TOLEDO MEGA CLINIC NOTES THURSDAY, FEBUARY 14Th- 16th 2008

The Pistol- Spin Theory, Ball Handling , and Backfield Action

Kyle Hockmann- Head Coach, Campbell High School –GA

Where did it come from ? Nevada bowl game during Christmas of 2005

-Studied and implemented it through trial and error

Benefits of the Pistol:

- Great for offenses with a tailback type / downhill runner with a above average thrower, although
not a necessity
- Easily adaptable as a package to most offenses
- “Better coaches don’t copy line for line another coaches ideas, but adapt what they like to their
own system”

Why the Pistol ? Advantages of the gun

- QB has instant separation

- Better line of vision for QB (their QB was only 5’7’’)
- Easier QB read element
- Better QB run element (based on single wing run philosophy)

Why the Pistol ? Advantages of the I

- Downhill run game (iso, power, counter, toss, etc)

- RB has shoulders square to L.O.S.
- Can be run in either direction
- Runners are runners and blockers are blockers
- Takes immediate pressure off QB
- Kids know their roles

Offensive Alignment

Plus the SPIN

- Deception: we all need it, not good enough to line up and pound people
- QB blocks vision of defense to RB
- QB turning back to defense to hide the ball
- Plays hit quicker
- .35 average time to QB in Pistol, under center .75
- .95 average time pistol +3, under center 1.35 +5
- Gain .5 seconds from being under center
 TOLEDO MEGA CLINIC NOTES THURSDAY, FEBUARY 14Th- 16th 2008

Is the Pistol for you ?

- Will run the pistol regardless of field position or weather conditions

- The chance of the snap going over the head of the QB is much slimmer in the pistol than the
shotgun
- In their youth system, the same pistol offense is ran from K-8
- At youth level until 6th grade, snap is 2 handed
- Easy to install at youth levels (7-8th grade done within a week)

Ball Handling Considerations

- Must practice snaps every single day

- Center snaps require more accuracy
- QB ball skills- same reason as above, if QB reaction is slower, move him back more

Center Snaps

- Techniques: both spin and flip, whatever works best for center
- Snap- don’t look at QB, aim at belt buckle
- Firm but not fast- trial and error
- Adjust depths and steps according to speed of snap
- Narrow base and low butt- small window =small miss

Backfield Techniques

- Timing- adjust depths

- RB Toes at 6 ½ yards, have moved to 7 and 8 yards based on speed
- QB spin must be quick and consistent to specific play
- QB must “stomach” the ball as if he was under center
- Hand offs are executed like under center
- QB angle will be adjusted based on play
- Toss must be a quick pitch like toss

Risky ?

- Campbell 2006- Pistol/Gun , 500 snaps = 2 bad snaps, 1 bobble

- Undercenter: 100 snaps- 1 muffed snap
- 7 turnovers all season- 6 fumbles, 1 interception

“If you’re any good, you can get what you emphasize, but you can’t emphasize everything”
 TOLEDO MEGA CLINIC NOTES THURSDAY, FEBUARY 14Th- 16th 2008

Wildcat Spin Offense- Base Run Plays

Brad Scott – Desoto High School, Kansas

What is the “Spin”

- Comes from Barry Gibson and Dale Weiner

- Email: bscott@usd232.org
- 5 offensive lineman in standard splits
- 2 Wingbacks in a 1 by 1 alignment to the EMOLS (tackle or TE)
- QB in shotgun
- FB in a 1 by 1 alignment in front of QB
- Receivers and TEs can line up in many different formations

Base Formations

- Doubles – 2 Recievers
- Ace Right / Left: 1 reciever, 1 TE
- Double Tight: 2 TEs

Wing Back Basics:

- Wingbacks go in motion one snap count ahead of the snap

- Snap count is GO, SET, HIT HIT
- If play is on HIT, motion is on set
- Wing stance is outside foot forward, hands on thigh pads
- Pivot is on inside foot, crossover with outside foot and sprint to QBs hip for mesh

QB Basics:

