Spread-I Offense 2.0

[TXHusker05]

I've been running something similar to yours for some time now, but it's old school I form with gun mixed in a la NDSU. I really like what they do on offense. It's just power, iso, & trap.

Yeah when I finally stopped being stubborn and installed some really basic under center stuff into my Spread-I, it really took off. Even when it is nothing more than 3-4 plays spread across Ace Big, Big Bunch, Weak I Normal, Strong I Normal/Twins/Twin TE/Tackle Over. Being able to go to those as a change of pace is just deadly. Most of it is series based stuff. In Ace Big it is just Fly Sweep, Fake Fly Dive, PA Fly Sweep. In Ace Bunch it is End Around, Fk End Around Slash, PA End Around. In Weak it is the Y Over Fly Sweep stuff. In Strong I it is just HB Toss, FB Dive, PA off the FB Dive, Screen.

All of a sudden I had a different look to give the defense and could also get under center and punch it forward on 3rd/4th & Short and GL situations. Short yardage was always a problem in my original Spread-I and it got worse in the Pistol because of how slow the run animations are. I never wanted to go under center because I was stubborn and so committed to all spread gun all the time. Once I finally got over it, accepted that even some of the most dedicated spread gun guys still go under center from time to time (Malzahn especially), I added some in.

I'm kind of going back and forth on what I want to do next season in Powerhouse. I even thought about using NDSU as a mold but my personnel would be tough to fit in that. I have on depth (only 2 HB, no FB, only 2 TE, only 3 WR) and the type of backs I have (bigger 87-88 SPD types) are too slow to run a lot of typical core concepts like zone stretch, strong power and counter. Especially from the Pistol which hits slower. No FB also causes some issues. I don't have the TE depth to move one to FB and I don't even have the HB depth to move a guy there. The one thing I do have plenty of is offensive line depth including a backup center with 70 catch rating (despite 60 SPD). I can see myself doing a lot of QB, HB, 2 WR, TE, 6 OL type of formations.

I have some stuff in mind, I just have to decide how much fiddling around I want to do. I don't want to spend much time fighting the custom playbooks system when it comes to ordering formation groupings. My current Spread-I playbook took hours and hours and hours of experimenting to get in the Ace-Strong-Weak-Pistol-Gun-Wildcat-Goalline order that I like it.

 

[JSU Zack]

It's funny you mention that because I have slower backs at Big Blue, and they do just fine under center. It's my passing game (missed throws & protection) that's killing me.

 

[TXHusker05]

It's funny you mention that because I have slower backs at Big Blue, and they do just fine under center. It's my passing game (missed throws & protection) that's killing me.

Yeah I can't do any drop back passing from under center. PA and screens and sprintout/rollout stuff works well but anything that requires a 5-7 step drop and timing patterns turns into a mess. I wish I could get the harder hitting run plays of under center with the ease of passing that comes from the Gun.

I'll probably end up just staying in Pistol and tweaking a little under center stuff to fit my personnel. Possibly add a little offset gun because it hits quicker than Pistol and/or traditional Gun. Part of me is tempted to plug in some traditional gun for QB Power purposes but not sure how I could integrate that with the rest of the offense because people would know damn well I'm not running anything but QB Power out of those formations.

 

[TXHusker05]

Played around with some Flexbone tonight just for the hell of it, but not the normal full on option Flexbone, more of a pass oriented run and shoot. Putting receivers and/or TE across the board and using a ton of motion to get mismatches. Love the idea and I threw for 6 TD with it, but not sure it would work that great vs human opponents. Think I would be under a ton of pressure very quickly trying to run an under center run and shoot offense, the drop backs are a little iffy and I took a bunch of sacks. A smart human opponent would just A gap blitz the shit out of me. Loved being able to motion an A-Back (WR) outside of the outer most WR in Flex Close though. Not sure I have the personnel to run anything like that anyway so not worth spending too much time on it.

I wish I had all the Flexbone formations, but in the Pistol. I would do nasty things with that. An Air Force style mix of I, Flex, Pistol, Gun would be kind of fun but I'm not sure how to put the pieces together and again, think my personnel will significantly limit me. I'll probably end up going back to a more Offset Gun based attack this upcoming season, really worried about my run game out of Pistol with such slow tailbacks. The two games at the end of the season were brutal out of the Pistol and it isn't going to get much better. Also think I can feature my TE a bit easier out as an H-Back in Offset Gun, I have a bunch of TE screens in Offset Gun I can use and motion him in and out of the formation.

Still going to have some Pistol and probably still some under center stuff but I'll go back to the core Gun stuff just to get something that hits a bit harder. I need to give my slow ass tailbacks as much of a head start as possible.

 

[LEGEND]

Played around with some Flexbone tonight just for the hell of it, but not the normal full on option Flexbone, more of a pass oriented run and shoot. Putting receivers and/or TE across the board and using a ton of motion to get mismatches. Love the idea and I threw for 6 TD with it, but not sure it would work that great vs human opponents. Think I would be under a ton of pressure very quickly trying to run an under center run and shoot offense, the drop backs are a little iffy and I took a bunch of sacks. A smart human opponent would just A gap blitz the shit out of me. Loved being able to motion an A-Back (WR) outside of the outer most WR in Flex Close though. Not sure I have the personnel to run anything like that anyway so not worth spending too much time on it.

I wish I had all the Flexbone formations, but in the Pistol. I would do nasty things with that. An Air Force style mix of I, Flex, Pistol, Gun would be kind of fun but I'm not sure how to put the pieces together and again, think my personnel will significantly limit me. I'll probably end up going back to a more Offset Gun based attack this upcoming season, really worried about my run game out of Pistol with such slow tailbacks. The two games at the end of the season were brutal out of the Pistol and it isn't going to get much better. Also think I can feature my TE a bit easier out as an H-Back in Offset Gun, I have a bunch of TE screens in Offset Gun I can use and motion him in and out of the formation.

Still going to have some Pistol and probably still some under center stuff but I'll go back to the core Gun stuff just to get something that hits a bit harder. I need to give my slow ass tailbacks as much of a head start as possible.

The flexbone/run n shoot could definitely work in this game... You'd be passing much more than you'd probably want though. I tried it for a while and also played against someone who runs it.

For me... it was too much work! I'm not a great passer as it is. It also requires running the same plays multiple times a game. Something I try not to do...but I'm starting to realize I may need to. The guy I played gashed me good with it.

He passed for something like 400 plus... I kept expecting him to run and he kept passing. His quick passing game was sick! It was a lot of rollout passing but it was really hard to stop. He always had the A back running to the flat with a receiver over top and one crossing the field. The A back always sucked flat defenders down... Leaving a huge window to hit the receiver.

If that was covered the A back was wide open..or he'd hit the crossing receiver. What made it difficult was... He'd take off running with the Qb. He'd be 15 yds down field before the defense moved towards him. With a fast Qb it was unstoppable! If you blitzed a CB or LB the rollout always made you pay! He'd just hit the A back or receiver before the blitz got there. If you played zone... He'd run circles around the defenders who were slow to converge. It was a nice scheme... Qb avg like 20 yds a rush!

It was so easy to run past defenders... They where just standing watching him scramble. He'd be 5 yds by them before they tried to move. By then any little cut or move and defenders went diving all over the place! Just talking about it has me thinking of trying it!


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[TXHusker05]

The flexbone/run n shoot could definitely work in this game... You'd be passing much more than you'd probably want though. I tried it for a while and also played against someone who runs it.

For me... it was too much work! I'm not a great passer as it is. It also requires running the same plays multiple times a game. Something I try not to do...but I'm starting to realize I may need to. The guy I played gashed me good with it.

He passed for something like 400 plus... I kept expecting him to run and he kept passing. His quick passing game was sick! It was a lot of rollout passing but it was really hard to stop. He always had the A back running to the flat with a receiver over top and one crossing the field. The A back always sucked flat defenders down... Leaving a huge window to hit the receiver.

If that was covered the A back was wide open..or he'd hit the crossing receiver. What made it difficult was... He'd take off running with the Qb. He'd be 15 yds down field before the defense moved towards him. With a fast Qb it was unstoppable! If you blitzed a CB or LB the rollout always made you pay! He'd just hit the A back or receiver before the blitz got there. If you played zone... He'd run circles around the defenders who were slow to converge. It was a nice scheme... Qb avg like 20 yds a rush!

It was so easy to run past defenders... They where just standing watching him scramble. He'd be 5 yds by them before they tried to move. By then any little cut or move and defenders went diving all over the place! Just talking about it has me thinking of trying it!


