1. Option from the Spread Leesville Road Football David Green, Head Coach,

2. Advantages One defensive lineman is always “blocked” by the QB
Allows us to get a numbers advantage
Allows for different types of personnel
Don’t need to have tight end, fullback, tailback
Can get by with smaller linemen
Can run it with different types of QBs
One that throws well, runs OK
One that runs well, throws OK

3. More Advantages Forces defenses to play “honest”
Secondary must help on run, opens up passing game
Defense must be disciplined, carry out assignments for dive, QB, pitch and pass
Create running lanes by spreading the defense
Quarterback takes fewer hits than option under center
Read is easier for QB than under center
Read is not as “quick”

4. Alignment QB aligns at 4 ½ yards Running back aligns at 5 yards
Should be between guard and tackle
Wide Receiver on bottom of numbers
Slot Receiver and H-back align halfway between tackle and WR

5. Splits Three foot splits for OG and OT Move down one foot if uncovered
Helps with double teams
Widen one foot if covered
Opens running lanes
Only the guards are in 3 point stance
Helps guards with run block
2 point stance helps tackles with pass block

6. Splits

7. When to Run or Pass Five in the box—RUN! Six in the box—Run or pass
This is what we encounter most
Seven in the box—Throw the ball
Or move another offensive player into the box
Two back formation
Tight end or wingback

8. Our Play Calls We are a no-huddle team
Much of the season, we played at a two-minute pace
We call most plays at the line of scrimmage
We use names for plays
Presidents, types of dogs, cars, etc
QB must vary the calls
We use another call for direction

9. Play 1: Basic Gun Triple Dive option from the gun
QB aligns at 4 ½ yards
After taking the snap, he should open towards the running back
Eyes on first lineman on or outside the OT
Extend the ball out over his back foot
Transfer weight to front foot and ride the running back as he comes through

10. Dive Read Dive read is first lineman on or outside the tackle
He is almost always aligned outside the tackle
If the read closes hard on the dive back, QB pulls
If he can’t get to the back, give the ball
Sometimes, we may change the read to whether or not he can tackle the QB if we think they are weaker outside

11. Reads QB should pull by the time the running back crosses parallel
QB accelerates to inside shoulder of the next defender
Try to get north-south as soon as possible
Run to daylight
“You see green grass, get in it quickly”
If the defender takes QB, then pitch
Once defender can’t get to the pitch back

12. Running back steps Running back aligns at 5 yards
Between Offensive guard and Offensive tackle
First step is toward the QB
Something of a slide step
Shoulders square
Important so he can make cut
Don’t let them take shortcut—make them take this step with shoulders square
Make pocket, eyes on aiming point
“A” gap
It is the back’s responsibility to run over the football
Second step is forward
Accelerate once he sees the hole

13. Aiming Point Running back’s aiming point is “A” gap
He will break to where pressure to close the gap comes from
If “A” gap is closed by 3 technique, he will break back under the defensive end
If “A” gap is closed by a nose guard aligned opposite, he will break to the backside
If “A” gap is closed by a nose guard aligned play side, he will break away from the nose guard to open space

14. Breaking under DE
We want to work on having him break back under the defensive end
This is where it opens most
This is where it opens for biggest gains
This is the most difficult thing to teach
Unless he’s a natural, you must rep it constantly

15. Pitch Back and Motion Pitch Relationship
The pitch back is to get to a point one yard deeper than the QB and 5 yards outside the QB
No matter where he comes from, he must get to that point by the time the QB is ready to pitch
Must rep this constantly
Vary the types of motion to confuse the defense
Otherwise, they can defend you according to formation
For example, you always pitch away from the H-back

16. “Happy” motion Normal motion from the H-back position
H-back will aim for a spot one yard behind the QB
Back goes into motion on the count before the snap
Example: “set….hit”, he goes on set
QB calls for snap (“hit”) when back is behind the tackle
If you snap on “two”, back goes in motion on “one”
Maintain proper pitch relationship throughout the play
Catch the ball running north-south at full speed

17. Triple (Happy Motion)

18. “Back Up” Back is not in motion Much more difficult to master
H-back takes 3 to 4 steps back and slightly inward on the snap
Different backs may have to vary their steps
Watch the QB, time your steps to get relationship
Then back comes forward as QB approaches to get in pitch relationship
One yard behind, five yards outside

19. Triple (Back Up)

20. Coaching Points
Pitch back should be accelerating full speed when he catches the pitch
Biggest danger is in being too wide
Second biggest problem is getting ahead of the QB
Responsibility for being in the right spot and timing it properly is the H-backs

