Defending the Flexbone

[presjacket]

I stumbled across this piece and thought some of you might enjoy it. Although it is written about Navy, all the pics are of Georgia Tech.

http://www.elevenwarriors.com/ohio-state-football/2014/05/35605/film-study-defending-navy-flexbone

 

[daBuzz]

That was a really well-written and researched article. Thanks for posting it.

 

[ATL1]

Very good article. What's interesting is how Bud Foster has used blitzing the gaps as his defense towards the flexbone.

 

[hdgtfan]

What stinks is that it seems to work

 

[daBuzz]

Very good article. What's interesting is how Bud Foster has used blitzing the gaps as his defense towards the flexbone.

It is indeed interesting. Essentially, they're just doing the same thing as mentioned in the article that Jimmie Johnson came up with to defend the option. Everyone fills a gap to try & clog the middle. VT just takes that a step further and often blitzes into that gap trying to come through the really wide line splits we use and disrupt the mesh. It worked on the first play of the game last year and caused a fumble when Vad's arm was hit as he was disengaging from the mesh with Sims.

 

[gtg936g]

I think the answer to this is pretty simple. Pin the DT and run the follow behind the B back, allowing the B Back to pick up the Mike. Or use the size of the G-C-G to grind the middle with the B Back dive. Force the D to win the battle in the trench with our big boys. If the D sets out to stop the option just go to a power set of running plays. If you force the D to use more players to clog the middle you can hit the edge.

 

[nodawgs]

Conventional wisdom used to be to slow play the option, which is how teams used to play us and did play the wishbone. DLine played laterally with a read and react scheme. After getting eaten up by the flexbone doing this, defenses have started attacking, and taking us out of rythymn.

Randy Shannon is a perfect example. We drilled them when they slow played us in 08. They came out and attacked us and lived in our backfield in '09. Mickey Andrews tried to slow play the option old school style and we ate him up. Same with Willie Martinez. Syracuse tried to slow play us this year and we had our best game of the season. I just don't think CPJ has a good answer for teams that attack his offense. Yeah we can bust one here and there, but if a team is in our backfield early, it's going to be that way for the rest of the game.

 

[Ibeeballin]

Very good article. What's interesting is how Bud Foster has used blitzing the gaps as his defense towards the flexbone.

This is defense VT use but they just blitz the "bubble" in the D.

This defense is great because it screws with Aback/OT blocking scheme especially if the OLBs move around.

 

[gtg936g]

Another thought that occurred to me. I have not seen us do this, but why not slide the ABs over behind the B gaps in case the LBs jump inside? They really just need to slow them down not maintain the block.

 

[33jacket]

This is defense VT use but they just blitz the "bubble" in the D.

This defense is great because it screws with Aback/OT blocking scheme especially if the OLBs move around.

If u can pass this d gets torched. But......

 

[daBuzz]

Another thought that occurred to me. I have not seen us do this, but why not slide the ABs over behind the B gaps in case the LBs jump inside? They really just need to slow them down not maintain the block.

That's just 2 more people in the way to interrupt the mesh between QB and B back.

 

[Ibeeballin]

If u can pass this d gets torched. But......

Ehh... As the article stated, most teams play Cov 4 in the set and that will cover all of route combos

 

[33jacket]

Ehh... As the article stated, most teams play Cov 4 in the set and that will cover all of route combos

No the lb cant get the depth cheating like they do. Both olb would leave the middle game open because they are cheating to the AB and the run. Cover 4 is a deep covg for the dbs but if your lb dont drop quick enough reading pass that d will get killed in slants, in routes or even seam plays. This is why we have to get more passing threat. When you have the olb cheating in alignment and play, like fuller did for vt, if we cant beat that with the quick slant game we deserve to lose. Which is what we did. When you run 80 percent of the time guessing run is smart. Even smarter when gt helps you by not exploiting the pass.

 

[ATL1]

No the lb cant get the depth cheating like they do. Both olb would leave the middle game open because they are cheating to the AB and the run. Cover 4 is a deep covg for the dbs but if your lb dont drop quick enough reading pass that d will get killed in slants, in routes or even seam plays. This is why we have to get more passing threat. When you have the olb cheating in alignment and play, like fuller did for vt, if we cant beat that with the quick slant game we deserve to lose. Which is what we did. When you run 80 percent of the time guessing run is smart. Even smarter when gt helps you by not exploiting the pass.

