April 23, 2019
1. Offensive Line splits are tighter than three feet.
The guards must be at least three feet away from the center. The tackles must be near four feet away from the guard. This allows the quarterback to have more time to read #1 and the exact splits as given take defenders away from the play.
Three-plus foot splits are a non-negotiable aspect of the Flexbone Offense—issues occur when this is not utilized.
2. Offensive Line is crowding the ball.
How can your Offensive Line possibly expect to Scoop block when they are unable to win the angle on the defender in the playside gap?
Offensive Linemen must have their helmets break the belt buckle of the center—if their hands are at the heels of the center, this occurs—because of this they can run through the back tip of the football, get outside of the defender in their gap, and cut the defender in their gap.
3. Offense runs triple and veer releases the playside tackle to the inside every time.
Wedge blocking is an outdated concept. If a defense has #1 take the dive, #2 take the quarterback, and the inside linebacker run over the top to take the pitch, the playside tackle will never get there. Thus, running triple option is a 3-on-3 concept. Oklahoma started veer releasing the tackle outside v. Odd-front defenses back in the 1980s.
The playside tackle’s job on triple option is to veer outside, unless he hears an “Ace” call (Center/Guard Double Team) where he would veer inside. Another situation for the playside tackle is to “deuce” (guard/tackle double team) when the action key is a 3-technique.
4. Scoop Blocking are not just cutoffs.
Offensive Linemen must Open at 90°, run to the hip of the adjacent offensive lineman, and stay on that hip through the echo of the whistle. This truly cancels the gap.
Emphasize these four points of what to do/what not to do with your O-linemen (and coaches) in 2019.