What Is Exactly The Power Spread?

[Air Raid]

Bomber-

I've been doing the same thing I think?? I've been calling the Slot Wheels play from the SG Spread and then Slanting the outside recievers....they seem to be open A LOT....if they are not then I look to the wheel routes...I'll switch from side to side to keep the defense honest...is this what you are talking about?.......have you had better success with the In routes or the Slant routes??......are there any other formations/plays that this strategy works from.....ie: other wheel routes (I know abour the Wheelies from 5-wide)....

Anybody-

One other question.....for anybody......what are some of the more successful plays for passing to HB/FB out of the backfield?? I have GREAT success with the HB circle from SG 2Back Slot and the All Curls play from the SG Bunch (the pick play that Bomber has described in the Run and Gun thread is the same one that I use)

[mad_bomber]

There's a play action pass from the Shotgun Normal formation that has a wheel route. I'll use it with that formation as well. I seem to have more success using the "In" hot route although they both work. I generally use the In route because it seems to allow the receiver to gain inside leverage a little better than the slant.

[Air Raid]

Thanks Bomber.....I'll give it a try tonight (after the cougars game!)!

[rhombic21]

I have a couple questions for you power spread guys.

1) What is the minimum speed rating that you need your QB to have, and which is more important, OL blocking or QB speed? For example, if I wanted to install the power spread, which would be a better team to take, Tennessee which has a servicable running QB (72 SPD) and a pretty good OL, or Virginia, which has a very fast QB (82 SPD), but not as good of an OL overall? Generally speaking, how big a part of the offense is the QB run game, and how vital is it that he be able to burn the defense with big plays on the ground (as opposed to getting a consistent 5 or 6 yards, but never breaking a long run)?

2) What kinds of plays do you call to pick up a 3rd and 2 when you expect that the defense is going to be coming with a run blitz? It seems like one of the problems with the power spread (in my experience), is that unlike the regular power run attack (out of conventional I formation and Ace Big sets), you can't just line up and power over people. The offense seems based on running against a pass defense, and passing against a run defense. The problem is that there are certain times (such as late in the game when you can't risk an incompletion or INT), when you need to be able to run the ball against an aggressive defensive front that is expecting the run. What kinds of plays do you go to from a power spread philosophy to pick up first downs in those instances?

[DRM]

I could care less how fast my QB is, I just finished my first season with OU and White (56 spd I think) had 2873 yards passing 28 td's 3 int's and had 423 yards 11 tds on the ground, I can't remember how many carries he had but I ran him on draws and options without hesitation.

All I ever want out of my run game is a consistant 4 yards, if the big play happens it happens, but its not vital to the sucess of my offense. I redshirted Paul Thompson and he will be my starting QB for the next 2 years so the qb running game may become a bigger part of my offense. I think its really up to you how you want to run your offense.

Both of the QB's you listed could run for 100 yards per game, any QB with 70+ spd is very servicable in this offense. One thing about this scheme is it is very flexible to your personel.

As for your question about short yardage playcalling, thats a good one. In a situation like that I have had alot of success with quick screens and shovel passes, now about the shovel pass, there isn't one in the playbook that I'm aware of, that being said the shovel is just a quick pitch to the rb, kinda a draw/screen play. I like to call plays with the rb running a delay route and just drop back until he starts to run his route and I just flip it out to him. That play has become a play that I use very frequently in all situations.

If I just can't risk an incompletion then I will try to read where his blitz is comming from, if he is sending pressure up the middle I will try a qb sweep or sprint or something to the rb to the outside away from the pressure, if he is comming from the outside run a qb or hb draw. If he is sending an allout blitz well you could take a chance that you will break a tackle and get into the secondary which will pretty much mean a free run to the endzone or just roll the dice and throw a pass. Maybe some of the other guys here can give you a little better advice than that but because of my defense I can afford to gamble a bit.

So there is my long winded and confusing answers to your questions, I hope you can get something useful out of them.

[Air Raid]

To Answer your first question: I have found that a team with a great O-line helps me more than a team with a fast QB.......I have had success running this style of offense with teams like Toledo (QB SPD 56), Lousianna Tech (QB SPD 72?), Washington State (QB SPD 65), and Minnesota (QB SPD 60ish?)......that is why West Virgina is my "go to" team, because of thier great offensive line........

To Answer Your Second Question: I would suggest finding a couple of running plays that you are comfortable with and get REALLY good at running them in all situations.....I like to use Speed Option out of SG Bunch and SG Y-Trips, Ace Normal Dive, Ace Bunch Dive, SG Splits Power Option, HB/FB ISOs/Blasts and Triple Option/Speed option out of I-Formations.....I feel like I can get 2 yards or more EVERY time I run these plays......Also don't forget that you can mix in a couple of power sets with your spread formations.....That is what West Virgina does...I like to use playbooks that have mostly SG Formations and 1-3 power running sets for those types of situations (Oklahoma, Memphis, South Carolina etc...)......

