The Reed Gun Offense

Power Passing for High School Football

Introduction

The Reed Gun offense began in the winter of 2003. After a 1-9 finish in 2003, Coach Archie Brown wanted an offense that took better advantage of the talent at hand than the spread triple option that had been used at Reed for years. After hearing a presentation by David Cutcliffe, Head Coach at Ole Miss, Coach Brown decided to build his attack around the “Blast” off-tackle run play. Coach Will Veatch suggested using the quarterback as the runner in order to employ more blocking at the point of attack.

The offense changed dramatically over the course of the first season. The first game saw Reed use motion on nearly every play to put the H or Z backs in position to block or run routes. In the third game, the motion brought unpredictable shifts from the opposing defense and took the advantage of surprise away from the offense. From that point, the Reed coaches placed emphasis on being able to run all plays without motion if need be, and on different snap counts. This necessitated changes in the structure of many plays, some of them drastic. Nevertheless, the philosophy of the offense remained intact: strong direct snap run plays balanced by both spread and bunch passes. At all times, plays were to look as similar to each other as possible.

Formations

All plays are initially taught in Reed Gun (normal) formation.

H

Y

Z

X

QF

The X end splits out 10 yds, but will adjust his split based on the play. The Y end splits out 1-3 yds (as far as he can whilethe DE stays outside of him). H and Z are 1x1 off the left tackle and Y, respectively. The Q is 4 yards deep, and theF is 1 yard to his right, with his heels on Q’s toes.

More on Reed Gun formation

H

Y

Z

X

QF

Line splits are 1 foot. This lessens the effectiveness of middle blitzes, gives linemen a shorter distance to pull, and further shortens the corner of our already bunched alignment. Q is 4 yards back to make the center snap easy and to keep the ballinside the free blocking zone on power plays. F’s alignment facilitates the give on the Power, keeps F out of Q’s way on sprint out passes, gives F a slight lead on Blast and Sweep, and opens the possibility of full spin, half spin, and option plays.

Other FormationsH

YZ

X

QF

Double Double

HY

ZX

QF

HY

ZX

Q

F

Bunch

Empty

H

YZ

X

Q F

Pro Set

HY

ZX

QF

Beast

Formationpossibilities are endless.We used about 12formations (before motion)In 2004.

Motions

H

Y

Z

X

QF

•“Rocket” sends H to the right•“Lazer” sends Z to the left•Fullback may also be motioned to left or right side.•Players must understand their eventual position is determined by the play.

They will have to adjust motion slightly in order to be in position todo their job.

Plays – Direct Series vs. Indirect Series

• The direct series runs are designed to get the greatest possible number of people to the point of attack in the shortest possible amount of time. The basic plays in this series are the Blast, Sweep, Iso, and Trap.

• The indirect series uses misdirection to raise doubt about who has the ball. The base play is the Power, with Power Blast, Power Sweep, and play-action passes used as a reaction.

Direct Series Runs: Blast (Original Version)

H

Y

Z

X

QF

With the Blast play, the idea is to get the most bodies to the point of attack as possible. Nobody is standing around after a handoff on this play. We motioned the H into position for the kick-out block for 2 reasons:•We wanted a back, rather than a lineman to perform the critical block in case we ever found the need to block the play “solid” to keep the front

secure.• Motion would give H a running start and facilitate his block.After a few games, we found that this was not the best way to run the play. Motioning the H induced the defense to shift, creating last-minute confusion in the minds of our blockers. It also tipped off the timing of the play (we had other plays that used the same motion but different timing, but this was our basic play).

Direct Series Runs – Blast (Current Version)

H

Y

Z

X

QF

We changed the Blast so that the H and left guard switched responsibilities. We found that this helped us immensely, because it let our players do jobs that they were more comfortable doing, and gave them a better chance of completing them successfully. In addition, this change gave us the freedom to use the Blast play without motion and/or from empty formations. It does have a few challenges: the mandatory pull puts more pressure on the center and left tackle to execute their cuts against any front, and the H has to sprint on the snap of the ball (not on the receipt of the snap by the Q) in order to make his block. We have found that both of these challenges are solved with practice.

