There’s no doubt that the screen game is a critical part in all variations of the spread offense. There are many types of screens; fast screens, slow screens, jail breaks, solids, middle screens, rockets, lasers, Alabama’s and many more. Today I want to focus on the most basic type of screen that the spread offense makes use of, the fast screen. First of all, don’t let the simplicity of this play fool you, it is by far one of the most effective ways to get the ball into the hands of your play-makers, idealistically giving them 1-on-1 matchups, making defenders tackle them in space. Over the past couple years, I have noticed with the complex play strategies that have been installed within the spread offense, the fast screen has begun to get over looked. So here it is coaches, this is my public service announcement to all of you: THROW FAST SCREENS UNTIL THE DEFENSE IS FORCED TO DEFEND THEM!!! It is truly that simple. If a defense is giving your WRs a five to ten yard cushion, throw the heck out of those fast screens and make them tackle your best players in space. Be persistent, you may get tackled for a one or two yard gain but it only takes one missed tackle and your guy is off to the races for six. My point is, don’t let one negative play scare you away from throwing fast screens the rest of the game. This not only forces the defense to defend in space but it also increases your QB's confidence because he is getting more completions (great confidence booster early in the game). It also increases your offensive tempo throughout the game. Just think how tired those big d-linemen are getting from running sideline to sideline and then back to their position as your offense presses the pedal to the metal and lines up for another play. If nothing else you should have a huge advantage in conditioning because you should be practicing like you play, and that should be FAST. By the fourth quarter, your chances of breaking a fast screen for a big gain increase dynamically. Now what happens when the defense adjusts and tightens coverage... You take advantage. This is what you want, this opens up the down field passing game, and provides you with opportunity to throw other screens such as jail-breaks, rocket and laser, slows, or solids. Fast screens have multiple benefits for your offense. I can’t stress enough the importance of establishing this threat as a staple of your offensive strategy. Tempo and getting the ball quickly into the hands of your playmakers, these two concepts alone will make your offense difficult to defend. I try to think simplicity, consistency, and effectiveness… sometimes simple is better, especially when you are able to do it fast!
Great stuff Coach! I think if you look at what Arizona State (Mazzone) and LA Tech, and even Leach (TXTech) you see that stretching the defensive perimeter with fast screens opens the middle of the field for runs and slants.
ReplyDeleteI really like those swing screens (swing the back). We crack down with the receivers and then throw that swing. For lower levels it is an easier throw for the qb.
I like the idea of fast screens and swing screens out of multiple formations. If you can line up quick you put the defense in a pursuit mode before they can really diagnose the plays or formations - it can lead to advantages down the field or by going back to the run. As I said earlier, I like the swing pass with the crack block from the receivers. The LB's and Safeties start to over play this and then you just run 67 and you are wide open.
I like to have 8 of my first 10 plays as fast screens and sweeps just to get the defense's heart rate pumping. To me it's like the triple option. The fast screen is like the dive play. You make them defend it till they take it away from you. If they take it away, it opens up other, bigger plays.
I coudlnt agree more coach. I love the idea of scripting the first 8 as permiter attacking plays. Then like you said, eventually you gain access to the middle of the field and thats when the big plays start to happen. The combo of a great screen game with consistency in the slant game is nearly unstoppable!
ReplyDeleteI started calling "read slants" that really helped us with the timing of the slant. Young guys hear slant and they want to take off and run as fast as they can. What they don't realize is that the center has to snap it, qb has to grip it and read the coverage and then throw it. The young WR usually overruns the slant and runs himself right into coverage. What we've been doing is calling the read slant. The simple read for the receiver is to run past the first inside defender and sit. Having those guys sit in the open hole makes an easier throw for the qb. It all falls back into our noose drill, something we practice everyday. I see a lot of AirRaid teams run noose but most skimp on the details of sitting between two defenders. We think this is one of our most important aspects of what we do and gives us a great advantage at getting open and catching the football. Noose is our #1 passing drill.
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