The Pistol Offense

Hey Coaches:

We are most likely going install Pistol type concepts into our offense this year and I had a bunch of questions.

Background:

We have run our 2 back offense out of an offset (weak/strong) I under center, both in a pro formation and with 3 receivers. We also have run some 1 back under center as well (with and without a TE, bunch formations, etc..). Historically we've been able to get strong tailback play which has helped to carry us. We run inside zone (track to inside leg of tackle), outside stretch (track to outside leg of TE), speed option, fullback trap, Counter GT, and some Trap and Counter trap (out of 1 back).
Our QB has not been a big part of our running game due to relative youth and size (weight). Most of our runs have the QB booting backside to hold the backside players.


Our passing game is quick game, look, bubble, and tunnel screen, 5 step combos, and some sprint action and naked boot type flood and bunch routes.

This year and for the forseeable future it appears that our best football players will be our QB's (can run and pass). Meanwhile our tailbacks appear to be decent but not, in our opinion, capable of carrying the rock 20-25 times a game, so we've concluded that we're going to let the QB's get more involved in the run game via option and maybe some straight runs.

We explored the gun spread option and liked the backside read option potential off inside zone, as well as running the triple, either with a front side and a backside read. It seems easier for the QB vs. under center.

We do not like the East-West orientation of spread, and also the fact that it is a lot different from what we currently due. We like the pistol because we can initially move only the QB and still run all of the stuff we currently run - not a lot of new teaching - we can still run and boot backside with Q.
We like getting downhill fast, and we feel that split back alignments give kids a reason sometimes to run too east west. We've never had blazing speed at tailback, so we dont encourage them thinking that they can outrun the contain to the corner.

We've looked at material from Coach Vint, Coach Campell, and Coach Golla (powerpoints, playbooks, DVD) so we have a basic understanding of the play structure and alignments that are often used.

We do want to get the backside zone read going off of inside zone. I've read that it sets up with a wrap of the tailback and that a better read for the tailback is from backside cutback to front side, the opposite of how gun IZ is read and run. What do you think?

Do we need to change aiming points for the IZ, moving it inside from inside leg of tackle?

Can we run stretch read out of the pistol, or is it too slow - stick with direct frontside handoff?

How well does the backside read option work for you? Is it better to motion and run it, or to Cowboy with a weakside slot? We may want to also run read zone with a Bubble backside as well.

In general, what are the issues that you have run into in moving that QB back (besides the snap). Depth issues, mesh issues, what looks good on paper but doesnt work well on the field?
There is not a lot of published stuff out there, so this site can be a godsend for we coaches.

For the passing game, we need to add to the QB's footwork out of gun - any other issues? Is your Look and Bubble screens easier or harder in the gun vs. under center?

Thank you for your time and thoughts,

MCoach

Coach, I will try to answer some of your stuff. Maybe someone else can help:

Do we need to change aiming points for the IZ, moving it inside from inside leg of tackle?

We do not run the IZ from the Pistol, no need for this play in our scheme. Check if you really need it...

Can we run stretch read out of the pistol, or is it too slow - stick with direct frontside handoff?

I would not do that, if you have also wide OL splits this play will kill you. The pistol works great because the D cannot see the HB, if you stretch him over the OT all LB's will flow to him

How well does the backside read option work for you?

If you are in a 2x2 I think it does not matter where you run the Read Option, because the D will allign even against you anyway. Some will move out the LB so they can see the HB behind your QB. We run the "Option" with the Slot in motion (called Half Motion in our playbook).

In general, what are the issues that you have run into in moving that QB back

Handoff between QB and HB happens slower than it is used to. Timing os crucial, we had a ton of snaps misshandled between QB and HB, because the HB is not on the side of the QB (as you know from the GUN) he is in approx. 70% speed when he reaches the QB so this was a though thing for us. Vision is much better for your QB, but if you are a GUN team anyway he will know that. We approx. 90% of the time motion 1 Guy to mix everything up, because as I said if you go 2x2 all the time the D wil move the OLB's online outside of the DE and they will watch you every play (depends who they will send out for coverage). We ran against 44, 35, and 33 Defenses and the 335 was the hardest to adjust for our offense because of less pressure but so many watching Defenders!

Thanks for the input coach.

ON your Dart play, it looks like its a called play, there is no read by the QB on the underneath give back to the motioning slot? Do you block it up with zone principles, or trap, counter principles when its a give?

Also, since you arent running IZ, what are your inside runs?

Thanks for the input on the mesh - I've practiced it a bit with our QB and it definitely takes reps.

I can see the 3-3 stack creating problems for an outside running team vs. a doubles look - thats what we play - easier than the 4-2 look unless a team really wants to run the QB inside. I used to coach in a spread system and we would rather see that extra lineman in the front vs. an extra linebacker. We also would just often just swing the tail back out and see him outrun one of the inside LB's after running the outside defenders off.

So I like the IZ zone vs. the 3-3 as we get 2 combo blocks and if we can get that backside LB blocked the cutback lane is huge. Thats why I like the pistol, the kid is running more downhill and hopefully has better vision on the cutback vs. a spread runner who is attacking his landmark with a different angle, tougher to adjust backside.

We just have a simple philosophy. Run at the bubbles inside, run to the tight LB outside (assuming all else equal). Vs. a 4-2 and we're more of an outside team, 3-3 we're going to bang it up in there - We''ll motion in a lead back if we need to.

What do you do for splits? We traditionally (under center) have been at 18" and then adjust if we need to. I've seen the Texas Tech wide splits and they just get me too nervous about run throughs, but I may be wrong.

