Protect The Run Game With 3-Point Plays by Coach Dale Carlson

The RPO was developed to protect the run game by giving the QB a Run-Pass Option based on what the defense does post snap. There are many teams at all levels of football who have had tremendous success running RPO's. 

I am an Air Raid disciple of Coach Mumme and Coach Leach. I have used the offensive install and practice schedule that was developed by Coach Mumme many years ago. I found it difficult to get a true RPO period in the practice schedule and still stay within our two hour practice time.

What has worked is taking our Quick Game and Now Screens and incorporating it with our run game in a pre-snap RPO we call 3-Point Plays. To execute a 3-Point Play we divide the field into three areas horizontally. 

1. The Boundary

2. The Box

3. The Field

The QB then scans these three areas from the boundary to the box to the field. The QB executes the first play that presents itself as he scans the field pre-snap. (We always tell the QB if in doubt "hand the ball off." We will go to the next play).

The first run play installed is a Lock Inside Zone called Base. It is diagramed below.

Offensive Line rules are to base block man on with a possible play side double team with the C and PSG. Offense has five for five in the box so running the ball would be the way to go.

Most downs you do not get a vanilla 4-3 Split S look from the defense. Instead you might get the WLB cheating the box with the FS rolling down as the flat player. The defense now has the box outnumbered making a run play difficult as the h now has to root out a LB aligned inside of him.

To protect the run we could make a play call like this. Open - Hitch - Base Lt - Friday. Going from boundary to box to field assignments are:

X/h - Hitch concept (boundary)

Box - Base Lt

Y/Z - Friday concept (field)

The QB reads the WLB in the box with the FS below the hard deck to roll to the flat pre-snap. QB determines, pre-snap, to throw the Hitch concept and reads the C for the x-Hitch to h-Inside Fade.

Using the same play call the defense presents a different read pre-snap to the QB.

The QB scans the field pre-snap. The boundary C is rolled up with the FS playing Cover 2. The Boundary is taken away. The WLB is still cheating the Box taking away the run. The QB sees Y with leverage on the SLB to the Field to throw the Friday concept.

Whenever a TE is attached to the formation he automatically becomes part of the Box and the run concept. The diagram below would be called:

Early Ace - Hitch - Duo Right - Friday

The QB begins his read pre-snap from the Boundary to the Box to the Field. He reads the Boundary C rolled taking away the X-Hitch. The QB reads the numbers in the Box which are good for the run. The QB scans the Field and the N is far enough away that he shouldn't be a threat to the run. QB decides pre-snap to hand the ball off on Duo.

3-Point Plays can be run from 20 Personnel as well. Diagramed below is:

Brown Queen - Outlaw - ISO left - Y-Bubble

The defense presents in a 4-2 Cover 2 alignment. The QB reads the Boundary C's cover 2 alignment and knows the X-Out is taken away. The QB scans the Box and sees good numbers for the ISO Left. The QB checks the N to the field and sees he's not in position to play the run. The QB decides pre-snap to hand the ball off on ISO Left.

3-Point Plays are an easy way to protect the run while still giving your QB a Run-Pass Option. You can tag and Quick Game or Now Screen on the perimeter with your run game. You can signal one side or the other to block instead of running a pass concept. You don't need a serrate period to practice 3-Point Plays as they can be incorporated into your group and team periods. 

Feel free to contact me if you have any questions. My email is:

dalercarlson1@gmail.com

 

Mike Hankwitz Northwestern 6 man Fire Zone run blitzes

 Let's take a look at one of my favorite defensive coordinators, Coach Mike Hankwitz, now retired but still one of the greatest of all time. He led one of the most solid defenses in college football for years!

Dealing with power football teams is no easy task. Wisconsin loves to line up in 12, 22 and other personnel groupings and play power football. 

One of the ways that Northwestern slowed down Wisconsin's power running game in 2020 was to bring numerous fire zone pressures under Coach Mike Hankwitz. They did this with a great defensive plan, defeating Wisconsin 17-7. They also played some man on early downs with the LB's playing run against some of the condensed formations wisconsin likes to run. But, this article looks at the fire zone pressures. 

