How Cortez Hankton Utilizes Stacks and Bunches to Get WR’s Open at LSU
Aug 12, 2024 7:30 pm
Coach -
The top 12 teams make it this year, and while pre season rankings mean little to who ends up in the playoffs, they do give us an idea of who is in strong contention.
Today we look at the #11 LSU Tigers and their recently promoted Co-Offensive Coordinator Cortez Hankton.
Coach Hankton, a native of New Orleans, joined the LSU coaching staff in January 2022 as the passing game coordinator and wide receivers coach. He was promoted to co-offensive coordinator in January 2024.
His tenure has been marked by significant offensive success, contributing to LSU's record-setting performances, including leading the nation in scoring (45.5) and total offense (543.5), and ranking third in passing (338.9) in 2023.
Season Preview Capsule
LSU fans are expecting a big year from the Tigers. They want to see the team back in the national championship mix, which hasn't happened since the 2019 title win. The new college playoff creates new opportunities, and the Tigers should be in the mix.
Coming into the season at #11 with a potentially explosive offense led by veteran quarterback Garrett Nussmeier and a strong offensive line, the Tigers have a good shot. The Tigers look to bolster the run defense and improve the secondary. Overall, LSU has the talent to compete for a College Football Playoff spot. Let’s look at the team’s strengths.
LSU Strengths:
Offense:
- Veteran Quarterback: Garrett Nussmeier has seen playing time and is ready to lead the attack.
- Strong Receiving Corps: Kyren Lacy is a proven receiver, with talented additions like CJ Daniels and Chris Hilton.
- Elite Offensive Line: Will Campbell and Emery Jones are top NFL prospects, anchoring a talented unit.
- Backfield Depth: Josh Williams, Kalen Jackson, and John Emery provide options behind a strong line.
Defense:
- Pass Rushing: Harold Perkins is an elite pass rusher with a high NFL draft projection.
- Linebacker Talent: Perkins and Greg Penn provide a solid foundation at linebacker.
- Improved Secondary: Young, talented corners Ashton Stamps and Jardin Gilbert could be a strong duo.
Clinic: Stack and Bunch Passing Concepts
Earlier in our rankings we featured Seth Litrell’s clinic on condensed sets and how they create clarity and quick calls for the offensive coordinator.
Cortez Hankton’s presentation on Stacks and bunches is a great complementary clinic to watch to incorporate similar but different ideas and extensions. Stacks and Bunch are a good investment in terms of time and teaching and offer a great value to you as an offense in the passing and running game.
Video: Plan of Attack
Incorporating these sets and formations is simple because the routes stay the same, but the receiver gains an advantage through rub routes or combinations that confuse and challenge the defensive backs. As shown in the Coach Cortez’s clinic, the simplicity increases when you mirror the routes, use RPO schemes, and more.
Video: Corner Option
The corner and stick option concepts put defenders in tough situations. The corner option allows the outside receiver to adjust based on leverage and coverage, giving him more freedom to succeed. This also complicates things for defensive backs, who must communicate and properly defend the high and low routes within the given spacing.
These same spacing principles apply to the stick concept. You exploit the defenders, forcing them to navigate through each other. Unless the defense is experienced or playing in a very quiet stadium, they will likely struggle with this. However, you are still running the same concepts, just from a different starting position.
Video: Stick Spacing
Passing concepts build on each other; you don't need 500 different routes or a system that tags each route individually. Often, defenders misunderstand field spacing and dimensions, leading them to feel like they're defending the entire field, which puts them on their heels. Meanwhile, your athletes remain calm, comfortable, and confident because they're running plays they've executed thousands of times.
It’s definitely worth your time to explore the value of using stacks and bunches in your offense.
-Coach Grabowski, Coach Kauffman and the CoachesClinic Team
Other Clinics from the LSU Staff:
Cultivating a Culture of Excellence - Frank Wilson
The Progression: Teaching Run and Pass Game - Brad Davis
Resources for the 2024 season:
2024 Prep for Camp - WR Edition
2024 Prep for Camp - RB Edition
2024 Prep for Camp - OL Edition Bundle