- Must time the cadence perfectly with the snap

- Secure the football and jab step forward with the foot opposite the motion
- Pivot on the jab foot and open to the wing
- Mesh the football just like the option
- Continue to spin into the rest of the play

Sweep:

- Traditional I formation toss play

- Reach and pull backside guard, lead FB, crack with outside receiver, wing leads on corner
- Wing goes in motion, QB spins and hands off, continues to spin and fakes blast into B gab
- Wing takes ball and sprints to outside looking for daylight

Blast:

- Traditional I formation off tackle power

- Down block and kick out with FB, backside guard leads through hole
- Same action as sweep, QB keeps the ball through B or C gap depending on formation
- Play side WB fakes reverse
- We tell QB, if hole is cloudy then cutback

Counter:
 TOLEDO MEGA CLINIC NOTES THURSDAY, FEBUARY 14Th- 16th 2008

- Traditional I formation counter trey

- Down on play side, backside guard pulls and kicks, backside tackle pulls and wraps, FB blocks
back
- Same action as sweep, QB continues spin and hands underneath to WB
- WB steps back, cross over, then takes handoff and follows tackle

Dive:

- Tradition I formation FB Dive and trap

- We base out and fold, you can trap it also
- Sweep action with QB faking reverse, FB intercepts snap and runs through A gap
- QB continues spin and fakes blast

Reverse:

- Traditional I formation receiver reverse

- Base front side, backside guard pulls like sweep, FB takes two steps toward sweep then leads on
corner
- Sweep action in backfield with QB coming over the top for reverse handoff
- QB runs it like a wall punt return, get wide before turning up field

Base:

- Traditional I formation ISO play

- Base block, lead FB on LB
- Sweep action in backfield with QB spinning and then attacking ISO gap
- Wingback fakes sweep, no reverse fake
- Tell QB to cut off FBs block on LB
 TOLEDO MEGA CLINIC NOTES THURSDAY, FEBUARY 14Th- 16th 2008

Wildcat Spin Offense- Play Action- Arc, Vets, Arrow and Screens

Brad Scott – Desoto High School, Kansas

Base Formation:

Run 75% Pass 25%

Run-n-Shoot philosophies

Arc Route:

- Fake sweep play

- Pass pro is BOB, FB has frontside blitz to backside blitz
- Wing goes in motion, QB spins, fakes weep, takes gather step and reads corner
- Wingback runs same path as blocking scheme then runs on the numbers
- Receiver runs crack/seam route
- X & T are always on same side
- Throw to landmarks
- Doesn’t read defense
- Looks outside in, plants back foot and throws
- Aim points change slightly when on right or left hash

Verts Route:

- fake sweep play

- pass pro is BOB, FB has frontside to backside blitz
- Wing goes in motion, QB spins, fakes sweep, takes gather step and reads corner
- Wingback runs vertical on hash (upright)
- Receivers run vertical on numbers

Arrow Route:

- fake sweep play

- pass pro is BOB, FB has frontside to backside blitz
- Wing goes in motion, QB spins, fakes sweep, takes gather step and reads corner
- Wingback runs arrow route to sideline
- Receiver runs crack/corner route
- TE runs corner route
- Great third and medium play
- Arrow Technique: step forward, cross over and go

F Screen:
 TOLEDO MEGA CLINIC NOTES THURSDAY, FEBUARY 14Th- 16th 2008

- Fake arc play action

- Playside tackle runs the defensive end upfield, guard has kickout on CB, center has seal on
playside LB, backside guard has safety, backside tackle- first 2 nd level defender
- Wing goes in motion, QB spins, fakes sweep, takes gather step then drops
- FB takes pass pro path and then turns for ball
- FBs goal is to get 4 yards
- Aim point for QB- numbers and below on FB
- Playside guard has playside CB

Y Screen:

- Fake arc play action

- Play side tackle runs the defensive end up field, guard has kick out on CB, center has seal on
play side LB, backside guard has safety, backside tackle- first 2 nd level defender
- Wing goes in motion, QB spins, fakes sweep, takes gather step then drops
- FB stays on play side, Y peels back once again, stress get 4 yards
- Great goaline play