They held Wisconsin to 40 carries and 136 yards rushing. Under 4 yards for a team that normally averaged. That is 3.4 yards per carry. That is way off their 165 yards rushing per game and more importantly a team that averaged 4.9 yards per carry.

Wisconsin Fire zone pressures
They ran many fire zones vs Wisconsin, especially when in 12/22 personnel. They loved to bring their safeties with their pressure packages. They would often bring a safety with a linebacker in the blitz.

One of the ways they did it was with some fire zone concepts designed as run blitzes on early downs. Often they involved a safety and a LB. If it was run the DE would play run. If pass he dropped and it became a 3 under 3 deep.

1st play of the game. Send the FS and Will right up the middle. Nice design.

vs 12 personnel

1st and 10 

Run it with the will and Free coming. On run the DE won't drop, just play run. In this case they get pass so he drops. They get great pressure and a sack.

See the safety start to blitz on pass in this defense the de drops making it a 5 man pressure

nice scheme by Northwestern.

vs 12 personnel

Similar concept They send the LB and Safety right in the A and B gap. The DT plays C and the DE plays D gap.

See it start to unfold with the LB and safety.

Nice pressure and design

See the blitz develop.

Dt may have gone wring way.

Heres another variation where the safety goes B and the LB goes off A. This allows the playside Mike to fold back inside to make the play in the run game.

2 blitzers are picked up but the LB folds back unblocked. 

The design opens it up for LB.

Good scheme

and execution.

These are just 4 blitzes they ran vs Wisconsin to disrupt the power run game and 12

Here's 1 more clip and an additional pressure. Overall a great design in the run blitzes to disrupt the Ohio State run game!

Great design by Northwestern in 2020 and they did an excellent job defending the run. 

They also ran some nice run blitzes vs Michigan State in 2020.

Below they run a game from their 4-2 front.

They send the NG and DT away from the strength and bring the safety down to play the b gap to the strong side. 

They also bring the safety with the LB on the play

Again they are moving with the safety on the left coming to the b gap.

Nice job by the LB scraping over the top

They have 1 blocker for the LB and safety. 

LB forced to cut it back the other way

Lb shuffles back to make the play.

A similar scheme in the Michigan State game:

When Michigan went bunch 12, the Northwestern defense brought the safety and the lb weak. Nice scheme which was sound. 1st time, poor gap fill led to a 5 yard gain. They had the LB blitz B with the safety A gap. 

Again yo usee the 6 man pressure lb and safety

Every gap is covered

2 SERIES LATER

2ND AND 10 they run a similar concept with the safety and will blitzing both a gaps. Every gap is covered and it allows the mike to be a c gap player. Nice design for a 3 yard loss. 

similar pressure with the safety and LB

Nice movement and stunt as you see the LB and FS coming!

Safety is untouched as they get the +1 in the run game. 

Great job by the Northwestern Defense

These were just some of the run blitzes vs Wisconsin and Michigan State in 2020. There was a reason Northwestern was a top defense in 2020 under Coach Mike.

Here are some others vs Notre Dame in 2018 against a very good Notre Dame team.

Nice job by the safety timing it.

Saf

Safety is at the Line of Scrimmage.

Good scheme and again great timing on the pressure.

Another example where they bring the safety and it disrupts the pin and pull. Notre Dame loses 2 yards on the play.

Safety comes disrupts the scheme off the edge

Pin and pull is disrupted by the blitz from Hankwitz

Here is another example vs Maryland.

The Safety goes A gap and the will Lb blitzes the off side A gap. He goes to the h back side. Both DT line up in 2i but stunt to the b gap. The excellent design causes the safety to go unblocked.

Coach Mike is one of the best at using the safety in the run game to bring pressure on early downs. A great coordinator and asset to the game of football.

Again they are moving A and B with the LB and safety

Which frees up #42

#42 or the safety will be free.

They force the cut back into the A gap safety who is unblocked.

Thes are some of Mike Hanwitz's defense when he was a finalist for the Broyles award in 2020. 
Film to follow!