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I loved passing out of it but the run game is garbage. I had running out of Flex, if I was going to run option I would do it out of Split Gun or the I. I bet someone like Bruin who passes a bunch would enjoy that.

I'm on to some things for Powerhouse now that I know I can get a real athlete at HB. Going to mix and match Pistol and Offset Gun. Maybe some Wildcat as well so I can line that QB/HB up at QB again. I'll probably have a few normal formations where I still line him up at QB though. Shotgun Big came to mind as a really useful formation:

----------TE-T-G-C-G-T-TE----------
---------------------------------------
------------------H1------------------
---------------H2---H3---------------

Wrap and Triple would be deadly in that, although I can't audible with him at QB.

 

[TXHusker05]

Finally got some game experience with my personnel in Powerhouse. Honestly, the team played way better than I anticipated. The QB turned HB was really good, ran for 2 TD, caught a TD, threw 2 TD. A lot of flexibility with a player like that, but I need to find better ways to get him the ball. WRs and TE were really good, I have a big time play maker at WR and a couple good possession types who were surprisingly agile in space.

Biggest issue was fatigue on offense. My scheme is fairly grind it out and I ended up with receivers, tight ends and OL all in the yellow consistently. Normally that wouldn't be bad, but I only have 1 backup OL, 1 backup TE and no backup WRs I trust to play. I think I might use subs to get one or two formations where I put a second line on the field, even if it is just to run something basic. I can't risk having key players off the field when I need them.

Was a little disappointed with the way Pistol worked, but I think that might have been personnel related. I was trying to put one of my two TEs in the backfield as a FB/H-Back and motion them around but they must have taken some awareness hits because there were multiple plays the TEs completely crossed the formation going the wrong direction to block a player for no reason. I might need to ditch the two back Pistol stuff and just focus on single back stuff which I thought was very successful.

 

[JSU Zack]

I'm going towards a Spread I it seems without the pistol or offset gun stuff.


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[TXHusker05]

I'm going towards a Spread I it seems without the pistol or offset gun stuff.


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Had a solid mix Pistol and Offset vs Navy earlier, the Offset did absolutely nothing but the Pistol had its ups and downs. I'm probably going to focus more on Pistol going forward, but I'm starting to wonder if there might be some benefit to traditional gun. I did run Wildcat a handful of times with some success and I'm wondering if I might benefit from some more east-west stuff.

I was getting blown off the ball running 21/12 stuff so I could decide to spread it a bit more, maybe 11 personnel traditional stuff to get east-west flow with sweeps and counters. My backup HBs are awful so I don't really know what else I can do. Pistol will probably work best in the end but I wasn't super impressed.

 

[JSU Zack]

Had a solid mix Pistol and Offset vs Navy earlier, the Offset did absolutely nothing but the Pistol had its ups and downs. I'm probably going to focus more on Pistol going forward, but I'm starting to wonder if there might be some benefit to traditional gun. I did run Wildcat a handful of times with some success and I'm wondering if I might benefit from some more east-west stuff.

I was getting blown off the ball running 21/12 stuff so I could decide to spread it a bit more, maybe 11 personnel traditional stuff to get east-west flow with sweeps and counters. My backup HBs are awful so I don't really know what else I can do. Pistol will probably work best in the end but I wasn't super impressed.

My Gunbone has more of a focus on East/West while still having options up the gut. I've decided it's better to have more than less options formation-wise.

I have every personnel set imaginable in offset gun with some wildcat & pistol.


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[TXHusker05]

My Gunbone has more of a focus on East/West while still having options up the gut. I've decided it's better to have more than less options formation-wise.

I have every personnel set imaginable in offset gun with some wildcat & pistol.


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Prior to moving the QB to HB, that's exactly what I was going to do. Run all Offset Gun Triple, Offset would be more beneficial for my slower backs. Now that I moved him, not sure if the same thing applies. I can't really run my current QB that much, although he isn't a slouch running.

I was thinking mostly Pistol, Offset Gun and Wildcat as an H-Back based offense. May be biting off a bit too much though, in which case I may ditch the Offset Gun. I am definitely going to ditch the under center stuff though, that was blocked horribly. I had one good FB Dive play out of Strong but that's it.

If I were to run all Offset Gun, I would have mainly been:

Split Y Offset
Split Offset
Normal Offset Wk
Normal Flex Wing
Normal Flex Wing Wk
Wing Offset
Wing Offset Wk
Wing Trips Offset Wk
Spread Flex
Trio 4WR Str
Trio 4WR

 

[JSU Zack]

Mine is very similar, but I prefer the newer 4 WR offset formations.


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[TXHusker05]

Mine is very similar, but I prefer the newer 4 WR offset formations.


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I like Spread Offset a lot myself, that is probably one of the formations I most miss in my Pistol stuff because I don't have any 4WR Pistol. Even in my full on Pistol book, I have Split Offset and Spread Flex just to be safe.

 

[TXHusker05]

I'm starting to have my doubts that my Spread I Pro Pistol version is going to work this year at Nebraska. I've had drastic home/road splits in my offense because I have a RS FR QB. In two CPU road games he was miserable, completing just 50% of his passes in Game 1 and just 4 of 9 before I had to take him out vs USC on the road. Admittedly USC was a very, very good and formerly user controlled team that dominated me up front but the QB played scared shitless. I ended up replacing him with my backup, who also can't throw for shit, but can at least run and I went full on triple option in the second half to come back in win. Against NavyHog at home, my QB played better but still threw just 10 of 19 (3 drops).

I've been a bit lucky so far in that my first two scheduled user games are at home, vs NavyHog and this week vs Zack, but I'm not sure how well that will hold up. Normally in games where QBA 5 caused its issues, I just ran the ball more but I don't really have the talent to go smashmouth vs people. I tried vs Navy and he shut my run game down outside of really two big plays. Not enough athleticism on offense, not good enough on the OL to put up with these jacked up DLs most teams seem to have.

My options are commit to the Pro Pistol stuff, rip out the option and most offset gun stuff and rearrange the playbook to be more pass first and just hope the Freshman plays well more often than not. Or sit him, start the quicker backup and commit to running an option based offense. I think either will work, but I have to commit one way or the other, I can't keep doing this half and half stuff.

I think if I could do it over again, I'd just leave that super athlete at QB rather than move him to HB. My run game would probably suffer since my backup HBs are garbage but at least I would know it going in and could gameplan around the athlete at QB. As it is he is a Senior and I'm going to have to go through this again next year with the same two HBs and same two QBs.

I can't change anything this week vs Zack since the week is already advanced and I'd need to redo formation subs to run option but if I have another game where my QB is throwing ~50% and I can't run my base power run game I'm going to have to consider ditching it in favor of a more option based scheme with the backup in there.

 

[TXHusker05]

Good god for a 97 THP QB/86 THA QB my quarterback in Powerhouse is not great. Here I spent all this time moving the soon to be 99 OVR runner at QB to HB and planning to run a Pistol pro style type of offense and he's just been miserable. Had to yank him from a second straight game, this time after he started 3 of 8 (albeit with 2 more drops). I put the quicker backup in and ran a bunch more option, which was relatively successful so I might start to focus on something option related. What kind of option attack I do not know.

I contemplated a Gun Wing T with a decent amount of option, I'm sure worried about my slower HB serving as a dive back while the quicker one is in the slot as a Jet/Pitch guy. If the dive back hits really slow I don't know how I would have success doing that. Still, I think I could do good things with Twin TE Slot, Twin TE Slot Wk, various Wildcat sets and Normal.

Other ideas are a Gun Offset Option offense or a Pistol Option offense. I kind of like the idea of basing out of Gun Wing Trips Offset Wk though and having Gun Y Offset as a few audibles. Basically start with this:

---------X---------T-G-C-G-T----------------Z
----------------------------TE--------HB-------
-------------------------Q----------------------
----------------------HB------------------------

And have the ability to throw a quick pass to the flat + move my TE around but also audible to Y Offset and get the slot HB to quick orbit motion into the backfield to balance the alignment to run option to either side.

The final option of course being just go heavy Pistol run/option basing out of Twin TE Slot. Sub in a HB at the wingback position and move him around via audible in addition to running lead option and the motion triple stuff as called. I did a bunch of that against @JSU Zack with a bunch of success.

I'll play around with things but basically I have these options:

1) Gun Wing T using traditional gun sets. A bunch of Jet, some option, some buck and some PA off of it all as the base.

2) Offset Gun Option. More or less the Navy/GT offense, but from spread gun formations. Nothing more. I guess Air Force or even New Mexico would be a good example of what this would look like.

