Michigan Offense Run schemes: vs Ohio State, Penn State, Wisconsin and more!

 Michigan has one of the best run games around. They do it with some intricate schemes. They are exciting to watch running the football and combine it with an efficient play action game.  Some of the schemes have come from their relationship with the Ravens, as you will see some of the Ravens schemes in the Michigan offense.

In this article:

(1)  Inside Zone

(2) Zone read slice 

(3) H Back Trap 

(4) Pin and Pull

(5) Counter

Inside Zone

2 examples of Inside zone were huge gains vs Ohio State

Vs  Michigan they run Inside  zone and catch Ohio State in a stunt. Knowles is in his Hybrid 4-2-5 front and they run a game with the stand up player to the side of the back. The nose guard goes b gap to the side of the rb and that LB loops to the play side A. The LB to the side of #7 who is off goes off a and the will LB has the b gap. Knowles made this famous at Oklahoma St. (See my post on it)

https://coachkoufootball.blogspot.com/2022/04/ohio-state-defense-2022-under-jim.html

You can see the movement as Michigan handles the hybrid LB and nose and the center is waiting for the LB who needs to get play side A gap.

The center picks up the LB and the frontside guard and tackle do a great job handling the LB and de. Look at the crease it creates. The cb is in man coverage so he has to take the #1 wr who just runs him off and they are off to the races. 

You can see the hole opening up and the RB is off to the races.

Below you see the cb getting run off by the #1 wr

The same play on the next series

The defense 4-3 cover 0

Both DT are playing A gaps. The problem on this play is the MLB doesn't scrape over the top to the play side b gap and they get a huge gain on the play. The scheme was sound but the LB has to get b gap with the play side olb filling outside in. Good design but nice execution by Michigan.

Straight Cover 0, Safety walked up to the H back side.

End Zone view

they go double a gaps with the DT 

Gap responsibly and they are plus 2 in the run game.

The mike doesn't get over the top and the center reaches the play side a gap DT  which creates a seem. Nice job by Michigan Center on both run plays. Nice job up friend as they get enough push to create a seem for the rb.

DT can't get off, mike gets caught in the wash and Edwards gets the seem he needs. 

Nice run and execution.

2 plays I really like are there H trap vs odd fronts and the zone read with both h backs leading if the ball is pulled.

#1 H Trap

Michigan runs  unique h trap vs Wisconsin who is in an odd front.

A couple interesting parts about this play.

#1 They go trips unbalanced  to the boundary

 12 personnel 

#2 They trap with the h back but also running iso with the fb.

They end up trapping with the h back and leading the other fb on the LB. It is a nice scheme and design with the fan on the frontside. 

                                      

      They ran this vs Wisconsin.                                    

 Nice job on the trap block vs the odd tight front alignment with the 2 defensive ends playing 4i.

They get a nice block and you can see the left side fanning it.

Here's 2 clips of the trap play vs the odd front. 

Zone Read:

Michigan end over  with 2 backs in the backfield. They bring the wr in motion and run the zone read with 2 lead blockers. It's a great counter for the teams that spill it because now you can get the 2nd h back on the lb after the de spills it. It's a nice change up and design in the run game.

Here's the zone read with 2 lead blockers. They can do it with 2 h backs or motioning with a wr and doing that way as well.

QB makes the good read

They get 2 on 2 on the perimeter.

TE seems and they get the good blocking on the perimeter. 

See the clip below.

Another version of the same play. This time they come out in 3x1 and come back to the single side with it. Nice job of getting both h backs out in front and this play is a touchdown if the safety doesn't Make a great play. Penn State was trying to spill it and the h backs read it and get on the edge. Again a great scheme and Nice play by the Penn State td stopping it from being a td. 

Penn State tries to spill it and the h backs get on the perimeter. 

They get the 2 blockers on the perimeter.

Here is the clip of the play.

One more version of the play for a nice 15 yard gain.

Again they get the 2 blockers leading it.

De plays the RB which allows the 2 blockers to get on the edge and lead block it.

They have a nice situation as both H backs turn the corner.

Good play design and execution.

Counter 

Michigan will run some great counter blocking schemes. 

Vs Ohio State, they get a 4-3 vs 12 so they decide to run it away from the tight end at the 1 technique. They pull the center and tackle on the play to create better angles.

see it start to develop.

