The Pistol Offense

I run the POTOMAC variation of the Pistol. It stands for Pistol Option To Optimize Matchups And Coverages.

It is a hybrid of the spread option and spread offense with the pistol set.

Coach,

What are your core plays?

Thank You

Mainly Inside Veer and Zone Read. We will also run some Midline, Trap and Toss.

Is your Inside Veer the same as the Inside Veer under Center? Is it a true Triple?

Thank you.

Very similar. The only difference is we run a Swing Route with our inside slot. He is the 3rd option on the triple option. If QB pulls, he looks to the flat defender. If the flat defender (usually the QB assigned player) takes QB, the Swing route is Wide Open! If he stays on the swing route, the QB turns up field.

Is that like Steve Rampy in Kansas? Do you think you could throw the swing route from a wing position. Envision Navy running it and that's the alignment I'm talking about.

Thanks

Absolutely. We do that as part of one formation for us. We normally have our "wings" like Navy out wide as Slots and run the Swing route with them.

I'm sorry for my stupidity, but is there a difference between the Bubble and Swing?

What is your Slot alignment?

Thank you.

Terminology. We run a Swing route with our HB, therefore we kept the terminology the same. Our Bubble comes in toward the QB, our SWING goes out away from the QB. Apples and oranges really.


We tell our slots to split the difference between the Tackle and the WR. Depending on the play, they can cheat their splits.

When I talk to option guys, there biggest complaint is that the Midline, IV, or OV does not happen fast enough and it allows the defense more time to react to the play when there in the Pistol or Gun.

What's your opinion?

Thank you

I really haven't seen that problem. If anything, it gives my QB more time to read it.

As far as your Inside Veer with the Swing Pass, how much practice time do you spend daily running that? What are some of the coaching points to teach it?

Thanks

Truthfully, it is the play we run 70-80% of the time, and therefore we SHOULD devote that much time to it. Unfortunately we didn't do that last year.

The big teaching point is the veer read drill. We run it over and over. We also have the QB pull and throw to third option every now and then. It is not as hard a read as you may think. It is pretty simple to see the flat player coming up to play you, or staying back in the flat.