Direct Series Runs – Blast (Current Version)

H

Y

Z

X

QF

Notes: •We will kick out the first defender outside the Strong Tackle’s block. •The Y will seal down the first LBer to his inside.•The Z will run off and block the CB.•The H looks inside first, the F outside. However, both must keep their heads on a swivel and block the first man with the wrong color jersey on.•The H is also the “plumber.” He looks for leaks in the line.•X blocks the nearest, deepest safety.

Direct Series Runs – Sweep (Current Version)

H

Y

Z

X

QF

We also used to use motion for this play, but once we got rid of it for the Blast, we got away from using it with our other plays. We can still run it that way, but we starting seeing dividends immediately by varying the snap count so we stuck with it. We also tried pulling on this play, but we like blocking it solid for 2 reasons:

•Our linemen can be very aggressive in the knowledge that the play is going away from them and there is help to both sides. As soon as their gap is secure, they head to the next level with a bad attitude.•It is a ready-made, practiced solution to a blitz situation.

Direct Series Runs – Sweep (Current Version)

H

Y

Z

X

QF

Notes:•Y will block down on the DE, which is a nice set up for the Blast play. We want a strong side DE to hate playing against us.•Z has to seal the playside backer. This can be a tough block depending on personnel, so H has to be aware of where he is needed.•Q will stretch the hole and find the seam, so he has to be well practiced in setting up his blocks. He is always trying to get outside if he can. A pump fake at the right time can often get him an extra 5 yards on this play, especially after we’ve run the Flood a few times.•The compressed formation means that Q has a good chance of getting outside, so CB’s are often force-conscious, to the benefit of our passing game.

Direct Series Runs – Trap

H

Y

Z

X

QF

We originally ran the Trap as a direct snap to F, but started running it this way once we installed the Power and began running that to great effect. Even though this play initially looks like the Power and it fits in well with the indirect series, I consider it part of the direct series because it takes advantage of over-reaction to the Blast and Sweep.If there is a weak point in the Blast, it is the strong A gap. The Strong Guard must watch that gap even as he doubles a 3 or 4 technique, and come off the double if he is needed inside. As a result, teams will blitz that gap to try to get into the backfield or simply crash it to prevent the double team. The trap takes advantage of that strategy. The key block is on the playside inside backer, so both the Strong Tackle and Y go after him. The trap is on the first 2 tech or higher. Q must carry out his fake. A “chip” on the DE by Z is usually all it takes to keep him out of the play.

Direct Series Runs - Iso

We ran the Iso less after we installed the Power as a way to attack the backside B gap. Still, the Iso remained a consistent yardage gainer for us. It hits quickly, and is especially deadly against hard outside rushing DEs who are going for the sack. POA blocking does have to be adjusted somewhat versus different fronts, but this is handled by a few simple calls for the Quick Tackle. At times it can even end up as a weakside sweep.

H

Y

Z

X

QF

Indirect Series Runs - Power

H

Y

Z

X

QF

The Power became one of our most effective plays as the season progressed. F must false-step to his right before he turns back to the left, or he’ll be gone before Q gets the snap. Y’s original assignment was to pizza block the far LBer, but he was adamant that he could get there better on the pull, so we let him try it. This play sometimes got squeezed by a crashing end, so the Strong Guard would occasionally be forced to log the end and let the ball go outside. This was a crapshoot for the defense – sometimes is would string the play out for no gain, and sometimes F would be gone down the sideline. The keys are having F read the block of H on the playside LBer and getting a good block from X (our biggest receiver). Again, a little chip from Z and a good fake from Q almost always put the strongside DE enough off balance that he couldn’t get to the play.

