Coach ,

Happy New Year! 2022 will be ushered in with a line-up of great college football games.  

Let’s take a look at the games and what we can learn from the coaches of these top teams. While some of the coaches are moving on to new teams, they certainly played a big role in getting their teams to the New Year’s Day bowls.

Outback Bowl

No. 21 Arkansas vs. Penn State

12 p.m. | ESPN2

Raymond James Stadium in Tampa, Florida

The day kicks off with a match-up of the Big Ten and the SEC. Both of these teams battled in 2021 and have some big expectations for the new year. Let’s take a look at what the coaches in this game have shared in clinics in 2021.

Penn State Clinics:

In this segment of his OC/QB Coach Mike Yurcich’s talk he emphasized the importance of training the QB’s eyes to stay downfield. A QB who does this consistently will find opportunities for big plays. Coach Yurcich explains that and tells why 7 on 7 may not be the best place to train this (click on image for video):

Video: Train the Eyes to Stay Downfield

Coach goes on to talk about the importance of the drills and techniques you use showing up on film. Here is an example of his “right foot under right armpit” technique:

Video: Rt Foot under Rt Armpit

More from the Penn State Staff:

Developing a QB, Building a Winning Culture, and Penn State Culture by James Franklin

Intermediate Dropback Game, QB Fundamentals & Drill Work by Mike Yurcich

5 Man Pressure, Linebacker U Fundamentals & Technique by Brent Pry (now HC at VT)

Arkansas Clinics:

The Razorbacks have been outstanding on the ground averaging 217.2 yards per game (#12 ranked). The strong run game with a dynamic quarterback and receivers makes the Razorback offense very explosive. The Nittany Lions will need to stop the run in order to be successful.

A play that Cody Kennedy, Arkansas OL coach loves is the Duo. While at Tulane in 2020, he used this play to get the Greenwave over 7 yards per carry in 2020.  To him, it’s a play in which they utilize their gap scheme double teams “up” to the linebackers. They equate it to getting 600 pounds of offensive linemen on 300 pounds of a defensive lineman.

Video: Introduction to the Duo Play

The schemes you add will have to attack some of the trending fronts as well, and the most popular front we’ve see in the last couple of seasons has been the Mint front or 4i-0-4i that has been made popular at the college level. The Duo is great for attacking this front, and Coach Kennedy explains it here:

Video: Odd Front Examples of Duo Blocking

Kennedy breaks down game film of the Duo play in this video:

Video: 12 Personnel vs Tite Front

More from the Razorback Staff:

Lessons Learned Through Coaching - Sam Pittman (free course)

The Duo Play, The Wham Play - Cody Kennedy

Razorback Linebacker Development- Rion Rhoades

4 Phases of Punt Return-Scott Fountain

Citrus Bowl

No. 15 Iowa vs. No. 22 Kentucky

1 p.m. | ABC

Camping World Stadium in Orlando, Florida

In another Big Ten/SEC match-up, the blue-collar Iowa Hawkeyes pit their formula of tough defense and ball control offense up against an explosive Kentucky Wildcat offense.

Iowa Clinics:

Special Teams Fundamental Drills by Levar Woods

Iowa Football by Kirk Ferentz 

Fiesta Bowl

No. 5 Notre Dame vs. No. 9 Oklahoma State

1 p.m. | ESPN

State Farm Stadium in Glendale, Arizona

Both of these teams just missed on the CFB Playoffs and are looking to kick off 2022 on a positive note that will help their 2022 campaigns to get into the top 4 next year.

Norte Dame has plenty of excitement surrounding the promotion of Freeman to head coach, and Mike Gundy continues to lead his program with an outstanding staff and talented roster. Let’s take a peek at what both offenses rely on - the outside zone play.

Jeff Quinn - Outside Zone Concept vs Various Fronts, Blitzes, & Line Games 

Jeff Quinn, the offensive line coach at the University of Notre Dame, starts with the fundamentals. He uses various drills, game film examples, & formations to help you learn the outside zone, the Irish way.

