Reddit user breaks down the offense

[JacketFromUGA]

https://www.reddit.com/r/CFB/comments/3wjx9m/in_honor_of_the_armynavy_game_flexbone_offense/

Long breakdown of the CPJ offense from the army navy game today.

 

[Spalding Jacket]

Thanks for posting! Very informative guide. The NFL breakdowns in the link are nice as well. He adds in the closing notes a link to the football is life blog that is worth checking out as well.

If then play call sheet:

http://footballislifeblog.blogspot.com/2011/07/paul-johnsons-if-then-methodology-to.html?m=1

This article begins an in depth look into the Flexbone offense from the blog:

http://footballislifeblog.blogspot.com/2014/12/flexbone-nomenclature-and-formations.html?m=1

 

[ATL1]

That was concise.
Really good read.

 

[takethepoints]

This is a very useful thread. Everything cited is good and it clears up a lot for folks like me who sorta know what's going on. The if - then playbook is quite revealing.

Btw, you want to know why we had trouble with the veer this year? Then talk a look at the second video in the inside veer section. It's a pitch off the veer from the Wake game in 2010. Nesbitt pitches to Bostic. The WF D is in about the same position we often saw Ds in this year; set up to make the play, iow. And watch what happens. Spoiler alert: Bostic runs right pass them. Why? The color guy has it right: he's too fast for the D to compensate. That's what we missed once we lost all those ABs this year. I like Lynch, Willis, and MLD just fine, but not a one of them could have run pass the Wake D in that film. Lynch might have run through a tackle or two and made a good gain; he did that a lot this year. But … our real speed was on the bench after the third week and there was no backup speed available since they were all hurt too. Sooooooo … very few plays like the one in the video.

This will not be the case next year. And, all of a sudden, our OL blocking problems will seem much less troublesome.

 

[Ash]

Bostic runs right pass them. Why? The color guy has it right: he's too fast for the D to compensate. That's what we missed once we lost all those ABs this year.

We lacked speed, and seemed to have developed a tendency to try and stop and change direction instead of just running forward. So many times I was screaming "Just RUN!" after getting tackled 3-4 yards shorter than we needed to.

 

[dressedcheeseside]

This is a very useful thread. Everything cited is good and it clears up a lot for folks like me who sorta know what's going on. The if - then playbook is quite revealing.

Btw, you want to know why we had trouble with the veer this year? Then talk a look at the second video in the inside veer section. It's a pitch off the veer from the Wake game in 2010. Nesbitt pitches to Bostic. The WF D is in about the same position we often saw Ds in this year; set up to make the play, iow. And watch what happens. Spoiler alert: Bostic runs right pass them. Why? The color guy has it right: he's too fast for the D to compensate. That's what we missed once we lost all those ABs this year. I like Lynch, Willis, and MLD just fine, but not a one of them could have run pass the Wake D in that film. Lynch might have run through a tackle or two and made a good gain; he did that a lot this year. But … our real speed was on the bench after the third week and there was no backup speed available since they were all hurt too. Sooooooo … very few plays like the one in the video.

This will not be the case next year. And, all of a sudden, our OL blocking problems will seem much less troublesome.

I guess he outruns #45 once he's already gained 5. The real success of the play, imo, has more to do with other things:

1. There's no deep linebackers, none, especially missing was the mike. All of them are up on the LOS. We were hurt routinely by deep mikes making a beeline to playside once motion began in the backfield. There was no deep mike on this play.
2. Inspite of the stacked LOS, we dominate them upfront. The entire LOS moves backwards, they get zero penetration.
3. The guy with qb responsibility does not slow play the pitch. He takes Nesbitt all the way and it's an obvious pitch read. He had to do this because Nesbitt was notorious for keeping for big gains.

 

[Ash]

I guess he outruns #45 once he's already gained 5. The real success of the play, imo, has more to do with other things:

1. There's no deep linebackers, none, especially missing was the mike. All of them are up on the LOS. We were hurt routinely by deep mikes making a beeline to playside once motion began in the backfield. There was no deep mike on this play.

The MLB effectively spying the play and making it to the outside when we tossed or pitched was the killer this year. At the ND game their LB as all over us...I was convinced they had an extra man on the field because he was in position to make a tackle any time we tried to go outside. We never really adjusted or couldn't make the block needed throughout the season.

