Coach -

Tyler Roehl built one of the most feared offenses in the FCS during his time as offensive coordinator at North Dakota State—anchored by a violent, cohesive play-action game that mirrored every detail of the run. That foundation helped the Bison capture seven FCS national championships, and it continues to shape Roehl’s coaching journey as he moves up the football ranks. After a stop at Iowa State in 2023, he’s now an offensive assistant with the Detroit Lions.

At the heart of Roehl’s philosophy is deception by design. Play action isn’t a wrinkle—it’s a core principle.

“We try to have some sort of play action on the card to mirror a lot of our run schemes,” Roehl explains. “I mean, we’re going to marry them up as much as possible.”

That commitment shows up in the details. Roehl’s offense mirrored run calls with precision: same pre-snap communication, same motions, same formations—whether under center or in shotgun. The goal? Force defenses to hesitate, then punish them vertically.

The results speak for themselves. In 2019, NDSU’s power scheme averaged 7.0 yards per carry at 56% efficiency. Inside zone hit 7.8 yards per attempt and 68% efficiency. Fullbacks and tight ends? Nearly 20 touchdowns in a single season. Roehl’s units didn’t just run—they overwhelmed you with layers of discipline, detail, and violence.

And that word—violence—is central to his view of play action.

“Play action can be extremely physical and violent too,” he emphasizes. “Don’t take a playoff or think it’s a playoff, and our guys don’t want to. They want to be physical on play action.”

Even as he advances to the NFL, Roehl continues to bring that edge with him. His success at NDSU wasn’t built on gimmicks—it was built on a system where play action looked, sounded, and felt like the real thing. It forced defenses to honor every fake, respect every run look, and defend every inch of the field.

Bottom line: Roehl doesn’t install play action. He infuses it. The same physicality that earned seven national titles in Fargo now powers his next chapter in the NFL—and it still starts with the same commitment: mirror the run, attack with violence, and make every snap look the same until it’s too late.

Listen to Coach Roehl on Play Action...

Video: Play Action Introduction

Always be growing!

Coach Grabowski

P.S. Want the full system behind Tyler Roehl’s physical, championship-caliber offense? Get access to his complete clinic bundle, featuring three powerful courses:

• Integrating FB & TE in Play Action Passing Game – Learn how Roehl marries run and pass to create explosive mismatches.
• Training a Physical Fullback to Dominate the Run Game – Master the techniques behind kick-out, iso, and counter blocks.
• Tight End Training for a More Dynamic Offense – Unlock the details of gap drive, backside cutoff, and pin-pull execution.

👉 Get the full Tyler Roehl Bundle now and bring a championship edge to your offense.