The Spread Offense

with:

Mike Emendorfer

The Spread OffenseThe Spread Offense

Building a Passing System

Offensive MechanicsOffensive Mechanics

Multiple with SimplicityMultiple with Simplicity

• Focus Only On The Words That Affect

You

• Learn To See The Big Picture

Huddle ProcedureHuddle Procedure

Play CallsPlay Calls

• Running Game - Running Game - Words

• Passing Game - Passing Game - Numbers

Running Game Running Game

Tells us the running play we are running.

Tells us the direction we are running the play to.

Basic Play CallBasic Play Call 

Dive Right

Passing GamePassing Game

The first number indicates the protection and the release of the running back.

The second number indicates the formation and the series that we are running.

The last number indicates what concept we are running in our routes. It also indicates where the strength is located (odd = left, even = right)

Basic Play CallBasic Play Call

962

Passing GamePassing Game

Play Call With Motion and TagsPlay Call With Motion and Tags

Y MO 984 Boston Hot

Motion is first in the play call.

Tags or adjustments within the concept are directly after the play call.

If we want to take the R-Back out of the protection and hot release him, that indication is last.

CadenceCadence

• On First Sound – Down  

• On One– “Down Blue – Blue, Set Go” 

• On Two on Two – “Down Blue – Blue, Set Go, Go”

• Hard Count– “Down Blue – Blue, Set Go Go, Go, Go”

• On Repeat – “Down Blue – Blue, Set Go, Go, Set Go”

TerminologyTerminology

PersonnelPersonnel

• Split Ends

• Wings

• X/Z

• W/Y

• R

TerminologyTerminology

TermsTerms

• Wide Side (Field)/Short Side (Boundary)

• Front-side/Back-side

• Split

• Landmark

• Trouble

• Run/Quick Check

TerminologyTerminology

TermsTerms

• R.A.C.

• A.M.F.

• D.A.

• Sight Adjust

• 6 Second Rule

• Q Receiver

FormationsFormations

• DoublesDoubles

• TripsTrips

• PantherPanther

• HurricaneHurricane

• ClusterCluster

• AdjustmentsAdjustments

FormationsFormations

DoublesDoubles

Middle

# #X

W

R

Y

Z

Left Hash

# #X

W

R

Y

Z

Right Hash

# #X

W

R

Y

Z

80’s

FormationsFormations

TripsTrips

Left Hash

# #X

W

R

Y

Z

Right Hash

# #X

W

R

Y

Z

60’s

FormationsFormations

PantherPanther

Left Hash

# #X

WR Y

Z

Right Hash

# #X

WR

Y

Z

90’s

FormationsFormations

HurricaneHurricane

Left Hash

# #X

WR

Y

Z

Right Hash

# #X

W

RY

Z

70’s

FormationsFormations

ClusterCluster

Left Hash

# #X

W

R

Y

Z

Right Hash

# #X

W

R

Y

Z

50’s

Formation AdjustmentsFormation Adjustments

X

W

R

Y

Z

Tight Squeeze

X

W

R

Y

Z

FlipFlop

5-7 yards 5-7 yards

Formation AdjustmentsFormation Adjustments

X

W R Y

Z

Spread

X

W

R

Y

Z

Ghost

1 by 1

Formation AdjustmentsFormation Adjustments

X

W

R

Y

Z

Ace

X

W

R

Y

Z

Pro

Y

R

W

Con

Formation AdjustmentsFormation Adjustments

X

W

R

Y

Z

Bunch

X

W

R

Y

Z

Double Bunch

MotionsMotions

Why?Why?• To disguise our intentions/delay defensive recognition

• To gain a blocker at the point of attack

• To create personnel advantages

• To force the pass coverage to declare man or zone

• To create coverage problems or checks

• To force the coverage to bump, changing personnel and

alignment

• To help circumvent the jam

MotionsMotions

RamRam

LionLion

X

W

R

Y

Z

X

W

R

Y

Z

R R

RR

MotionsMotions

Player SpecificPlayer Specific

OutOut

X

W

R

Y

Z

X

W

R

Y

Z

W W

W Mo

W Z

Z Out

MotionsMotions

InIn

TraceTrace

X

W

R

YZ

Z In

Y Trace

X

W

R

Y

ZWZ

WY

ShiftsShifts

Pre-Snap MovementPre-Snap Movement

• To disguise our intentions/delay defensive

recognition

• To create personnel advantages

• To create coverage problems or checks

• To force the coverage to bump, changing

personnel and alignment

ShiftsShifts

Y StemY Stem

W StemW Stem

X

WR Y

Z

R Y Y

R

X

W

R

Y Z

W

RW

R

ProtectionsProtections

• The first building block of our passing

game is protection. Great protection is

the most basic key to the success of our

pass offense.

