Installing Today’s Hybrid Pistol Offense Run & Pass from Top to Bottom
This manual provides you with the full offensive line, receiver, and quarterback mechanics for installing each offensive play presented. Coach Campbell has left no stone unturned for implementing today’s Pistol Offense into your program.
What coverage are they playing behind it? Teams have not been able to stay in a 5-3 against us recently because we can throw the ball. If you can't throw the ball, the 5-3 is tough to run between the tackles (6 defenders there) against. If you can scout your opponent, do so and look for weaknesses in their personnel or scheme. We will run outside veer against it this year as well as inside veer, power, and counter. I don't plan on seeing a lot of straight 5-3 though because I think we should be able to throw the ball against this alignment. We run a lot of pro I. Give me some more info on your schemes. I would like to talk more about this.
Our best runner and blocker is our fullback. He'll get quite a few carries for us this year. We can throw the ball a little. I'm worried about the protection, though. It'll be rollouts and three step drops. I'm sure the they'll play cover 3. I won't be able to scout any because the majority of our opponents play on the same nights as we do. I'll try attacking the bubble created on the strong side between the tackle in a 3 and the DE playing the nine against our TE. I've got a tailback who can run a little but he's only a 7th grader and somewhat new to football. I'm just looking for the best places to attack the 5-3 with the run and short passing game.
I say throw the hitch for sure against cover 3. A curl by the Z with a short out by the TE should also be good. If you don't want to run the option, I would go with some double dive action of some sort. Run your stud FB behind the guard, then fake to the FB, have the PS guard kick out the DE, double down with the TE and OT, and have the TB lead up the C gap for the QB. This has been a great play for us if your QB can carry the ball.
I am of the opinion that the 5-3 defense is the best defense ever created for stopping the running game of any kind! When you can put 8 in the box, and have athletes that can really play, it is really difficult to beat
with any running game going. If your kid is in the 7th grade, he really can't be that physically matured enough yet to take a pounding all night if your playing high School ball. Are you a middle school coach or High School level? My recommendation, coach, would be to build your running game around a different formation that will spread the defense out and not permit them to load the box on you, something such as a flex bone with double slots that require a spreading of the defense. The LB's and safeties are your primary concern anyway and you have to come up with a formation that takes that into consideration and the best way to influence them adversely. PLAY TO YOUR STRENGTHS , NOT THEIRS. Make them adjust their plan to yours, not vice versa. I ran the option for years as a high school coach, but got into spread football 20 years ago(long before it became popular like it is now) for that very reason. If you spread them out horizontally in the PSL, and vertically after the snap, as well as, hoizontally they can't possibly load the box on you with out leaving receivers uncovered. You don't need a great passer at QB to take advantage of it, just a kid who can throw the ball with a quick release and some acuracy. Good luck to you in figuring out what works best for you, coach.
Coach Easton
J.C. EASTON<BR>HEAD COACH<BR>GA TIGERS FOOTBALL<BR>PROFESSIONAL MINOR LEAGUE
If the strong-side DT is in a 3 and the end is in a 9, have your TE come down on the SLB, you OT block down on the 3, your guards on the other two LBs and use your FB to kick out the DE. The flanker should run off the corner. You can run a PA pass off that (TE or FB in flat, flanker deep, SE deep post, slide protect weak).
If you want to run weak-side, counter-trey is probably your best shot.
I agree with Coach Easton that a formation change is in order against this defense. Do you have the kids to go double-tight?
I am a middle school coach. Pro Set w/ 2 backs is not my ideal offense. I've always been a wing-T guy. I have no choice, however. I'm going to run exactly what my HS runs. That is what I owe him and the upcoming players, to teach them what they need to know to be successful on the HS level. I've got some tall receivers and will look to get the ball down the field by throwing when I can. Running Double tights is something I've thought about...I know that a formation change would be the best to attack the 5-3, but I'm here to teach the kids and be successful, not to draw the ire of the HS HC because I've switched offenses on him. Like I said before, I just want the best ways to attack the 5-3 with the run and short passing game.
Very admirable indeed to stick with your HS offense! ONEBACK offers sound advice with a quick 3 step game, as well as others with their input. Perhaps you already have, but if not, why not just sit down with the HS Head Coach and see what he does against that defense? That way you will be emulating the entire
plan of the Varsity coaches. Just a suggestion as always.
Coach Easton
J.C. EASTON<BR>HEAD COACH<BR>GA TIGERS FOOTBALL<BR>PROFESSIONAL MINOR LEAGUE
Here is the best series I have given your kids and constaints:
Out of a double-tight divide, FB and flanker to the right side:
Play 1) Off-tackle HB lead with the FB blocking the 9 as described in my post above.
Play 2) Fake to the HB going off-tackle, have your FB take a jab step to the right, plant and go off-tackle to other (left) side. The left TE should take the stacked 'backer on his side. The LG should pull and kick-out the 9. Have the RG try for the MLB, if the fake is good he should take enough of a false step(s), even if the RG can't get him, he will get caught in the wash b/c of the TE's block. This will put your stud FB one on one with the corner.
Play 3) Fake to the HB going right, fake to the FB going left, send the flanker on a deep route with the HB in the right flat off his fake. The QB should make a half-hearted fake to the HB but a very good fake to the FB. If the corner fails to run with the flanker it should be a long completion. If the corner does stay on the flanker, the HB should come open underneath as the two fakes will freeze the LBs. If the 9 is alert enough to cover the HB, there will be no contain man and your QB should run. This play allows for max protection, because your FB can become part of the back-side protection as he carries out his fake. We instruct our QB that he must throw deep if he can see the CB's eyes.
Note: You may prefer to use the FB and TB in opposite roles from the ones I described. If so, use your flanker to crack the LB and assign the HB to block the corner on play 1.