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In their game against Vanderbilt, Texas ran a full-field concept combining the option route with a shallow and dig route combination on the backside that put defenders in conflict. The result was three plays, three different receivers getting the ball.

The Play Design

Each play begins with a tight trips alignment. The number two receiver then takes off in an out motion to become the new number one receiver. This motion, made popular by the Miami Dolphins with Tyreek Hill, achieves the normal route spacing you’d expect from a trips set. However, because the quarterback snaps the ball with the receiver still on the run, the defense has to sort out the new alignment quickly while the man in motion gets a running start.

The primary route is the option by the new number two receiver. The motion helps put the flat defender, the first read, in conflict between the option and comeback. The motion also clears up the read for the option receiver. The motion can move this defender outside the option receiver pre-snap to make room for the hitch or slant. If the flat defender stays inside or is sticky to the option route runner on the outside, then the comeback will be open. The key is that the defender cannot cover both the option and the comeback.

The other defender in consideration for the slant route option is the hook defender. If he’s in the slant window, then the option receiver should settle for the hitch like so:

In the game, the Longhorns got the hitch twice and a slant once because the window was open: the first time. Let’s begin there.

Hitting the Option

3rd and 4 at the +44 (4:34 1Q)

The defense runs a creeper with the Mike pressuring off the left edge and the backside defensive end dropping into the weak flat to complete a Cover 3 look. Cover 3 isn’t an ideal look for the slant choice of the option route because of the hook defender present to the playside. However, the defense started in a two high shell with the field safety (the hook defender) never sinking low enough to take away the slant.

By design, the comeback isn’t open when the flat defender moves outside the option. To the backside, the offense is able to also put the defense in conflict by creating a numbers advantage.

The defense was in a balanced Cover 3 with two underneath defenders on either side of the ball. Therefore, on the backside, the offense needs a concept that has three receivers attacking the underneath zones to put one of those two underneath defenders in conflict. The offense achieves this goal by putting the running back on a swing into the flat after checking the protection. Because of pressure on the next two clips, the running back gets eaten up in the protection so this is the best example of the backside routes putting the defense in conflict.

Hitting the Comeback

3rd and 4 at the +28 (8:10 2Q)

The out motion moves the flat defender out, but not outside the option route since he is closer to the offensive line as a part of the defense’s disguise. Therefore, the flat defender latches to the option route and the window to throw the comeback comes open.

The defense ran a five man pressure, so they were also short an underneath defender. That pressure caused the running back to stay in protection and allowed the backside dig-shallow combination to maintain a numbers advantage.

But with three underneath defenders, the hook defender, the middle of the three, is the key to where the offense has the numbers advantage whether to the playside or backside. If the hook defender goes to the playside, then the slant option isn’t there (the hitch could be open if the flat defender were to get outside it, but that doesn’t happen here). If the hook defender goes to the backside, then the defense can match the dig and the shallow route because a flat defender is also to the backside but they leave the slant window open.

So because the flat defender started inside the option route staying tight to it and the hook defender pushed to the play side, the comeback was the right read.

Hitting the Dig

3rd and 5 at the -12 (13:40 3Q)

This play is packed with information so we’ll take it step by step.

The defense runs a simulated pressure showing six defenders at the line of scrimmage. There is a clear flat defender pre-snap so that’s where the quarterback’s eyes should be. There is also a defender standing in the hook.

At the snap, the picture changes: the flat defender gets wide to take away the comeback and the defensive end drops into the hook between the flat defender and the other hook defender which causes the option receiver to run the hitch. I’d argue Manning could’ve taken the hitch, but a dropping defensive end is always a bit of a shock, and it’s understandable he moved on.

So the defense ends up in a Cover 3 Strong look with three underneath defenders to the playside and one to the backside.

Now to talk about the elephant in the room: a comeback wasn’t run because the cornerback stayed low and left the receiver scot-free down the sideline. The offense would’ve liked to see this ball thrown. However, it does show discipline in Manning’s reads. He saw an underneath defender outside his option, and so unlike the last play, the comeback window isn’t open. Unfortunate, but we get to see how the play progresses to the backside dig-shallow combination.

The backside combination between the shallow and dig creates a high low on the one weak flat defender since the defense is in the Cover 3 Strong look, and the swing by the running back isn’t needed. The defender can either play low on the shallow and leave the dig open or play high on the dig and leave the shallow open. Staying high would be the better technique because he’d still be in a position to come down and make a tackle on the shallow.

