Break Tendencies to Create Explosive 💥 Plays

Sep 27, 2022 2:25 pm

Coach ,

By now you’ve developed some tendencies. By either self-scout or the knowledge that “we do this a lot” you should be able to identify what your tendencies are.

With this knowledge, you can create some tendency breakers that often result in big plays. Today we share 3 ideas for using the keys you’ve developed to attack the defense.

#1) Sniffer Key - Break Tendencies

Tendencies develop over the course of the season, and one of those that typically develops is that of being able to key on a single blocker’s alignment or movement to take you to the ball.

In today’s 11 personnel-heavy offenses, that is usually the Sniffer of the TE off the ball. Tennessee OL Coach Glen Elarbee has an answer with what he calls “Claw.”

It is a variation of their counter in which the TE/Sniffer aligns to the counter side and begins with movement away from the point of attack. His movement puts him behind the first puller who is kicking out and allows him to get into his position to wrap through.

This is definitely a tendency breaker that can help slow down a fast-flowing defense. Coach Elarbee explains it here on game film (click on image for video):

Video: Claw

#2) More Mileage from Slow Screen + Easy TE Touches

Another concept that can break a tendency, give you more mileage from your slow screen blocking screen, and create an easy touch for your TE is what OC at Jones County HS Josh Herring calls the Chase Screen.

It is a unique play that creates the illusion of flow to one side of the field with routes and then brings the TE back underneath and sets him up with blockers and space in front of him.

Coach Herring explains this explosive play on game film (click on image for video)

Video: Chase Screen

#3)Power Read + Play Action = Explosive Play

With a dynamic QB, the power read is a viable screen that can stress a defense in the way that it distorts a front. By creating assignment stress on handling the inside run of the QB pull with the perimeter run of the give, a natural void can be created in the defensive secondary.

The easiest way to exploit this is by utilizing what looks exactly the same as a run game up front with a simple play-action pass that puts the receiver in a void in the defense.

Head Coach of the #4 ranked team in Ohio Tom Lombardo explains the concept here (click on image for video):

Video: Power Read Play Action

We’ve shared plenty of useful coaching points in the first half of the season. Here’s a list of those ideas by week below. Click on the link to get the videos we previously shared.

Week 0

Planning for 1 word plays

4 Concepts Terminology

Measurable Operations

Pocket Presence

Pocket Presence Drill

Pocket Presence Game Film

Deception in the NFL

Sweep One way and Toss the Other

Week 1

Black Zone

4 Minute