1st post...

To sort of kick off my blog I thought it'd be appropriate to break down a great play/call recently made by my Alabama Crimson Tide. After getting throroughly manhandled throughout most of the game, Bama hung around and took care of business in the end with a beautifully executed and perfectly timed screen pass from AJ McCarron to TJ Yeldon.

 

As you can see on the video posted above, LSU initially shows blitz with 7 defenders at the line of scrimmage. After the snap and the onslaught of LSU defenders into the Bama offensive line however, two of LSU defenders drop off into coverage as Kevin Norwood #83 and TJ Yeldon #4 release into the development of the play. According to Chris Brown of Grantland.com/SmartFootball.com, this technique displayed by LSU is known as "key" or "peel" technique. Basically a read blitz by the defense to defend against the play that Alabama is known to execute so wonderfully. (Go to 5:45 in the video) Barkevious Mingo a defensive end #49 for LSU does a marvelous job of almost running the play down at the goal line.

Another thing that Chris Brown pointed out was the Bill Walsh quote from his game planning peice...

The defensive coach is trembling because the head Coach is walking toward him. The head coach says, 'Blitz, stop them now. Blitz, they are killing us." ... Most people get desperate, some people panic. Teams go to a man to man coverage, teams will blitz…. You show your team what you think is best in this situation. We will use the same ones all year, but we are going to practice them... Now when your team comes out of the huddle on the 18 yard line, the guys are saying, "Look out for the blitz, here's our chance to score."

I've probably read this a million times but of course I forgot about it until I read the Grantland article. It is so true though. Some people have criticized the call by LSU to blitz in this situation but at the time they had a lot of momentum. A sack here could have really hurt Bama's chances to even tie the game. The "key" technique that LSU was likely playing should have guarded them against the screen pass with their best linebacker... maybe the countries best linebacker... man to man on TJ Yeldon. Lucky for Bama Kevin Minter took a bad angle to get to Yeldon after he had caught the pass.

All of this helps to form my own philosophy of offensive football at the high school level. Usually, the high school defenses I've seen are not good because of their front 3,4,5, or 6 defensive linemen. They are good because they bring pressure and are very aggressive. There will be some teams that you can block when they blitz and there will also be some teams that you can't block when they blitz. And you will also have off nights where you can't block a soul. That is why an offense must have the ability to counter a blitz or a very aggressive defense.

I believe that an offense should be limited on the number of plays that it uses but very multiple in terms of formations that those plays are deployed. However, the limited number of plays should include some type of screen or draw in order to counter a blitz. A screen is a difficult concept to master even at the college level but if repped enought it can be effective at the high school level because I've seen it happen. It honestly shouldn't be difficult to perfect the play. Tell your offensive line to do a half-assed job of pass blocking, QB gives ground, screen man finds a seam and sits in an open area. Now obviously it is tougher than that but you get the idea.

Another play that would be beneficial is a simple draw play. Here is a collection of great draw plays.