Had the defense not been in Cover 3 Strong and had two defenders to the backside, then they’d have been able to match the numbers of the offense. But, as mentioned prior, the offense still had the hitch available, Manning just didn’t take it.

The last thing to consider is that if the hook defender does make it all the way to the hitch, like the dropping defensive end almost does here, then the slant window can become open though in a different way than the first clip. The slant window becomes open when nobody is in it. So if the hook defender pushes all the way to the top of the stem of the option receiver’s route, the receiver could take the slant. Therefore, the play doesn’t just work here because the defense is in a strong rotation.

Conflict is Good

Against zone coverage, the pass game comes down to creating numbers advantages. The offense wants two-on-one situations where two routes are attacking close to one defender’s zone.

This play by Texas demonstrates the micro-level conflict created between two routes on a zone defender, and the macro-level conflict of combining concepts to attack all the underneath defenders.

The play side flat defender can’t cover the option and the comeback. The hook defender can’t cover both the hitch and slant options. And to the backside, the defense can’t match numbers to the three routes without being short to the play side.

This premise, that conflict is good, builds consistent concepts with open receivers that don’t rely on the defense messing up or an out-of-structure play from the offense.

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As coaches, there are certain games you revisit months later and ask yourself one question:

How did that actually happen?

Recently, I broke down how Penn State managed to hang around with Indiana despite being badly overmatched on paper. While reviewing Miami’s schedule from last season, another game immediately jumped off the screen: SMU’s overtime win over the Hurricanes.

I remembered the game going to overtime, but what I did not remember was how SMU got there against a Miami defensive front that spent most of the year controlling the line of scrimmage.

The numbers tell a fascinating story.

During regulation, SMU called 64 offensive plays. Of those, 45 (70.3%) were passes and only 19 were runs.

The Mustangs finished regulation tied 20-20 despite producing just 2 rushing yards on those 19 carries.

Meanwhile, quarterback Kevin Jennings pushed the offense through the air, completing 29 of 45 passes for 365 yards. The SMU passing game kept them in the game with Miami.

The most surprising statistic may be that SMU’s longest run of regulation was only five yards.

Late in the third quarter, they gained those five yards on inside zone from an unbalanced formation.

For four quarters, Miami had completely shut down the SMU run game. Then overtime arrived, and everything changed.

The Six Play Decision

SMU received the ball in overtime after Miami’s Carson Beck threw a crushing interception near the goal line.

At that moment, offensive coordinator Casey Woods and head coach Rhett Lashlee made a decision that would have seemed ridiculous if you looked only at the box score.

They stopped throwing the football.

Completely.

After calling passes on over 70 percent of their snaps during regulation, SMU ran the ball six consecutive times to win the game.

The first call was a quarterback G/H Super Counter that gained five yards.

That tied their longest run of the entire game.

The next snap appears to be Duo. The offensive line gets movement and the back reaches the edge for three yards.

Now facing third and short, SMU reaches into one of football’s most reliable answers.

Power. The downhill run converts the first down and you can almost feel Miami beginning to crack.

SMU comes right back with Power again. This time it gains six yards.

Their longest run of the night… so far.

Then they return to Duo. Seven more yards.

A new longest run of the night.

Finally, from the one yard line, SMU finishes the drive with split zone for the game winning touchdown.

Six straight runs.

Touchdown. Game over.

What Changed?

The easy answer is that SMU suddenly found a running game. The better answer is that they found the right moment to use it.

Fatigue Finally Won

For four quarters, Miami’s defense had chased routes, rushed passers, and defended 45 pass attempts. The run game had not worked all night, but that does not mean it had not been serving a purpose.

Every pass protection rep forces defensive linemen to rush. Every scramble forces pursuit. Every drop back adds stress to a defense.

By overtime, Miami’s front looked exhausted. SMU recognized it and immediately changed the way they attacked.

Understanding the Situation

This is the part that matters most for coaches.

The best play call is not always the play that has worked the best throughout the game.

The best play call is the one that gives you the highest probability of winning in the current situation.

Miami had just turned the ball over in a devastating fashion.

The Hurricane defense was tired and SMU only needed a touchdown. The Mustangs did not need explosive plays. They did not need to force throws. They did not need to be creative.

They needed to be physical. So they became physical.

A Lesson for Coaches

Many coaches abandon concepts because they are not producing explosive results early in games.

The SMU overtime drive is a reminder that football is often an investment game.

