By Jeff Shutter, Head Football Coach,
Eastern York High School, Wrightsville, Pa.
OUR TEAM’S PASSING GAME is divided into packages of plays. Each package requires a certain personnel grouping to execute. We’ve found that packaging plays allows the maximum efficiency for teaching and getting players to learn a multiple pass attack.
This packages includes 3-step drops, 5-step drops and sprint or dash plays. Within this framework, the multiple formations, motions, shifts and scrambles create mismatches and overloads for the opposing defense.
Patience, Timing Is Key
This passing-game philosophy is based on the ability to throw the ball to control the time of possession, down and distance. You must be patient, throw the ball short and depend on RAC (run after the catch) yards to keep the chains moving.
Pass receivers must understand the importance of RAC to this offense and quarterbacks must learn to take the throws the defense gives him and not put the ball in jeopardy. If you’re patient, big plays will happen. Most defenses will begin to lose their patience and overreact to a short completion.
Bunch Attack
One of our most successful pass packages of plays has been the “bunch” package. The bunch is especially effective in the red zone. This particular package has several important advantages.
• The formations these plays are run from allow for maximum pass protection.
• The throws required by your QB are generally short and easy.
• The formations create coverage problems for the defense. The
formations initially constrict the defenders with their cluster of receivers, and on the snap, these same defenders then need to cover large areas of the field.
• The package contains patterns that are both man and zone beaters.
• Bunch formations are good running formations.
Bunch Formations
Our team has limited this package to six basic passing plays and four running plays. The running game consists of an inside zone, a toss to the bunch, a stretch away from the bunch and a counter trey. Each pass play has a route-switching component in case the defense applies bump-man coverage.
We use four basic formations to get into a bunch or cluster set.
DIAGRAM 1: Squeeze. In this formation, the split between the quick tackle and receiver Z should be 6 to 8 feet. The tailback (A) is 1 yard deep and 1 yard inside of Z, while receiver X is 1 yard deep and 1 yard outside of Z.
DIAGRAM 2: Squeeze X-Wide. Requires motion to form the bunch.
DIAGRAM 3: Squeeze A-Wide. Requires motion to form the bunch.
DIAGRAM 4: Pro Strong. In Pro Strong, you’ll motion Z back to the formation and create the bunch with receivers Z, Y and A2. Since this is a regular personnel group, it often gives the best element of surprise for a bunch play.
,Bunch-Protection Schemes
In the Squeeze formations, we do not release the tight end and therefore use turn-back protection away from the bunch set, putting the fullback on the play-side edge.
DIAGRAM 5: Squeeze Formation.
DIAGRAM 6: Pro Strong.
In the Pro Formation, since you release the TE and FB, you’ll have a six-man protection scheme. You can turn back away from the bunch and put the TB on the play-side edge.
If the Sam LB blitzes, your QB must see that his cover responsibility is vacated and someone will be open. In short, you can always turn away from the bunched receivers and use the remaining back in the backfield on the play-side edge.
Basic Pass Patterns
The following are the basic pass patterns you can run for optimum success in the bunch attack. These six plays allow you to attack both man and zone defenses — deep down the field and with short, controlled, high-percentage passes. When you mix in the running game, you can put a great deal of pressure on a defense.
DIAGRAM 7: Mesh. For this play to be successful, it’s imperative that receiver Z gets a quick release off the line of scrimmage.
DIAGRAM 8: Mesh Switch. If you get press coverage, the receivers should change their routes to accommodate a clean release for the flag route.
DIAGRAM 9: Stem.
DIAGRAM 10: Stem Switch. If you get press coverage, the receivers should change their routes to accommodate a clean release for the stem route.
DIAGRAM 11: Turn.
DIAGRAM 12: Turn Switch. If you get press coverage, the receivers should change their routes to accommodate a clean release for the angle flag route.
,DIAGRAM 13: Follow. In this play, receiver A uses short motion behind Z and both release vertically on the snap.
DIAGRAM 14: Follow Switch. If you get press coverage, the receivers should change their routes to accommodate a clean release for the post route.
DIAGRAM 15: Nile.
DIAGRAM 16: Nile Switch. If you get press coverage, the receivers should change to a clean release for the deep out-route.
DIAGRAM 17: Jet.
DIAGRAM 18: Jet Switch. If you get press coverage, the receivers should change their routes to accommodate a clean release for the post route.
,The Red Zone
The red-zone passing game — with its restricted area and spacing — poses its own kind of problem for the offense. The limited space requires an offensive team to stretch the defense horizontally as well as vertically to make room to complete a pass.
Most defenses incorporate man-to-man coverage in the red zone and increase their tendency to stunt and blitz. The bunch package allows the offense to block with 7-man pass protections. These maximum-protection schemes, combined with the bunch’s variety of hard-to-defend receiver routes, give man defenses a problem. When you factor in the running game from the bunch formation, the defense has its hands full.
DIAGRAM 19: Numbering Systems. A good system to help your receivers learn their routes is to number the receivers from the play-side to the backside. In the Squeeze formation, X =1, Z =2 and A =3.
When you use the Pro-Strong formation, Z =1, Y =2 and A2 =3. In the Pro set, receiver X runs a backside dig route at 15 to 17 yards.
