Power Play TagsThe traditional double wing power play as I see it with some additional spices
First the blocking scheme.
We use TKO with pulling both the backside guard and tackle with the backside TE taking a radical down block - not a shoeshine or cut block. We play by NCAA rules and honestly I grew tired of arguing with officials about the block. The radical down block is effective and it actually allows us to set up other plays/tags backside of the power. I won't say it is as effective as the cut block, especially for mpp, but it is great happy medium for us.
LINE -
PSTE to CTR (TKO wall)
BSG 3rd level kickout - kick out first defender to cross your face above the QB
BST seal top of wall / go vertical to endzone
BSTE radical down block to center
BACKFIELD -
BB - kick out first defender to cross your face backside (SEE NOTES BELOW)
QB - spin toss (if UC/SG), stay flat and over the top of BB and block first defender to cross your face (2nd level kickout)
WB - release outside and block FBI. (SEE NOTES BELOW)
Motion WB(TB) - motion (lead step, cross step, punch step, go) attack vertically behind the pullers/kickouts and stay tight to the TKO wall. No cutting until you pass the top of the wall.
NOTES/ADJUSTMENTSWingback - you can tag the WB to do several different things to "show" the defense something different while still running power.
Base Blocking Note: WB releases inside... If the FBI inside is vacating wide let him go take NBI (next backer inside). If the FBI fills hard at the line let him go take NBI. In either case the scheme takes care of both of those movements. We want to the next back that might get past the sealing backside tackle.
1) DECOY (TIGHT RIP WB (26) POWER RIGHT DECOY) This tells the WB to run a corner route to pull the safety/CB and/or LB away from the LOS. (1 FAKE = 2 Blocks). This is extremely effective if you have run a few power passes already as the secondary will jump the WB route going deep.
2) ARC (TIGHT RIP WB (26) POWER RIGHT ARC) This tells the WB to take the next defender outside of the DE and off the LOS. This is often a soft sitting CB sitting outside. Like to use this when we see two or three linebacker skeleton and the near side LB is not an issue but the PSCB is filling in hard to squeeze the tunnel outside inside.
3) FAKE (TIGHT RIP WB(26) POWER RIGHT FAKE) This tells the WB to fake reverse (outside fake) to the backside. I like to show this when we have run a few razzles or any part of our counter series. Often this will freeze the power side LB's in place as they see the WB moving away. It will also hold backside chasers/backside perimeter. This softens the tunnel and isolates the DL away from the LB's.
4) RAZZLE (TIGHT RIP WB (26) POWER RIGHT RAZZLE) This is often used as sideline call when we see 2 or less on the backside perimeter triangle. It is home run play when used in this regard. It simply tells the motion WB and power side WB to execute a outside handoff with the BB and QB leading backside. The rest of the offense executes power. This is a powerful play when we see two or less on the perimeter triangle backside as it often puts our counter WB in open space with two blockers (QB/BB) logging DE to CB to LB backside. The entire line is blocking power with pullers... It is a great play to run when the defensive front (DL/LB) playing the pullers and the power full flow hard.
5) TUNNEL - this is simple call that tells the WB to fan block on a DE playing outside shoulder of him. This is a nice call against a fast/athletic DE who can escape/slide around a BB kickout. It is also a nice call when we see a outside shade/wide DE on the WB and a defender inside the WB... WE can now tunnel the wide athletic DE and kick out the next defender inside as well. This is a fun call to use against these looks.