My Custom Playbook looks like this (this is always changing) and the Short yardage plays I like to run from them:

I-Formation Tight (FB Blast)
I-Formation Normal (Triple Option, but keep the ball and follow the FB up the middle)
Ace Bunch (HB Dive)
SG Splits (Power Option)
SG 2 Back Slot (Speed Option, motion FB to block Left Defensive End)
SG Y-Trips (Speed Option, Sometimes QB draw and follow the HB)
SG Bunch (Speed Option)
SG Spread (HB Direct, QB Choice depending on which side the D shifts)
SG 5-Wide (Quick Slant or crossing pattern, sometimes QB Draw)

Hope that helps....

[Air Raid]

....For all of you who run this style of offense...I have found that setting your substitution rate high really helps with the production of this offense...I use to not set it higher than 50% because I always wanted my best players out on the field for as long as possible....however I started to set it higher because I wanted to get my #2 back in the game more and have found that if you run this offense like I do and run the ball a lot (65% or more), having a fresh set of legs really helps in the backfield....especially as the D starts to get tired...not a real big finding, but I have found that it helps me a lot!...Plus if you can get both of your backs gaining momentum and busting tackles, it can be a real long day for the D .....

...also take a look at SG Trips>HB Screen....but don't look to the HB...look at your #1 reciever...if he is isolated on the left side look to throw him the ball....he runs a natural slant/crossing pattern that goes to the inside of the CB....I like to snap it and then throw it to him immediately for a quick hitter and if I see that the D is bringing in the safeties and leaveing the CB on an island I will hold the ball for an extra second and then hit the #1 WR and let him take it to the house!....this won't work against a double team or if they put a LB in the passing lane, but against 1-on-1 man or zone this play is killer....it will take sometime to get the timing down....(works the best if you have an accurate QB and a tall/physical WR)....I have not tried it in all game situations...but I used it twice last night in a game...once for an 8 yard gain and the second for a 32 yard touchdown.....

...just some ideas....

[mad_bomber]

I have my Sub Out set at 75% and Sub In at 85%. This really allows for more players to get on the field even on defense.

[Fluff E Bunny]

....For all of you who run this style of offense...I have found that setting your substitution rate high really helps with the production of this offense...I use to not set it higher than 50% because I always wanted my best players out on the field for as long as possible....however I started to set it higher because I wanted to get my #2 back in the game more and have found that if you run this offense like I do and run the ball a lot (65% or more), having a fresh set of legs really helps in the backfield....especially as the D starts to get tired...not a real big finding, but I have found that it helps me a lot!...Plus if you can get both of your backs gaining momentum and busting tackles, it can be a real long day for the D .....

...also take a look at SG Trips>HB Screen....but don't look to the HB...look at your #1 reciever...if he is isolated on the left side look to throw him the ball....he runs a natural slant/crossing pattern that goes to the inside of the CB....I like to snap it and then throw it to him immediately for a quick hitter and if I see that the D is bringing in the safeties and leaveing the CB on an island I will hold the ball for an extra second and then hit the #1 WR and let him take it to the house!....this won't work against a double team or if they put a LB in the passing lane, but against 1-on-1 man or zone this play is killer....it will take sometime to get the timing down....(works the best if you have an accurate QB and a tall/physical WR)....I have not tried it in all game situations...but I used it twice last night in a game...once for an 8 yard gain and the second for a 32 yard touchdown.....

...just some ideas....

I have my subbing at 85%, but that was mainly because I use FSU and have two good backs with differing styles and wanted to have em both play. But since I'm running probably 80% out of the spread, your news is good news!

As for that HB screen play, I think I'll have to skip it since my QB (Rix) doesn't meet that accurate criterion

I'd be happy as a clam if the screens and swing passes actually worked in this game.

[Air Raid]

...Ahhh.....yes....swing passes....one of the easiest and most used play in football and we can't even think about using them...it's really a shame....

...If I could throw swing passes, HB Screens and the bubble screen (from the SG) I think I could stomach everything else that is not quite right this year (dropped passes, blocking AI, roaming LBs, HFA...etc).....

...PLESE NOTE: On the HB Screen pass out of SG Trips, be careful of a good CB matched up on your WR...if not timed right...the corner will use his psychic powers and jump the pass for the pick....yes..that's right...he will break to were the ball is going before it even leaves the QBs hand...

[Jeremy7679]

...Ahhh.....yes....swing passes....one of the easiest and most used play in football and we can't even think about using them...it's really a shame...

Yea, the swing passes arent very effective and frankly arent run correctly. I have had minimal success with the swing route from Post Cross out of the Ace-Y-Trips formation, but Ive never broken it for more than about 10 yards.