They get the guard on the good kickout

Good execution.

Here's the same scheme vs Washington.  They pull the center and h back vs the 4-2 front to the side of the 2i. 

LG- block the 2i

LT block play side LB

C- pull and kick out

RG-block DT 3 tech his side

RT-Block DE to his side.

H-pull and look for lb

Center makes a good block as they take advantage of the angle. 

The h leads thru and its a nice gain.

Nice job as the RB breaks free.

 Clip Below.

Pin and Pull

The Pin and pull is a major play in the offense and they can block it various ways with different pullers depending on leverage to gain advantages by creating angles. 

They go trips to the field and Penn State goes corner over. They have the OLB to the bottom of the screen. The Tackle does a nice job on the play kicking the olb out and the running back reads the block nicely and cuts it inside. They get good angles and run it for a 15 yard gain. 

The OT kicks out and the rb reads it and makes an excellent cut.  Nice job on the read.

They get the nice kickout and the RB turns it up. 

Big gain.

Here/s another big run vs Penn State 3x1. They run it again to the backside te side of 3x1. 

Get the ball on the edge and hit it for a big gain.

They seal the outside and get the nice pull by the lineman

Tackle kicks out the olb, the guard logs the other inside lb and they are off for a nice 7- yard gain.

They get the tackle and guard on the outside which makes the play.

RB breaks free for a good gain on the play/

See clip below.

Vs Colorado State-They run it at the 1 tech or 2i. They get a 2i and a 9 tech(end outside)

The Scheme

TE-block the corner

PST-block down

PSG block the 2i

Center-pull and kickout

Backside Guard-block 3 tech

Backside Tackle-pull for the LB

Nice scheme and design

even front

They pull the center and backside tackle on it.

good execution.

Vs under front on the goaline, they run it with the wing te with a 2i(tough to tell, 5 and a 9)

PSW-blocks the 9

TE-blocks the 5

T-blocks down

G-pulls and kicks

C-logs the lb

backside og, to cut off.

You see the RG and Center pull on it. 

They get a great down block and and both the Center and guard on the perimeter.

RB reads the kickoff and they get a nice run for the TD.

Here's 3 additional clips of the Michigan Pin and Pull.

I hope you enjoyed this article and the Clips of the Michigan Run Offense.

football-playbook- top unbalanced plays for your offense

This article looks at some concepts at the college level from Unbalanced formations. Several teams will be looked at including Oregon, Iowa State, UCLA, Nebraska and more. You see teams take advantage if they get numbers they like to a side, or run passes to the weak side if teams over rotate in the secondary.

An example of an over rotation is below. 2 things you can run vs that in the pass game is wheel out of the backfield or bootleg away from the unbalanced side. Both are shown below.

Zone Read with Formation into the boundary

BYU runs a nice zone read to the field with formation into the boundary. The bubble component further widens the alley defender as they are in man coverage. They read the EMOL which causes a huge alley. Qb makes a nice read and they are off to the races.

Love the fact you are going one gap wider and making a SS be the read key. Most SS struggle with that responsibility.

SS takes the dive, they are in man so Safety widens causing a huge run lane.

Nice execution

Oregon RB Wheel Route

Unbalanced backside wheel. Joe Moorhead in 2020, gets the look he wants as Cal rolls to the unbalanced side and leaves the CB middle 1/3. The LB has to run with the wheel and the RB beats him in coverage.

If you over rotate vs Joe Moorhead he will run this route. 

Wheel is wide open as cb is in middle of the field.

Great route and concept by Coach Moorhead

Bootleg

Let's look at Ohio State as they always have an unbalanced component. Here he ran boot vs Nebraska and Penn State in 2020.

He comes out in 11 personnel  and runs boot to the field after going unbalanced to the boundary. Has the route design set up as Fields designs to run it. 

Ohio State bootleg away from unbalanced.

The safety comes down to play the tight end which leaves the drag wide open. Nice design as Fields misses the drag and runs it for the TD. 

Excellent design by Day.

Boot works well for the TD

Sprint out to the Strength

Iowa State goes unbalanced 3x1 with a te. Then they run motion with the WR. Oklahoma state spins with motion. Runs sprint out to the unbalanced side with a nice sail route. Excellent design

Sail concept with Sprint to it.