3) Pistol Power Option. Essentially what I'm running, but with the pro style aspect stripped out and a basically going blunt force trauma on the defense. Forget trying to throw and be balanced, just hammer away.

If I could get past my hatred for mixing Pistol and traditional gun (because the QB stands in a different spot), I could probably mix and match #1 and #3.

 

[TXHusker05]

Gave it some thought and some time in practice mode and decided traditional gun is out. Trying to get a legitimate downhill run game going out of traditional gun is painful. If you're willing to be pass first it is great, but I'm not. I'll probably have to transition to something more pass first next year because of personnel issues but I just can't imagine this working this season. I can barely run the ball vs the CPU in all traditional gun unless it is just 100% option which the CPU has no clue how to defend and most users defend well. I may explore it more next year though when I'm going to be forced to pass more, traditional gun has some devastating pass concepts.

That leaves Pistol and Offset Gun. I'll probably stick with Pistol with a little Offset Gun to run a few things I couldn't otherwise (Split Triple, 4 WR sets and my swing screens). I think I can make it work a bit better but I'm going to have to get cute with personnel to make it work.

I do admit the idea of a single wing/wing T traditional gun offense is interesting and I was really enjoying Wildcat but that enjoyment would probably go away in user v user play where people were just bum rushing the LOS.

My Pistol offense is unique enough that I think I can get people indecisive and confused since they don't see Pistol much.

 

[JSU Zack]

My Pistol offense is unique enough that I think I can get people indecisive and confused since they don't see Pistol much.

I play pistol the same way I do another other formation. The only advantage is not have a run tendency to one side or the other. The passing concepts are pretty vanilla, and the only real threats in the running game are lead option & triple option.

 

[TXHusker05]

I play pistol the same way I do another other formation. The only advantage is not have a run tendency to one side or the other. The passing concepts are pretty vanilla, and the only real threats in the running game are lead option & triple option.

The lack of alignment tendency is big though. In my Offset Gun Spread I, absolutely everyone would shift their defense towards the back alignment and just overpower me. I tried to slow that down a little by doing jump motion, say Wing Offset Wk to Wing Offset but that is still limited. With Pistol I can equally run towards and away from my strength. I really like Slam, Stretch and Strong Power. I like Counter too but with slow backs it is useless. I make almost all of the Pistol runs work except Dive. Vanilla pass concepts work for me since I have a very vanilla pass game, the lack of good screens is tough though.

Most people have a lot of difficulty defending my offense but only when I'm successfully throwing the ball. When I'm not, it gets really tough. Tougher than say Offset Gun where I can usually just plow forward for 3-4 yards running HB Dive.

 

[LEGEND]

@TXHusker05 are there any split back formations you would suggest?

I've been trying to run a Dennis Erickson 1990 Miami style single back offense. In his offense the slot receiver is the tail back and the back behind the Qb is the fullback.

I want to add a twist and do this from the Pistol and Gun two back formations. I'll use my power back as a FB and my speed guy... I'll move around with motion and play subs etc!

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[TXHusker05]

@TXHusker05 are there any split back formations you would suggest?

I've been trying to run a Dennis Erickson 1990 Miami style single back offense. In his offense the slot receiver is the tail back and the back behind the Qb is the fullback.

I want to add a twist and do this from the Pistol and Gun two back formations. I'll use my power back as a FB and my speed guy... I'll move around with motion and play subs etc!

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I would highly recommend Pistol Weak Slot. The pass concepts in that formation are fantastic, including three auto-motion plays where the HB motions out of the backfield which sounds very similar to what you have in mind. I personally formation sub a TE in the upback position.

I would also consider Split Slot or Split Offset, just because they have a lot of those typical split pro pass concepts. Slot Offset is nice as well because of the HB1 auto-motion plays where he orbits around the QB. There is a Stick and Spot concept off of that motion that is nice in addition to the inside zone play.

Depends what kind of personnel you want to use and what kind of concepts you're going to use really, but Weak Slot and Split Offset are personally two of my favorite formations.

 

[TXHusker05]

Well now I'm just throwing my hands in the air because I have no idea what to do offensively. I keep saying I want to run the ball and I moved this guy to HB specifically so I could but my run game sucks. He has no juke or spin ratings so he can't make moves in space, he can only out run people. My backup is unbelievably slow and his backup is even slower. And none of that matters because my offensive line is getting blown up by every user opponent I face. I'm playing 3 underclassmen on the OL including a Sophomore backup center at guard, which is the most important position in my offense. I can only call pulling guard plays in one direction because any time I call one where that guy pulls, he roams off to nowhere rather than actually block.

User DLs are just way too developed and talented. Any time I try to run a smashmouth grind it out type play I just get smoked. I break a run here or there, usually because I beat someone by alignment, but that is it. The obvious answer is option, but all anyone will do is play aggressive option defense and I'm forced to hand it off and run into a wall.

Through 3 user games my run stats are:

33 rushes for 221 yards (6.7ypc), 3 TD
37 rushes for 195 yards (5.27ypc), 5 TD
21 rushes for 160 yards (7.62ypc), 2 TD

On the surface, those are good numbers, but they are inflated my one or two big runs in each game. In the first game I had an 80 yard TD run in mop-up time which turns 33 for 221 into 32 for 141 which is just 4.4 yards per carry (9 rushes for 7 yards with my non-starting HB running). In the second game, same thing. A run of 30 and a run of 36, both on option, make it 35 for 129 which is just 3.68 yards per carry. In the third game, I had a 75 yard mop-up touchdown to completely sway the stats making it 20 for 85 which is just 4.25 yards per carry.

I have just 5 runs for greater than 20 yards this season on 91 rush attempts. It is a grind trying to run. I've thought about making some changes on the OL, playing a lesser OVR G at LG to avoid the awareness hit of the center but I'm not sure if that will help. Maybe I approached this backwards, instead of trying to be conservative, get in heavy 21/12 personnel sets and pounding the rock over and over I should be trying to spread it out, get bodies out of the box and throw first to set up the run.

My receivers have been pretty good this year, my TE is awesome, my protection is solid. I have no depth anywhere but it may be worth a shot. I love throwing out of the Pistol, especially compressed sets where I can move my TE around, but if I can't run I'm not sure what the point is. I'd be better off in Offset where at least I can quick hit inside zone and trap here and there.

 

[TXHusker05]

Well, my official offensive strategy is

I'm just going to throw a bunch of stuff together and see what happens the rest of the season. I'm going to have to change it all up again next year anyway because I'll have just 1 TE and/or FB on roster next year.

I've looked at everything from under center power to one back passing (Mike Price style) to an Air Force style option attack to just option out of the Pistol/Gun. It all sucks. I can't protect the passer under center, I can't run the ball in compressed formations, I don't have the QB to run a bunch of option and I don't have the HB to run a traditional run game.

Ugly all around. I'm legitimately thinking about switching teams if I can't get XP at any point this season.

 

[TXHusker05]

Decided to get back to my roots a little bit and re-create my original Spread-I playbook, but optimized to be a Gun Triple Option offense. My original Spread-I was more of a Malzahn power spread. Inside zone, inside zone read, counter, play action. This is a completely option offense. I took over Army in BSCFL and wanted to run option since it is obviously a service academy but also because the team has really good personnel for it. I wasn't comfortable going under center to run option and didn't think my Osborne offense fit my personnel so I settled on what is essentially a Split Veer offense, from Gun.

The playbook itself is more or less the same as my original all Offset Gun Spread-I so I'm very comfortable in it and familiar with everything I'm running, but with almost everything drop back pass related ripped out. I'm not planning to throw more than 10 times a game and most of that will be screens so I just yanked everything out that wasn't a run or screen. I ended up with some really nice quick audibles in all my formations, a bunch of screens and a few sprintouts available to me at the line of scrimmage.

As of right now, the playbook is 25 formations and 257 plays, but 5 of the formations and about 40 plays are excess that I could easily remove but decided to throw in there as special situation formations.

Formations (in order):

Shotgun

Split Big
Split Y Offset
Split Offset
Slot Offset
Slot F Wing
Normal Flex Wing (Jet)
Normal Flex Wing Wk
Normal Offset
Normal Offset Wk
Wing Offset
Wing Offset Wk
Wing Trips Offset
Wing Trips Offset Wk
Y Trips Offset
Trio Offset
Trio Unbalanced
Spread Flex
Spread Offset
Trio 4WR
Trio 4WR Str
Empty Spread
Empty Wing Trio

Pistol

Full House
Weak Slot

Wishbone

Wide
Tight

The inspiration for the offense is Tony DeMeo's triple gun offense but plugged into the existing framework of my own Spread-I. It isn't all that different than what New Mexico runs or some of the Split Gun concepts Air Force and Wofford run. Georgia Southern is probably the closest real life example though.

