Playcalling in a Pro-Style Offense

I know some people are all about scripting out x number of plays and I can see where there are advantages to that. We tried it for a couple of games one year and it was absolutely terrible for us. It was difficult to get into a rhythm on the first series and instead of taking advantage of things that went well right away we tried to stick to the script and the kids got frustrated because we were having success running the ball and then we were going to try to throw it or vice versa. Maybe we just didn't have a clue how to properly script our game, or maybe our kids just weren't the type of kids that could deal with it. We did not have a very confident bunch of kids that year, lot sof new players etc. but I would much rather go by what the game is telling me we need to run rather than try to stick to a script. I'd be interested to know what others look at when they script out their plays. We ran plays that would give us a look at multiple formations to see how they would cover us in them and that we though were solid plays that weren't big gambles or anything. I don't know, didn't work for us.

Know the 5 BASIC fronts.

Number of safeties deep

Number in box (lot more to this than just 7/run & 8/pass).

Vertical area of field (Red Zone, etc.)

D&D ideas (vary in 3 down zone, & 4 down zone)

ETC.

PHONE if you wish to discuss. I would have to type a 300 page book to fully describe this.

WILL CUT & PASTE SOME THINGS BELOW - I'M NOT A TYPIST!

****************************************************************************************************INSTRUMENT used to break down film of opponent's defense has 13 items vertically across top of page:

1. SERIES

2. D&D

3. YD. LINE

4. HASH

5. FORMATION (OPPONENT'S)

6. MOTION

7. FRONT (DEFENSE)

8. COVERAGE

9. MOVEMENT (IE: STEM FRONT)

10. BLITZ

11. PLAY

12. RESULT

13. COMMENT


Much of this can be taken from the Chart (ABOVE).

IF you want to spend the time (which the coaches & players were required to in college ball) - you would list:

1. 3 Major Fronts

2. 3 Short Yardage Fronts

3. Goal Line Fronts (no more than top 3)

4. Most Used Fronts On First Down (up to top 3) (you CAN do all D&D tendencies)

5. 3 Major Coverages

6. Short Yardage Coverages (no more than top 3)

7. Goal Line Coverages (no more than top 3)

8. 3rd. & Long Coverages (up to top 3)

9. Most Used 1st. down coverages (no more than top 3)

10. Tips on Coverages (Show or No-Show giveaways)

11. Favorite Blitzes (up to 3)

12. Favorite Blitz Situations

13. Tips on Blitzes

14. Favorite Pass Rush Stunts (up to top 3)

15. Adjustments to Motion

16. Types of Force

17. Do They Flip Flop?

A) Safeties?
B) Corners?
C) ILBers?
D) OLBers?
E) DT's?

**********************************************************************************************************

Then - you COULD get into PERSONNEL QUESTIONS:

1. DL

Can our OL block their DL? Who can? Who can't?

Who must we Double Team? How?

Can our RB's handle edge rushers? Vs. Run? Vs. Pass?

What is their SPEED? Who pursues?

What about "Get Off"? Can we use CADENCE as a weapon?

What are our best matchups? What are oyur worst matchups?

Can we FORMATION any Mis-Matches? If so, when & how used?


2. LINEBACKERS

Can we get them out of the "box"?

How are LBers involved in Coverage schemes?

What are their depths on pass drops?

Who blites on alignments & covers?

Do OLBers ever have Force (Cov. 3 or 4)?


3. DEFENSIVE BACKS

Who will tackle from Secondary? Who will NOT tackle from Secondary?

Who can RUN? Who Can't RUN?

Can we beat them based on DEPTH (3 step, P.A.P., Run Game, etc.)?


4. TEAM

Hop GOOD are they?

Lead Formations, Lead Passes, Lead Runs, Lead P.A.P.'s?

What are their past adjustments to our formations, motions, ewtc.?

***********************************************************************************************************

QB & RECEIVER FILM EVALUATION (for 3 games):

1. What are their 3 top coverages?

2. Lead Coverage is: Vs. PRO________? Vs. SLOT_________? Vs. 2x2___________? Vs. 3x1___________?

3. Who is their best coverage man?

4. Who is their worse coverage man?

5. How do their Safeties play vs. run? Vs. Pass?

6. When do they blitz? D&D, Area of field, situations?

7. Can we get some mismatches in formations?

8. What are our tips on coverages?

9. What are our tips on run auidibles?

10. What are our 3 top patterns?

11. Do you have a couple of thoughts in mind for matchups?

12. Red Zone - what do you want to throw? Run?

13. 3rd. & Long - what do you expect?

14. Summary of strengths? Weaknesses? Game Plan?


OFFENSIVE LINE EVALUATION:

1. Who do you matchup against?

2. What is his BASE alignment?

3. Does he flip-flop\? If so, WHY?

4. How does he play the run?

5. Is he PHYSICAL?

6. What are his best pass rush moves? How often on each?

7. How is his get off?

8. What are his strengths? Weaknesses?

9. Do you need help?

10. What is your plan on run blocking? What calls?

11. What is your plan on pass protection?

12. For you to beat him, what must you do?

13. For your plan to be successful, what are the best runs? Passes?

14. Short Yardage, Goal Line plan?


PERSONNEL QUESTIONS - YOUR TEAM:

A) What should we crun?

