College Football offensive schemes

Intro to College Football Offensive Formations and Schemes

7/13/2018

The Opening

Each year new offensive and defensive schemes arise throughout the world of football and our implemented to deceive opponents. Teaching these concepts and being a master of deception is a part of the game I was lucky enough to learn at a very young age. This higher intellect of knowing how to bewilder your opponent into believing you are about to run the same play that they seen in film study. Only to have a completely new variation that is able to leave all eleven defenders looking like deer in headlights. Mass confusion is always a great way to win a game and take control of your opponent mentally. Once you establish your opponents mental capacity to adapt, now you can target the weak links in a opposing defense and EXPLOIT that area of the field or one on one match ups. See, to most highly intellectual coaches, the game is not won and lost on the field. Most top coaches, believe they can put ANY athlete that fits their "SYSTEM" in that role and still be effective enough to win ball games. I have learned throughout my career that these coaches are very hard to find and are very unwilling to give up their secrets, as this is what got them employed and to the level they are at. Luckily, if you are adept enough and know psychology, you can figure out how most of this WINNING is being done and why some coaches sit atop the world of football year in and year out.

My Philosophy

Knowing every single play ever ran in a football game and having every college/pro style system ingrained in my head from over 25 years of learning at the highest level. I will happily give away my game plan every week and have many similar "variations" off of that play, which leaves the defense to play a guessing game. Lining up in the same formation and running the same play 50 different ways with slight variations, throws the defensive players off who are taught to read certain "keys". Being able to flip from a power style run game to a spread-option or run and shoot attack instantly by adjusting personnel makes them have to adjust accordingly. In most cases, if ran as a cohesive unit, defenses will not have enough time to adapt and will be left feeling very insecure and deflated once we are done using are exploitative tactics. I found a play of Daimarqua Foster on his teammates highlights Johnny Taylor where he carried out one of the most beautiful "screen fakes" I had seen a HIGH caliber back perform. This confirms my grade of Foster and the football IQ that he possesses as the top player in the nation. I gauge players A LOT differently than Rivals, 247 or any other network, as I know EXACTLY how that player can and will be utilized, at the next level. This helps me really know a players true worth when it is all said and done, as there are KEY attributes you look for in each "system fit", for each individual player. I am going to list some examples below, as there happens to be millions of intricacies that make this "barbaric" sport, more of a chess match for people like myself.

Different Types of Offensive Schemes

The Power Run Game

2 and 3 back sets
1-3 TE's are sometimes used
play action, boot action passes
Fullback and H-back are utilized

Spread-Option

Normally ran out of Shot-Gun with one RB
Veer option and option game is heavily used in the run game, along with draws.
Normally ran at a uptempo pace, so the defense cannot substitute.
Normal routes out of 3, 4 and 5 wide sets. Will use TE. Heavy WR/HB/TE screens are utilized to get the ball in the play-makers hands quickly. Many times, teams will not use a huddle when running the spread option or run and shoot variations.

Triple Option

Air Force, Navy, GA Tech predominantly use these offenses.
Methodical/Ball Control approach where the goal is at least 3 yards every play.
Fullback is heavily used on mid-line option and dives. Reading off D-Tackles alignment or gap assignment.
Wing backs/slots are "All-Purpose backs", who can be sent in motion for the option or released downfield on mostly play action style routes.

Pro Style

Single Back sets, I-Formation (with motioning H-Back/TE), Shotgun sets 3 and 4 wide utilizing TE.
50/50 ball where the run normally sets up the pass.
Lots of motioning, off-sets and unbalanced formations to try and deceive the defense.
Spreads the football around so everyone hits their incentives in their contracts. Hence the "Pro" style offense was created. (Hope your agent packed your contract with incentives and guaranteed money)

Run and Shoot

Originally ran by Norm Chow at the University of Hawaii. Offense that plays off how the defense aligns and reacts to the receiver.
Smaller, elusive and extremely quick receivers are the most productive players in this system, as this offense is about timing and creating separation.
The Run and Shoot offense has been manipulated into having "spread concepts", as seen in Morgantown, WV at WVU, when Geno Smith was throwing for nearly 700 yards in his first 6 games.
West Virginia lost its last 7 games that season, after winning it's first 6. Why? If your going to run a offense based off of alignment and reading, while reacting, you better have a game-plan for when you come up against the best "press coverage" you have ever seen. Timing offenses can easily be stopped if you do ONE thing, disrupt their timing. Guys like Geno will run for the hills and try and blame the GOAT Tavon Austin (Super Star L.A Rams).

The Pistol

QB is 3-4 yards from center, giving the QB more depth initially.
The RB is positioned behind the QB, as this is more conducive to "down-hill" and aggressive running attacks.
Option can be deployed out of the Pistol formation and many play action passes that are effective at getting the football "over the top" of a defense or downfield.
Motions are used to set up blockers in "Power Pistol" sets and are also utilized in the passing game out in the flats, after selling block on play action.

In conclusion

Every football coach has set playbook that they are familiar with that they normally use year in and year out. Your opponents know this and will game-plan strategically against you, while you "stick to you guns" or old ways of doing things. This mentality is not conducive to winning games at a high level and you will run into barrier after barrier if you are not willing to adapt. That is why we teach each and every Scout Trout athlete "next level" systems, so they can better know their individual role, as it related to that teams scheme and personnel. At Scout Trout, we first master our technique and "daily process". After this process begins, we begin the teaching process of refinement and preparation. With so much information available to our athletes at Scout Trout, our methods not only guide you to your predetermined path. But also help you arrive on campus confident that you are light-years ahead of your competitors at your position. Plays are called every hour of everyday, knowing the design of not only the play, but your own body, is pivotal to a TEAM reigning supreme in the dog eat dog world of Collegiate Football.

Message to scout Trout Pipeline, All-American and Elite Members

Here is what I EXPECT if you are going to play in my event this year.

Diligence in every aspect of your academics, football studies and LIFE!
Treat your peers and opponents with the utmost respect, as he could own Microsoft one day and remember that extremely intuitive athlete that could conquer the world in his eyes.
Know each of the formations that are listed above FIRST! Then we are going to dive into EXACT plays on the insiders coaching page, which all of you should have been added to.
We will cover ELITE members high school football clubs this year, while highlighting your individual skill-set for college coaches. The best leaders are able to build those around you to the "next level" as well. Football taught me to look after my brother when things got tough, know who's going to fight in the trenches with you and who really doesn't belong in the same bunker.
Listen to your parents/guardians first and foremost, they have lived with you the longest and raised you. They might not always seem like they know what they are talking about, but respecting your parents will go a long way for you if you choose to heed these words of learning from real life experiences.
I was lucky my father got to play with so many legends of the game today, but I did not let him define who MERF TROUT is. You are not your parents, you came from their seed, but you are your own unique individual, and God has a path preordained for you that you may not see at this current period of your life.
God, Karma, Energy or whatever you choose to believe in will only allow yo to go as far as YOU want to go. Meaning, God is not going to hand you something that you did not work your ass off for and earn for yourself. The same mind-set resides in the physique of a college football coach who worked his way up through the ranks.
Last but not least, Diamonds are formed from the earth's mantle under immense pressure. But they are not the dazzling rocks that everyone envies until they are refined using strong caustic and acid solvents and healed between 220 degrees and 500 degrees Celsius. That being said, it sounds like pain, suffering, torment and anguish are all a part of becoming a refined diamond. Hard work is available to every human being walking the planet earth, those who emerge from the earth's mantle as diamonds, only remain diamonds with constant refinement and precise knowledge applicable to each athlete's unique and individual journey to the next level.