X Screen:

- Traditional tunnel screen

- Play side tackle runs the defensive end up field, guard has kick out on CB, center has seal on
play side LB, backside guard has safety, backside tackle- first 2 nd level defender
- Run from spread formations, with arc play action fake, with drop back fake
- Wingbacks block the most dangerous man

Conclusions:

- Snap: pick ball up by nose and snap (WVU style)

- Biggest Defensive problem: keying motions or Fullback
- Packages in with Power I in goaline situations
- Most players go both ways
- Use hand blocking technique
 TOLEDO MEGA CLINIC NOTES THURSDAY, FEBUARY 14Th- 16th 2008

D Line Rush Techniques While Stopping The Run

Matt Edwards- Defensive Line Coach, Kent State University

Openings:

- Plays attack style 4-3 defense

- Rush the passer as a team
- Goal is to get in the QBs face A.S.A.P.
- Try to get 3 yards deep
- Obscure pass lane windows
- Cannot get behind the QB
- Limit the lanes of escape

2 Imaginary lines on the field you cannot cross as a DL:

- 2 yards behind the QB

- Directly down the center of the QB

Versus 5 man protection:

- Guaranteed 3 one on one battles, must win the one on one battle everytime
- DE’s have outside contain
- Speed moves first

Drills:

Gauntlet: (line of dummies, plays zig zag through them executing moves)

Keys: shoulders and hips turning

- Same hand to same leg

- Execute move on each dummy
- Finish drill with strip of ball with “far” arm from QB

Hoops

- Progress to cone squares to further improve change of direction speed

Every DL needs 3 moves:

- 1 speed rush move

- A good bulrush
- Good counter move

Handfighting

- Speed Chop: nearest hand chops elbows, far hand jams shoulder
- Swim Chop: far arm chops lineman’s “post punch”, swims with near arm
 TOLEDO MEGA CLINIC NOTES THURSDAY, FEBUARY 14Th- 16th 2008

Pass Rush Manuevers:

Rip Move: meet resistence from OL, pull arm out, transition hips and get upfield

Chop Down: come off ball and chop punch with nearest arm (automatically lowers shoulders)

Bull rush: violently turn into OL, using your hands explode into his shoulder area, KEEP FEET
MOVING

Club Rip/Swim- club elbows with outside arm and swim/rip with inside arm

Jab and Go- most used at Kent, quick jab inside then go inside, make OL move his inside leg

Counter Club and Rip/Swim- fake outside, go inside with rip or swim move

Dip- dip inside shoulder, draws holding penalties (uses broomsticks behind back to emphasize how
much you need to lower shoulders to get back someone)

Installing the Shotgun Offense : Zone Read

 TOLEDO MEGA CLINIC NOTES THURSDAY, FEBUARY 14Th- 16th 2008

Jerry Campbell- Head Coach Clovis High School- California

http://www.jcfb.com

midlineopt@aol.com

Advantages:

- Kids get to see it every Saturday on television

- QB is always reading backside
- Don’t teach what you can fix
- Easily adaptable with pistol formation

Front Digit= Series Second Digit= Blocking Scheme

- Zone Blocking
- Anything ending in 2’s or 3’s = read 5 technique
- Footwork on the line predicated on where the ball is being delivered
- 2 ft splits
- QB @ 5 yards in the shotgun, @ 3 yards I the pistol

BACK NUMBERS:

QB- 1

FB- 3 – Inside Runner (aligned: outside foot to inside foot of tackle)

TB- 4- Outside runner

Base Formations:

Motions:

TE: Tom= toward Tim= away

FB: Hump= toward Jump=away
TB: Rip= Right Liz= Left
Z: Zip
X: Jet (only guy who runs jet motion)
 TOLEDO MEGA CLINIC NOTES THURSDAY, FEBUARY 14Th- 16th 2008

Zone Read:

