Modifying Your Run Game

Last week I talked about some fixes if you find your pass protection isn’t working out the way you thought, and offering some solutions to get it back on track. This week I’ll do the same for the run game.

Let’s say that your OL isn’t getting a push, or worse yet, getting driven backwards. The traditional lead/iso, dive or inside zone plays aren’t working for you. Outside of firing your OL, what do you do?

Get outside!
I think the first thing you have to do is to establish an outside run game. This takes emphasis away from the OL and puts it more on the backs. How you do it is up to you, as there are numerous ways: pitch, fly sweep, or the rocket pitch. Even the outside zone could be considered part of this, although it does take a little more of a physical presence from the OL than the others.

Once you establish your perimeter game, then it is much easier to counter that with the occasional inside run when you see defenses overplaying the outside threat.

Create misdirection
One of the great things about this is that it doesn’t change assignments of the OL. If you have two backs (and the QB) crossing in some form or fashion and there is doubt about who has the ball, it makes the defenses hesitate, and that may create enough of a physical advantage for your OL to win the battle.

You could formulate plays out of the “Diamond” formation (think Stanford/San Francisco with a RB on each side of the QB, along with 1 RB in back). The key to those runs is having one of the backs block backside pursuit so that the OL can send an extra blocker or two towards the playside. You also can have one of the RB’s block playside as well.

Have an effective pass game
Just because your OL may not be able to move people very well doesn’t mean they can’t be effective shields for your QB! Especially if you’ve developed a quick passing game (see my post from last week). If you can establish that you throw the ball efficiently, then instead of “play” action you can have “pass” action plays – delays off of a throwing motion, draws, mini-reverses off of sprint action, etc.

Utilize gap/down schemes
This could come about a variety of ways: if you’re a spread team, then you’re talking about counter trey, or one-back power schemes. If you’re an I-back team, then instead of the lead/iso mindset, maybe the power would be your “go to” play. Or you could become a Wing-T or Double Wing team. The main thing is that if your OL can’t move a defender one on one, then create angles for them.

Other thoughts
I had some feedback after my last post regarding fixing the root of the problem. I wholeheartedly agree that fixing the cause (OL technique or power) should be the number one priority. However, in the men’s semi-pro, the women’s and in the youth game, we don’t have off-season programs like you would see in high school. Although it is something I’ve long desired (the Dallas Diamonds under Coach Todd Hughes had a phenomenal workout plan), it has never really worked out. Maybe some of that is my fault, since I’ve been coaching in both the spring and fall for the past three years. I’m not coaching this fall, so maybe we can get something together. Anyway, sometimes at these levels you’re never quite sure what you have and what will work until it is a bit late in the game to think that your pass pro technique or run blocking prowess will all of a sudden get better.

The better you are at being realistic about what your team can and can’t do well, the earlier you can make adjustments that will put your players in the best position to succeed. I see it all the time – coaches want to be a spread team, throwing the ball around and they draw up plays that are well-designed…..if they could pass block, or if the QB had the arm strength to make the throws that are being drawn up.

I may have mentioned this story before, so forgive me, but my first offensive coordinator job was for a men’s team in 1999. I’d just come from the high school ranks and installed the offense we ran there. After the first game, it became apparent we couldn’t pass block to save our lives. Gave up 8 sacks that first game. The second week we played a lousy team and won. But then my QB just up and left. Didn’t see him again until 2005. We had a bye week, and one of my receivers came up to me and said, “Hey coach – how about we run the wishbone?” My response was to the effect of “as long as I’m here we’re not running any effing Wishbone…”

Well, once I thought about it a little bit, I came to the realization that my OL just wasn’t up to the task. Whether it was my coaching or their ability at that point didn’t matter – something had to change if we wanted to be anything other than lousy.

We installed the wishbone in four practices and ran it the rest of the year. We ended up being the second highest scoring offense in the league. Unfortunately for us, our defense was second from the bottom, so we ended up 7-5.

The point is how things don’t work out the way you might think, even after seeing your team in practice for weeks. I hope that what I offered up this week and last week may get you through the season until you can re-start your efforts to improve your OL.