ProtectionsProtections

• Our linemen must be know and be able to

execute our schemes, but even more, they

must maintain a fierce pride in protecting

the passer that says, “Nobody touches the

quarterback.”

ProtectionsProtections

• Our back must understand his role within

different protection schemes. He must get

himself to the right places, and be

physical enough to constantly handle

linebackers and defensive ends.

ProtectionsProtections

• Our receivers play a major role by identifying coverage and potential blitz situations, understanding when they must break off their route to sight adjustments (being the ‘Q’ receiver), and most importantly GET OPEN in the time required by each pass so that the linemen and back do not have to pass block for unnecessary periods of time.

ProtectionsProtections

• Our quarterback is the center of it all, and

he insures that we are a great protection

team through the right recognition and

communication. He must also get the ball

of on the correct timing, and throw the

ball away rather than taking foolish sacks.

Protection ConceptsProtection Concepts

• 1- Slide Protection

• Rip/Liz- Gap Protection

• 9- Man Protection

• Smoke- Semi Roll Protection

ProtectionsProtections

1- Slide Protection1- Slide Protection

M

RQB

W S

E T T E

ProtectionsProtections

1- Slide Protection1- Slide Protection

M

RQB

W S

E EN

B

ProtectionsProtections

Gap ProtectionGap Protection

M

RQB

W S

E T T E

Rip

ProtectionsProtections

Gap ProtectionGap Protection

M

R QB

WSE EN

B

Liz

ProtectionsProtections

9- Man Protection9- Man Protection

M

RQB

W S

E T T E

ProtectionsProtections

9- Man Protection9- Man Protection

M

RQB

W S

E EN

B

ProtectionsProtections

Smoke ProtectionSmoke Protection

M

RQB

W S

E T T E

ProtectionsProtections

Smoke ProtectionSmoke Protection

M

RQB

W S

E EN

B

Passing ConceptsPassing Concepts

• Simple

• Constant through formations

Passing ConceptsPassing Concepts

• 0 (East/West)- Mesh

• 1-2- Vertical

• 3-4- Smash

• 5-6- Screen

• 7-8- Flat/Curl

Passing ConceptsPassing Concepts

0 – Mesh0 – Mesh• Attacks the underneath edge of coverage very

rapidly, many times from a tightened environment

• Creates multiple “rubs” by incorporating different crossing routes

• Quick rhythm concept, whose primary purpose is to attack man-to-man defense by creating match-up problems and multiple rubs

Passing ConceptsPassing Concepts

980 West980 West

XENTE

MS

Y

WC

R

C

W

FS

Z

SS

Passing ConceptsPassing Concepts

1-2 - Vertical1-2 - Vertical• Allows our offense to attack and stretch

the defense toward the end zone

• Designate our areas of attack as 18-22

yards down the field

• Lower level control route

Passing ConceptsPassing Concepts

981981

Z

ENE

W

T

M

X

S C

R

C

Y

FS

W

SSvs. Cover 2

vs Blitzes

Passing ConceptsPassing Concepts

3-4 - Smash3-4 - Smash• One of the best ways we have of putting

pressure on two deep coverage by creating

situations where the cornerback cannot cover

two people; he will see a six yard hitch in front

of him and have a deeper-developing flag route

behind him

• Attacks down the field on the deep outside edge,

or underneath as a ball-control pass

Passing ConceptsPassing Concepts

984984

X

E N E

W

T

M

Y

SC

R

C

W

FS

Z

SS

vs. Blitz

Passing ConceptsPassing Concepts

5-6 - Screen5-6 - Screen• Controls the blitz and pass rush by

inviting the defense up-field and then

allowing them to rush

• Offensive line will block downfield as we

throw underneath to our receivers or back

Passing ConceptsPassing Concepts

8585

X

E N E

W

T

M

Y

SC

R

C

W

FS

Z

SS

Passing ConceptsPassing Concepts

7-8 – Flat/Curl7-8 – Flat/Curl• Used to stretch the defense horizontally

• Stretches a flat defender to the sideline and

replace him with a receiver behind him

• Creates a triangle of receivers for the QB to read

• Attacks an area 12 yards down the field on the

hashes and the area 5 yards deep on the numbers

Passing ConceptsPassing Concepts

988988

X

E N E

W

T

M

Y

S

C

R

C

W

FS

Z

SS

vs Blitz