Learning from Champions - Power Read helps these 🦅 Eagles Soar
Dec 17, 2021 11:20 pm
Coach ,
Today’s installment of the learning from champions series brings us to my home state of Ohio where the St. Edward Eagles won their 5th state championship since 2010 and the 3rd under head coach Tom Lombardo’s guidance.
It’s Coach Lombardo’s fourth state championship. Lombardo is the only coach in Ohio history to capture state titles with two different schools. He led Lake Catholic to a Division III state title in 2001 and guided St. Edward to a Division I crown in 2015.
A key play for Lombardo’s offense over the last few seasons has been the power read. With a top talent at quarterback and multiple personnel groups, the Eagles have gotten plenty of mileage and points from the play.
The play is a great complement to their zone-read play. They both read a defensive end. It allows his offensive linemen to carry over the techniques theuse from zone to the power read play. Coach Lombardo explains why they like it here (click on image for video):
The play is versatile against any front. Coach Lombardo illustrates it vs. the 4-2-5 with a 3 technique on the fronstide here: (click on image for video):
Video: Power Read vs Frontside 3-tech
Of course any great running play will create explosive opportunities with play action, and that’s true for the Eagle’s Power Read play. Here are three of Coach Lombardo’s favorites:
Finding that play that can be used in multiple personnel groups, handle multiple fronts, and builds a strong play action off of it creates a formula for offensive success. That’s exactly what the St. Edward’s Eagles have done with Power Read as they won another championship.
Here are Ohio’s state champions:
Division I: St. Edward Eagles, Head Coach Tom Lombardo
Division II: Winton Woods Warriors, Head Coach Chad Murphy
Division III: Chardon Hilltoppers, Head Coach Mitch Hewitt
Division IV: Clinton-Massie Falcons, Head Coach Dan McSurely
Division V: Versailles Tigers, Head Coach Ryan Jones
Division VI: Carey Blue Devils, Head Coach Jonathan Mershman
Division VII: Marion Local Flyers, Head Coach Tim Goodwin
Congratulations to the Eagles and Coach Lombardo and all of Ohio’s state champions!
Always be growing!
Coach Grabowski