21. “Twirl” H-back begins normal motion as in “Happy”
When the ball is snapped, he plants his inside foot, opens his hips and drop steps with his other foot
He will get in pitch relationship in the direction he started from
He keeps his eyes on the QB at all times
This is not difficult to master and helps confuse the defense
Some teams make major adjustments to motion, this causes them problems or at least forces them to slow down the adjustment

22. Triple (Twirl Motion)

23. “Two gun” No motion is required from this formation
Two running backs, aligned at 5 yards, between the OG and OT
Pitch back must gain depth with his first step
Get into pitch relationship
Many defenses will put an extra defender in the box

24. Gun Triple (Two gun)

25. “Empty” From an empty set, we motion to the running back position
As he approaches the running back position, have him square his shoulders
The pitch will have to be back up

26. Gun Triple (Empty)

27. Blocking Playside
We will double team (combo) the down lineman on the side of the play
2 or 3 technique will be doubled by the playside tackle and guard
0 or 1 technique will be doubled by the center and playside guard
We want to run through the double team to the linebacker
“Get under his pads and run”

28. Blocking Backside We will also double team a noseguard backside
We want to run through the double team to the backside linebacker
If we have a 3 technique backside, the backside guard blocks him out
Backside tackle blocks out
This is the biggest difference from option blocking under center—you can’t send the backside tackle downfield
Back may cut that direction

29. Blocking Rules Center: Double noseguard to LB
Playside guard: double lineman on or inside to linebacker
If no lineman, go to linebacker
Playside tackle: double lineman inside to linebacker
Backside guard: lineman on or inside
If inside, double to linebacker
Backside tackle: lineman on or outside

30. Receivers Blocking Receivers block the man on them
Slot receiver to play side can block safety and leave the man on him as the pitch read
Count defenders from offensive tackle out
Leave #2 for pitch read
We usually tell him to make the easiest block
Be sure to get one of them

31. Coaching Points We do option drill every day until the season starts
Three days a week once games begin
Plus pre-game on game day
You must practice the reads and relationships religiously to run the option
We can get under center in the I with very slight adjustments

32. Gun Triple

33. Gun Triple “Twirl”

34. Play 2: Gun triple trap
Many people run the gun triple option to the backside
They just zone block it
Very effective
We prefer to trap the backside
We get an extra blocker to that side by pulling a backside lineman
Can run it without a great back who has “vision”

35. Gun Triple Trap

36. Alignment, Reads, Motion
Alignment, steps for backs are the same as for the basic gun triple
Except running back lines up on backside rather than on playside
Helps confuse the defense
Lets us run to the shade-5 bubble
Quarterback’s reads are the same
Possible formations, motions are the same

37. Aiming Point Aiming point of the running back changes
Once he gets the ball, he follows the pulling lineman
We will pull either the backside guard or tackle (if guard is covered)
Kick out the defensive end
Ball will be run to the side away from the running back

38. Reading the block
If the pulling lineman kicks out the defensive end, back cuts up inside the block
If the pulling lineman has to log block the defensive end, the back will cut to the outside
It is important that the back take his slide step in order not to get to the hole too fast
If he takes a short cut, he won’t be in position to read the block

39. Blocking Playside
We will again double team (combo) the down lineman on the side of the play
2 or 3 technique will be doubled by the playside tackle and guard
0 or 1 technique will be doubled by the center and playside guard
We want to run through the double team to the linebacker
“Get under his pads and run”

40. Blocking Backside We will pull the guard on the backside
The center would take the backside nose
The tackle will then get to the next level
Try to cut off the LB, if not go to safety
Always teach linemen to work to next level
If the guard is covered, he will block the lineman covering him
The tackle will then pull and kickout the defensive end

41. Rules Center: blocks base (usually noseguard)
Playside guard: double lineman on or inside to linebacker
If no lineman, go to linebacker
Playside tackle: double lineman inside to linebacker
Backside guard: pull and kickout DE if uncovered
Block lineman if covered
Backside tackle: pull and kickout DE if guard is covered
Block LB to safety if guard is uncovered
Backside guard makes call to backside tackle
“You—me”, etc

42. Receivers Blocking Receivers block the man on them
Slot receiver to play side can block safety and leave the man on him as the pitch read
Count defenders from offensive tackle out
Leave #2 for pitch read
We usually tell him to make the easiest block
Be sure to get one of them

43. Pitch Back Pitch back is opposite side from basic triple
This will affect your formation (depending on type of motion used)
Backs will eventually learn to use the proper motion based on formation
The pitch back knows to be in a certain spot and must get there
One yard behind QB, 5 yards outside
We begin practice by calling the motions for them
Once they learn it, we don’t call it