Despite all the formations, it completely revolves around Split Triple. I use motion option and audibles to "motion" slot players into the backfield to run split triple option. That cleans up the box a bit initially and lets me snap throw bubble or now screens on the perimeter if uncovered and then bring those guys in to run triple if I get numbers. I also run basic inside zone/belly and trap stuff and normal motion option plays. Shovel and Speed Option are pretty big parts of the offense as well.

For the most part, all I'm doing is running series option football. Inside zone/belly, inside zone read (and lead read), inside zone triple (including split, motion and slot option). When I get a bunch of aggressive option defense, I'm running the shit out of speed option. I have some Jet/Fk Jet Dive stuff in a few formations that I'll use for window dressing and I have my do it yourself Jet Veer play out of Wing Offset that I've been using quite a bit when people overload towards my back's alignment. Trap, Counter and Wrap are all used sparingly, but are deadly when used. I'm actually loving Shovel Option in this offense, especially via motion shovel.

Wishbone serves as the short yardage and goal line formation. I actually haven't needed it in two games but it is probably good to have. The two Pistol formations have only been used once and I haven't used Empty at all so those 4 might be removed when I'm looking to streamline.

Passing game is entirely screens, sprintouts and PA off of both read, jet and motion. I removed every single drop back pass from every formation except Spread Flex, which will serve as my "need to score" two minute formation. I don't plan to throw more than 10 times a game, my last game I threw 9 of 9. Removing all the drop backs allowed me to have all screen passes, rollouts and/or PA Read plays as my quick audibles. That let's me quickly get to my screen game at the line when people start moving defenders around or give me exotic looks. I can quickly throw bubble to uncovered slot backs if people start moving more defenders into the box.

In terms of personnel, at Army I have 4 Sophomore TEs, 2 Fullbacks and 2 Tailbacks that are all solid plus one good receiver. I actually start my top two TE at receiver, the third TE at FB/Wing and my top HB plays slot receiver so I can motion him into the backfield to run triple option. That gets me great blocking on the perimeter and the ability to get the ball to my backs in space either via screens or pitches.

The lone receiver comes on the field in a variety of formations, depending on what the formation is. The game has a weird quirk where if you audible with a TE aligned farther outside than a WR, the two players will switch spots which is annoying so I have a few formations where I just put the WR outside and the TE inside. I also have a few formations where my FB is my HB and my HBs are in the slot or split wide. Think Flexbone, just Spread Offset.

So far, so good. Actually really enjoy it. It is simple with built in answers for everything right at the line of scrimmage via quick audible and preset audibles. I can answer for people sitting in aggressive option defense all game long, I can answer for people who sit in conservative and scrape manually and I can answer for people manually walking guys down or giving weird fronts.

I'm still working on slimming it down a little bit, seeing what I'm running and not running and adjusting the playbook accordingly. Been a lot of fun though. I've run for over 400 yards in each of the first two games, the last one was vs a user team 16 OVR points better than mine.

I think the offense works because of the personnel and the fact that I'm undermanned all over. If I had better talent I'm not sure I'd run this but I like it a lot. Would be interested to see how this played in Powerhouse against elite teams but my personnel is more pro oriented there.

 

[PaHsFootballRules]

@TXHusker05

What are your preset audibles?

 

[TXHusker05]

@TXHusker05

What are your preset audibles?

My preset audibles are packaged together in twos, plus a "formation" audible to get me into a 2x2 spread formation when I go up-tempo.

LB - Split Y Offset Triple Option Lt
RB - Split Y Offset Triple Option Rt
Y - Split Offset Triple Option Lt
A - Split Offset Triple Option (Rt)
X - Spread Flex Read Option

Essentially everything I do revolves around Split Gun Triple out of Split Y and Split Offset formations. I may not start in those formations, but I'm looking to shift into them at the line of scrimmage unless the defense dictates otherwise.

My base "play" is Wing Trips Offset Wk Read Option, with this personnel:

---TE-----------------T-G-C-G-T---------------------TE-------
------------------------------FB-----------HB-------------------
----------------------------Q-------------------------------------
-------------------------HB--------------------------------------

If the defense stays in two high, I'll just run the read option as called. If there is an extra body in the box, I use my LB or RB audibles to shift the Slotback into the backfield to run triple option one way or the other. I'll run it to whichever side as the least defenders, if the numbers are equal, I'll run it to the field. The audible shift is seamless and I can make the defense wrong no matter what. I also have the ability to go to a slip screen or a PA with a whip/pivot route to the Slotback if I think it is there.

I also have a series of plays for the Split Y Offset audibles based out of Slot Offset using those 5 auto-motion orbit motion plays. If it is there, I'll throw that PA Swing Screen or quick audible to Stick. If not, I will audible to Split Y Offset and the slot receiver (a TE) will just motion into the backfield.

After that, I have two series of plays involving the Split Offset audibles. The first based out of Wing Offset Wk and the second based out of 4WR Trio.

For Wing Offset Wk, I align like this:

---TE-----------------T-G-C-G-T---------TE-------------------
------------------------------FB------------------------HB------
----------------------------Q-------------------------------------
-------------------------HB--------------------------------------

I have a lot of offense available to me in Wing Offset Wk, from Counter/Power to Read to a really nice Jet game to that wide HB. The good thing about this formation is that with a FB as the Wing player, if you audible to Split Offset, he'll just drop straight back into the second HB position. That's a great counter for people overshifting the defense towards the back's alignment. I can quickly drop the FB into the backfield and run dive with him and pitch to the HB going the other direction.

For 4WR Trio, it is the same concept:

---WR------------------T-G-C-G-T-------------TE--------------
------------------------------------------HB------------TE------
------------------------------Q----------------------------------
---------------------------HB------------------------------------

Again, base play is Read Option. If I get a two high man look, I'll just run it as called (or quick run audible to QB Wrap). If I get a loaded box with the slotback uncovered, my quick pass audible is a bubble screen and I'll just quickly throw it out to him with two TE on the perimeter blocking. I also have the Double Mid Screen play as a quick audible if I want to go that route.

If I happen to get a nice look for triple, I can go to my Split Offset Triple Lt/Rt series and shift the slotback into the backfield to serve as a dive or pitch man. The shift isn't super seamless, the outer WRs/TEs do realign slightly, but they're done before the HB gets to the backfield. I don't rush the shift, I let the back to the slow jog into the backfield so I can see how/if the defense reacts.

If the defense does something drastic in reaction to the shift (show blitz for example), I'll do a hard count and reevaluate. I can go to the 4 quick audibles in my new formation as necessary.

Spread Flex Read Option exists as an audible just so I can quickly spread the field going up tempo. All of my two minute drill drop back passes are in Spread Flex outside of a few stragglers in various formations.

It's fairly methodical, I go slow, prod the defense and see what kind of look I'm going to get when I do certain things and then attack. Key of course being identifying if someone is in conservative/aggressive option defense and if they alternate, when and how. My first few plays of the game are almost always some form of option just so I can get a handle on what I'm dealing with.

 

[PaHsFootballRules]

@TXHusker05

What is the reason you audible to Split Y Offset vs calling veer from the wing trips formations? Is it so you have full control at the line of scrimmage with multiple option? Really like what you are doing here and I have been dabbling with something similar but it doesn't feel natural to me to have my Temple team run the triple option. I should just get out of my own way and enjoy the game instead of worrying so much what team would actually run the offense.

 

[TXHusker05]

@TXHusker05

What is the reason you audible to Split Y Offset vs calling veer from the wing trips formations? Is it so you have full control at the line of scrimmage with multiple option? Really like what you are doing here and I have been dabbling with something similar but it doesn't feel natural to me to have my Temple team run the triple option. I should just get out of my own way and enjoy the game instead of worrying so much what team would actually run the offense.

Generally speaking I'm not a fan of the auto-motion option plays in Wing Trips Offset and Normal Offset Wk. There really aren't any complimentary plays to them and they are really easy to time up for a user defender, who can easily sit in aggressive option defense and time the snap to rush the interior of the line.

It really is about having full control. I feel like auto-motion immediately narrows down what plays I could be running for a user defender and I'd rather have the unpredictability of running anything from every formation. I also like being able to control when the ball is snapped and like everything coming from the same look. With motion option you're locked in once you hit the snap button, by using an audible shift to get the slotback into the backfield, I can do a single hard count and reevaluate the defense a second time if I get some weird looks. In essence, the entire thing is a check with me offense with built in answers via quick audible or pre-set audible for everything I could possibly see from a defense.