Here’s Quinn teaching the play side reach technique:

Video: Playside Reach

Notre Dame Clinics

Coaching Generation Z and Fundamental Drills for Special Teams by Brian Polian (on to LSU)

Outside Zone Concept vs Various Fronts, Blitzes, & Line Games by Jeff Quinn

At OSU, Coach Jason McEndoo’s favorite way to run the outside zone is through 11 personnel. It allows for the play to be run to the open side or to the tight end side. Also, it is a play that is very versatile against multiple fronts. He goes over the basics in this video:

Video: 1 Back Outside Zone

Modern defenses love to use the 4i defensive lineman.  For many schemes, the 4i can cause some issues. In this example, Coach McEndoo illustrates how the play works against a 4i with plus-ed linebackers (click on image for video):

Video: Outside Zone vs 3-3 Stack

Oklahoma State Clinics

So You Want to Run the Outside Zone? - Cowboy Back Coach Jason McEndoo

Playing Offense on Defense - DC Jim Knowles (on to Ohio State)

Rose Bowl

No. 6 Ohio State vs. No. 11 Utah

5 p.m. | ESPN

Rose Bowl in Pasadena, California

The Buckeyes take on a team that flew under the radar in the Utah Utes. This match-up looks to be a battle in Pasadena.  The Utah defense proved to be staunch in shutting down a high-powered Oregon offense. The Buckeyes will be without some key players but became one of the most explosive teams as the season progressed. Let’s take a look at some ideas from both offenses.

Ohio State OL Coach Greg Studrawa points out that it starts with plays that you believe in and that you can tie together so they fit into a cohesive attack.  For the Buckeyes that is the zone read and the stretch. Coach Studrawa explains his philosophy here:

Coach Studrawa explains their line calls and technique works together in this example:

The beauty of the Buckeyes run game system is that it allows them to do what most teams choose as either/or... they make line calls and get specific of how it will work out, and they also block tracks adjusting on the move.

Ohio State Clinic

Read and Perimeter Run - Fundamentals and Tech by Greg Studrawa

On the other side is the Utes offense led by OC Jim Harding explaining the calls that make up their protections. The Utes will need to keep their Qb clean so he can attack the Buckey secondary:

Utah Clinic

6 Man Pass Protection by Jim Harding

Sugar Bowl

No. 7 Baylor vs. No. 8 Ole Miss

8:45 p.m. | ESPN

Caesars Superdome in New Orleans, Louisiana

Dave Aranda has done a phenomenal job in his second season at Baylor. While he made a name for himself on defense, he has invested in the “human systems” that build the Bears' culture.

For Coach Aranda, it is person over player. He develops the human system 1st and the player system 2nd. It has a distinct order in development: the person, the relationship, then the player. Coach explains how this time with COVID has helped him realize this clearly:

Baylor Clinics

Baylor ended the season as Big 12 Champions and will play Ole Miss in the Sugar Bowl. Check out 4 courses from their coaching staff including Head Coach Dave Aranda. 

Lessons of a First Year Head Coach - HC Dave Aranda

Defending the Spread - HC Dave Aranda

Building an Offensive System - OC Jeff Grimes

Wide Zone and 5 Man Protection - OL Eric Mateos

Ole Miss has had one of the best offenses over the past couple of seasons

This starts with their identity which former Ole Miss OC Jeff Lebby (moving on to OC at Oklahoma) says is “Fast. Fearless and Physical.”

Being Fast means that they play with great tempo. It starts with a detailed approach which Coach Lebby believes they do differently in that they spend a lot of time coaching the mechanics of tempo. Two components of this are the ball mechanics of how to get the ball back to the official and their use of a continuously recording tape to evaluate the mechanics and coach it.

Being Fearless is how they attack every single day.  They call the offense in a fearless fashion and they play with a fearless mentality.

Finally, they identify as being a Physical football team in the way that they do everything. Coach Lebby explains what Fast. Fearless. Physical means to the Rebels here (click on image for video):

Video: Fast, Fearless, Physical

As the stats show, the Rebels run a very balanced attack. The way they get it done is with a detailed approach of how they teach every aspect of the offense.

Overall the offense contains key components:

• Personnel Placement
• Controlling Tempo
• Creating Space
• Vertical Running Game
• Vertical Passing Game

Here’s an example of how this comes together in a game plan and works on a particular play (click on image for video):

Video: Deep Post Play Action Pass

Ole Miss Clinics

The Rebels finished the season at 10-2 and will play the red hot Baylor Bears in the Sugar Bowl on New Year's Day. Watch courses from Offensive Coordinator Jeff Leby and Co-Defensive Coordinator Chris Partridge.

Ole Miss Offensive Philosophy & QB Development - OC Jeff Leby

3rd Down and Red Zone Bracket - DC Chris Partridge

Best wishes to you and your family as you begin 2022. Enjoy the games and take the opportunity to learn what has helped the coaches working today bring their teams to the New Years Six.

Always be growing!

Coach Grabowski