"!!!!!!!

Joe - we've discussed this before. The defense can do anything it PLEASES. Line 11 men up on the line, & drop out of it, AND vice-versa!

I do NOT believe that you can tell HS kids to try to READ all this. First of all - if you do your FILM work properly, you GAME PLAN THE SOLUTION. If they show you something you haven't seen before, come up & go on a QUICK count, & they'll stop all that CRAP (if you think they can put in something totally new you haven't see before in ONE practice week, & execute it better than you can your offense - then you're giving your opponent too much credit!)!. I got this advice from Bobby Bowden YEARS ago, & it WORKS (coming up & go on a quick count vs. teams that try a lot of disguises)..

When a great NFL QB tells me that he watched "THE SAFETIES TELL YOU EVERTHING - I believe him. This is ALL we have EVER used (in over 44 years).

PRE-SNAP COVERAGE READS

A) Scan the formation for uncovered receivers. If uncovered receivers — signal uncovered check.

B) Find the Weak Safety for PRE-SNAP read.

1. If the W/S is low — check other coverage keys for "Cover 0".
2. If the W/S is high — check other coverage keys for "Cover 1" or "Cover 3"
3. If there are 2 safeties and they are both low — check other coverage keys for
"Cover 0".
4. If there are 2 safeties and they are both high — check other coverage keys for
"Cover 2", "Cover 2/Man", or "Cover 4" (1/4's).
5. If there are 2 safeties and they are staggered — check other coverage keys for
"Cover 1/Robber" or "Cover 3/Robber".

NOTE: QB must be aware of the following actions from a well "disguised" secondary in the dropback passing game:

A) If there is 1 safety and he rolls down hard after the snap — HAVE A PLAN VS. PRESSURE (USE MOSTLY MAX-PRO)!
B) If there are 2 safeties and both roll down hard after the snap — HAVE A PLAN VS. PRESSURE (USE MOSTLY MAX PRO)!
C) If the W/S or 2 safeties maintain their alignment after the snap — execute your progression reads with an awareness of where the weaknesses are in the coverage and which coverage defender we are attacking.

Joe - the Center makes front identifications for the O-Line in the pros. If you TRIED to let all of them do it - there would be MASS CONFUSION.

Others have to:

#1 - locate their base man (0/1/2/3),

#2 - apply covered/uncovered,

#3 - notify anyone they might be blocking WITH of the following:

COMMUNICATION OF DEFENSIVE NUMBERED TECHNIQUES ON THE ZONE AND COUNTER/POWER BLOCKING:

Many NFL teams have the first covered offensive lineman outside the "Center Box" call out the number technique the DLM is in. This is primarily because you look for double teams from inside/out. The following thinking uses the Inside Zone & the Counter as examples (since on the INSIDE ZONE you double outside, and on the COUNTER you double inside — in reverse order):

EXAMPLE: The Right Tackle is the first covered lineman outside the Center (covered by a 4I, 4, or 5 technique). He calls out that technique as early as possible for the following reasons:

1. RT calls "4I" (inside shoulder).
A) On the INSIDE ZONE — this alerts the uncovered RG that he will most likely have to "take over" the 4I after the initial double team and push off the LOS.
B) ON the COUNTER — this alerts the TE that he will most likely have to come off the hip of the 4I for the backside LB (probability of no double).

2. RT calls "4" (head up).
A) On BOTH the INSIDE ZONE and the COUNTER - since a 4 technique might slant or pinch down, play the RT tough, or loop out — it's a 50/50 proposition as to who will end up on him after the other comes off the double team (depending on which of the 3 charges he employs).

3. RT calls "5" (outside shoulder).
A) On the INSIDE ZONE — this alerts the uncovered RG that he will most likely end up on the LB (probability of no double).
B) On the COUNTER — this alerts the TE than he will most likely end up on the 5 technique (with the RT coming off the double).


NOTE: If the first covered lineman outside the Center was the Right Guard — he would make a 2I (inside shoulder), 2 (head up), or 3 (outside shoulder) call, which would alert the Center (on the INSIDE ZONE), and the Right Tackle (on the COUNTER) as to the probabilities on those plays.

NOTE: THIS IS NOT A GIVEAWAY TO THE DEFENSE, SINCE THESE CALLS ARE USED IN ZONE BLOCKING, COUNTER/POWER BLOCKING, & EVEN SOME ZONE PASS PROTECTIONS (& THEY ARE MADE ON BOTH SIDES).

RUSS GRIMM QUOTE: "ALWAYS KNOW WHAT TO EXPECT BEFORE THE SNAP — AND ANTICIPATE THE WORST CASE SCENARIO (SO YOU WON'T COME TO THE SIDELINE & GIVE THE ALIBI THAT "HE SURPRISED ME")!!!!! EXAMPLE: THE WORSE CASE SCENARIO FOR A TE DOWNBLOCKING A 5 TECHNIQUE IS FOR THE 5 TECHNIQUE TO LOOP INTO HIM (RATHER THAN STAYING IN A 5)!

#4 - THEN - if a blocking CALL is NEEDED - they have to make THAT!

How much more can you ask them to do??

GREAT coaches constantly seek ways to make things SIMPLER, not complicate matters!