 

[dressedcheeseside]

Here's another great inside veer play where we don't have great speed at Aback but it results in a td nonetheless. (Orwin wasn't a burner, iirc).

What happens is the mike is fooled by mesh and takes the Bback. Mike LB's this season largely ignored the Bback because they were confident their DL could make the play.

Also, the playside wr makes a great crackback block on the safety.

Imo, defenses were playing us differently and we were executing better in previous years. The combo was a huge advantage to us. Until we can make teams pay for removing their mikes from the middle of the field and until we can execute blocks better, we'll continue to struggle and guys will continue to blame the offense when it is clearly execution related.

*watch the mlb with his eyes on the Bback move forward and get blocked by the LT. That rarely happened this year. If that mlb sprints to playside at the snap, the LT never lays a finger on him. Teams this year were playing that MLB a step deeper and with faster guys to eliminate that blocking angle.

 

[dressedcheeseside]

The MLB effectively spying the play and making it to the outside when we tossed or pitched was the killer this year. At the ND game their LB as all over us...I was convinced they had an extra man on the field because he was in position to make a tackle any time we tried to go outside. We never really adjusted or couldn't make the block needed throughout the season.

Establish the dive and the mlb can't sit on the pitch anymore. That's why my biggest wish is at Bback next year. The OL has to make holes, too.

 

[Longestday]

If the dive is getting 4 to 5 yards a play, the MLB has to step up and help the middle and not fly to the outside. We have to have the ability to force them to protect the middle.

If the MLB scrapes we can get the tackle to block. Blocking is much harder when the MLB does not scrape and heads straight for the edge.

 

[takethepoints]

All true except "Orwin wasn't a burner". True, he didn't look like a burner because he had that long stride and was so relatively big. But his NFL combine 40 was … 4.56. No slouch, iow.

 

[dressedcheeseside]

All true except "Orwin wasn't a burner". True, he didn't look like a burner because he had that long stride and was so relatively big. But his NFL combine 40 was … 4.56. No slouch, iow.

He was fast, but he didn't outrun angles. I'd rather not have to beat angles with speed, I'd rather those angles not be there due to proper execution and defenses forced to play honest for fear of being gashed up the gut.

 

[takethepoints]

He was fast, but he didn't outrun angles. I'd rather not have to beat angles with speed, I'd rather those angles not be there due to proper execution and defenses forced to play honest for fear of being gashed up the gut.

We agree completely. Setting the dive should be number 1 with a bullet next year.

 

[Razor Ramon]

Great read!

 

[Fatmike91]

Let's save the link for this thread for when CPJ actually calls the DIVE during game and everyone groans...

DIVE.... 3 yards.

DIVE... 3 yards.

CPJ play calling sucks...Arrrggghh...why would he call the dive again...!!!


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[bke1984]

This is a nice post. Interesting how it describes the pass plays though...the idea is that you'd typically throw the ball to the spot vacated by the blizting player. I'm sure we do this sometimes, but very often we try to go over the top for a huge play instead of just taking something simple like this describes. We may be doing it more often than I know, but it's just not that obvious to me...

I'm sure I'll catch a lot of flack for this, but just my opinion...

 

[JacketFromUGA]

This is a nice post. Interesting how it describes the pass plays though...the idea is that you'd typically throw the ball to the spot vacated by the blizting player. I'm sure we do this sometimes, but very often we try to go over the top for a huge play instead of just taking something simple like this describes. We may be doing it more often than I know, but it's just not that obvious to me...

I'm sure I'll catch a lot of flack for this, but just my opinion...

I agree with you and CPJ when asked always says it's the QB's call on who he throws it to. We just have QBs who want it all and get it from time to time.

 

[Fatmike91]

This is a nice post. Interesting how it describes the pass plays though...the idea is that you'd typically throw the ball to the spot vacated by the blizting player. I'm sure we do this sometimes, but very often we try to go over the top for a huge play instead of just taking something simple like this describes. We may be doing it more often than I know, but it's just not that obvious to me...

I'm sure I'll catch a lot of flack for this, but just my opinion...

ARMY ran a downfield crossing route where the A backs crossed as they ran an arc route 20 yards downfield to the opposite sideline. They got open EVERY TIME against Navy. I don't think I've ever seen us run that route.


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[awbuzz]

thanks @JacketFromUGA for the link...

My wife thinks I'm touched in the head for going back through it again