Triple Screen

Running screen plays is often exciting (or scary if you're on defense) to see. I'm not talking about the quick wide receiver screens, I'm talking about the jail breaks and other screens which are designed to look like a complete disaster in pass protection only to see that it was done intentionally to allow the linemen to get up field to block for a running back. Every team has a couple of these types of screens in their playbook. They can be run to one side or the other, or the screen can be thrown in the middle of the field. But, what about a play that allows the quarterback to choose to throw the ball to one of three different screen setups? A triple screen has wide outs set to receive screens on the outside with other receivers and maybe a tackle to block for them, and a running back in position for a middle screen with the center and guards to be his lead blockers. This is a terrible concept for defenses. Assuming that the defense identifies that they are being set up for a screen (which doesn't always happen), where are they supposed to go? Having three different options spreads defenders out, and can make for easy pickings for the offense. The difficulty in this play is that the quarterback has to make a decision with pressure breathing down his back, and there is also the possibility of the pass being picked off. I think that this can be something fun for coaches to play around with and can certainly add a new element to their screen game.

Triple Option

The triple option is in no way a "New Football Scheme", however it's popularity has grown rapidly in recent years. The most common form of the triple option is the Veer. The Veer was invented in 1965 by Bill Yeoman from the University of Houston who ran it out of a split back offense. What makes the triple options such great plays is that two defenders are optioned by the quarterback, which means that those two players do not need to be blocked, which frees up offensive lineman to double team and pick up other defensemen. In recent years many high schools have been switching to a double wing, wing t, or flexbone offense in order to take advantage of the effectiveness of the veer option.

Although the triple option has had a lot of success, especially at the high school level, I would caution coaches against using it as the mainstay of their offense. By running theses plays in high school, many talented running backs and quarterbacks do not develop their abilities to run plays which they will see at the college level. A running back in a double wing does not gain a lot of experience making reads on power, Iso, Counter, and other more traditional plays which they are more likely to see at the college level. My recommendation is to use triple options as an addition to the offense that you already have. This not only helps the development of your players, but also makes defensive game planning very difficult for your opponents.

Sorry that I have been gone for so long.

A couple weeks ago I received a job as William Henry Harrison High School's Freshman Running Backs Coach. I will be working along side of the freshman head coach Roger Osborne who once played for the Cincinnati Bengals as a long snapper. I have a list of plays that Coach Oz wants to run, and I have to say that it is an interesting collection of plays. Many of the plays are the plays that the high school coach (Neal Kasner) wants the freshman to learn, while others are plays that Coach Oz wants to use to throw off freshman defenses as well as add an extra element of fun into the game. It is a mix between traditional offensive attacks, and "New Football Schemes".

I am excited to begin working with the young men this summer. It is a great opportunity for me to advance my coaching skills, as well as learn how to implement "New Football Schemes" into a program who's tradition is a traditional offensive approach.