I do like the Motion Swing pass to the slot receiver in those formations, but the motion isn't quite the same as it is with the motion option plays and smart users will jump it immediately. I actually use that Motion Swing pass as a base for a HB Swing Screen that is VERY successful for me. But again, I cancel the auto-motion with a hot route to do it.

 

[PaHsFootballRules]

Generally speaking I'm not a fan of the auto-motion option plays in Wing Trips Offset and Normal Offset Wk. There really aren't any complimentary plays to them and they are really easy to time up for a user defender, who can easily sit in aggressive option defense and time the snap to rush the interior of the line.

It really is about having full control. I feel like auto-motion immediately narrows down what plays I could be running for a user defender and I'd rather have the unpredictability of running anything from every formation. I also like being able to control when the ball is snapped and like everything coming from the same look. With motion option you're locked in once you hit the snap button, by using an audible shift to get the slotback into the backfield, I can do a single hard count and reevaluate the defense a second time if I get some weird looks. In essence, the entire thing is a check with me offense with built in answers via quick audible or pre-set audible for everything I could possibly see from a defense.

I do like the Motion Swing pass to the slot receiver in those formations, but the motion isn't quite the same as it is with the motion option plays and smart users will jump it immediately. I actually use that Motion Swing pass as a base for a HB Swing Screen that is VERY successful for me. But again, I cancel the auto-motion with a hot route to do it.

Love the check with me approach. Do you think this can be applied to a more pro style offense in the game? Every year I have been trying my damnedest to create a series based offense and I have had more success than usual this year, I only play the CPU tho I imagine I could have better success against users.

My sets are

Flexbone
Close
Normal
Trips
Slot

Wingbone
Normal
Twins
Split Wing X
Split Wing Z

I
Normal
Twins
Y Trips
Slot
Tight

Power I
Strong

Gun
Normal
Normal Wk
Trips Over
Y Trips

I don't run much triple from uc but I run a ton of midline, dive, speed, load, jet and rocket. My favorite formation is Wingbone Split Wing X because all of the plays work and I can seamlessly audible to run Power in Power I Strong. It makes a nice series otherwise my audibles change game to game.

I can't ever leave something alone so I am always adding and subtracting formations but this is the gist.

 

[TXHusker05]

Love the check with me approach. Do you think this can be applied to a more pro style offense in the game? Every year I have been trying my damnedest to create a series based offense and I have had more success than usual this year, I only play the CPU tho I imagine I could have better success against users.

My sets are

Flexbone
Close
Normal
Trips
Slot

Wingbone
Normal
Twins
Split Wing X
Split Wing Z

I
Normal
Twins
Y Trips
Slot
Tight

Power I
Strong

Gun
Normal
Normal Wk
Trips Over
Y Trips

I don't run much triple from uc but I run a ton of midline, dive, speed, load, jet and rocket. My favorite formation is Wingbone Split Wing X because all of the plays work and I can seamlessly audible to run Power in Power I Strong. It makes a nice series otherwise my audibles change game to game.

I can't ever leave something alone so I am always adding and subtracting formations but this is the gist.

Against the CPU a check with me approach is tough because they are always going to "know" what you're doing. Every audible is answered with some sort of adjustment by the CPU.

When you audible or go no-huddle between Wingbone/Flexbone and the I-formation stuff, who ends up as the deep HB? For some reason I seem to remember the FB in Wingbone/Flexbone ending up at I-Back when you go no huddle or audible between the two groupings, but it's been a while since I ran either of those things.

I think the check with me approach goes only as far as the in-formation quick audibles and pre-set audibles take you. If the audibles transition seamlessly between one formation and the next, it can work with any type of offense. I do think it works best the way I'm doing it where everything is just Gun Triple based. I can go left and I can go right, making either player my dive or pitch back.

I think one added benefit of being a Gun triple option based offense is that I don't need to worry about the drop back passing game. I was able to rip out literally every single drop back pass in every non Spread Flex formation. That allowed me to end up with multiple screens, sprintouts and/or PA Read plays as my quick audibles. I can get to the line in any formation and essentially get the ball to every skill position player on the field through some combination of preset audible or in-formation quick audible.

I think that is where you might run into issues doing a pro-style check with me offense, it'll be tough getting the right in-formation audibles in place to be able to get to some of your core concepts at the line. Which would mean you'd need to use pre-set audibles to get to some of your core stuff and only five pre-set audibles is tough. That, paired with uncertain audible transitions, might cause you some issues. If you can test it out and work around it, you should have no problems.

Designing the Spread-I Triple was really tough for me because I had to just take an ax to dozens of plays I love having just to make my in-formation quick audibles what I wanted. I'm not kidding when I say every dropback pass is removed from every formation. I have a few Z Spot/sprintout plays here and there and a few good PA Read plays in formations I didn't need a PA Bubble to take up my PA quick slot. I think I have one or two Wing formations where I kept the Vertical concept because that particular Vertical has the TE running a little angle route out of the backfield, which is just a nasty route vs man.

Add in a few hours of going back and forth actually testing the in-formation audibles formation by formation to make sure they all worked, were assigned correctly and were what I wanted was brutal. So yeah it is always doable but I think it is easiest when you're option based. Having only one run audible for each formation is tough, I wish you could just customize all 4 quick audibles. Maybe for NCAA 2020.

 

[TXHusker05]

Spread-I Triple Option Playbook


Shotgun Split Big​

[xtable=skin1|bcenter]
{tbody}
{tr}
{td=center}Triple Option Left{/td}
{td=center}QB Wrap[sup]R[/sup]{/td}
{td=center}Triple Option Right{/td}
{/tr}
{tr}
{td=center}Slant[sup]Q[/sup]{/td}
{td=center}Texas[sup]D[/sup]{/td}
{td=center}Mtn PA Flood[sup]PA[/sup]{/td}
{/tr}
{/tbody}
[/xtable]

Shotgun Split Y Offset​

[xtable=skin1|bcenter]
{tbody}
{tr}
{td=center}Triple Option Lead Left{/td}
{td=center}Inside Zone Split[sup]R[/sup]{/td}
{td=center}Triple Option Right{/td}
{/tr}
{tr}
{td=center}Slants[sup]Q[/sup]{/td}
{td=center}Verticals[sup]D[/sup]{/td}
{td=center}PA Slide[sup]PA[/sup]{/td}
{/tr}
{tr}
{td=center}Mtn Triple Option Right{/td}
{td=center}Mtn Tr Opt Switch Right{/td}
{td=center}Mtn PA Flood{/td}
{/tr}
{tr}
{td=center}Mtn Inside Zone{/td}
{td=center}Mtn PA HB Swing{/td}
{td=center}Mtn Cross Screen{/td}
{/tr}
{/tbody}
[/xtable]

Split Offset​

[xtable=skin1|bcenter]
{tbody}
{tr}
{td=center}Speed Option{/td}
{td=center}PA F Slide[sup]PA[/sup]{/td}
{td=center}PA FL Screen[sup]Q[/sup]{/td}
{/tr}
{tr}
{td=center}HB Counter{/td}
{td=center}HB Off Tackle[sup]R[/sup]{/td}
{td=center}HB Power O{/td}
{/tr}
{tr}
{td=center}HB Cross Buck{/td}
{td=center}FB Inside{/td}
{td=center}Inside Zone Split{/td}
{/tr}
{tr}
{td=center}Read Option{/td}
{td=center}QB Wrap{/td}
{td=center}Read Option Weak{/td}
{/tr}
{tr}
{td=center}Triple Option Left{/td}
{td=center}Shovel Option{/td}
{td=center}Triple Option Right{/td}
{/tr}
{tr}
{td=center}FB Angle{/td}
{td=center}Y Corner[sup]D[/sup]{/td}
{td=center}Y Cross{/td}
{/tr}
{/tbody}
[/xtable]

Slot Offset​

[xtable=skin1|bcenter]
{tbody}
{tr}
{td=center}FB Belly (Mtn){/td}
{td=center}PA HB Swing[sup]PA[/sup]{/td}
{td=center}FB Cross Screen[sup]Q[/sup]{/td}
{/tr}
{tr}
{td=center}Mtn Y Stick[sup]D[/sup]{/td}
{td=center}Mtn Spot{/td}
{td=center}Speed Option[sup]R[/sup]{/td}
{/tr}
{/tbody}
[/xtable]