Sometimes the run game is not there in the first quarter.

Sometimes it is not there in the second quarter.

Sometimes it is not even there in the fourth quarter.

But every snap places stress on defenders. Every drive accumulates fatigue. Every block forces a defensive lineman to absorb another collision. The key is recognizing when the defense has reached its breaking point.

SMU rushed for only two yards in regulation and still won the game by running the football six consecutive times when it mattered most.

That is a valuable reminder for all of us. Statistics tell you what happened. Great coaches identify what is about to happen next.

As Lashlee later summarized, “You throw the ball to score, but you run the ball to win.“

Against Miami, that philosophy could not have been demonstrated any better.

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At first glance, the matchup looked completely lopsided. Indiana entered the game allowing just 11.2 points per game and had dominated nearly everyone on its schedule. Penn State, meanwhile, was still searching for its first Big Ten victory.

Before diving into the X’s and O’s, one thing deserves recognition: Nic Singleton was outstanding. He finished with 143 all purpose yards and three touchdowns, including the score that gave Penn State the lead in the final two minutes.

But this was not simply a case of one player carrying the offense. Penn State’s coaching staff did an excellent job creating answers against Indiana’s coverage structure, manufacturing first downs, and generating explosive plays through the passing game.

The concepts themselves were not revolutionary. What stood out was how Penn State repeatedly attacked the same defensive rules from different formations and presentations.

The Ins

Indiana frequently rolled into Cover 3 variations, often bringing five rushers while playing with three underneath defenders.

On this 3rd and 10 in the first quarter, Penn State uses motion to help identify coverage and gain information about potential safety support.

Penn State aligns in a 2x2 formation and unstacks with motion. To the motion side, the outside receiver runs a 10 yard out while the motion receiver releases underneath to another out route. The quarterback initially checks that side but quickly recognizes the safety driving down underneath the routes.

His eyes immediately move to the opposite side where Penn State has built a classic Dagger concept.

The vertical route occupies the deep middle safety while the dig route works into the void underneath. To make the picture even cleaner, the running back releases on a swing route, pulling the underneath linebacker away from the dig window.

The quarterback shows great patience, allowing the route to develop before delivering an easy completion that turns into a gain of more than 40 yards.

Coaching Point: Against spot dropping zone coverage, route concepts are often less important than creating space for the route you actually want to throw. The running back’s swing route may never be intended to receive the football, but it is critical in removing the underneath defender from the throwing lane.

Later in the game, Penn State returns to the same idea but dresses it up differently.

Facing 2nd and 12, they use split zone play action from a trips formation before attacking with a three receiver Dagger concept.

The formation changes. The backfield action changes. The presentation changes.

The result is exactly the same.

The dig route once again finds space behind the underneath defenders and in front of the deep coverage.

One lesson for high school coaches is that you do not need dozens of concepts. Penn State found something that stressed Indiana’s coverage rules and simply kept finding new ways to present it.

The Outs

If Dagger creates a high low stretch inside through the Dig and Post combination, Penn State’s next answer attacked the perimeter using a Corner and Out combination.

Penn State aligns in a 2x2 set and shows jet sweep motion to sell play action.

The field side receivers align tighter than normal, both inside the hash marks, giving themselves more space to work toward the sideline.

The outside receiver runs a corner route that carries the deep coverage vertically, while the underneath receiver breaks to the sideline on a deep out route.

As the corner route removes the over the top defender, the out route gains access to a large window underneath.

This is a simple concept, but it creates an easy picture for the quarterback. If the deep defender widens with the corner route, throw the out. If the defender drives the out route, the corner route becomes available over the top.

Penn State later returns to the same concept from a trips formation.

This time the inside receiver runs the out route while the two outside receivers push vertically.

The structure is slightly different, but the conflict remains the same.

Indiana’s zone defenders are forced to honor the vertical threats, creating a massive void along the boundary for the out route to settle into.

Coaching Point: When attacking zone coverage, many coaches focus on route combinations. Just as important is route spacing. Penn State consistently gave its receivers enough room to stretch defenders horizontally and create larger throwing windows.

Final Thoughts

Penn State’s offensive plan against Indiana serves as a reminder that explosive offense is often built on repetition rather than complexity. Rather than carrying an endless menu of concepts, the Nittany Lions repeatedly attacked Indiana’s Cover 3 structures with a handful of well coached answers.

