Coach ,

The Duo is a play that went from one which was misunderstood and misidentified to trending as one of the top offensive runs being researched this offseason. And it probably starts with it’s popularity in NFL offenses where it is the 2nd most run play in the league after outside zone.

Duo is a gap scheme run and it can be thought of as “power without a puller.” The “duo” is designed to create two double teams and get vertical push on the defense. It’s great against the linebacker who likes to plug against the tight zone play, and it neutralizes defensive line movement.

For the running back, it is a downhill run in the frontside A gap run to the Tight End side. It allows the running back to have a second level read, typically the Mike LB vs. 11 personnel.

Cody Kennedy, former Tulane Offensive Line Coach now at Arkansas, 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.

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:

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

This is one of the most thorough resources you will find on the play and Kennedy teaches it well. He covers all of the details of the play vs different fronts and scenarios. Learn from Kennedy’s course “The Duo Play” here.

Former NFL RB coach David Walker loves the play for his running backs. He explains the basic mechanics of the play in this video.

If you have watched any of Coach Walker’s courses, he spends a lot of time teaching the different scenarios and reads that a running back must be prepared for. He does that for the Duo in this video.

Coach Walker shares the drill work for this play which he did with the Detroit Lions and follows it up by coaching the play up with game film.

Coach Walker gives you another detailed research to begin your study of the Duo play in his course “The Duo Run Concept.”

Here are more Duo resources to research:

The DUO Play by Coach Paul Alexander

DUO Run Game and RPO`s

Duo and Slice from Gun Double Wing

The Complete Guide to Double Team Techniques and Schemes

RAVENS PISTOL Run Game

If you love the downhill run game and have some road grader-type linemen, the Duo may be a play for you. 

Do your research and get the Duo into your playbook!

Always be growing!

Coach Grabowski