B) WHERE should we run?

C) Where should we NOT run?

D) What formations, shifts, motions, should we utilize?

E) What are our best runs per situation?

F) Run down runs?

G) Lead runs? Must runs?

H) What can we expect in critical situations?

I) How will we practice the run game?

J) How many times do we plan to feature a particular run?

K) How many times do we anticipate running the ball in the game?

*********************************************************************************************************

OPPONENT FRONT & COVERAGE "TIE-INS":

EXAMPLE:

1. 3-4 STRONG EAGLE = COVER 3 (PROBABLY "RED" STRONG & "WHITE" WEAK)

2. 3-4 WEAK EAGLE = COVER 2 (PROBABLY "WHITE" STRONG & "RED" WEAK).

3. BASE 4-3 = PROBABLY COVER 2 OR COVER 4.


-------------------------
Bill Mountjoy

*********************************************************************************************


Is NFL play-calling overrated?

[Posted by Tom Kowalski | Opinion September 09, 2009, 00:11AM]

AP File PhotoDetroit Lions coach Jim Schwartz says the calls coaches make during games are "overrated," adding teams' preparations Monday through Saturday matter the most.
ALLEN PARK -- He earned a degree in economics at Georgetown University, he loves to engage in a battle of wits and he's always thinking of ways to get an edge -- in everything.
Detroit Lions coach Jim Schwartz would appear to be one of those guys who enjoys the head-to-head chess match against an opposing coach.
Not true. Or so he says.
"It's not so much what you do on Sunday, it's what you do during the week," Schwartz said. "It's not about making THAT call on Sunday, I think that's overrated. 'Oh, that was a great call by Schwartz,' or 'That was a (blank) call by Schwartz.'
"To me, they're all good calls if they were called for the right reason and it was well thought out during the week. Whether they work or not depends on a lot of different things."
Of course, this could just be classic Schwartz talking -- getting an edge on his adversaries by acting like he's not all that worried about in-game strategies.
"I think the calls on Sunday aren't anywhere near as important as the preparation that's put in during the week and the decisions that are made during the week," said Schwartz, who served as defensive coordinator for the Tennessee Titans before arriving in Detroit.
There appear to be two different thoughts on play-calling -- or decision-making -- as a head coach. Some coaches are so meticulous in their preparation that they have everything mapped out on paper.
"Some guys completely program themselves and say, 'This is going to be my first third down," Schwartz said.
On the flip side, some coaches call games completely on feel. They get a sense of the game, the players, the momentum, the opponent's mindset, then react to all of that.
"I never called off a play sheet. I wasn't one of those guys," said Schwartz, who was a defensive coordinator for eight years. "I signaled also, and the only time I ever looked at my game-call sheet -- I kept it in my back pocket -- was in between series sometimes. And that's only if things weren't going according to plan. I was sort of reaching to find some answers."
Schwartz, though, bristles at the suggestion that he called games by feel, mostly because it implies there was a lack of in-depth research, investigation and work.
"It wasn't necessarily by feel, it was from preparation. It was knowing that these will be my lead third-down calls, and this is what I'll do to counteract what they do," Schwartz said. "I don't consider it a chess match."
Really? Well, what about that fake punt the Lions ran against the Buffalo Bills in the final preseason game?
What was the point of that? Was Schwartz showing the fake because he planned to do it again during the season and wanted to work on it to make sure it would be successful?
Is Schwartz planning on a fake with a different wrinkle, or is he just throwing it out there with no intention of running a similar play all season?
One thing is for sure: There was an ulterior motive to Schwartz calling that fake punt. Whether it was a diversion, a setup, a double-cross or a simple smokescreen, there was a reason behind it.
When asked about it, Schwartz skirted the question and then talked about another subject. But he still stuck to his guns, saying coaches and players win because of their work Monday through Saturday.
"A big game call on Sunday doesn't overcome poor preparation or lack of talent," Schwartz said. "Those are the things that are more important than some magician on Sunday who can call a good game."
Or so he says.

In my understanding/opinion, in a "Pro-Style" system with large numbers of plays and packages, in order to call an effective game, you always have to be not only a play or two ahead of yourself, but also must be able to use the first two quarters to set things up for a big play in the 3rd and 4th quarter. Coach Mountjoy's post above quotes Jim Schwartz talking about that it's not about playcalling on gameday, it's the preparations prior to that. In analyzing your opponent, you need to look for a couple of big plays that you feel you can effectively run. Then it is a matter of setting up that big play for when the opportunity shows itself.

Hey OneBack, Do you have another one of those for Option football or would that break down list work across all different styles of offense. Also do you have one of those for Defense as well?