They jump the flat and the sail route is open. 

Nice design by Iowa State

Nebraska 0ffense Scott Frost vs Wisconsin 

Unbalanced Gun Option with motion.

Nebraska runs option vs Wisconsin out of the gun. Both occasions they put the unbalanced  formation. The first the ball is in the middle of the field, the 2nd is  into the boundary. Both plays the use motion

The first time they run it with dive option after motioning the wr into the backfield.

They get numbers to run option and pitch the ball.

Great numbers the other way.

He gets boxed so he keeps it with the 2 lead blockers leading the way.

The 2nd time they run lead option to the boundary off the jet sweep fake to the field. The free safety tries to run the alley but is late  misses the tackle as the motion caused them to roll in the secondary.

They have number as they fake the jet and Wisc rolls the other way.

The DE fast plays it good blocking on the perimeter. Easy read

Both Clips below

 FSU vs Clemson- shovel pass

De works inside

Nice play call and execution.

Play Action Pass Weak

Short yardage Unbalanced out of 21

Iowa State vs Oklahoma State 

Iowa State come out in an unbalanced formation with 21 personnel on the field. They split the tight end out and the 2 wr to the same side. They take advantage of the the man coverage by Oklahoma State and run bootleg for the first down.Boot to the boundary.

Nice short yardage play. Boot back away from the run action.

Fake the wide zone and hit the FB in the flat. Nice easy design vs man coverage

full back wide open.

 unbalanced  jet sweep bc off vs pitt

BC runs a nice jet sweep on the edge with numbers.

Off the Jet sweep you can run the wheel route to that side with the Jet motion man or #2 wr that is eligible.  Both are nice concepts.

Unbalanced flea flicker off the jet sweep. 

Georgia runs the wheel off a flea flicker but you can do it off the jet/inside zone placation as well.

Georgia 12 personnel. Unbalanced into the boundary

Run jet motion with a flea flicker and hit the jet man down the sideline. Nice design that could also be run with simple play action. Nice scheme 

Great gadget play 

wheel is wide open 

beautiful play design.

Sequencing of plays is important.

Have answers running to and away from the unbalanced side and also answers in the pass game. 

Ryan Day Ohio State vs Penn State

Some of the plays he ran in this game included jet,  tight zone off the jet motion and jet motion play action pass. He faked the jet then the tight zone and threw the ball off it. Great sequential play calling.

But lets look at the sequencing of the 3 plays mentioned above:

#1 jet sweep

12 personnel

They go formation into the boundary but this game they put the Flanker off. They run Jet to the unbalanced side for a huge gain on the first play of the game. 

You see they have 2 tight ends on the  right side

The 2 tight ends are now on the left after trading. They flanker is off to the boundary.

The flanker comes in motion and gets the ball on the jet sweep.  Penn State stays 2 high and they find block it with the WR. He blocks the safety who becomes the run support in the alley. WR beats CB 1x1 for a big gain.

unbalanced jet

great angles on the perimeter

safety misses the tackle and a nice big gain after that.

#2 Fake Jet Tight Zone  on the 2nd play of the game!

The next  play  in the same game, they come out in it and run the flanker in motion. They fake jet and run tight zone. Nice design and a 11 yard gain. 

fake the jet and run tight zone.

Both clips are below:

Excellent design by Day to start the game off with a bang!

#3 Jet Pass

The 3rd play in the sequence is fake jet, fake tight zone and hit the wr on a wheel route. This is very hard defend as the Lions try to go cover 3 and that's a mismatch for the LB in zone coverage. This is a great play in college out of 12 because you often get some type of cover 3 vs 12 personnel. Even if you check to unbalanced it's usually some type of 3 look.  They slide the front to the unbalanced but go cover 3 weak with the secondary. This allows for the matchup and nice completion.

great fake and have a wheel run by the jet man.

wheels open off the jet motion great levels concept

Georgia 22 personnel

They go from unbalanced rt to unbalanced left and run pin and pull.

22 personnel end up going to bunch left with 2 rb.

Get the crack block from the on the line tight end and pull the tackle with the h back and rb leading the way. They do a great job of sealing the edge.

catches the defense  off guard and gets numbers.

great play design and hit it for a big gain.

Heres the clip.

These are just some unbalanced plays for your playbook.