The Dagger concept stressed the deep middle safety and underneath linebackers. The Corner Out combinations stretched defenders on the perimeter. Most importantly, Penn State presented those concepts from multiple formations and motions, forcing Indiana to defend the same problems over and over again.

For high school coaches, the takeaway is clear: find concepts that attack the coverage structures you see most often, then build complementary ways to present them. You do not need more plays. You need better answers. Penn State showed exactly what that looks like against one of the best defenses in college football.

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Counter Variations

We start with normal G/T counter to the tight end. The arching tight end widens the end, allowing a better angle at the kick, the offensive tackle takes the linebacker who fills aggressively, and the Midshipmen are off to the races.

G/T counter again to the tight end here, but with a jet motion fake and slight spin action. Wing-T coaches are probably jumping out of their seats here!

One more example of G/T, but this time out of their under center set. Jet motion makes the defense feel like it’s sweep, a common play out of this set, then they get hit with G/T counter.

G/H shovel off of a speed option look. Feels a lot like old school “Sally” here out of the wing-T. It’s defended well, but it can be a unique change up to run counter and throw defenses off.

Quarterback Counters

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Navy ranked 1st in rushing offense, 1st in rushing yards, 2nd in yards per carry, 3rd in rushing touchdowns, and 1st in rushing yards per game. Most people who haven’t watched Navy lately would say that’s because they run under center triple option. They do, about half the time. The other half, they run a myriad of schemes out of the gun. Some option based, some not. Navy is almost a blend between Harding University and Ferris State, two Division II powerhouses, and yes, it’s confusing and awesome at the same time. Most of these runs, and we’ll sneak in a few passes, boil down to two well known schemes: Power and Counter. In part 1 of this article, we’ll break down Navy’s power variations from the gun.

Power Variations

This is a simpler version of power but still an interesting variation, where Navy brings the tight end from the slot in motion for the kick on the defensive end. It’s still basic power, but Navy finds a way to get to it from a different perspective.

This time Navy brings the runner in orbit motion to the backfield, think gun split, and the fullback kicks the defensive end. There’s an argument that Navy might be more creative in their run game than anyone in the country.

Not sure what to call this, but it’s a marriage between power read and power shovel. It’s a nice change up on 2nd and short, and another creative change up on a power variation.

This was a variation we also saw from UC Davis, but it’s another marriage between two concepts. This time it’s power shovel plus a rollout to a flood concept. Navy isn’t a prolific passing team, but they do a great job building these concepts off of their best runs, which we’ll also see later in this article.

Here’s a great example of power read, with the Q pull, out of split backs. The offensive line does a great job staying on track, the linebackers overrun it, and the Q makes the right read and cut for six points.

Same formation, same motion, same call, but this time the Navy QB gives it for six points. Notice the crack by the receiver that also draws the corner who’s in man coverage. Pair that with the lead back kicking the safety and it’s a big play for the Navy offense.

Same split back look with power read, but this time we see their play-action attack off of it. The result, a wide open tight end streaming vertical up the seam for a touchdown.

Here’s one more example, but this time with the power read action off of a single back in the backfield.

Here’s another example of power read out of the diamond formation. The right tackle does especially well here down blocking the 4 tech. If the guard made it to second level this could’ve gone for a much bigger gain.

Same play and the defensive end squeezes and makes the read muddy. So the QB does the smart thing and gives it and lets the running back get to the edge for an effective play.

Same formation, same action, except it’s now a pass. They pair that action with a sail concept. It feels a bit clunky, but it works.

Now Navy goes from under center to the “go-go”. They run another variation of power read, with toss action, at the defense. The defensive end widens with the action, the QB keeps it, and gets vertical for a nice gain.

Power read again from the “go-go”, this time with the toss. Easy read again, the defensive end squeezes, the QB pitches, and another big gain for Navy.

Here we see Navy run Q Power, but the wrinkle is the pitch relationship from the orbiting receiver. While there is no pitch, I can’t imagine a world where that’s not a real option for the Navy offense. Another creative variation by Navy.

Here’s the play-action, or maybe RPO, variation from the Q Power we saw above. Again Navy does a great job building off of their run game and creating favorable matchups and easy reads for their QB.

Q power again, but sometimes you just have to enjoy a runner making things happen. It breaks down on the right tackle, but talent takes over and the Q makes the correct read, a good cut, and he’s off to the races.

Final Thoughts

What stands out about Navy isn’t the power scheme itself. Power is power. What stands out is how many ways they find to get to it. Slot motion for the kick, orbit motion to the backfield, power read out of split backs, the diamond, single back, the go-go, Q power with a built-in pitch relationship. Same core concept, dressed up a dozen different ways, and each one forces the defense to defend something slightly different.