Thanks coach.

ON your Dart play, it looks like its a called play, there is no read by the QB on the underneath give back to the motioning slot? Do you block it up with zone principles, or trap, counter principles when its a give?

If the DE crashes inside hard, we will keep it outside. If he stays outside we will handoff it inside. It's an easy look for the QB but takes some reps.

Also, since you arent running IZ, what are your inside runs?

34 G-Dive
34 G-Counter
34 Power Blast (with 40 - Slot) in Motion as leadblock
...
I will put my wristcoach up later

What do you do for splits? We traditionally (under center) have been at 18" and then adjust if we need to. I've seen the Texas Tech wide splits and they just get me too nervous about run throughs, but I may be wrong.

We use 60 cm, so your 18" sounds good to me. We keep the split all the way. No smaller hole between Guard and Tackle. As for TT I saw them play Live and I got scared a little. As for my QB, he will probably leave the field if I put him behind those wide splits

Your Lineman still have to be comfortable. It is easier for the passplay, but also your lineman can see who they need to block easier (my cents) because everything is so widen out, the DE is not even in talking distance to his DT. So more open for the Oline because they know what they are going to run!

One thing that I have noticed is that if you run the Inside Veer from the Pistol, you better rep the heck out of it. It looks to me that the QB really has to have a pair when it comes to catching the snap and then deciding to give or keep. Any thoughts from anyone else?

We run veer to the 5 tech with two back. We veer release the offensive tackle and then read him. If he shows numbers, we keep. If he comes upfield one step, we give. Easy...but the timing is VERY HARD for us to perfect. We rep it all the time in order to be successful. The only other option that we run is the speedo. We read the 5 tech on that and the read is almost two steps.....and....pitch. We run load option, which is the same for us as the speed, except we have two backs. We call it speed when we have one back. The H back in the speed will be a load back on the EMLOS (which we see 95% of teams running the 30 stack) so we have him block the secondary read and still read the 5 tech. Less teaching for us.

americanfootballmonthly.com has Pistol DVDs by Steve Rampy. We have found these to be very worthwhile. His big play is the zone read.

See I kinda of disagree with you guys a bit on running the Outside Zone (or stretch), in our version of the pistol last season we amassed over 900 yards on that play alone......but now coming off of our 5 contact days our state gives us I have run into a problem with it.

Last season, our backs kept getting deeper and deeper-on film I would see them almost 6-7 yards behind the QB. I thought as I watched this that it was sort of showing my hand. So this year in camp, I made it clear to my backs that they should be no further back than 3 yards behind the QB. Enter the problem: now I cant get my QBs footwork right in his sprint back to the back and feel I have no other choice but to move my backs deeper in the backfield. Does this make sense to you guys?

I guess my point is, I love the stretch, BUT, if I want to try and eliminate any tendencies I need to move our back closer behind the QB. How do I do this without taking the effectivness of the play away?

(One side note, I was well aware of the depth in the backfield my backs were getting to in season last year, however I had two college bound kids back there and kind of let it slide....now with the approach of this year I definately dont have that same caliber of kid back there.)

If anybody can shed light on this, please do so. Thanks in advance.

Coach, how far is your QB behind the Center? Did you ever try to put himmaybe a yard closer and the back a yard back? We had some problem with this on other plays, and this helped us. it is just a small adjustment which had a big impact for us, and the QB at 1 yard closer is not so much a big deal!

Let me know,
Oliver

I actually talked to Coach Hockman from McEachern HS in GA via email-he runs the stretch and what he did was have his QB with his heels at 4 yads and the back with his toes at 6 1/2 yards. He also showed me his footwork-somthing that I was not coaching up as well as I should. Anyway, with those adjustments the play is a ton smoother. Also, tried our trap, dart,etc out of the new allignment and it worked well. It sounds minor, but we had our QB at 3 1/2 and the back at 5, that added yard really helps out.

Are any of you guys no-huddle. If so how are you sending the formation, motion, snap count, and play in? this is something I very much want to get into and so far I have decided to go with 3 runs, 3 passes, 2 screens, and 1 PA out of 4 formations (8 if you mirror). This will be our first year of doing this and want to know what successes/failures you guys have encountered. Thanks in advance.

We have the no huddle option, every kid has his own wristband! Numbers and colors signal the play! If you need a screenshot of the temp let me know!

Please do, I am racking my brain thinking of the easiest way to do it. We tried wrists bands last year, but did not like the system we had to go along with it. Right now we are thinking to signal formation and motion and then use buzz words, but what we are finding out now is that we have some contradictions showing up between our pass game and our run game. So, like I said, Im willing to look at all angles....luckily we have a little window here where we still have time b4 first game.

Don't know if it will help, but we used wristbands.

We had a letter for motions and formations.
We had a number for plays

A-4 would be Base F-Motion Veer Right for example.
C-4 would be Bunch Right Veer Right.

Etc...

Coach, enclosed our No Huddle Wristcoaches. Remeber every kid has his own (they have to bring it to practice every day. If the do not bring it they will not participate in scrimmage plays that day - do not care if they are a starter or not!!)

If anybody has any questions with this let me know, I will clarify!

Brown Series

For Example (QB Will shout this to everybody):
QB Calls = Brown Left 25 = Wing Right / 20 HM / 34 Dive
QB Calls = Brown Left 15 = Wing Right / 20 HM / 34 Dive

All plays can be called with multiple numbers, so you do not have to us the same call again and nobody can write anything down!

Brown Series



Orange Series