Analysis of Offensive Football Schemes

• Analysis of Offensive Football Schemes
• Part 1: Tactical Situations
• Run-Pass-Option Offense
• Run-Heavy Offense
• West Coast Offense
• Pro-Style Offense
• Vertical Offense
• Part 2: Relevant Cues
• Run-Pass-Option Offense
• Run-Heavy Offense
• West Coast Offense
• Pro-Style Offense
• Vertical Offense
• Part 3: Tactical Options
• Run-Pass-Option Offense
• Run-Heavy Offense
• West Coast Offense
• Pro-Style Offense
• Vertical Offense
• Conclusion
• References

Part 1: Tactical Situations

Run-Pass-Option Offense

The Run-Pass-Option offense is a situational tactic that athletes are faced within football. This offense is usually used when the defense is expecting a pass. The quarterback will have three options: he can hand the ball off to the running back, he can throw the ball to a receiver, or he can keep the ball and run with it himself.

Run-Heavy Offense

A run-heavy offense is when athletes use their strength, power, and size more than quickness or agility. Running plays tend to predominate over passing plays in these situations, especially near the goal line.

West Coast Offense

The West Coast offense is another situational tactic used by American football players which employs some elements from both the Run-Pass-Option and a pro-style offense. This offense is usually used to counter an aggressive defense that has been blitzing.

Pro-Style Offense

A pro-style offense is a situational tactic that uses both run and pass plays. This offense is usually used to counter multiple strategies that the defense might be using. For example, if an aggressive defense puts a lot of pressure on the quarterback and prevents him from throwing the ball downfield (deep routes), then he will have no choice but to take what the defense gives him by running with it or handing off to another back.

Vertical Offense

A vertical offense is a situational tactic that uses more passing plays than run plays within American football. This offense is usually used against defenses that increasingly use zone coverage instead of man-to-man coverage.

Part 2: Relevant Cues

Run-Pass-Option Offense

The relevant cues that must be attended to in this situation are the defensive players' positioning. The quarterback needs to watch for the defenders who are playing close to the line of scrimmage, as they are likely to blitz. If the quarterback sees this, he will hand the ball off to the running back. If the defenders are playing far back, the quarterback will be able to read the play and decide what to do with the ball.

Run-Heavy Offense

A lot of relevant cues must be taken into account by athletes who use a run-heavy offense. Physical cues, such as the tackle box or tight end zone can be very useful for determining whether a play is going to run or pass.

West Coast Offense

The relevant cues required for identifying the proper tactical option in this situation are the players' reactions to the defense's blitzing. If athletes see that they have a lot of open receivers, then they should pass as soon as they can instead of running it themselves or trying to wait for opportunities later on.

Pro-Style Offense

The relevant cues in this situation are usually physical as well as psychological. Physical cues include whether there is anyone close enough to blitz or prevent a hand-off from occurring, as well as where they are positioned on the field. Psychological cues include whether athletes can sense that their opponent has been pushed back past their breaking point or is giving them an opening to take advantage of.

Vertical Offense

The relevant cues in this situation are the defenders' reactions to whether they play zone or man defense, as well as where each defender is positioned on the field. Also, it does not matter which side of the field they are passing towards because players can simply throw a lateral pass laterally instead of backward.

Part 3: Tactical Options

Run-Pass-Option Offense

The tactical options in this situation are either handing off to the running back or keeping the ball for himself. These are both very viable choices because of the positioning of the defense. If it appears that they are expecting a pass, then throwing becomes an option as well.

Run-Heavy Offense

The tactical options in this situation are either running with the ball or passing it. If near the goal line, then runners will generally have an advantage over receivers. So if any of these relevant cues indicate that they are close to scoring, then athletes should choose running plays rather than passing plays unless they see a mismatch.

West Coast Offense

In this situation, there are two tactical options: passing and running. Unless it is a short-term goal-line play where a touchdown is not likely, players will generally need to utilize their quickness by passing instead of rushing with the ball.

Pro-Style Offense

The tactical options in this situation are either passing, hand-offs, or running it with the quarterback. The pass play becomes viable when there are wide receivers that are capable of beating their defenders. Hand-offs become possible when athletes can sense that they have the defense on the run and will not be able to recover before making contact with them. Finally, rushing becomes an option when there are no other realistic options available to win.

Vertical Offense

These tactical options include: throwing deep (usually by using play-action), throwing underneath (throws pass 5 yards or less), getting around the corner, running with the quarterback. Throwing deep generally becomes an option when athletes have receivers who are at least equal to their defensive counterparts in terms of speed if not superior. On the other hand, running with the quarterback becomes an option when he is much quicker than his defender and can outrun him before defenders can recover from their deep coverage.

Conclusion

Tactical decisions are necessary for success in football. The right decision can be the difference between scoring a touchdown and getting tackled on your own goal line. Understanding how to identify tactical situations, relevant cues, and tactical options will help you find victory on game day.

References

1. Boyd, I. (2015, January 8). Spread vs Pro-style offense: What's the difference? Football Study Hall. https://www.footballstudyhall.com/2015/1/8/7509819/spread-vs-pro-style-offense-whats-the-difference-Florida-State-Oregon-Ducks
2. Markgraff, P. (2021, February 3). X’s & O’s: Run-Pass Option (RPO) Simplified. AFCA Insider. https://insider.afca.com/xs-os-run-pass-options-rpo-simplified/
3. Smith, E. J. (2021, November 12). Joe Banner: Nick Sirianni’s new run-heavy approach shows the Eagles’ current take on Jalen Hurts. Https://Www.Inquirer.Com. https://www.inquirer.com/eagles/eagles-jalen-hurts-joe-banner-run-offense-20211110.html
4. vIQtory Sports. (2021, July 16). What Is The West Coast Offense? Explained With Pictures. https://www.viqtorysports.com/understanding-the-west-coast-offense/