A multiple attack running game.

Coaches have to learn that it is extremely hard to be one-dimensional and achieve constant success. Some teams can do it successfully but we as a staff feel better about our chances with a multiple attack running game.

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First of all, we think it is much harder for our opponents to prepare for and that if they can stop one phase of our running game, it will be easy for us to retract to another phase.

In today's coaching there is so much turn-over in staff that it fuses a lot of different coaches on the same staff, and that it would be just a waste to have someone on your staff with a good knowledge of an offensive scheme that you are not using.

The three running plays that we would like to discuss are our Power, Fly Sweep, and Dart. I know some offensive minds out there are probably saying that these are three totally different plays, and that is the exact mindset you want to have.

You must understand that you have be able to run the ball effectively in different ways, and that goes back to us saying we want a multiple attack running game.

I fell in love with the power game as a collegiate player. We dominated teams and this play was about 75% of our running game. Since this was a play I learned in my college years, I had a good chance to digest its ins and outs. I learned what made it go and what prevented it from going.

The Power game for us is mostly run out of a pro set. We have a Tight end, Fullback, Halfback, Split End and a Flanker. With this set, we can line up in a traditional I formation or just offset the fullback--heavily depending on the defensive tendencies.

In order to have success in running this play, you must first be dedicated to running it. We don't feel that this is a play that you can run one or two times a game, I would probably say maybe seven or eight times.

The QB in this package is very important because he sets up the play action and his fake is equivalent to a block. The QB reverses out deep, coming a little off of the midline to the play side. He will try his best to get the ball to the halfback as deep as possible.

After his hand-off, he carries his hands with the fake and then boots out. It is important for him to always carry out his fake because this holds the backside DE.

The fullback is responsible for kicking out the end man on the LOS as seen in Diags. 1-2. He will do this by stepping with his inside foot first, to make sure that he obtains inside leverage. He will then attack with his head inside of the defender--putting his body between the defender and the runner.

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For our six front guys, we have one simple rule, "Do not let anyone cross your face".

The TE will have different responsibilities, depending on which front we see. Vs an even front (Diag. 1), the TE will hit the DE and go inside looking for the MIKE LB. If the SAM LB tries to cross his face, he will be forced to take him. Vs. an odd front (Diag. 2), the TE will double-team the 5 tech with the OT looking for the WILL LB again. If the SAM LB tries to cross the face of the OT, the OT will come off and take him.

The Play-side Guard and the Play-side Tackle vs an even front (Diag. 1) will double-team the 3 tech looking for the WILL LB. If the MIKE LB tries to cross the PSG face, he will take him. If not they will stay on the aiming point for the WILL LB. Vs an Odd front (Diag. 2), the PSG will be by himself on the Nose and, as said before, the PST will double the 5 tech with the TE looking for the WILL LB.

The Center is responsible for getting the Back-side Guard out on his pull. We tell our center to "get big" and smother the 1 tech (Diag. 3). He must ensure us that nothing will trail our pulling guard. Vs an odd front (Diag. 4), the center must also free the BSG out. He will do this by filling the space that was left by the pulling guard; again we tell him to "get big".

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The BSG will do the pulling on this play. Vs an even front (Diag. 3), he will pull around hugging tight to the double team looking for the first second level defender preferably the SAM LB.

It will only become one of the other LB's if someone tries to cross someone's face. Vs an odd front (Diag. 4), the BSG will pull around hugging tight to the double team looking for the MIKE LB preferably.

The Back-side Tackle has a job almost like the Center. He has to make sure that no one trails the pulling guard. Vs an Even Front (Diag. 3), we teach our BST a hinge block technique. This will allow him to get inside and to also help out on anything coming outside. Vs an Odd front (Diag. 4), our BST must sell out to get inside the 4I technique.

The rule for the halfback is to take a timing step. When I was a player, our coaches instructed us to take a jab step. This worked in some instances but it also would allow faster guys to get to the LOS before the play developed. We first let all our backs get adjusted to the play, and once they understand the play they also understand the importance of timing it right.

This is our basic power play ran to the strong side. As you can see it is a very expensive play, but it is more expensive for your opponents to stop.

We use our fly sweep when we feel that we are faster than our opponents, if we feel that we can reach their end man on the LOS. This will allow us to get one of our fast guys on the opponent's perimeter.

We teach our offensive line zone blocking techniques for this play (Diags. 5-6). We want to reach the opponent's DE, which is why we choose to use some of our wide-open sets that include a TE. We feel that our TE is just as athletic as any DE we will face.

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Our QB is set at regular depth about 5 yds, our halfback is set a regular depth 5 1/2 yds, our HB will lead our ball-carrier around to the perimeter. He will look inside for a different color jersey. If everything is sealed up inside, the HB will go to the next level looking for the next defender.

We bring our "W" receiver in fly motion (Diags. 5-6). The most important thing on this play is the snap count because it sets the timing, which is the key to this play. If the snap count is off, it will distort the hand-off, which will kill the timing of the play.

In practice when running this play, we will spend most of our time on the snap count and the exchange. Once the timing is on point we just let our "W" receiver be an athlete and use his speed to get to the corner.

This is a fairly easy play to teach if your team is good at zone blocking. It is not as expensive as the power play, but at times can be just as effective.

The Dart play gives us a misdirection run out of a spread set. We usually use our 4 wide packages when running Dart. The first thing you must do when running the Dart play is to find the 1 technique. This play is much more effective when run to the 1 technique side versus an even front, and it can be ran either side vs an odd front (Diags. 7-8).

The Dart play is a read play for our QB. Since we pull the BST on this play, we will read the backside DE. If he follows the pulling tackle, the QB will pull the ball and get up field, replacing the area that the DE was responsible for (Diag. 9).

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The HB is responsible for the mesh on this play. This is because as soon as the QB gets the ball, he will put his eyes directly on the DE. The HB will use counter action to get the ball. He will not try to take the ball he will let the QB release it to him. As soon as he gets the ball, he will turn back to the call side direction with a burst of speed.

The PST's job is to invite the play-side DE up the field, making a natural hole. He must maintain leverage, keeping him outside.

The PSG is responsible for the double team. He and the Center will double-team the 1 tech in an even front and the 0 tech in an odd front (Diags. 7-8).

The BSG has a one-on-one block with the 3 tech. In an even front, he will at all cost avoid letting him get to the other side of the center. Vs an odd front, he blocks an area, getting a piece of the 5 tech (Diag 8).

The BST has the key block on this play. He pulls and turns up inside the PST, looking for the WILL LB in an even front and the MIKE LB in an odd front.

To the backside, all WR block man on because they never know when the QB will be keeping the ball.

If you are already running one or all of these plays, I hope that one or more of the adjustments will be of some help to you. Before you think of having a multiple attack running game ask yourself whether you are willing to risk being great at nothing, but good at everything.

Keep in mind what I have shown you. These are just a few ways we have had success with. There are tons of different ways to run them and even more formations to run them out of. These plays coupled with their individual play action passes create a variety of looks for your opponents, making you have a Multiple Attack Running Game.

By Alvin Parker, Offensive Coordinator, Elizabeth City State University