That’s the real lesson here. You don’t need fifteen run schemes to be multiple. You need one or two you believe in and the creativity to attack every formation, every motion, and every read off of them. Navy makes the defense wrong before the ball is ever snapped, and they do it without asking their line to learn a new playbook every week.

The other piece worth stealing is how they build the pass game off the run. The play-action seams, the sail and flood concepts off power read action, the RPO tags off Q power. None of it is prolific by volume, but all of it is married to a run the defense has already committed to stopping. That’s how a run-first team hits explosive plays without becoming something they’re not.

In part 2, we’ll get into the other half of the Navy run game: their counter variations, and the same creativity shows up there too.

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This is a great example of what a pinch front run fit looks like with cloud Cover 3. The boundary defensive end works into the offensive tackle and crosses his face, triggering the running back to bounce into a trap corner for the tackle. This front clogs up interior gaps and allows clean run fits by secondary force players. And letting a corner fit outside, instead of into a B gap, is beneficial for a smaller body.

This time we get outside zone action. Since the interior gaps will be handled by the defensive line, the linebacker sprints over the top, and combining that with a trap corner, the Cougars have a nice layered run fit against this scheme. Notice the backside interior linebacker can now slow down and tempo, as he has the QB pull to cutback.

Here we get an insert that’s forced to bounce because the interior gaps are occupied. The safety is the secondary run fitter, instead of the Nickel, and he comes downhill nicely. The runner does make him miss, but that doesn’t change the fact that the Cougars had a free hitter at the point of attack because of the scheme.

Cover 3 buzz versus split zone on this rep. Condensed splits equal a heavier fit in the scheme. These secondary defenders have a great understanding of where to fit on the edge, and the scheme really simplifies things and allows them to play fast downhill.

The Cougar defense gets a pin and pull variation here. While it’s a bit late, the backside linebacker eventually works over the top to the runner and meets the frontside linebacker for the tackle. This is also a great example of the defensive end not blocking himself on the down block by the tackle.

Fast fit by the Sam/Nickel here, the interior linebacker flows over the top to make him right, and the corner becomes the force player who gets the TFL. This is another example of the unusual fits that can happen when interior gaps are filled.

Here’s one more example of that natural bounce to an unblocked defender.

Final Thoughts

The common thread across every one of these reps is the same: when you take away the interior gaps, you force the offense to play where you want them to play. That’s the whole appeal of the pinch front. You’re not asking your front to win one on one matchups against more talented bodies. You’re asking them to occupy space, muddy the read, and push the ball to a defender who’s already sitting there waiting for it. The bounce isn’t a breakdown. It’s the design.

What stands out on the Washington State tape is how clean the secondary fits become once that interior is accounted for. Corners get to fit outside on trap instead of possibly folding in a B gap. Safeties and the Sam/Nickel come downhill with a clear picture. Linebackers can flow over the top and tempo their fits because the front has bought them time. For a defense that’s outmanned up front, that’s exactly the kind of structure that lets you hang with an offense that’s more talented than you are.

It isn’t perfect, and no front is. You’re going to give up some things, and the runner is going to make a man miss now and then like we saw on the insert rep. But the scheme keeps putting a free hitter at the point of attack, and that’s the bet you’re making. The pinch front is having its modern moment for a reason, and the Cougars are a good place to start if you want to see why. If you’ve been looking for a change up that simplifies fits and lets your guys play fast, this is one worth getting on the board.

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The Irish finished the season averaging a staggering 7.32 yards per play, the best mark in the country and a new program record. They also generated 40 plays of 30 yards or more, proving that this offense was not built to simply survive drives. It was built to flip the field instantly.

At the center of the attack were three core ideas:

• Outside zone stretch

• Slot fade vertical shots

• Deep post manipulation

The concepts themselves are not revolutionary. What separated Notre Dame was how consistently they married them together.

Outside Zone: Stretching the Defense Until It Breaks

Notre Dame’s run game revolved around the combination of Jeremiyah Love and Jadarian Price. Together, they gave defenses two completely different problems.

Love was the explosive perimeter threat. Price was the downhill hammer. Instead of searching for one “complete” back, Notre Dame leaned into complementary skill sets.