TIGHT RIP 26 POWER RT TUNNEL
Blocking BackDOUBLE DOUBLEThere are times when we are going to face a tough first level or second level kickout. We need to deal with any issues on the first level kickout or the play will not develop correctly. If the BB can call "DOUBLE" this tells the QB to double kickout the first defender to show on the outside (BB's target). Often times this is enough to move that guy and wear him down after a few double kick outs. At the point that BB sees the DE wearing down he doesn't have to make the call any longer. He assesses this from play to play...the sideline can back this call as well. TIGHT RIP WB (26) POWER RIGHT DOUBLE
If the EMLOS is a real monster or stud and is giving both your BB and QB a problem still the QB can call DOUBLE as well. This now tells the BSG to double team with the QB. That means is the BB calls double and the QB calls double you now get a triple team on the DE. Now this seems crazy but trust me you are going to come up against a monster DE (due to RB weight rules or just the fact that the kid is an honest to goodness MAN-BEAST)...I have seen both. A few of these DOUBLE DOUBLE calls whip his tail and wears him down. Used in conjunction with POWER SWEEP, POWER PASS it wears the kid down fast as he now has to take on double/triple kickouts, log blocks from the WB (which also include double/double call), defending power pass (QB going deep outside), and then the multiple running backs/power sweep fakes to force him to really play his spot. After a few double double calls you move back to double calls and eventually just the base kickout. He is no longer an issue and in fact we have had games where by the second half he is either standing up and absorbing the kickout or sitting on the bench (worn out and/or frustrated). The priority of the power is you have to crack open the first level both inside (TKO Wall) and outside (KICKOUT). That KICKOUT is key to opening the tunnel and giving the pullers and runner more space to run through.
Getting the BB involved in the Power play.
TIGHT RIP BB (36) Power Right - this play has the Motion WB(UC/SG) or TB (DS) executing a power sweep with the QB leading the sweep. This often enough to hold or pull the DE, OLB, and CB wide forcing them to expand with the sweep action. This allows us to have the BB hit the power tunnel and go vertical. It is essentially an influence trap. This is a great constraint play to run against the defense to force them to defend the offense as a whole and not just the motion WB/TB running power.
QuarterbackSee Double Double notes in the BB section.
SPRINT - This is a call I started using with the Triple B variation I ran with the GP Raiders and the NTX Brahmas as we had really athletic QB's. Sprint essentially is tag that tells the QB to roll under the power action when the power side triangle is selling out on squeezing down on the power and giving up the perimeter. I love to run this when I see 3 or 2 power side perimeter triangle but I am seeing it collapse to 1 or even zero to stop the power.
SPRINT PASS - I like to run this in conjunction with POWER PASS, wingback DECOY tag, and the SPRINT tag. This is basically combining SPRINT and DECOY into one play and turn it into a simple RPO. Because our POWER PASS uses a half roll/turn protection we don't pull from backside. So good defenses will often start to ignore a DECOY tag leaving the WB wide open the SPRINT PASS tag allows us to attack this as the power action is happening front side but the QB is rolling deep and sprinting out under it to read the WB's corner route. If open he throws it if not he runs it RPO off of power action. Again another simple way to put pressure on the power side second and third level. Simple tag to run but bear in mind it is a naked sprint pass and the QB has to make a quick decision on run/pass.
Tight Rip 26 Power Right SPRINT
Tight Rip 26 Power Right SPRINT PASS
BOOT - This is a call I love to use with younger teams but even with older teams it puts a WHOA...WHAT JUST HAPPENED as the QB boots deep and around a DE that is chasing hard down the line of scrimmage and leaving the backside side open due to a BSCB and BSLB chasing power side fast without checking for BCR (bootleg counter reverse). Gets an athletic quarterback in open space backside often one on one against a cornerback or even open space. I will always take those odds with a good running quarterback.
BOOT PASS - This is a great call at younger age levels but it is often a great call at any level if you are seeing that backside triangle pre snap sitting at 2 or less or collapsing hard to power side. This is also where the radical down block of the BSTE helps this offense. At snap the BSTE executes his radical down block and on the third step he cuts to backside and climbs running a short corner route while the QB boots deep and backside reading run/pass. It is another RPO but on the backside of power again putting pressure on a perimeter triangle (backside in this case).
TIGHT RIP 26 POWER RT BOOT
TIGHT RIP 26 POWER RT BOOT PASS
These are often side line calls (code worded for obvious reasons)...one season we used Booger and Booger Picker... Whatever it takes to get the kids on board...