[mad_bomber]

The closest thing I've found to an effective swing pass is in the play I Form Slot Stretch. The two outside receivers run fade routes and the slot receiver runs a post. The fullback shoots out of the backfield to the flats on the single receiver side and the halfback runs what I consider to be the closest thing to a swing route to the flat on the two receiver side.

Basically with this play I'm looking to take a shot down the field. If I get one on one on the outside I'll look to the fades. Against cover 2 the post is my primary read. You'll have to watchout for the middle linebacker "hunting up" in the deep middle. The route to the halfback is solid against pressure. Sometimes against man coverage I'll hot route the two receivers on that side to slant routes hoping to bump the defender responsible for the halfback. I'll also motion the fullback to that side so that my halfback will be matched in man coverage against a defender who has to come from the inside.

[Tommie Frazier]

Well I caught the Utah/New Mexico game last night just to see if I could get inspired by watching the Utes. There was one thing that I was able to incorporate into my gameplan for use when I play online with the Mountaineers.

I noticed that Utah lined up with a lot of 5 receiver sets...especially early in the game and then a RB would motion into the backfield before the snap. This prompted me to go into practice and I noticed that if I called the SG 5 WR set (OU playbook) that if I audibled into one of my running plays like the SG Spread QB option the 5th WR would line up in the backfield as the RB. Well since that was the only set in my playbook with 5 WR's on the field...I subbed in Kay Jay Harris and it made for a nice little addition to my arsenal.

Then in the 3rd online game of the night...I finally mustered up enough courage to put it to use and it worked great. After I audibled into the QB Option from the SG Spread and got a first down with the QB Option play it prompted the guy to quit...haha. That's not saying much cause his profile says that he quits well over half his games...but it was cool that it had some effect anyway.

I average a 50/50 split in my play-calling online...but what Utah taught me tonight was to pass the ball a lot early. Get your opponent to think that if you're gonna line up in the Shot Gun...you're gonna pass. So instead of trying to establish the run early...in the games tonight I established the pass early by utilizing a ton of short routes. Not only did this get my opponent to think pass..and not prompt him to spread his line out every play to cut down the outside running game...but it also jacked up Rasheed's Marshall rating to where he really couldn't miss.

Good lord do I love watching the Power Spread.

[mad_bomber]

From my understanding former Alabama, Arizona, UCLA offensive coordinator Homer Smith is credited with many of those gun running schemes that seemingly every team uses today. I read where Tommy Bowden credited Homer Smith and his use of the shotgun as the reason he started using the gun when he was the offensive coordinator at Auburn and later the head coach at Tulane with Rich Rodriguez. He also stated that when he and Terry started using the gun at Auburn, their dad borrowed a few ideas from them and thus Florida State starting using the gun.

[Air Raid]

Well I caught the Utah/New Mexico game last night just to see if I could get inspired by watching the Utes. There was one thing that I was able to incorporate into my gameplan for use when I play online with the Mountaineers.

I noticed that Utah lined up with a lot of 5 receiver sets...especially early in the game and then a RB would motion into the backfield before the snap. This prompted me to go into practice and I noticed that if I called the SG 5 WR set (OU playbook) that if I audibled into one of my running plays like the SG Spread QB option the 5th WR would line up in the backfield as the RB. Well since that was the only set in my playbook with 5 WR's on the field...I subbed in Kay Jay Harris and it made for a nice little addition to my arsenal.

Then in the 3rd online game of the night...I finally mustered up enough courage to put it to use and it worked great. After I audibled into the QB Option from the SG Spread and got a first down with the QB Option play it prompted the guy to quit...haha. That's not saying much cause his profile says that he quits well over half his games...but it was cool that it had some effect anyway.

I average a 50/50 split in my play-calling online...but what Utah taught me tonight was to pass the ball a lot early. Get your opponent to think that if you're gonna line up in the Shot Gun...you're gonna pass. So instead of trying to establish the run early...in the games tonight I established the pass early by utilizing a ton of short routes. Not only did this get my opponent to think pass..and not prompt him to spread his line out every play to cut down the outside running game...but it also jacked up Rasheed's Marshall rating to where he really couldn't miss.

Good lord do I love watching the Power Spread.

...I wish I could create all of the motion that Utah uses from the 5-wide set...and it would also be nice to run some of the option plays they run from that set as well....I too, like you...use teh 5-wide set and then audible to the SG spread set and run the ball...really throws a guy for a loop if you do it when he is thinking pass.....

...I have also started to open up my passing game early on in ballgames to set the tone...if I can come out gunning and get a TD or two on the board then I can really control the tempo and the game with my ground attack (which I have put some new wrinkles in... ...I will post them shortly)....the key for me to getting the passing game going is to try and get my best reciever going...if I can get him hot and get his momentum up then I have an answer for every down and distance....

...after watching the Utah/New Mexico and South Carolina/Alabama games I got some ideas on running the football and they are working nicely...