Each week, Coach Bass brings his 30 years of NFL coaching experience to USA Football. Email Coach Bass your questions today.
Greeting Coach Bass,
I had a few questions I was hoping you'd have a few minutes to help answer them. I am a second year head coach in the Pee Wee Division ages 7-9 and mostly these are first and second year players. We practice approx. 6 week before our first game. Last year we ran an I-form with a slot receiver. We are heavy on fundamentals and techniques, which we feel is very important to the development of these young players. Getting back to our offensive scheme I didn't have much success last year with the I-form at this level.Most defenses clog the middle and I feel the I-form's strength isn't an outside run. This year we were thinking to switch to either a split back or a wishbone. I like the split back even though it’s mostly a passing formation because of the outside runs available. Also we will audible into a shotgun formation. I have a very talented quarterback that can makes good accurate throws so we are going to try and utilize a vertical passing game as well. The wishbone would provide more of a power running game however we run continuously running clocks thus we need to move the ball in a hurry. I was wondering if you could give me any advice on these two offensive formations or should we go a completely different route. Thanks for your time and consideration!
Hi Coach,
I like the way you are thinking. There are a couple of things that you may want to consider before you completely scrap your base “I” formation. The first would be to keep the tail back in his original location [7 yards off the line] and move he FB to position behind either tackle [strong I or weak I].
This location will still allow him the run any lead play on the inside, get him in great position to kick out on the outside defensive player on any off-tackle play to that side or on a counter action to the other side, and be in great position to lead to the outside on the pitch play. You can also fake the dive to the FB and run a great option to that side with the QB and TB.
This formation also gives you a good passing formation with the TB releasing opposite the side of the FB or picking up any blitzing LB from that side for maximum pass protection.
When you want to go into a shotgun formation, you can move the FB, keep the TB in his spot and move the QB back 4 yards to receive the short snap. This will be good for your passing and still give the ability to run all your I formation running plays. This is similar to the “Pistol” formation that is being run by the U of Nevada. I hope this gives you some ideas to think about, Coach Tom Bass.
Question: Hello, I am a Pop Warner football coach, the offensive coordinator for ages 9 thru 11. I have been with my team for 2 years now and this year is the first year that I will have to call the plays in from the sideline.
Can you please tell me what is a good way for me to call an audible into my QB and team. I have a semi system now. Example say that I have a half back dive called but when they come to the line and a cornerback doesn’t pick up a wide out I will yell out fire to my QB and wide out and they know the play is changed to go deep and throw the bomb.
Teams we play are starting to pick up on that. Is there anyway that you can recommend that I call in an audible to my offense with out the other sideline picking up on them so easily?
Hi Coach,
This is an interesting question in that it brings up a number of challenges. First you do not want the other 9 players on the offense sitting at the line thinking there might be an audible called taking away their aggressiveness. Second, if you are only thinking of one situation you can easily change the call from week to week.
One way some coaches get around this situation is by starting out right away and have the QB call both a run and pass in the huddle. Then at the line the QB can start the cadence by calling out one or two indicating the first or second play. You can signal into the QB which play is the best to run from the side line by moving your right arm for the first play and your left arm for the second play as the defense gets set. Clasping your hands together would tell the QB to call out fire [hot – hot – burn] or a similar call as his first word and then the regular cadence.
Whatever method you use should be practiced every day in team period so that the entire team feels comfortable with the entire procedure, Coach Tom Bass.
Dear Coach,
I was just reading some of the questions & answers and the passing tree kept coming up. How can I find out more about this passing tree & how to implement it? Clint
Hi Clint,
Right here on usafootball.com, go to the Offense portion of the Coaching Guide. (Link) You will see three areas that concern the passing tree. Passing Tree I deals with the passing tree for wide receivers. Passing tree II is for the tight end. Passing tree III is for running backs.
The passing tree for the wide receivers and tight end have the individual pass routes numbered and named. The smaller numbers are for shorter pass routes the higher numbers are for deeper pass routes.
The passing tree for the running backs will have only the names of the routes.