Indirect Series Runs – Power Blast

Once the Power play got going, and especially once the strongside DE started trying to chase it down from behind, the Power Blast play could really rip off some chunks of yardage. It is essentially the same as the regular Blast, but the Quick Tackle and F exchange responsibilities. With this play, as with the regular Blast, Y will block down on the DE if he is inside of him. The play will then slide one hole further outside. With the Power Blast, it seemed that this was always the case, and our Q often made good ground outside with a convoy leading the way. F’s job is not as hard as it seems in the diagram. He only has to make defenders go around him to the outside to be effective. If he is tackled, so much the better.

H

Y

Z

X

QF

Bunch Passes – Flood (Original Version)

H

Y

Z

X

QF

The original idea behind the offense was to go heavy on the QB runs (our best runner), heavy on the bunch passes, and heavy on the motion to set up both. The motion version of Flood was always a good play, but it obviously lost some effectiveness when we cut down on using the motion with our runs. We continued to run this play by simply lining up in Bunch formation, or by using “Pro Set” with the positions of H and F exchanged.

Bunch Passes – Flood (Current Version)

H

Y

Z

X

QF

Running Flood with no motion put H in more of a trailing position, and he ended up wide open at times. The play looks a lot like Sweep initially. Y gets the ball most of the time here, but Z did get wide open more often than anybody anticipated, especially against banjo. Once, in preseason 7-on-7, our QB threw about a 35 yard TD to X on this play. I told him never to try that again. We want him throwing with his body or not at all. The key is the cut block by the Strong Tackle (with help from F) on the DE. We ran all our bunch plays with shorter route stems than Coverdale and Robinson advocate. Thus Y ran a 7 yd corner for us rather than a 12 yard smash, H’s flat was at about 3 yards, and X’s dig is the result of a 3 step slant cut across the field at 10 yards.

Bunch Passes – Mesh (Current Version)

H

Y

Z

X

QF

Whereas Flood is a full sprint out where Q has the option to run or pass, Mesh is a straight drop back pass. Q takes a 3 step drop and F helps protect from inside, to left, to right. Theoretically, F runs an option over the center if he is not needed in the protection, but this never actually happened. Q looks pre-snap to see if X’s slant is a “gift.” If not, he looks H, Y, Z. One of our QBs really understood reading coverage and working off of a defender, while the other preferred to use a progression, so we taught this both ways. Again, we originally intended to use motion to get into Bunch, but eventually had to do it either from this formation, from “Pro Set,” or from a stack look. Happily, we were able to run almost all of our plays from this formation to avoid giveaway tendencies. Sweep is particularly good, and Power becomes almost a counter-trey with Strong Guard, Y and H pulling.

Bunch Passes – Stem (Current Version)

H

Y

Z

X

QF

The Stem/Chair combination has the dual benefits of burning defenders who are expecting Y’s corner or H’s flat, and stretching zone defenses in a triangle-like distribution. Linebackers must take quick, precise zone drops in an unfamiliar environment to shut down this route, and drops are often the one weakest part of a high school linebacker’s game. Again, Q looks for the “gift” from X pre-snap, then works Y, H, Z. This route was a moneymaker early in the season for us, but 2 factors lead to its declining use later on: (1) Its effect on the secondary was similar to that of the backside (shallow) route, so it became superfluous. (2) In executing his whip, Z would sometimes stop right in the way of Y coming down the stem. I spent some time trying to correct the second problem. I didn’t want to change Z’s route to a cross because that would basically take him out of Q’s half-field vision. I didn’t want to tell Z not to whip back out, or to whip out sooner, because that takes away a lot of his freedom to get open. Telling Y to widen more on his release helped some, but in the end we just called this play less and the backside more.

