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From our Coaching section, here are two viewpoints on how Shelton M. can call plays in his huddle. Shelton asks:
"I am trying to incorporate play action to my playbook for 10 yrs old. What is the best way to call the play? (An example is Eagle Right PA 21 Dive.) I have looking to have more running plays that will passing plays associated with them."
There are many ways to verbalize a play in the huddle and the key rule to follow is make it as simple as possible and find what works best for you and your players. Your example of Eagles Right PA 21 Dive runs the risk of being confusing to some because you end with the word Dive which means run play. I think you would have more success if you call it Eagles Right 21 Dive Pass. This tells everyone it's a pass play and tells your backs that they will fake 21 dive. If you shuttle in plays with a player the PA may get lost somewhere between the sideline and huddle. If you use a passing tree and number your routes you may want to include that in your play call so all the receivers are clear on what routes they are running, for example: Eagles Right 21 Dive, 456 Pass.
The important thing in calling your play action passes is to make sure there is no confusion in the huddle if it is a run or pass. One factor that will influence your decision will be how you call your base running plays and pass plays.
If you use the terms run or pass in your base play calls or in your teaching, it might be a good idea to introduce another word for your play action passes. This could be a color or a direction that is only used when calling a play action pass. Example: Eagles Right - Green - 21 Dive or Eagles Right - North - 21 Dive.
When the offensive players hear the quarterback use the color "Green" or "North" in the play call, they know immediately that it is going to be a play action pass.
One advantage of using a color is that if you plan on calling an audible using a color for any audible, it could be a live color all year for only play action passes, with another weekly live color for all other plays
Whatever system you use, because you will only use a play action pass on a limited bases during a game, it will be important that you integrate a play action pass call into your team and group periods of your practice schedule.
Whatever designation you use to define play action passes, it is often advisable to have the quarterback repeat the key word as he calls the play in the huddle as he would at the line of scrimmage for an audible. Example: Eagles Right - Green - Green -21 Dive. This will help to eliminate any confusion and help insure that every offensive player has the call.