This numbering system is designed to simplify the calling of plays in the huddle.
The first number signifies the pass route to be run by the receiver on the left, the second the receiver in the middle, and third the receiver on the right regardless of the formation that you may be using.
The players learn to associate the number with the route and then by their alignment know which pass route to run.
Example of a call in the huddle: Left Split [formation putting the flanker outside to the left, the tight end in the middle and the split end the wide receiver to the right] – 212 HB Flat [flanker runs a slant {2} – TE runs a short {1} – split end runs a slant {2} -and the HB runs a flat to the side of the split end] - on two – ready break.
This system gives you great flexibility in changing individual pass routes to create patterns that will best attack the defense you are facing in the game. After you have read the information on the passing tree please let me know if you still have questions, Coach Tom Bass.
Topic: Offense - General
Question: I’m a second year Coach for a youth football team (ages 5-8. What is an easy offense for kids that age to learn while still being able to compete?
Hi Coach,
I really feel that one of the easiest offenses to learn is the “Wing-T” formation. You can have a base running offense that consists of a FB plunge up the middle with the HB faking a sweep to the other side the QB running the bootleg [run or pass] opposite the sweep. This gives you deception and six plays you can run by setting the formation from one side to the other.
From this base you can run the FB in the G-T gap with the HB leading away from the TE and WB and the QB setting to play action pass. Then you can run the HB to the TE and WB side with the FB leading through the G-T gap on that side and QB setting to play action pass.
You can also run the HB of-tackle to the TE-WB side with the FB kicking out on the end man on the line and the QB running a bootleg after making the handoff to the opposite side.
Ultimately you can bring the WB back in a short motion, fake the handoff to the FB plunge and the HB sweep and give an underneath handoff to the WB if the defense is in fast pursuit to the outside to stop the sweep.
From this formation you can also have a base 3 and 5 set drop back passing game, and screen to either back.
Ideally you can start with the base three and then add another play each week if you feel that the offense has mastered running the previous plays, Coach Tom Bass.
Topic: Offense – Pass Protection
Question: Hi Coach,
In a multiple I offense, with the standard line up being 2 RB, 2 WR, and 1 TE, can you explain a basic pass protection scheme against and even and an odd front, for a 5-7 step drop?
Thanks! Coach C.
Hi Coach C,
When you are facing a seven-man front [combination of DL plus LB] you need to start with a maximum seven man protection scheme so that you can have a good idea that the QB will have time to pass the ball. Your first option would be to have big people on big people. Offensive linemen block defensive people.
In a five-two defense [odd] that would put the five offensive linemen on the five DL and two running backs on the two inside backers if they come. In a 4-3 defense [even] the offensive linemen would be responsible for blocking the four DL and the MLB with the two backs blocking the 2 outside LBers if they come.
If your backs are aware, you can teach them to check the LB and if he drops off in coverage then they can run a pass route called in the huddle or they can set back and give help to any OL that needs assistance.
An eight-man front gets a little more complicated. With a 4-4 defense [even] you can assign the tight end to the widest rusher on his side, the tackle on that side to the 2 rusher from the outside, the RB to the inside backer on that side and the OG to the DT on that side. That puts the center on the inside backer on the opposite side, the OG on the DT, the OT on the DE, and the back picking up the outside backer if he comes.
A 5-3 defense [odd] starts with the center taking the nose tackle, the OG on the TE side blocking the MLB, the TE and OT on his side taking one and two on that side, the OT opposite the TE taking the DE, the OG on that side taking the DT, and the two RB’s picking up the two OLB if they come.
If you feel that you are going to face a defense that changes fronts all during the game, it is often wise for the QB to call out the front when he comes to the line so the offensive players know which front they are going to have to block.
When you know the front [7 or 8 man front – odd or even alignment] you are going to face, you can take the time to walk through each player’s assignment and then work against that front during your offensive pass period.
Assignments are vital to good pass protection and then it is really important to spend time on teaching proper individual pass protection technique, Coach Tom Bass.