Slot F Wing​

[xtable=skin1|bcenter]
{tbody}
{tr}
{td=center}HB Toss{/td}
{td=center}HB Dive[sup]R[/sup]{/td}
{td=center}Read Option{/td}
{/tr}
{tr}
{td=center}Speed Option{/td}
{td=center}Mtn Triple Option{/td}
{td=center}Mtn Tr Opt Pass[sup]PA[/sup]{/td}
{/tr}
{tr}
{td=center}Quick Slant[sup]Q[/sup]{/td}
{td=center}Smash{/td}
{td=center}Verticals[sup]D[/sup]{/td}
{/tr}
{/tbody}
[/xtable]

Normal Flex Wing​

[xtable=skin1|bcenter]
{tbody}
{tr}
{td=center}Jet Sweep{/td}
{td=center}Jet HB Dive[sup]R[/sup]{/td}
{td=center}PA Dive Jet[sup]PA[/sup]{/td}
{/tr}
{tr}
{td=center}Speed Option{/td}
{td=center}SE Dig[sup]D[/sup]{/td}
{td=center}HB Slip Screen[sup]Q[/sup]{/td}
{/tr}
{/tbody}
[/xtable]

Normal Flex Wing Wk​

[xtable=skin1|bcenter]
{tbody}
{tr}
{td=center}Counter Y{/td}
{td=center}Inside Zone Split[sup]R[/sup]{/td}
{td=center}Power O{/td}
{/tr}
{tr}
{td=center}Read Option{/td}
{td=center}Y Lead Read Option{/td}
{td=center}Shovel Option{/td}
{/tr}
{tr}
{td=center}PA SE Screen[sup]PA[/sup]{/td}
{td=center}Fake Screen Wheel{/td}
{td=center}HB Slip Screen[sup]Q[/sup]{/td}
{/tr}
{tr}
{td=center}Vertical TE Cross[sup]D[/sup]{/td}
{td=center} {/td}
{td=center} {/td}
{/tr}
{/tbody}
[/xtable]

Normal Offset​

[xtable=skin1|bcenter]
{tbody}
{tr}
{td=center}HB Counter{/td}
{td=center}Inside Zone[sup]R[/sup]{/td}
{td=center}Read Option{/td}
{/tr}
{tr}
{td=center}Speed Option{/td}
{td=center}01 Trap{/td}
{td=center}PA Read[sup]PA[/sup]{/td}
{/tr}
{tr}
{td=center}Mtn Tr Option Left{/td}
{td=center}Shovel Option Right{/td}
{td=center}Mtn Tr Option Rt{/td}
{/tr}
{tr}
{td=center}PA SE Screen[sup]Q[/sup]{/td}
{td=center}Fake Screen Wheel[sup]D[/sup]{/td}
{td=center} {/td}
{/tr}
{/tbody}
[/xtable]

Normal Offset Wk​

[xtable=skin1|bcenter]
{tbody}
{tr}
{td=center}Counter Y{/td}
{td=center}Inside Zone Split[sup]R[/sup]{/td}
{td=center}Y Lead Read Option{/td}
{/tr}
{tr}
{td=center}Speed Option{/td}
{td=center}Read Option{/td}
{td=center}QB Slot Option{/td}
{/tr}
{tr}
{td=center}Tr Opt Lead Left{/td}
{td=center}Mtn WR Swing{/td}
{td=center}Tr Opt Lead Right{/td}
{/tr}
{tr}
{td=center}PA Bubble[sup]PA[/sup]{/td}
{td=center}PA SE Screen{/td}
{td=center}Fake Screen Wheel{/td}
{/tr}
{tr}
{td=center}Vertical TE Cross[sup]D[/sup]{/td}
{td=center}HB Slip Screen[sup]Q[/sup]{/td}
{td=center} {/td}
{/tr}
{/tbody}
[/xtable]

Wing Offset​

[xtable=skin1|bcenter]
{tbody}
{tr}
{td=center}HB Dive[sup]R[/sup]{/td}
{td=center}Read Option{/td}
{td=center}PA Read[sup]PA[/sup]{/td}
{/tr}
{tr}
{td=center}Jet Tr Option{/td}
{td=center}Mtn HB Dive{/td}
{td=center}Mtn PA Dive{/td}
{/tr}
{tr}
{td=center}Z Spot[sup]D[/sup]{/td}
{td=center}Mtn Triple Option{/td}
{td=center}Mtn Tr Opt Pass{/td}
{/tr}
{tr}
{td=center}PA FL Screen[sup]Q[/sup]{/td}
{td=center} {/td}
{td=center} {/td}
{/tr}
{/tbody}
[/xtable]

Wing Offset Wk​

[xtable=skin1|bcenter]
{tbody}
{tr}
{td=center}Counter Y{/td}
{td=center}Inside Zone Split[sup]R[/sup]{/td}
{td=center}Power O{/td}
{/tr}
{tr}
{td=center}Speed Option{/td}
{td=center}Read Option{/td}
{td=center}PA Boot[sup]PA[/sup]{/td}
{/tr}
{tr}
{td=center}Jet Sweep{/td}
{td=center}PA Jet Wheelies{/td}
{td=center}Motion WR Option{/td}
{/tr}
{tr}
{td=center}Strong Flood{/td}
{td=center}Vertical TE Cross[sup]D[/sup]{/td}
{td=center}HB Slip Screen[sup]Q[/sup]{/td}
{/tr}
{/tbody}
[/xtable]

Wing Trips Offset​

[xtable=skin1|bcenter]
{tbody}
{tr}
{td=center}HB Iso[sup]R[/sup]{/td}
{td=center}Read Option{/td}
{td=center}QB Slot Option{/td}
{/tr}
{tr}
{td=center}PA Bubble[sup]PA[/sup]{/td}
{td=center}PA SE Screen[sup]Q[/sup]{/td}
{td=center}Fake Screen Wheel[sup]D[/sup]{/td}
{/tr}
{/tbody}
[/xtable]

Wing Trips Offset Wk​

[xtable=skin1|bcenter]
{tbody}
{tr}
{td=center}Counter Y{/td}
{td=center}Inside Zone Split[sup]R[/sup]{/td}
{td=center}Y Lead Read Option{/td}
{/tr}
{tr}
{td=center}Speed Option{/td}
{td=center}Shovel Option{/td}
{td=center}Mtn PA Flood[sup]PA[/sup]{/td}
{/tr}
{tr}
{td=center}Tr Opt Lead left{/td}
{td=center}Mtn WR Swing[sup]Q[/sup]{/td}
{td=center}Tr Opt Lead Rt{/td}
{/tr}
{tr}
{td=center}Curls{/td}
{td=center}Strong Flood{/td}
{td=center}Vertical TE Cross[sup]D[/sup]{/td}
{/tr}
{tr}
{td=center}HB Slip Screen{/td}
{td=center} {/td}
{td=center} {/td}
{/tr}
{/tbody}
[/xtable]

Y Trips Offset​

[xtable=skin1|bcenter]
{tbody}
{tr}
{td=center}HB Dive[sup]R[/sup]{/td}
{td=center}Read Option{/td}
{td=center}QB Slot Option{/td}
{/tr}
{tr}
{td=center}Speed Option{/td}
{td=center}01 Trap{/td}
{td=center}PA Read{/td}
{/tr}
{tr}
{td=center}Stick[sup]Q[/sup]{/td}
{td=center}Stick N Nod{/td}
{td=center}Sprintout Smash{/td}
{/tr}
{tr}
{td=center}Slot Drive{/td}
{td=center}Y Corner{/td}
{td=center}Four Verts[sup]D[/sup]{/td}
{/tr}
{tr}
{td=center}PA WR Screen[sup]PA[/sup]{/td}
{td=center}Fake Screen Wheel{/td}
{td=center} {/td}
{/tr}
{/tbody}
[/xtable]

Trio Offset​

[xtable=skin1|bcenter]
{tbody}
{tr}
{td=center}01 Trap{/td}
{td=center}Inside Zone[sup]R[/sup]{/td}
{td=center}Read Option{/td}
{/tr}
{tr}
{td=center}
Speed Option{/td}
{td=center}HB Draw{/td}
{td=center}PA Boot Over{/td}
{/tr}
{tr}
{td=center}Mtn Tr Option Left{/td}
{td=center}Shovel Option Right{/td}
{td=center}Mtn Tr Option Right{/td}
{/tr}
{tr}
{td=center}PA Bubble[sup]PA[/sup]{/td}
{td=center}PA WR Screen[sup]Q[/sup]{/td}
{td=center}Fake Screen Wheel{/td}
{/tr}
{tr}
{td=center}Verticals[sup]D[/sup]{/td}
{td=center} {/td}
{td=center} {/td}
{/tr}
{/tbody}
[/xtable]

