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.
I would like you guys go critique our base defense vs the flexbone.
We have used both a 5-2 and a 4-3 with good success. I am thinking 52 from now on unless personnel really says otherwise.
We will align in a 5-2 (0 nose, 4 tech DTs and 6 tech DEs/OLBs). ILBs in 20s.
The DTs will attack OT and B gap on the snap. If necessary we will pinch them right down to eliminate FB in A and B gaps. DEs will anchor the TE and slot, keeping the off the ILBs. DE has dive on OSV (down block) and QB on ISV and midline (arc or base). ILB will have dive to QB to pitch. Nose = dive.
The secondary will play an inverted cover 2 / combo coveraged as our base coverage. Safeties will align 3 X 3 off wing on TE/Wing side and 3 X 3 off slot on slot / SE side. If the slot or wing goes in motion to the backfield, the safety will rotate to 9 yds deep, but not go past his A gap. The safety has QB to pitch on option his way. If the safety has rotated back, he has deep middle 1/3 (FS technique) once he reads pass. If safety has not rotated back (slot / wing did not go to backfield), he plays the flat once he reads pass.
Corners will align 5-9 yards off of #1 (deeper on the slot / SE side). If the wing goes to backfield before or after snap, lock on to #1. If wing doesn anything but go to backfield, bail out and play deep 1/2 or 1/3 (depending on what the other safety is doing.
The DBs are the key here. They are the adjusters. The secondary is very weak vs the pass, especially vs the slot / SE side, but there are almost always 11 players looking at the ball and 9 - 10 players in the box. As a change up, we will just lock up and play loose cover 0.
The flexbone team we play is very good, but is a much better rushing than passing team. Last season they did not complete a pass against us.
Let me know if that doesn't make sense and what you think.
On the sheet I send you with various FLEXBONE formations (these are used by MOST Flexbone teams) & any others they use - work out your adjustments to EACH & make sure it is easy for the KIDS to adjust, because untimately - it is what THEY know - not what you & I know - that will determine your success or failure.
What is really hard vs the Flexbone is their use of formations & motions! If they sat in the base Flexbone & motioned only the Slot that was to be the pitch option - it would be EASY to defend. These teams use 3x1 looks, end overs, unbalanced sets, insert a TE, ETC. THAT is how they beat you - forcing an unsound adjustment!
ALSO: What do they FEATURE? Most Flexbones we see run the "TRUE TRIPLE", "MIDLINE", etc. There is much more they CAN do, & you deal with that on a week by week basis!
Coach CUI
My knowledge of this great game is nothing compared to the others on this board. We have ran the 52 for some time-- sometimes succesfully, sometimes not. But each year, we figured out a little more.
Here are some things that we came up with...
1. we slanted into boundary 80% of time and put $ to field. If a TE was to the field, we often crashed into C gap.
2. We would slant to the TE for and entire series. The Next series, we would slant to the open side. This seemed to make it easier for the kids to adjust to the offense and their shifting, etc. We could always change in a series. We also had automatic checks vs formations.
3. Against a spread look, we always checked to OKIE-- both DEs passed dropped and we brought an ILB as a fourth rusher. From Okie, we FIRE blitzed from every possible angle. No backs we would go man.
4. We always slanted our nose on every single play.
5. We always slanted one way and rolled our coverage the opposite unless against an unbalanced line.
6. Against option teams, if we angled away from the TE, we crashed out DE though C gap. Middle safety always doubled the QB unless there were two TEs. The DE who was the overhang player always had pitch if we played with two high safeties or if our corners adjusted to a single receiver side.
This is my first year as the DC. Becuase of all the shifting, motions, etc. that today's offenses are using, I decided to to run the shade. But I am still very interested in learning about the 52 becuase I think it is a great defense!!!
If you can "stop the run", the offense becomes predictable.
ONE SUGGESTION: Don't waste a good nose by aligning him in a zero on their center. I'm with Deac on hs assesment of the fact that best DL has to be the nose! In my opinion, he is much easier to block if your head up on him to begin with, my favorite was to always align him in somewhat of a slant to the strong side, with the Mike ready to fill if the ball goes to the opposite side. If he is playing as a 2 gapper in your system, he may be at a disadvantage by doing what I suggest. If not, try it and see if it works for y'all.
Coach Easton-TIGER ONE
J.C. EASTON<BR>HEAD COACH<BR>GA TIGERS FOOTBALL<BR>PROFESSIONAL MINOR LEAGUE
In straight man across the board when defending twin slots or any othr kind of mutiple receiver sets, had a hard and fast rule that was not to be broken! Our TIGER BACKS (SS's) would always take the # 2 receiver on each side and live with him if he ran clear out of the stadium! Thats why in my version of the DALLAS 42 (4-2-5) the TIGER BACKS HAVE TO BE THE BEST DEFENSIVE PLAYERS ON THE DEFENSIVE UNIT, PERIOD. They have those 3 assignments on every play ( 1. contain on the sweep 2. pitch on the option 3. flats on the pass ) and in addition have to be able to bring the funk on run support and to run with a WR or a TE in pass coverage.