- Uses tackle trap to set up zone read over true counter (to prevent backside LB run throughs)
- Slots will use a “cowboy” motion to get into pitch man relationship with QB
- Slot Alignment- split the difference between X and offensive tackle

Tackle Trap:

- Test the backside defensive end’s reaction to pullers

- White call= trap vs. 4 man front
- Black call= trap vs. odd front
- QB reads: if inside jersey number is coming down, pull the ball
- Backs carry out their fakes 15 yards down field
- When the ball is gone, the OL is expected to be in the 2nd and 3rd level
- Anytime you see a odd front, don’t give them a tight end, having no tight end creates a 3 man
game on the edge

NOTE: Coach Campbell also did a great presentation on the

Pistol running game. However the majority of the presentation
was done using his Pistol Manual (which I already owned)
which you can get from his website. If you have the chance to
hear Coach Campbell speak I recommend it.
 TOLEDO MEGA CLINIC NOTES THURSDAY, FEBUARY 14Th- 16th 2008

Shifting Trends in Strength Training for H.S. Football

Cal Dietz- Head S & C Coach at University of Minnesota

http://www.xlathlete.com

dietz011@umn.edu

Openings:

- Mental Toughness is very valuable, however cannot be taught

- Change the thinking process: What is training to the body ?

Stress:

- Many types of stress, weightlifting = mechanical stress

- Right stress = right results
- First book on Soviet Sports Empire and their style of training, Stress of Life by Hans Seyle
- The body will adapt to enormous amounts of stress
- S.A.I.D. Principle- Specific Adaption to Imposed Demand

Adaption:

- If it doesn’t exist, you will not survive

- Push athletes to highest level of stress and allow them time to recover
- Biggest Mistake coaches make: lack of system of application of methods, lack of skill knowledge
- How to fix this? Analyze everything you do
- Recommended Supertraining book

Adaptability Training:

- Volume based program, 2-3 weeks long at a time

- 2 excercises, 1 weight, complete as many sets as possible in 7 minutes
- Next day: add 1 more set
- When you switch to your normal program, you will see greater results because their bodies can
adapt to more stress
- Use 50-55 % of their normal max

Ways to Increase Stress:

- Train multiple times per day (in high school, ideal would be lifting before school, then practice
after school)
- Nutrition- 65 % of recovery

Chocolate Milk for Recovery ?:

- Nutrients found in 16 oz of flavored milk can’t be matched in any other workout product
- Ratio of carbs and proteins perfect for recovery
- Very important to drink within 30 minutes of workout
- Improves body composition
- 90 % water
- Get boosters involved in purchasing milk
 TOLEDO MEGA CLINIC NOTES THURSDAY, FEBUARY 14Th- 16th 2008

- Parents and administrators will feel safer purchasing milk over other supplements

Training various types of strength:

- Weeks 1-2: tempo training use 4 seconds

- Weeks 3-4: pause squats use 3 seconds
- After: explosion training

Important Concepts:

- Don’t overcoach
- Sound technique
- Keep things simple and on point
- Let athletes play other sports
- Let them be athletes and not robots

Learning Styles:

- Logical- explain why you are doing what you are doing
- Kinesthetic- athlete needs to perform it to understand
- Visual- coach needs to physically demonstrate it

Linebacker Fundamentals
 TOLEDO MEGA CLINIC NOTES THURSDAY, FEBUARY 14Th- 16th 2008

Ron Vanderlinden- Linebackers Coach at Penn State University

Stance:

- Knees bent
- Feet shoulder width
- Neck bolted
- Should be in this position when making a tackle from any defensive position

Agility and Reaction:

- Use drills that apply to what you use in games

- What is most important?
- Every drill should have a proper finish (making a tackle, scooping a ball up, etc.)
- Side to side speed is critical for Linebackers
- Accelerate feet on contact
- Key guards and feel flow of the play

Defeating Blocks Progression:

 Lock out separation drill

- Twice a week
- Lock out and shed blockers
- 10 minute period
- Keys: attack inside foot up, eyes up, elbows close to body, feet shoulder width, heel-toe
relationship