That is an important lesson for high school coaches. Too many coaching staffs force every back into the same mold. Sometimes the better answer is allowing backs to specialize. Different tempos and running styles change pursuit angles and prevent linebackers from settling into consistent fits.

The engine behind everything was Outside Zone.

Rather than trying to displace defenders vertically, Notre Dame consistently worked to run defenders laterally. The goal was simple: stretch the defense until somebody overran the play.

One of the best coaching points in outside zone is teaching patience before explosion. Love consistently showed that throughout the season.

On several explosive runs, his aiming point stayed disciplined at roughly two yards outside and two yards behind the tight end. He pressed the landmark patiently, forced linebackers to flow over the top, then planted and cut vertically behind the backside tackle.

That is how outside zone is supposed to look.

Young backs often rush the read and outrun the blocking scheme. Love understood that speed only matters after the crease appears. He forced defenders to stretch horizontally first, then used elite acceleration once the cutback lane opened.

“Slow is smooth, and smooth is fast.”

Another cutback by Love, another explosive gain. Notice how patient he remains behind the line while the backside develops. The left tackle and left guard do an excellent job handling the linebacker scraping over the top, which keeps the backside crease alive.

Notre Dame’s offensive line also deserves major credit. The tackles consistently climbed to second-level linebackers and ran them past the cutback lane. Against linebacker movement and scrape exchanges, the Irish stayed disciplined with lateral movement instead of chasing knock back blocks.

For high school coaches, this is a great reminder that outside zone is not about creating movement straight ahead. It is about creating displacement sideways.

Once linebackers start overfitting to the stretch, the defense creates its own seams.

Price became especially valuable because of how physical he was attacking those interior lanes. Defenses could not simply widen out to stop Love. If they did, Price punished light boxes inside. That balance is what opened up Notre Dame’s vertical passing game later in drives.

In this clip, the tight end is able to work up cleanly to the play side linebacker, which allows the left tackle to stay attached to the defensive end. The center climbs perfectly to the backside linebacker scraping over the top and carries him completely out of the cutback lane. That combination creates a massive seam for Price to hit vertically.

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Instead, a good passing game is able to combat different defensive looks, beat pressure, and attack the whole field.

The Ole Miss Rebels deployed a durable passing attack against the Georgia Bulldogs in their CFP rematch last season. The concept’s roots are Y-Cross adjacent and the plays withstood the natural chaos of a game.

This set of plays consists of a quick game or smash concept to the frontside and an intermediate concept to the backside. That backside concept has a crosser by the inside receiver and either a dig or deep curl by the outside receiver. So if the quarterback starts on the frontside and moves on, then the remaining routes naturally come into his vision. Lastly, the running back, either off a quick play fake or a check release, runs a swing to the side of the intermediate concept for a check down.

This set of plays gives the offense tools to attack the underneath and deep zone coverages, as well as man coverage with the runaways on the backside. Thus, robust.

Zone Answer

Stick

The quarterback’s drop makes me believe he’s deleted the stick side and is planning on working the crosser side from the snap. The defense is playing Tampa from a three-high look so the cloud corner is going to be an issue for the outside stick, but there is certainly a chance for the second stick in the void between the flat and hook defenders.

Nonetheless, the quarterback moves on to the crosser which the middle hole player disrupts the route and the backside safety is ready to pounce on it as well. The hook defender to the field gets good depth to take away the curl. Therefore the quarterback works across the field to the check down for a first down.

Hitches

You can’t watch the Rebels’ offense and not see a hitch. Usually paired with a run, these hitches pair with the flash fake action they’re keen to on these concepts. The read is outside-in, keying the flat defender. The Bulldogs are dropping eight, and so the flat defender is actually the boundary defensive end. He turns his whole body to get to the flat and so the quarterback just has to beat him with the throw which he does.

On the other side, we see a more traditional cross look with the cross by the number two receiver and the dig by the number one receiver. Should one of the hitches not have been there, both intermediate routes had space against the zone coverage for the quarterback to find space between the underneath defenders.

Spacing

The H motion with the flash fake does enough to keep the hook defender inside so the offense can keep its desired two on one on the flat defender. The quarterback is reading the flat defender between the hook route and the flat route. The play requires a corner-off look and for the hook defender to stay inside. Both are true here and lead to an easy completion.

To the intermediate side, the offense is running two digs between the in-line tight end and the number one receiver. If the quarterback had needed to work through the progression, the outside dig would’ve provided him an open man since it’s a runaway route against the man corner the defense was playing.