Trio Unbalanced​

[xtable=skin1|bcenter]
{tbody}
{tr}
{td=center}Inside Zone[sup]R[/sup]{/td}
{td=center}Read Option{/td}
{td=center}QB Slot Option{/td}
{/tr}
{tr}
{td=center}Speed Option{/td}
{td=center}01 Trap{/td}
{td=center}HB Swing[sup]Q[/sup]{/td}
{/tr}
{tr}
{td=center}Z Spot[sup]D[/sup]{/td}
{td=center}PA Bubble{/td}
{td=center}PA FL Screen[sup]PA[/sup]{/td}
{/tr}
{/tbody}
[/xtable]

Spread Flex​

[xtable=skin1|bcenter]
{tbody}
{tr}
{td=center}HB Dive[sup]R[/sup]{/td}
{td=center}Read Option{/td}
{td=center}PA Read{/td}
{/tr}
{tr}
{td=center}Jet Sweep{/td}
{td=center}Mtn Inside Zone{/td}
{td=center}Mtn PA Swing{/td}
{/tr}
{tr}
{td=center}PA Jet Sweep[sup]PA[/sup]{/td}
{td=center}Motion WR Option{/td}
{td=center}Motion Option Pass{/td}
{/tr}
{tr}
{td=center}Shovel Option Right{/td}
{td=center}Load Option{/td}
{td=center}Load Option Pass{/td}
{/tr}
{tr}
{td=center}Y Corner{/td}
{td=center}Z Spot{/td}
{td=center}Deep Attack{/td}
{/tr}
{tr}
{td=center}Smash Corners{/td}
{td=center}Four Verticals[sup]D[/sup]{/td}
{td=center}WR Mid Screen[sup]Q[/sup]{/td}
{/tr}
{tr}
{td=center}PA FL Screen{/td}
{td=center} {/td}
{td=center} {/td}
{/tr}
{/tbody}
[/xtable]

Spread Offset​

[xtable=skin1|bcenter]
{tbody}
{tr}
{td=center}Inside Zone[sup]R[/sup]{/td}
{td=center}Read Option{/td}
{td=center}QB Slot Option{/td}
{/tr}
{tr}
{td=center}Zone Speed Option{/td}
{td=center}01 Trap{/td}
{td=center}Veer Option{/td}
{/tr}
{tr}
{td=center}Jet Sweep{/td}
{td=center}Mtn Inside Zone{/td}
{td=center}Mtn PA Swing{/td}
{/tr}
{tr}
{td=center}Mtn Tr Option Left{/td}
{td=center}Shovel Option Right{/td}
{td=center}Mtn Tr Option Right{/td}
{/tr}
{tr}
{td=center}PA Bubble[sup]PA[/sup]{/td}
{td=center}Fake Bubble Slant[sup]D[/sup]{/td}
{td=center}PA SE Screen{/td}
{/tr}
{tr}
{td=center}HB Slip Screen[sup]Q[/sup]{/td}
{td=center} {/td}
{td=center} {/td}
{/tr}
{/tbody}
[/xtable]

Trio 4WR​

[xtable=skin1|bcenter]
{tbody}
{tr}
{td=center}QB Wrap[sup]R[/sup]{/td}
{td=center}HB Off Tackle{/td}
{td=center}Read Option{/td}
{/tr}
{tr}
{td=center}Speed Option{/td}
{td=center}Motion WR Option{/td}
{td=center}PA QB Read[sup]PA[/sup]{/td}
{/tr}
{tr}
{td=center}Bubble Screen[sup]Q[/sup]{/td}
{td=center}WR Double Screen[sup]D[/sup]{/td}
{td=center}WR Mid Screen{/td}
{/tr}
{/tbody}
[/xtable]

Trio 4WR Str​

[xtable=skin1|bcenter]
{tbody}
{tr}
{td=center}HB Counter{/td}
{td=center}HB Dive[sup]R[/sup]{/td}
{td=center}Read Option{/td}
{/tr}
{tr}
{td=center}Speed Option{/td}
{td=center}01 Trap{/td}
{td=center}QB Slot Option{/td}
{/tr}
{tr}
{td=center}PA Bubble[sup]PA[/sup]{/td}
{td=center}PA FL Screen{/td}
{td=center}WR Mid Screen[sup]Q[/sup]{/td}
{/tr}
{tr}
{td=center}Z Spot[sup]D[/sup]{/td}
{td=center} {/td}
{td=center} {/td}
{/tr}
{/tbody}
[/xtable]

Empty Spread​

[xtable=skin1|bcenter]
{tbody}
{tr}
{td=center}Jet Sweep{/td}
{td=center}Mtn Read Option[sup]R[/sup]{/td}
{td=center}PA Motion Read[sup]PA[/sup]{/td}
{/tr}
{tr}
{td=center}Motion HB Option{/td}
{td=center}Four Verticals[sup]D[/sup]{/td}
{td=center}WR Mid Screen[sup]Q[/sup]{/td}
{/tr}
{/tbody}
[/xtable]

Empty Wing Trio​

[xtable=skin1|bcenter]
{tbody}
{tr}
{td=center}QB Power[sup]R[/sup]{/td}
{td=center}PA Verticals[sup]PA[/sup]{/td}
{td=center}Z Spot[sup]D[/sup]{/td}
{/tr}
{tr}
{td=center}WR Mid Screen[sup]Q[/sup]{/td}
{td=center} {/td}
{td=center} {/td}
{/tr}
{/tbody}
[/xtable]

​

The superscript notions show the four quick audibles within each formation:
[sup]Q[/sup] - Quick Pass (Up)
[sup]PA[/sup] - PA Pass (Left)
[sup]D[/sup] - Deep Pass (Right)
[sup]R[/sup] - Run (Down)

The two Pistol and two Wishbone formations are not included. Honestly, the two Pistol formations are probably going to be removed and the Wishbone formations are small for goal line purposes. The only reason I have the Pistol formations right now are to serve as a placeholder for the Pistol formation grouping. I didn't want to take Pistol out, decide I wanted it back and then add it and have my formation groups out of order which murdered my last few Spread-I playbooks.

I'll keep this updated as I go through removing what I don't use as well as seeing if I can tweak a few quick audibles here and there.​

 

[PaHsFootballRules]

@TXHusker05

What book are you using as your base?

 

[JSU Zack]

Spread-I Triple Option Playbook

decide I wanted it back and then add it and have my formation groups out of order which murdered my last few Spread-I playbooks.

I'll keep this updated as I go through removing what I don't use as well as seeing if I can tweak a few quick audibles here and there.[/LEFT]​

Pretty much what GSU & SHSU runs verbatim. The one thing I would recommend is to add in Pistol Full House to get the midline style inverted veer just in case people start screwing with your reads. Also, Pistol Wing Trio has a great rollout game for attack the perimeter. Other than that, good stuff.​

 

[TXHusker05]

@TXHusker05

What book are you using as your base?

For this one, I used Army. Typically I use Auburn as my base since it is spread, but since this is a full on option playbook, I used Army to get the option classification. I'm hoping that will help get some more FBs and TEs interested in me since I generally have a hard time recruiting them in general.

 

[TXHusker05]

Pretty much what GSU & SHSU runs verbatim. The one thing I would recommend is to add in Pistol Full House to get the midline style inverted veer just in case people start screwing with your reads. Also, Pistol Wing Trio has a great rollout game for attack the perimeter. Other than that, good stuff.​

Full House and Weak Slot are the two Pistol formations that are currently in there. I thought I might use some of my Pistol Weak Slot to Pistol Full House audible series but I ended up needing the audibles for Split/Split Y Offset.

I do like Pistol Wing Trio, but didn't think it added anything I didn't have elsewhere. I have that Sprintout Smash play in Y Trips Offset and have a ton of rollout Z Spot stuff. For my offense at Nebraska, I was thinking about just duplicating this playbook beat for beat but replace some of the triple stuff with PA Read pass plays and just going heavy up tempo. Not sure if it'll work out though.

All in all I'm loving this offense and the playbook. Still some stuff I could probably afford to remove but not in a hurry since all my quick audibles are where I want them to be. It really is right out of that Georgia Southern, Sam Houston State and New Mexico style. Just like a typical triple option offense with the FB Dive, Double and Triple Options and play action off of that with some speed sweeps and counters mixed in... just from the gun.

 

[JSU Zack]

I've had far more success with rollout smash. Spot doesn't get the RPO I like to see because the spot receiver brings a defender close to the QB.

 

[TXHusker05]

I've had far more success with rollout smash. Spot doesn't get the RPO I like to see because the spot receiver brings a defender close to the QB.

