Showing posts with label Coach Rod. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Coach Rod. Show all posts

Thursday, December 2, 2010

A Wild Game - Michigan vs Illinois 2010

Hey folks! Just in case you hadn't seen this game last month, here's a video below of the spread offense fest between Michigan and Illinois. The game went into triple overtime, with Michigan finally prevailing 67-65.



Keep spreading 'em!

--Mark

www.SpreadOffense.com

Tuesday, October 5, 2010

Denard and QB Sweep Pass Out Of The Spread Offense

Hey Folks! As I've been watching film of the Michigan spread offense from this year to date, there is one specific play and/or scheme that Coach Rod and Coach McGee have been calling and the players executing that makes me go 'Wow'!

Now we all know the threat that Denard Robinson brings with his legs at the dual threat quarterback position, and one play that has been working extremely well is the QB Sweep out of trips formation.

Basically this QB run play is a 'hat on hat' play where the superback (or half-back in the shot gun alongside the QB) will lead the QB on a sweep play with the rest of the offensive players executing 'on' blocks, especially on the perimeter. The interior linemen are executing outside zone and reach blocks on this play, trying to work to the outside of the 'V' of the neck of the defensive linemen and working to drive the opponent off the line of scrimmage while working to the second level linebackers once movement occurs.

Here's a video showing the play I mention above, with the trips being created on this play by a tight end (TE) and two flankers (FL). You'll notice on this play the play-side offensive tackle (OT) executes a nice fold block to get to the perimeter backer with the TE blocking down.




Now that we've seen a visual of the run play, lets look below at a very hard to defend counter to that play, a QB Sweep Pass.



Lets take a look at this in a static play diagram below.



OK, now put yourself in Notre Dame's defenses shoes on this play - you have the best dual threat quarterback in the nation coming at the perimeter of your defense with his lead back ahead of him, you're thinking QB Sweep right?

Wrong! Denard pulls up and flips an easy touchdown pass to his #3 receiver out of the trips formation. Notice in the video how the Notre Dame's linebackers Sam, Buck, and Mike come flying up to defend the QB run, leaving the defense one defender short in covering the pass to the trips formation.

This highlights the pressure a dual threat QB can place on a defense.

Keep spreading e'm!

Mark

www.SpreadOffense.com

Monday, September 27, 2010

Michigan Spread Offense - Every Snap vs Bowling Green in 2010

Hey Folks! How does a spread offense video sound to you that shows 82 offensive snaps, 721 total yards of offense, 31 first downs, and 9 touchdowns?





Keep spreading e'm!

Mark

Get Your Spread Offense Playbook - Offense and Defense

Wednesday, September 15, 2010

The Denard Robinson Show - Michigan vs Notre Dame 2010

Hey Folks! In case you didn't see the game, here's every offensive snap of Denard Robinson and the University of Michigan spread offense versus Notre Dame last weekend.

Robinson, a dynamic dual threat quarterback in Rich Rodriguez's spread offense contributed 502 yards of total offense, with 258 on the ground and 244 yards passing.

Being a coach, I have to give a lot of Robinson's early season credit to the Michigan offensive line and the perimeter blocking by the wide receivers.

Great job!

Here's the video:




Keep spreading e'm!

--Mark

www.SpreadOffense.tv (all spread offense videos, 24/7/365)

Main Portal: www.SpreadOffense.com

Monday, September 6, 2010

Michigan Spread Offense Solid In 2010 Season Opener

Hey folks! The University of Michigan football team had a nice opening day victory over the University of Connecticut out of the Big East.

Coach Rich Rodriguez's spread offense was very effective, especially highlighting dual threat quarterback Denard Robinson. I really like what they did with the quarterback isolation play (QB ISO) in this game, spreading the field out and then using the numerical advantage in the box to run Robinson, an athletic QB with the Ace (or superback) leading through the hole.

Robinson's throwing was probably the most impressive, he showed great accuracy, great decision making, and had nice zip on the ball.

Here is a nice video clip segment of all the Michigan offensive plays in the game.



Keep spreading e'm!

Mark

www.SpreadOffense.com

Sunday, May 9, 2010

3x1 Spread Offense Set - Quick Screen Off Zone Action

Sorry guys for not posting lately... I've been like a one legged man in an ass kicking contest the past few weeks! Anyway... I found this nice video below and I'll give my take on it.

You'll see Michigan vs Illinois here in 2009 in a 2nd and 6 situation just outside of the red zone. Michigan is in a 3x1 shot gun spread set, on the right hash mark. They line with trips to the field, and the open (X) to the boundary.

Illinois is in a 40 Cover 1 (Man, Free) with 6 defenders in the box. If you guys have read some of my stuff in the past, I'm surprised that Calvin Magee didn't call down to Coach Rod on this play to run the zone read ... because we know with 6 in the box (based on a positive down and distance), the offense has the advantage with the 5 down linemen having equal blocking numbers, and the QB in effect 'cancelling out' or blocking the 6th man in the box on the read concept.

