Sprint Out Passing: Move the Pocket for Success
Jun 06, 2022 3:57 pm
Coach ,
Finding ways to attack a defense and exploit its weaknesses is a goal for any offensive coordinator. The sprint out pass is definitely a tool worth thinking about to accomplish that.
Why Sprint Out?
The sprint out game provides a diverse package that builds upon other components of the passing game. Overall, the concepts used in an offense can be adapted to fit the quarterback on the move.
Sprint out fits into any offense and any type of personnel grouping. It’s simple to teach and it gives an offense efficiency in moving the ball down the field.
Kevin Kelley, who spent the 2021 season as the head coach of FCS passing leader Presbyterian, starts by pointing out a flaw in the thought process that many coaches mention as why to not sprint out...that it “takes away half of the field.” His answer is simple. You aren't taking away half of the field because they have to cover the other half of the field.
The ability to move the pocket and the launch point of the quarterback can help create and attack holes in defensive coverage.
Moving the launch point certainly is a way to alleviate pressure and get the quarterback cleaner looks. For the offensive line, the movement will help them as well.
Protection
As mentioned, changing the launch point to deter pressure is a big benefit offered by the sprint out passing game. The protection is relatively simple and doesn’t require the refined technique of the dropback game.
Matt Drinkall, TE Coach at Army, begins with the understanding of protection being full-gap 7- man protection. He doesn’t like to call it turnback. He sets it up so there are two protecting the front side edge. His version of sprint out allows the QB to get on the move but be set up to throw which he feels gives a higher completion percentage, especially when moving to the opposite side of his throwing arm. Here’s how he does it (click on image for video):
With a spread set, the protection can be adapted to six-man with the single running back utilized to protect the front side edge.
Like Coach Drinkall, Eric Marty, now the offensive coordinator for the USFL Michigan Panthers doesn’t teach the protection as a turnback, and he never asks a lineman to reach a frontside defender. This philosophy makes it much easier for the offensive line. He explains how they protect against an even front with the single running back assigned to the frontside edge (click on image for video:
Video: Sprint Out Pass Protection vs Even Front
Concepts
The concepts for sprint out can be very simple and build off of each other. Coupled with some compliments, this is a segment of an offense that defensive coordinators will have to spend time planning to stop.
To start with, sprint out can be used from any type of formation 3x1, 2x2, 3x2, and 4x1. For Coach Kelley, it starts with something simple like a one-on-one to the single WR side. He illustrates the multiplicity of the concept and when run against looks that he shows is unstoppable when executed properly, Coach Kelley breaks down all of these examples in this video (click on image):
Once more receivers are added to the sprint out, the possibilities of how to attack the defense expand. Coach Drinkall likes to incorporate some form of smash with one route attacking vertically and another route attacking the flat. He explains his outside concept in this video. (Click on image for video):
Many offenses utilize the Snag concept which allows for a quicker timing from dropback as well as multiplicity from the types of 3-man surface formations and personnel groups. Coach Marty loves the concept as part of his sprint-out attack. Like Drinkall mentions, it does create a type of smash concept with a high-low to stretch the defense and attack zone coverage. It also creates some natural traffic for defenders to negotiate which makes it a great man-beater as well. He explains it here (click on image for video):
Those are just a few examples of how concepts can be adapted to sprint out. The idea is to be efficient in teaching so that dropback and sprintout concepts do not need to be exclusive to one category. The carry-over will cut down teaching and allow for route techniques to be perfected.
Conclusion
Changing the launch point is a smart way to take away the effectiveness of pressure. Because it can incorporate the concepts used in dropback, it’s an efficient way to provide the offense multiplicity. With a little thought, even a small package can be developed for an offense to realize these benefits.
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