3 Reasons Big Plays Occur:

- 1. Support player lets ball outside

- 2. Missed tackles near line of scrimmage
- 3. Lack of effort
 TOLEDO MEGA CLINIC NOTES THURSDAY, FEBUARY 14Th- 16th 2008

1st Down Production and 3rd Down Conversions

Charlie Stubbs- Offensive Coordinator @ Univ. of Louisville

Scripting:

- Have calls for every situation mapped out beforehand

- Chart how many times each play is ran in practice and compare it to how many times you run it in
a game
- After you run through opening script, script next couple series on mini sheet: up tempo plays,
slow down plays, etc.

1st and goal:

- Goal: 4 yards or more

- Execution is the key
- Having more input from players increases commitment

Core run game: Inside Zone, Outside Zone

3 Step game: rhythm throws, not much adjusting, challenge wide receivers for Y.A.C.

Screens

3rd Down:

- Goal: finish drive = touchdown

- Never script 2nd down, transitional down
- Every conversion over what the opponent makes, represents about 40 yards of field position

3 and 1-2: best runs, change cadences, quick play actions, know when you’re in 4 down territory
beforehand

3 and 3-5: best runs, check run/pass, crossing routes, option routes

3 and 6-9: create favorable matchups, screens, draws

3 and 10+: seam, don’t air it out before halftime

 Good teams convert on 3rd down at the following rates:

3rd and long: 20-25 %
3rd and medium: 45-50 %
3rd and short: 85-90 %

- Teach them correlation between 1st down production and third down conversions
- Teach them how to watch film
 TOLEDO MEGA CLINIC NOTES THURSDAY, FEBUARY 14Th- 16th 2008

Off Season Leadership Program

Doug Martin- Head Coach @ Kent State University

Point System:

- Each team’s “bank” starts out with 5000 points

- Deductions and earn points for various actions (missing class, all As, etc.)
- Players can be kicked off or demoted from team (cost team points however)
- Team with lowest point total that week receives Saturday morning workout
- Encourages competition
- Makes them accountable for everything
- 2 assistant coaches assigned to each team

Purpose of Leadership Program:

- Expose which players are viewed as leaders on your team

- Exposes which players are viewed as problems on your team
- Develops positive peer pressure
- Teaches them to enjoy competing
- Holds them accountable to each other
- Rewards the winners
- Punishes the losers
- Gets them to know each other
- Develops leaders and builds new leaders
- Gives the coach another bridge to the team

- Senior captains

- Holds draft

- Players can be promoted to captain by request of existing team captain

 TOLEDO MEGA CLINIC NOTES THURSDAY, FEBUARY 14Th- 16th 2008

Blitz and Stunt Pickup: Blocking with Big Splits

Bill Bedgenbaugh- Offensive Line Coach. @ Univ. of Arizona

Line Fundamentals:

- Each individual must know who to block, how to block, and then they can be aggressive
- Stress technique and fundamentals
- Be great at communication if you’re going to play offensive line
- Trust each other to do their job
- Trust what your eyes see
- Know your area (see and feel what is going on around you)
- Use different formations and releases by backs to not give keys to the defense
- Use wide splits to indentify where the blitz is coming
- All 11 players need to be involved in blocking
- Keep things simple

- Teach assignment then technique

- Establish a daily routine of drills

- Establish 4-5 core coaching points that they will always remember

Blitz Pick Up Period:

- Must do it daily
- 9 of 11 are involved
- We use this as a warm up period for practice vs. calisthenics
- Introduce the blitzes for each week in a warm-up manner
- QB, OL, RBs, and Slot Receivers start getting acclimated to the game
- Scout team gets use to the opposition’s blitzes as well

Why Wide Splits:

- Makes defense show their intentions

- Widen out great pass rushing defensive ends
- Makes defensive line twists more difficult
- Opens up passing lanes
- Opens up run lanes
- Makes things different for blitzing safeties or linebackers
- Defense focuses on it all week in practice
- Know your athletes on the line
- Use common sense