But, Michigan instead goes with the quick screen to the trips (notice I didn't say bubble screen) off zone action, because to me this isn't a true 'bubble screen' based on the path of the receiver and the lack of the usual quarter moon arch path of the bubble receiver. You'll see, the play is very successful and Michigan gets the first down on the 8 yard gain.

Last point, based on the o-line movement of Michigan, I get the impression this was not a progression play that Forcier decided to go with, but instead a predetermined play called from the booth based on a tendency? Then again, it is the 1st quarter so how many tendencies can the coaches have upstairs?? There I go again... over thinking the play... lol - Just play ball!!



Keep spreading e'm!

-- Mark

www.SpreadOffense.com

Sunday, April 25, 2010

The Basics Still Work - Simple 4-3 Cover 2 versus Empty Spread Offense

Sometimes the most simplest things are still the best. I know we all look to challenge our offenses and defenses as coaches with exotic stuff that keeps everyone excited and the opponent off balanced.

But remember, winning football games comes down to execution and personnel no matter how simple or complex the scheme or play.

In the modern era of football, the team that blocks and tackles better, and protects the football will still win more games.

Below is a video of a simple 4-3 Cover 2 by Michigan in a game versus Purdue. You'll see on this play that Purdue motions out into an empty set, and Michigan adjusts nicely with the corner coming out on the running back.

At the snap, you'll see the Michigan defense in great position across the field, the backers have their heads on a swivel... covering bodies and not air. The left corner (#3) does a nice job on sinking with his head in the backfield, just waiting to smack the first flat threat on this 2nd and 6 play.



Tell your team to 'Win This Play' every time they're in the huddle, no matter how simple or complicated the scheme.

Keep spreading e'm!

--Mark

www.SpreadOffense.tv (video sharing platform)

Thursday, April 15, 2010

Wheel Route out of a 2x1 Spread Offense

In a previous post I highlighted the lead read play that Coach Rod loves to run to the open side out of the 2x1 shot gun spread offense formation.

In the video below, you'll see Michigan run a nice wheel route pass play off of lead read action in the same 2x1 set. In this situation, Michigan is right outside of the red zone and the down and distance is 2nd and 8.

To me, it looks like the Wisconsin 'Will' backer is covering 'air' instead of players and he gets caught out of position.





It's a simple, yet nicely executed play action pass by the Wolverines.


Keep spreading e'm,


--Mark



Friday, April 2, 2010

Cut Back Adjustment On The Zone Read - Michigan Spread Offense

I've always enjoyed breaking down Rich Rodriguez's spread offense, especially in the run game. I truly feel Michigan is on the brink of turning it around, and even in 2009 it wasn't the offense that let down the team as much as the defense.

I found two videos below showing a variation of the zone read run concept that really makes it difficult to defend Coach Rod's zone read.

In this first video in a 2009 game versus Penn State, you'll see the traditional zone read play to the tight end side of the formation, which is actually the weak side of the offense, opposite trips.

Penn State's defense looks they're in a classic Ron Vanderlinden Stack Cover 3 defense versus the trips formation.



Now in this play, Michigan is in the same offensive formation as above (and Penn State is in the same defensive alignment), but watch the difference in the zone read play.



Look at the right tackle on the offensive line, instead of zone blocking and trying to cut off the defensive linemen like in the first zone read play above, he blocks out or 'fans' the defensive end to set up the nice cut back run by the tailback. What's great is not only the cut back by the tailback, but the concept that the QB still needs to be respected by the Eagle linebacker (which is what Penn State calls him... he's really the Sam, #11), keeping him on the perimeter and hesitant to squeeze down hard on the tailback, honoring the QB read keep that the traditional zone read presents.

Keep spreading e'm!

--Mark

www.SpreadOffense.tv

Sunday, March 14, 2010

Zone Read Lead To The Open (Weak) Side | 2x1 Formation

One of Rich Rodriguez's favorite plays out of the classic 2x1 shot gun spread offense is the read lead run play to the open or 'weak' side of the set. As a result of the formation and Coach Rod's preference, this play is often run to the short side of the field or the boundary.

I found a great video of this specific play from last years Michigan vs Purdue game.



I know when Coach Rod was at West Virginia, he and Calvin Magee (Offensive Coordinator) loved running this play with Pat White, Steve Slaton, and Owen Schmitt.

Below is the play diagram for your reference. You'll see this is your classic outside zone blocking play, but what makes this play tough to defend a lot of times is the defense over defending to the 'field' and/or strength of the formation.


As a coaching point, it's important to stress to your quarterback (especially if he's a dual threat QB who can run well) that he still needs to read that backside end and if that end knifes down or collapses hard on the zone lead he should keep it and progress to the strong side of the formation where he has the #2 receiver running a bubble screen or pitch option.

Keep spreading e'm!

--Mark