Bunch Passes – Backside (Current Version)

H

Y

Z

X

QF

This version of the shallow cross play is just one of many that we owe to Coach Hal Mumme of Southeastern Louisiana University. Q looks for Z, X, then F. Z typically gets this ball like a long handoff about 5 yards past the Quick Tackle and turns it up the sideline. The first time in a game that we run this, the inside LBers typically try to mug Z, and X comes wide open on the 10 yard dig. If we see the FS come up to help on X, we tell Q to peek at Y over the top. H sometimes ends up with nobody on him as well. Note the triangle effect that H, Y, and Z have on the strongside secondary. The similarity between this effect of this play and Stem was one reason that we started having less use for Stem. Note that we can run this play from Bunch or regular sets with little difference in effect. Consistent performance from different sets is one great characteristic of most Air Raid plays. This play also sets up others in the playbook: X’s dig is the same route he runs on Flood, and H, Y and Z take the same initial releases they would on Mesh.

H

Spread Passes – Kentucky

H

Y

Z

X

QF

This version of Kentucky Mesh became our whole offense at times. It gave us a nice solution to all coverages, and along with Backside, was a great answer to blitz. When we anticipated blitz, we would put both backs in the backfield to check release. The best thing about this play is its versatility. We ran it from every formation, including the Yale formation. We were especially successful when we put Y or Z wide, when we put Z to the left side of the formation, or when we put F in the strong flat. All the players had to do was make sure that they occupied the same area of the field, or pursued the same landmark, as they normally would. Thus when F was aligned near the right sideline, his flare would convert to a “key” route: essentially a hitch at the line of scrimmage. One thing we can improve on is getting the ball to H on his initial shoot or on his wheel later. We found him often ignored completely or covered by a much slower defender. One way to improve in this area might be to let Q pick the side to work based on the location of the safeties. In 2004 we basically limited his options to the strong side unless we told him to work the other side. We also had some success running this as a play-action pass off the Power or Trap fakes.

Z F

Spread Passes – Georgia

H

Y

Z

X

QF

When I first heard Coach Mumme describe this play verbally, I thought I was hearing about the “Georgia” package used by Hawaii and others, and the name stuck. Obviously, this is Y-Stick, but in the version Coach Mumme showed us, Y “sticks” inside on a mini-curl rather than breaking out as in the version many teams run. I had apprehensions about this play for a long time because I didn’t think we could protect it, but it turned out to be a good gainer for us. Q does have to be aware of quick pressure, though – a middle blitz could mean that a DE is coming free. Unlike Kentucky, where Q looks Z, X, F, here Z is only an “alert” throw and Q will ignore him except in cases of extreme matchup advantage or broken coverage. Q’s normal progression is F, Y, H, but Y almost always gets the ball. Even though they are technically running hooking routes, on a quick throw Y or H can catch the ball in stride and hit the jets. Another good way to run this play against man free or Cover 3 is to throw to either X or Z based on the reaction of the FS. In that case Y and H operate as checkdowns. Again, we got a lot of miles out of this play by using different formations and motions.

The Reed Gun Offense – Thoughts and Concerns

• The plays presented here are the basic ones that we ended the year with. As the offense changed throughout the year, we installed and then dropped 3 screens, a G play, 2 reverses, and a number of specials. We definitely need at least one screen for next year.

• I always want to minimize the number of plays we install so we can spend time on technique and attacking particular defenses. Since Kentucky and Mesh create the same basic stretch on the defense (at least on the strongside), I wonder if both are needed. Similarly, Y-Stick is the same basic play as Mesh, but F does H’s job, Y does the job of Z, and Z does the job of Y. Could we consolidate all these plays into one?

• Integration between Bunch and Air Raid passing. Coverdale and Robinson Bunch passing is a distant descendant of the Run and Shoot, while the Air Raid is a souped-up version of the West Coast Offense. These different pedigrees lead to a number of inconsistencies.

– The first is protection. The Air Raid passes are designed to get 5 receivers out, while the Bunch passes often assume 6 man protection. This is not a big problem.

