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.
Hello Coach, I am a youth coach at the 13-14 year old level, we run a 5-3 as a base defense, this year I have a group of interior lineman that are good at penetrating into the backfield, the problem is over peresuing the ball. Especially on counter plays, our lineman are going hard past the ball carrier. I like the penetration because it is causing double teams, but not at the cost of missing so many tackles. Should I keep working them at getting through and squatting 1 step into the backfield or maybe try having them line up head up on a lineman and read and get rid of thier man at the LOS? What have you found to be more sound?
Post by Coach Campbell on Sept 16, 2009 10:12:34 GMT
Coach your drill work should consist of drill that keeps your defensive linemen working off the back heels of the offensive line. I would like to know how you have been teaching this tech. and we can take this further. Coach Campbell
I personally am not a fan of having them read and react to blocks, especially at the youger level. I think you end up getting them watching the backfield standing up and getting bad habits, also, they aren't generally strong enough to get separation and read whats going on. We teach them to stab and grab the offensive lineman and work to get hip to hip, unless we have some sort of stunt going on they never just rush a gap, even though they only have 1 gap they are responsible for. This seems to help keep them from just running past the play. Maybe not the best way, I'd be interested to hear other opinions, but it has been good for us. My thoughts are you have to be pretty darn good to play 2 gaps every play.
Thanks for the fast reply coach. We usually teach the lineman to attack thier gap, get a step into the backfield and breakdown and look for the ball [which means they end up where the OL's heels were]. I think part of the problem is we have NG who is about as fast off the ball as anyone i've seen, so he makes alot of tackles in the backfield, although he over persues at times also. Should I back him off the ball a bit? He draws and beats double teams alot, I'd hate to move him and waste that ability to get off the ball, but I think what makes him hard to block is also causing the overpersuit.
Don't handicap the kid just because he doesn't do things perfectly right now. Keep working to improve his technique, but I would not back him off. Overpersuit can be fixed, but you have to drill it, like Coach Campbell mentioned. I understand the idea of not "teaching" reads right now, but for a kid that is that good off the ball, and that good at beating blocks, why not start the process of him learning to feel pressure, and beating it.
Ryan Kelly
Offensive Coordinator
Austin High School
Austin, MN
There is nothing that will show a man's true character like the 2 yard line.
Hey Coach, your absolutly right, we'll drill these guys til they understand the importance of anchoring thier gap, so far the past couple days have helped, we'll see. Its pretty frusterating knowing that a team can't block these kids but they're still getting yards. We're stressing to these kids not to "run thru the fun", to stay in control, breakdown and look for the ball carrier. We lost in week 1 to a pretty good team 14-12, I think the 7-8 plays that we missed in the backfield we're the difference, 2of the 3 kids I'm working with , it was thier first game ever, so we'll get better. Thanks Coach.
If you teach penetration - have them stay at knee level of the blocker they lined up on. Drive their shoulder pad thru the knee of the blocker they line up on to the side of their gap responsibility. If unblocked - penetrate no deeper than the butt of the blocker. If blocked - fight against the pressure of the man that is blocking.