Coach Easton-TIGER ONE
J.C. EASTON<BR>HEAD COACH<BR>GA TIGERS FOOTBALL<BR>PROFESSIONAL MINOR LEAGUE
Thanks for the suggestions. Bill, thanks for all the info. Very good reading. I agree that having the nose play a 0 and 2 gap is very tough on him. We do play our best possible DL type of kid at nose. We have used LB type the past few years. They have probably had the second most tackles on the team the past 4 years. Vs single double tight teams, especially ones with wings, it it nice to play him in a 0 if he is a dominator, IMO. Thanks again
We like to put a beast at nose and turn him loose. We allow him to play as a 2 gapper, slant to either gap or align in a 1 tech. to either side.
IF he is smart enough he can free lance. If not, a LB will instruct him each play. We base out of a solid front (3-0-3) so we are looking for ways to beat the offense folding on our 3 techs If they have worry about a slanting nose or one that will unpredictable slide to a one tech. during their cadence we feel like it provide a deterrent. Of course, if your NT is so dominant as to require a true double team on every play playing a 2 gap technique you can't go wrong.
Anyone feel this is unsound, have a better way?
-Scott
P.S. Our HC (line coach too) will hold some sort of competitive drill between the interior linemen each week with the champ's prize being a start at NT for the game that week.
Vs an 8 gap offensive surface (2 TE's) - if you want to play 2 Safeties deep - you are FORCED to 2 gap someone (IF you play 1 Safety deep you do not HAVE to 2 gap anyone).
Vs. a 7 gap offensive surface (1TE) - you do not NEED to 2 gap anyone (you have 7 defenders for 7 gaps).
We taught 2 gap "0" technique FOREVER, but I can tell you that as far as soundness is concerened, it is EASIER to play 1 gap (no matter HOW good your Nose is). That's like telling me I have a choice in a street fight to fight 1 tough guy or 2 tough guys - I'll choose 1 everytime!
I'm begginning to rethink the 2 gap player also. Just met with Cornell's DL coach and before I said anything..he stated the nose should be a 1 gap player...So......Work in progress..
Happy are those who dreams dreams and are ready to pay the price to make them come true.
I think it makes sense to play the nose as a 1 gap player when possible (1 or no TE sets or even double tight 2 back sets if it works for your scheme), but it is nice to be able to play a guy as a two gapper when necessary. If you can play 2 gaps, you can probably play 1. We will continue to teach the NG's two gap technique, but let them play 1 gap when possible. If they are your best DL type player, they shouldn't have much trouble learning / playing 1 gap.
Point of clarification: In our base, we do not need or expect our NT to have a 2 gap RESPONSIBILITY. We will however line him up in a 0 tech. ALIGNMENT quite often. IF he is good enough, he can decide which A gap to charge at or just after the snap or just bull rush the center. IF NOT, we just slant him or align him in a 1 tech. to either side (late, not in time for offense to audible). Our backside LB will be aware that the cut back lane is whichever A gap the NT has not occupied. Of course, if we are sending someone, the NT will take the appropriate action.
Vs. a 7 gap offense, our ILBs (40s) AND NT (0) are all two-gap players by alignment, but neither is being asked to play both sides of a blocker. That does NOT mean we are letting ourselves get blocked, only that we know to defeat the block through a certain half of the blocker. IF the NT can knock the center on his butt and practically take away both A-gaps that is fine but we don't count on that in our scheme. The only major exception is if there is a running QB, we may have the nose play a TRUE 2-gap responsibility vs. QB draw.
Never.....will align in a 0 and may give him direction...aLSO...HE MAY NOT BE GOOD ENOUGH TO "READ" HAT"....SO I MAY HAVE HIM JUST ATTACK CENTER OR AT THE VERY LEAST..BULL RUSH THROUGH THE CENTER'S CROTCH.
Happy are those who dreams dreams and are ready to pay the price to make them come true.
Oneback...The front is 404, with the OLB aligned in 60(at the heels of the DL)...It's a shelled coverage with the corners rolled to 5....The secondary reads Ball on/off(on=toss/option)(off=pass)....The force calls are sky/cloud.....If it's a cloud call, the corner would ATTACK across the receivers face aiming 4 the deepest back(pitch), but never 2 pass up the QB if he still has the Ball......The safety to this side would secure number 1, and find his run fit on the Football...The backside would secure the High Hole and fit...the backside corner would rotate to the action......
We use Directions up front...If we slant to the right, our left OLB would be the Rush End...and the Right OLB would be the read(coverage/extra run fitter)
We overplay trips 4mations by aligning our backside OLB on number 3....our 4mation safety would adjust outside, the backside safety would adjust over the ball...He is responsible 4 the High Hole, and pitch on the option out of the back door....If they align in trips, and motion back to doubles, the backside OLB would mirror the motion which sends him back Home...
Note: if there is a Money Receiver to the backside of trips, we would not adjust the backside safety over the ball, but he would still be responsible 4 the High Hole.....
If they motion to Trips...The Backside OLB would mirror the motion...The 4mation safety would adjust outside, and the Backside safety is over the ball