This was my thing against VT why not abuse the middle with slant routes.

 

[iceeater1969]

No the lb cant get the depth cheating like they do. Both olb would leave the middle game open because they are cheating to the AB and the run. Cover 4 is a deep covg for the dbs but if your lb dont drop quick enough reading pass that d will get killed in slants, in routes or even seam plays. This is why we have to get more passing threat. When you have the olb cheating in alignment and play, like fuller did for vt, if we cant beat that with the quick slant game we deserve to lose. Which is what we did. When you run 80 percent of the time guessing run is smart. Even smarter when gt helps you by not exploiting the pass.

Agree Slant pass. Should open up the fake slant pass with qb then role out roun or longer pass. Also b back slant into tackle - back reads the block to get sure 4 yds. . Coach will figure it out.

 

[GTNavyNuke]

Agree Slant pass. Should open up the fake slant pass with qb then role out roun or longer pass. Also b back slant into tackle - back reads the block to get sure 4 yds. . Coach will figure it out.

I think CPJ knows the slant pass would work, I don't think we could execute it. Either the QB is rushed or incapable of getting the ball there. I seem to remember that we did the slant a lot more with JN than TW or Vad.

 

[33jacket]

I think CPJ knows the slant pass would work, I don't think we could execute it. Either the QB is rushed or incapable of getting the ball there. I seem to remember that we did the slant a lot more with JN than TW or Vad.

we make it sound like executing a slant is hard. The whole point of a 3 step drop and a slant is so the rush can't get to you. Its a quick "hot" type of pass. All you need is a cheating OLB and a WR who can get off the line and inside position. Then you need the playside OT to cut and BAM its a completion. It is done 100s times a saturday. Against defenses EXPECTING pass. Ours expects run and we still can't do it, or choose not to.

It seems we fans have adopted the approach that the passing game is so hard we can't do it. The passing game is all football is about now because the rules make it so much easier. Just look at the NFL draft....all CBs, S, WR and QB...over 50% of the first round...not one RB. Why? Its easier today to throw the ball and be good with the rules than when paul invented his offense 30 years ago. We can do it better. Trust me!!!! We have to. He hasn't adjusted and I think its on him. I hope Cook gets to help it along some.

Auburn ran a ton of these types of pass plays due to the D cheating. Were they a passing team? Hell no. But enough to be taken seriously...thats all I want. I don't want 50/50 balance and we don't need it.

65/35 is totally possible in this offense with a better passing scheme (blocking, route combos etc). I am referring to attempts....similar to what auburn did. I think its a reasonable expectation for us fans....that is my only point...

 

[dressedcheeseside]

65/35 is totally possible in this offense with a better passing scheme (blocking, route combos etc). I am referring to attempts....similar to what auburn did. I think its a reasonable expectation for us fans....that is my only point...

Do you think it's possible due to time contraints plus the complexity of our run game? The old adage "Jack of all trades master of none" comes to mind. It's kind of what bit us last year. We got away from our bread and butter and it bit us in the arse.

I'm not saying I don't like what you suggest. I think it's a great idea if it's doable considering what I just mentioned.

 

[IronJacket7]

65/35 is totally do-able. We were practically 50/50 against UGA and we put up 34 points and probably could have put up 50 if not for missed opportunities.

The Flexbone presents a great opportunity to attack a defense with passing. But the pass play calling must be balanced. Not 10/1 ratio on GO routes vs. Slant routes.

IMO the Flexbone is one of if not the hardest offensive set to stop. However, its just like any other offensive scheme, if its not executed properly or the play calling by the coach is inappropriate for the scenario then its not going to be effective.

 

[stylee]

Passing on Cover 4 is not easy, especially against disciplined teams.

Chalkboard wars are fun but there's a chalkboard answer for every chalkboard problem....and then a new problem for that answer. The thing is to effectively teach your guys those answers and then effectively see the problems.

The easiest answer to what VT was doing was just the quick pitch off the triple option. We couldn't get that done for a variety of reasons. It was a snake bite that we didn't administer the antivenom for. Prepping guys to properly execute is 90% of football.