– The second inconsistency is in alignment rules. In the Air Raid, players perform the same job no matter where they align, and so a large number of formations, motions and shifts can be used with little extra thinking. In Bunch, pattern distribution is kept constant by the fact that routes are assigned based on a player’s positioning, not their position. These two systems are basically incompatible, so one has to be chosen over the other. We chose to go with the Air Raid system, and just run our Bunch passes out of comparatively few sets and motions. With the Air Raid passes, we could be much more multiple.

– The last difference between the two systems is in route adjustments. In the C&R Bunch, routes are adjusted based on coverage, so that corner routes are deeper vs. C3 than they are vs. C2, for example. In the Air Raid, routes are much more fixed: a corner route is run toward the front corner of the endzone, a post is run toward the goalpost, etc. This, like pass protection, is simply a matter of choosing which system is better suited for our team. Here we eventually settled on using some technique adjustment based on coverage without allowing wholesale route conversions.

Where do we go from here?The offense has changed considerably over the course of one season. As we look forward to season #2, we

have to ask: how much of what we did should we continue with? What should be added? What should be kept in different form? I have a number of ideas already, and I welcome as many as we can think up. This is the time to brainstorm. In fact, while I will gladly accept any feedback on any part of this document, I would most appreciate feedback on this section. What are we going to do differently next year?

Drastic changes:

• We could go completely spread (double double formation and variants) and abandon the Bunch passes altogether. Our base runs from spread formations were surprisingly effective this year. Advantages: (1) we would have a completely balanced formation, making defensive alignment more difficult. (2) We could have just one player in charge of kickout blocks to both sides, giving better consistency in that critical block. (3) We would be closer to running a true direct snap double wing, which would allow us to use more available reference material instead of creating our own schemes all the time. (4) Motion to bring the backside wing into a position to lead block could also be used in a spin series, allowing all plays to look similar. Disadvantages: (1) we lose the Bunch passes and all the advantages of the compressed formation.

HY

Z

X

Q

F

Where do we go from here? Page 2.

H

Y

Z

X

QF

More drastic changes:•We could put both backs in the backfield, 3 yds behind the tackles. For Bunch passes, F would operate as the #3 in the pattern. For Air Raid passes, H would run his route and F would check-release. Advantages: (1) F would be further from Q, so he would be able to take his handoffs without false-stepping. (2) All plays could be run without motion. (3) F would be in even better position to block on Blast and Sweep. Disadvantages: (1) both backs would be too far from the center to check-release on zone protection. We would need to use slide protection. (2) Both backs would be slower to get into their routes than a regular #3 or #2 receiver.

MESH

Where do we go from here? Page 3.

H

Y

Z

X

QF

On spread or Air Raid passes, F would stay in the protection and H would release on route.

KENTUCKY

H

Y

Z

X

QF

LAZER FLOOD WEAK

Where do we go from here? Pg 4.Finer adjustments:

If we choose not to make wholesale changes to the structure of the offense, how might we fine-tune it? We certainly need some screens, some better max protection passes, and a good reverse and/or reverse pass. Our short-yardage Yale formation was awesome at times but has a lot more potential. What else?

• Route adjustments and tags. How could be increase multiplicity by tagging receivers, either to switch route responsibilities with someone else or to run a different route entirely? How should we differentiate between these two situations?

• Pass protection. We used a simple zone pocket scheme with all linemen checking inside to out in 2004. When our protectors erred, it was on the side of caution on the inside: F was left alone on DEs with some regularity. Is this the best way for us to protect, keeping in mind that our center is compromised by having his head down at the snap? (By the way, we are completely sold on keeping his head down. We had almost zero bad snaps once we made this adjustment, far better than anyone we played, including in the driving rain.)

• Personnel. We are losing great players at TE and Strong Guard. The guard should be the easier one to replace. We may have to feature the TE less in 2005. Our up-and-coming player is our X – tall, tough, good hands, but skinny. How can we feature him more?

• Spin Series. We intended to have a fullback spin as well as a direct series. That was the original reason for positioning F and Q so closely together. We never got around to it as we adjusted other aspects of the basic running and passing games. Should we try it this year? If not, should our formations change?