Professor Bent's Homework Assignment (3)
I was very impressed with the standard of last week's “homework”. Lots of creativity shown, there. We are clearly gearing up for the season.
For this week's task, I thought I would set up something much more difficult. This week's task is to design a novelty play. If one of us can come up with something that couldn't possibly fail, perhaps someone could slip a note into Mangini's pocket at camp and maybe we'll see it happen! Maybe it will be the play that wins us the Superbowl. Highly doubtful, of course, but it should be fun.
I'm sure all of you have had flashes of brilliance where you've thought, “why don't they try this?”. Cast your minds back.
In recent times, coaches have been quite creative, with recent developments such as “the chin strap fake” and “the running off the field pretending there are 12 men, but then stopping on the sideline fake”. These are the sorts of ideas anyone could have come up with, though.
As ever, some lame ideas from me to get the ball rolling…
“The fake knee” – a variation on the fake spike, the QB makes like he's going to take a knee (say just before half-time), but sneakily pitches the ball to his RB just before his knee hits and his RB runs or throws it downfield. Linemen can sell this by standing about. Potential drawbacks: Risk of a turnover, difficult to sell by having linemen stand about when they do that a lot anyway (hopefully less of an issue this year), inadvertant whistle from official if he is fooled too.
“The Adrian MacPherson” – QB lines up under guard by “mistake” (yes, MacPherson did this last year) and then looks confused, but the center snaps directly to the RB who runs or throws it downfield. Potential drawbacks: A Lamont Jordan-esque QB decision making episode.
“The Globetrotters” – A variation on the music-city miracle, but involving behind the back passing, gyrating on the floor, depantsing the opposition and gatorade buckets filled with confetti. Potential drawbacks: Risk of unsportsmanlike conduct penalties.
“Mega ball control offense” – Situation: Any long touchdown scored in the fourth quarter with your team in the lead (or taking the lead with the touchdown). Invariably, the defense will give up the chase…so the entire offense hustles down to the ball carrier who doesn't cross the goaline. They then surround him as he waits on the goal-line and stand there fending off defensive players for the remainder of the quarter, so he can score with no time left. Potential drawbacks: Fights, too many men penalties, holding calls, but if it starts to look a bit hairy, the guy can just cross the line and score.
“The interceptarooskie” – The ball is deliberately thrown deep downfield to the most timid looking of the opposing teams defensive backs, but the wide receivers all time their routes to try and smack the ball loose. Potential drawbacks: Interception deep downfield (not that much worse than a punt). “Deep downfield” might be a problem if Chad Pennington is your quarterback.
“Sneaky punt returnage” – When the ball is left to roll by the return man, the defense usually watches the ball slowly rolling to a halt, but rarely look around, so if one of the special teamers suddenly charges over to the rolling ball and laterals it to the punt return man (who has, up to this point, feigned disinterest) he could be away. Potential drawbacks: Muffs or botched laterals. Should be safe enough for the two players involved to gauge when it's worth a try.
“Onside kick shenanigans” – In a non-onside kick situation, instead of a squib kick, boot the ball as hard as possible at the slowest, least athletic looking lineman on the other team. It should hopefully bounce back off him. Element of surprise could be added by having a lineman do the kicking. Potential drawbacks: Bad field position if he catches, recovers or avoids the ball.
I'm not sure we have any winners there, but perhaps we have the beginnings of some workable ideas.
Over to you…
Filed under: Main Page
The Fake trick play: Make it look like a series of reverses, double-reverses, and/or pitch-outs, but each time the “trick” play is expected by the defense, the QB fakes the handoff/pitch-out. While the defense is expecting the RB/WR to take the ball and either run it around end or feebly pass it downfield, the QB steps up and launches it downfield, presumably for a big gain.
I like the waiting to score play. Haven't seen that in more than 40 years of football.
What I like best is the idea of practicing it. Of getting your team in the mode of going down the field on key plays with the idea of helping a teammate.
harlan
In the 1984 Orange Bowl game, Nebraska trailed Miami at a score of 17-0 after the first half. Nebraska coach Tom Osborne called for the play, whereby Nebraska quarterback Turner Gill “fumbled” the snap from center by effectively setting it on the turf. The ball was picked up by All-American offensive lineman Dean Steinkuhler, who ran the ball in for a touchdown.
I like the swinging gate. I doubt NFL teams prepare for it. You could spring it early in the 2nd half after a TD and hopefully draw a timeout. Granted, you can only do this once all season since once other coaches see you have it in your repitoire they will spend 2 minutes on it in ST meetings.
As for other trick plays, Brad Smith can bring alot of creativity to Shot's brain. Against a M2M team, line him up at tailback and run toss stretch option out of 1 back 1TE 3 WR set. The WR's all run routes forcing corners and the nickle to cover downfield. BS has the option of hitting the open man or running. The safety must choose to run or pass support. And stretch blocking by nature keeps your OL within 3 yards of the LOS so no risk of getting a flag…