44. Triple Trap

45. Play 3: Speed Option Alignment is the same
Running back is the pitch back
Gets depth with first step
Get into pitch relationship quickly
Eyes on the quarterback in case he has to pitch quickly
Quarterback runs at the inside shoulder of the first man outside the tackle
Pitch as soon as that defender can not get to the pitch back
Turn upfield if the defender goes to the pitch

46. Speed Option

47. Blocking Playside
We will again double team (combo) the down lineman on the side of the play
2 or 3 technique will be doubled by the playside tackle and guard
0 or 1 technique will be doubled by the center and playside guard
We want to run through the double team to the linebacker
“Get under his pads and run”

48. Rules Center: lineman on or backside gap to backside linebacker
Playside guard: double lineman on or inside to linebacker
If no lineman, go to linebacker
Playside tackle: double lineman inside to linebacker
Backside guard: base block (lineman on or backside backside gap to LB)
Backside tackle: Seal inside
Make sure lineman does not crash hard inside
Get to next level

49. Receivers Blocking All receivers must block the man on them
Slot receiver must block the man on him
This is the key block
Run off defenders versus man
Can be excellent run play versus man
This can be good in trips if you can get number advantage

50. Speed Option

51. Play 4: Slot Trap
We use the slot receiver in motion to make a kickout block
Motion just behind line of scrimmage
Ball should be snapped as he reaches the backside tackle
QB takes same steps, make same read as in base triple or triple trap
RB comes across just like in trap
Running back reads the trap block by receiver
H-back is the pitch back
Use any motion or set to get him into pitch position

52. Slot Trap

53. Blocking Playside
We will again double team (combo) the down lineman on the side of the play
2 or 3 technique will be doubled by the playside tackle and guard
0 or 1 technique will be doubled by the center and playside guard
We want to run through the double team to the linebacker
“Get under his pads and run”

54. Rules Center: blocks base (usually nose guard)
Playside guard: double lineman on or inside to linebacker
If no lineman, go to linebacker
Playside tackle: double lineman inside to linebacker
Backside guard: double lineman on or inside to to linebacker
Backside tackle: double lineman inside to linebacker

55. Receivers Slot receiver will trap first lineman on or outside our OT
Kick him out if possible
Log block if he closes down
H-back will be the pitch back
Wide receivers will block man on

56. Slot Trap

57. Play 5: Counter Read We make the same dive read on the counter
Alignment is the same on the counter as on the trap
Running back lines up backside
We do not have to worry about formation
Pitch back is not needed
No motion is required
We will sometimes use motion to confuse the defense

58. Counter Read

59. Pass not Pitch We throw rather than run pitch option off of this
QB has run or pass option after making dive read
Bootleg type play
You can run this with a pitch option if you want
Pitch would be just like in trap

60. Backfield Action
QB opens to the running back and makes read just as in the triple
Running back begins by taking a jab step to the outside
Then comes across in front of the QB on mesh
Follow pulling linemen to the hole
Both guard and tackle will pull
Read guard’s block and follow tackle into the hole

61. Quarterback outside
After the mesh, the QB will take a deep drop step to gain depth
He will hide his hands on his hips and bootleg to outside
Initial read on the pass will be the defender lined up on the slot receiver
If he comes up on QB, throw to slot
If he stays back, run the ball
May also throw to wide receiver if corner comes up

62. Routes Slot receiver will run hitch initially
Then slide to outside into open space as the play develops
As linebackers from inside move outside, slide away from them
Create a passing lane for QB
Outside wide receiver will run “banana” route
Start inside as if to block safety, then break back to deep corner
Play is slow developing, so there is plenty of time—don’t rush into the route

63. “Tommy” call
If the running back does not get the ball, he will make a call for the lineman
We use “Tommy”—the QB’s name
When linemen hear this, they know it is a pass and do not go downfield
We’ve never been called for lineman downfield
Playside receivers will run pass route only if they hear the call—otherwise they block for the run
Inside receiver will drag
Wide receiver will post

64. Blocking
We will block down with all linemen on the playside and pull all linemen from the backside
Center will block first lineman headup to backside
He will have to step deep if there is a 3 technique backside
Toughest block he has to make
Have to rep it to avoid collision
Only has to get a good piece of 3 technique

65. Rules Playside guard: Block down, lineman to linebacker
If there is no lineman between the guard and headup the center, go to backside linebacker
Playside tackle: Block down, lineman to linebacker
If there is no lineman between the tackle and headup the guard, go to playside linebacker
Backside guard: Pull and kick out first lineman on or past OT
If defender closes down, log him

66. Rules for backside tackle
Backside tackle: Pull and lead into hole
If guard kicks out, cut up inside
If guard logs, go outside
Block the first thing that shows
Expect the backside linebacker
Pull slightly deeper than the guard
This gives him room to maneuver
Never let the other color cross your face
If leakage occurs, take it out

67. Counter Read