Pressure Answer

Slot Fade

A benefit to this concept is the answers they provide to pressure in giving the quarterback something to throw to when he’s hot while also still able to get chunks in the intermediate.

The Bulldogs’ 6 man pressure with 3 Deep 2 Under behind it is put to rest with the slot fade concept to the boundary. The offense has six blockers but gets into a full slide that leaves the running back in a two on one situation, leaving the blitzing defensive back free but late.

Slot fades are great for man coverage and the locked hitch is great for any corner-off zone coverage which they get here.

Man Answer

Stick

This play is a repeat of the first that we saw. Same formation and same play. The difference is we finally see the crosser get the ball. The Bulldogs are playing 2 Deep, Man Under so they smother the quick side.

But we finally get to see the thesis in action, this passing game isn’t fragile. It’s able to handle a variety of defensive looks. The crosser is a runaway, so it’s good against man. The key to this play finding success is beating the backside safety which it barely does, and the play drew a penalty off the big hit.

Smash

Another man example, though now the Bulldogs have one safety deep-but-not-really-that-deep. This play is also the first time the Rebels’ employed a more intermediate concept to the frontside by running smash. The corner route is good against man, but he gets buried inside too much here for the quarterback to feel comfortable with it.

No problem. The crosser is taken away by the low safety in the middle but like we’ve seen continually throughout these clips, the backside dig works beautifully against man coverage.

Another key element that made this play work is the protection. The offense is in a half slide putting the running back on a read between the inside linebacker to the right to the outside linebacker to the right. The inside linebacker comes and the running back does a great job picking him up to allow the quarterback to get all the way to his fourth receiver in the progression on a big third down.

Scramble Answer

Smash

Ole Miss ran a couple more of these but we’ll end on this one to complete the argument demonstrating the robustness of this passing game. The offense is running Smash again to the frontside, and the cornerback does a good job muddying the read by playing with equal space between the corner and flat route. However, the quarterback appears to be working immediately to the backside though the flat route could certainly have been completed underneath the cornerback.

Nonetheless, he escapes somewhat unnecessarily to the right and is able to hit the crosser off the scramble. So though we see a “turn down” to the flat, this play demonstrates the concept’s built-in answers to the scramble.

Conclusion

In a critical game, the Rebels were able to keep going back to this play family in their passing game not just because the play concepts were sound, but because the concepts could handle chaos.

These plays are a clear result of good scheme and good execution built from a year of executing whether in game or in practice. Once again, a good passing game isn’t fragile. There are many ways to put together a passing game, but the measure of success is always its ability to withstand the demands of a game on the biggest stage.

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Coach Kurt Hines has spent 29 years on the sideline and 32 in the classroom. He has been a head coach in New Hampshire and at Coronado in California. He has been hired and he has been fired. Through all of it, he has settled on one belief that drives everything: programs are built on people, not schemes.

In this conversation, Coach Hines walks Kyle and Matt through how he hires assistant coaches (no resume, no football talk in the first interview), why his early failures with delegation made him a better head coach, and a turbulent flight to Mississippi that changed how he leads when he is not in the building. He shares the discipline story from his first year at Coronado that tested everything he believed about being a man of his word, the viral video that put his program on national news, and what he has learned in the months since being let go after his most recent season.

This one is for coaches who care more about the long game than the next win.

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I’m aware there’s nothing new under the sun, and these pressures likely originated somewhere years ago. But the modern application has been more recent. Lately I’ve seen defensive coordinators referring to these as pressures with Deuce coverage, and that’s the more widely used term when talking about them in 2026. In this article we’ll break down examples of these pressures, along with some creative alternatives to Deuce coverage.

Why Use Vision Players Instead of Matching?

The first reason is likely because you don’t have enough players to match across the board, and you certainly can’t account for the running back unless he flares out of a squeezed formation. Vision players let the defense deploy underneath coverage to the area of the field the quarterback is reading. For example, if a QB takes the snap, throws his eyes to the field, and makes the throw, does it matter if we defended the boundary flat?

Here’s a great example of what we discussed above. The QB briefly, and I mean briefly, glances to the boundary before working to the field. Both underneath players (and this might be how Michigan plays it, and that’s fine) work to the #2 receivers, leaving #3 wide open on a sit route. If they had been playing vision, both the backside hook defender and the play side hook defender might have had a chance to make a play on this throw. As it is, they had no shot.