SPEED - I only use this out of SG and DS but I have played around with this under center (UC)...I just don't like it as it is to congested. From SG/DS it is lethal against a defense sitting backside with a 1 or less perimeter triangle and keying powerside WB for counter flow. This runs speed option with the QB taking the snap and attacking the inside hip of the EMLOS backside. The TB/motion WB gets into pitch relationship and stresses the EMLOS (3 yards outside and 1 yard back). If the EMLOS goes inside or comes at the QB he pitches it right now. If the EMLOS expands with the TB/WB the QB replaces the EMLOS and goes vertical right now. I only use this with older teams as the option read takes time to teach. We spend 5 minutes an offensive practice when working with BACKS on this until we feel comfortable it is ready for team reps and then go from there. One of my favorite tags to call from the sideline in TORNADO and EAGLE and it has scored a ton of TD's for us.
RED EAGLE POWER PASS RT SPEED
RED SHIFT 26 POWER RT SPEED
BLOCKING TAGS FOR LINEPART - Used against a defensive front that has space between the 2 and 6. Great way to hit the B gap using POWER. PSTE and PST fan block (form TKO wall going outside). PSG and Center TKO wall inside. In OVER the BST blocks down (TKO wall inside). BB, QB, and BSG pull and kickout above the outside TKO wall. Essentially we are building an out side wall over that forms with the PSTE and PST then the BB, QB, and BSG. This is a great call against fronts that at stacking up on the C/D gap as you simply wall them outside and run inside of them. The BST pulls and seals (goes vertical up the wall). BSTE radical down block to center.
Tight RIP 26 POWER RT PART
If you want to use the QB the WB fakes power sweep (which further influences the stacked outside to move outside which helps the outside wall) and the QB goes vertical up the wall.
Tight Rip 16 POWER RT PART
If you want the to use the BB the WB fakes power sweep with QB leading. Again it further influences the stacked/outside defenders to hold/widen. BB goes vertical up the wall.
Tight Rip 36 POWER RT PART
Love this with PART and TUNNEL calls used in conjunction.
TRAP I use this when I see the first DL past the center coming across the LOS hard and we having problems blocking him. Trap tag tells the PST and PSTE to go skinny and not touch any one inside/head up of you and climb then LEG / TKO to the wall. This often gets them on the FBI (INSIDE BACKER). They do this by skinny stepping with outside foot, inside foot and then executing the TKO LEG progression. The BSG kicks out the first defender to cross his face. The BB kicks out the first defender to cross his (EMLOS) if he is not getting the ball to influence the DL and LB power side (if they are reading the BB - some do).
Primary play is TIGHT RIP 32 POWER RT TRAP
TIGHT RIP 24 POWER RT TRAP - as stated above the BB makes his normal power scheme kickout...love this play as it really influences the power side defenders to sit on the C/D gap. Great call is TIGHT RIP 24 POWER TRAP with DECOY or SPRINT...
TIGHT RIP 14 POWER RT TRAP - WB fakes power sweep BB makes normal edge kickout to influence. DECOY is a nice tag as well on this.
WHAM This is PART tag with the WB taking a release step then a drop step and making an inside trap on a 3 tech or a 2 tech OS shade slipping across the LOS. It allows us to call PART and make an outside trap with WB on a OS shade 2 or 3 tech coming hard. Don't like this with BB running the ball. Like this with DS/SG with QB/TB at depth.
RED SHIFT 26 POWER RT WHAM
RED SHIFT 16 POWER RT WHAM
This is everything we do with POWER..notice how with tags we have a plethora of things we can do and we have not even used POWER SWEEP and POWER PASS or gotten into COUNTER SERIES or ISO SERIES. It gives us a very big tool box.
With a young team who I am just installing power series I am going to try and limited a bunch of line scheme teaching..
So a good example of a list of things I would teach a 8 or 9 year old team:
TIGHT RIP 26 POWER RT
TIGHT LIZ 45 POWER RT
add BOOT
add BOOT PASS
add RAZZLE (home run backfield only reverse)
add DECOY
add TUNNEL
QB POWER
BB POWER
Remember you have ON-OVER-OFFSET as well.
With a young team I just gave our offense three power plays, a boot run, boot pass, and a reverse and i only taught one additional blocking scheme (POWER).
Jack
