 | |
| Old School Power Play |
Today I would like to talk about making the power play the "go to" run in your offensive playbook. Offenses have been running the power play as their bread and butter money run for decades now. Regardless of the trends that occur every couple of years on offense, you are always going to see the power play run by 90% of offenses at the High School, College, and Pro level. The big buzz in the NFL right now is the "READ" game and adding option concepts to NFL schemes. If you watch the Redskins with RG3 or the Niners with Kaepernick you start to get the feeling that some NFL franchises are welcoming more and more college schemes into their offensive arsenal. But what you will also notice is those teams still run the good old fashioned power play with gap down, kick out, and backside guard wrap. I would like to discuss the power play in today's offense and how you can package it with Jet Sweep to make it a read theory.
 |
| Follow the Trend |
Since it is the day after Round 1 of the 2013 NFL draft, I think we should take a look at the common pattern in today's game. Regardless of whether you coach Pop Warner, Junior High, High School, College, or the NFL the game is becoming all about athletes in space and potential with upside. Guys are being drafted on potential alone and their explosive athletic ability. The Rams traded up to draft a 5'8" wide receiver? What happened to the long, lanky, rangy receivers? Well nothing really happened, it just so happens the 5'8" kid is the most explosive and dynamic player in space. He creates problems for the defense because of his explosiveness and versatility. The offense has an unlimited amount of ways to get this type of player the ball. Look at some of the defensive players selected. Production was nowhere near as big of a factor as athletic ability and potential. The first and only QB selected was chosen based on upside, athletic ability, and potential. How does this tie into today's topic? Well think about the potential to get Tavon Austin the ball on the perimeter built in with the potential of E.J. Manuel, or RG3, or Kaepernick running the power play!!! Now I realize that in the NFL you don't want your QB running between the tackles, i am merely making a case to illustrate how effective this scheme can be in Junior High or High School when you utilize your best players to put pressure on the defense.
 |
| DA BEARS |
Let's get back to the topic of running the power play. The play in itself is so simplistic in its nature, but so effective in it's execution. You have simple gap down theories play side, with a straight forward kick out block by a fullback, and a back side guard wrapping to give you an extra helmet play side. It is a downhill run. It creates a mind set for your offense. It toughens your defense by making them defend downhill, hardball runs. It creates tremendous play action possibilities. I really can not think of a reason any offense would have to not run the power play. Now when you add the Jet Sweep package and make it a "READ SCHEME" you are adding versatility to the concept while still hanging your hat on base principles. To me, that is the way to play fast and effective football. We are creating problems for the defense while refining base skills for the offense. I take it a step further with my offense and only run power to the strong side. That gives me the ability to fine tune my offensive lineman and get them extremely efficient in the execution of the play because their assignments will not change. It also helps me streamline my communication process which in turn leads to a faster tempo.
I will go more into depth on the power play and packaging it with the Jet Sweep in the Video portion of the blog. I will cover it with base power blocking assignments and then the slight changes we make when running the "READ" portion of it. As always I hope it helps, or at least gives you something to think about.
 |
| PLAY FAST |
No comments:
Post a Comment