I typically don't treat Z Spot as a rollout run option play, it's just an easy triangle read pass play that can beat any coverage. I don't really treat rollout smash as a run option play either, although I suppose I could start. I've been messing around with the HB Swing play in Trio Unbalanced as a run option play, it is hit or miss at the moment but there is something there.

 

[JSU Zack]

Many times, I got route the Z to create a sail concept. Works much better as an RPO.

 

[bruin228]

I typically don't treat Z Spot as a rollout run option play, it's just an easy triangle read pass play that can beat any coverage. I don't really treat rollout smash as a run option play either, although I suppose I could start. I've been messing around with the HB Swing play in Trio Unbalanced as a run option play, it is hit or miss at the moment but there is something there.

The HB Swing is something good, man. Glad you caught onto that. I'm not sure how well it'll work in dynasties when you're getting WRs that suck shit at blocking, but in practice mode it was near unstoppable. I'd like to figure out some other things to pair it with, because I noticed sometimes the DE will take the back and the LB will quickly jump onto the QB. I'd like to find something quick to make him choose between as well.

 

[TXHusker05]

Many times, I got route the Z to create a sail concept. Works much better as an RPO.

From time to time I actually use Z Spot to create Y Corner where the spot turns into a slant. Y Corner is my second favorite pass concept and if I'm getting just a ton of man with a wide open middle of the field, I like being able to throw that slant to an athletic WR.

My pass game is absurdly basic. Especially so in a triple option offense but even in my other versions it is just very simple.

 

[TXHusker05]

The HB Swing is something good, man. Glad you caught onto that. I'm not sure how well it'll work in dynasties when you're getting WRs that suck shit at blocking, but in practice mode it was near unstoppable. I'd like to figure out some other things to pair it with, because I noticed sometimes the DE will take the back and the LB will quickly jump onto the QB. I'd like to find something quick to make him choose between as well.

Yeah in practice mode that play is golden. I've run it a few times in OD games vs the CPU with varying success.

When that end widens, you can press his inside shoulder. If he stays wide, take off. If he turns back towards the QB, you can usually just float it out to the HB. For the times when there is a scrape and the LB comes at the QB, you can usually hold it just long enough for the HB to clear the end and then still float it out there.

At Army where I am running this Spread-I Triple, I actually have 3 TE at the 3 WR spots which helps a lot for blocking. But again, haven't had a chance to run it in a user game. I've tried going into exhibition mode vs teams that run a 3-4 or 3-3-5 to see how the end reacts and it seems to be the same way.

 

[bruin228]

Is the end always unblocked in Trio Unbalanced? When I ran it from Trips, I would say the end was blocked 75-80% of the time.

 

[TXHusker05]

Is the end always unblocked in Trio Unbalanced? When I ran it from Trips, I would say the end was blocked 75-80% of the time.

In Trio Unbalanced he seems to be unblocked every time but not sure if that is a function of that formation only or what. In Trips it might be different.

 

[TXHusker05]

I'm having so much fun with this Gun Triple offense. I've always talked about running a gun triple offense out of offset but never really had the right combination of personnel to do it. Since perimeter blocking in ODs is always the thing that disappears first as seasons go on, it helps to have a ton of TEs that you can play at WR. I have just that at Army, paired with multiple fullbacks and tailbacks and one good WR that I can isolate on the solo side as necessary.

Through 5 games, I have thrown just 20 times to 290 rushes and have 3 players with 500 yards rushing or better (slotback, diveback and QB). Like I said BSCFL, I feel like everything flows together really nicely in this offense. I have really specific formation subs and don't flip formations, which lets me call certain formations/plays when I'm on the left hash and others when I'm on the right. I can really stress the perimeter with a combination of formation, play call and personnel because I have a combination of TEs and FBs spread across my WR/TE/H-Back positions which gives me really good blocking on the perimeter but all 4 TEs can catch the ball and both FBs are good power runners. I have multiple formations with the FB in at HB where he can run Trap and/or serve as a dive back on option. Even my 2nd HB, who serves as my dive back, has block ratings so I can leave him back there to lead on Jet/Load, etc.

The in-formation quick audibles let me answer any look I might get pre-snap. My last 3 games I've thrown a total of 4 passes, 2 of them by accident. One I accidentally super simmed a play of offense and the CPU threw the ball and the other was a shovel option where I got a shovel read for like the first time ever. Even if I get a loaded box, I have enough answers in the run game through personnel/formation to still run the football. I'll only start breaking out my perimeter screen game if I'm just facing all out blitzes and 9 man boxes. Still a long season left and some tough user v user games remain but so far so good.

 

[JSU Zack]

@TxHusked05 You talk about formation subs a lot. Are you talking about the pregame HARD subs or formation packages in the play call menu? I've never used former. Use the latter all the time.

 

[TXHusker05]

@TxHusked05 You talk about formation subs a lot. Are you talking about the pregame HARD subs or formation packages in the play call menu? I've never used former. Use the latter all the time.

Mainly pregame hard subs using the formation subs menu in the OD main screen where Depth Chart/Edit Roster are. I have used 47 of 50 formation subs, all on offense. Then I augment that with formation packages in the play call menu.

I typically use a lot of hard formation subs in all of my offenses because I have a lot of unique looks but I have needed to use way more than usual in this offense in particular because of how the game handles audibles. If you line a HB or TE up outside of a WR and then go to audible, the game will force the HB/TE and WR to switch spots. Since so much of my offense is handled at the line through audibles and so many of my WR spots are filled by TEs and/or HB, I didn't want to have any formation where that would occur so I had to do a bunch of formation subs.

I have quite a few formations where I formation subbed my WR off the field entirely and have 3 TE on the field with 2 HB. I have a few others where I had to formation sub my WR to the solo side of the formation so I wouldn't run into that stupid audible shift problem.

Then I have a few formations that I have a really small series of plays I wanted to run and needed special personnel to do it. For example, I only run the Jet series (plus Speed Option) out of Normal Flex Wing and so I formation subbed the formation to look like:

------------TE-----------T-G-C-G-T--------------------TE------
---HB---------------------------TE------------------------------
-------------------------------Q----------------------------------
---------------------------------FB-------------------------------

I do something similar in Spread Offset, where I only run Trap plus the Jet series and the Motion Option series (both directions).

------TE-----------------T-G-C-G-T-----------------TE------
---------------HB---------------------------HB---------------
-------------------------------Q------------------------------
---------------------------------FB----------------------------

I've got some other unique ones like in Trio Unbalanced where I formation subbed a 6th OL at TE and then put 2 TE outside and a HB inside to the Trio side.

Mainly my formation subs are to prevent stupid quirks with my audibles from happening. Other cases it is just to run a small series of plays like above. In my pro style Spread-I I do a bunch of formation subs in my Strong/Weak series of plays to get things like a WR or TE in the backfield to directly pitch the ball to them on toss. It sucks that the hard formation subs are so permanent that you can't sub a guy out with packages if he is fatigued, but if that happens I'll just go to another formation for a play or two as necessary.

 

[TXHusker05]

Just a quick update to the Spread-I Triple playbook, I have added both Pistol Full House and Pistol Train to the offense. I'm not really sure why I hadn't used Pistol Train before since it is one of my favorite Pistol formations but it is there now.

Plays in it are:

Off Tackle - Stretch - Power Option
Triple Option - Read Wk - Read
Slant - PA Flood Slip - Verts

Full House was already in the playbook, but I adjusted it a bit. Originally I had Pistol Weak Slot in the offense, with the idea that I would do my Pistol Weak Slot to Pistol Full House audible series to create pseudo Jet sweep but I ended up using the pre-assigned audibles for other things.

I decided to delete Pistol Weak Slot and delete the 3 Offset/Read Option/Triple Option plays from Full House. I formation subbed two FBs to the upback positions and left the two triple option plays with the tailback as the dive back in the formation plus the PA Flood Slip play off of it. Then kept the Curls play (deep audible) and the screen pass (quick run). Makes it a lot more streamlined and I can get to all 5 plays in the formation at the line of scrimmage.

Don't run it a ton, but it adds a different look to the offense.

 

[PaHsFootballRules]

@TXHusker05

What are you doing to have such great success with the jet sweep and how are you seeing it up?

 

[JSU Zack]

In my experience, Jet works best out of 11 personnel with a fast back at HB that can get around the edge to block.

You also want to run jet to the 3/5 tech and be ready to cut upfield just like you would in outside zone.

 

[PaHsFootballRules]

That's what I do, but I generally use the fullback package. I'll have to try it with my back.

 

[PaHsFootballRules]

Do you guys prefer it offset or traditional gun. Also, jet works pretty well for me out of pistol ace and pistol twin te slot, but I never get it going in pistol ace normal. Anyone get it to work?