This example is certainly different, as the hook defender is dropping from a mugged position and therefore has his back turned to the QB. But if he had some vision, he might have been able to expand to the intended receiver as the backside hook player worked to the play side #2. Again, I’m not picking on Michigan’s scheme. They’re certainly much better coaches than myself. I’m just making the argument for playing the underneath hook defenders as vision players instead of match players.

Another great example of vision eyes leading to a pass breakup. If the overhang was looking to work to #2 before settling and coming back to #3, this could be a completion. As it stands, the overhang tempos off the ball with eyes on the quarterback and makes a nice break to force the incompletion.

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The beauty here is not just in the scheme. It is in how simple it is for the quarterback and how difficult it becomes for everyone else.

When you pair bash with G/T Counter, you are putting the play-side end in conflict on every snap. If he squeezes, the ball gets outside. If he widens, the ball hits downhill with pullers in front. There is no right answer, only damage control.

G/T Bash

Utah lines up in a 2x2 set and brings motion from the boundary. That motion widens the field-side end, essentially removing him from the box and stealing a gap for the offense before the ball is even snapped.

To the boundary, the end does not fully commit. He squeezes just enough, which allows the pulling guard to log him and the tackle to wrap cleanly to the second level. The front side combination block is exactly what you want, vertical movement with eyes up to the linebacker.

Coaching point: Teach your pullers the difference between a kick and a log every single day. That decision is the play. If they get it right, you are right.

Same 2x2 structure, but now the back motions out and back across the formation. This is not window dressing. It forces the middle of the field safety to declare and creates hesitation in the second level.

The quarterback’s eyes go straight to the jet-side defensive end, who charges upfield at the mesh. Easy decision. Give the ball and let the numbers handle the rest.

Coaching point: Your quarterback’s eyes and feet need to be tied together. If his eyes are right but his feet are sloppy, the mesh breaks down and the play is dead.

Utah shifts into a heavier look with an unbalanced empty set and tight ends as wings. Now the defense has to adjust to surface and numbers.

When the boundary receiver motions across, the second level widens and the box lightens. The quarterback treats the walked-out linebacker as the read key, pulls the ball, and now the offense has an extra gap with an extra body to block it.

Coaching point: Formations are part of the run game. If you are not using them to create leverage and numbers, you are leaving yards on the field.

This is where Utah really pushes the stress point. They start in a tight wing set, then shift to quads, then bring the back across the formation. The defense is adjusting on the fly, and that hesitation shows up at the snap.

The read tells the quarterback to give, and while the execution is not perfect, the structure of the play creates space that could easily turn explosive.

Coaching point: do not chase perfection with tempo and shifts. The goal is to create hesitation. Even small hesitation is enough.

C/G Bash (Midline Element)

The issue with living in bash is that defensive ends eventually get coached up. They start slow playing, feathering, or wrong-arming to muddy the read.

Utah’s answer is simple. Stop reading the end. Read the 3 technique.Now the conflict moves inside, where most high school defenses are far less comfortable.

Utah aligns in a double wing empty look, setting the 3 technique to the field. The motion creates eye candy, but the quarterback is locked in on the defensive tackle.

When that 3 technique flies upfield, the ball is pulled. On the edge, the tight end pins, the tackle wraps, and the play spills outside with numbers.

Up front, it looks like G/T Counter, but now the center becomes the kick player and the guard wraps through.

It is clean, it is physical, and it hits fast.

Coaching point: if you are going to read an interior defender, the mesh has to be tight. There is no space for error. Drill it every day.

Same look, same concept, different defensive reaction. The end spikes inside, which should muddy the picture, but instead it creates space.

The center cannot log him cleanly, so he climbs. The guard ends up on the safety. It is not perfect execution, but structurally the defense has no answer.

Coaching point: good schemes survive imperfect execution. If one missed block kills your play, it is probably not the right play.

Against a bear front, Utah still runs it. Now you have double 3 techniques and a nose over the center, which should cancel interior reads.

Instead, the guard does a great job sealing the nose, the center kicks, and the quarterback is out the gate.

Do not abandon your concepts versus “bad looks.” Have answers built in. Your kids will play faster if they know the plan does not change.

And sometimes, your quarterback just makes you right. The structure creates the crease, and the athlete finishes it.

Design your run game so your best player touches the ball in space. Everything else is secondary.

Final Thoughts

Utah is not reinventing football here. They are simply layering answers on top of answers. G/T Counter gives you a physical downhill run. Bash gives you a perimeter answer. Reading the 3 technique gives you a counterpunch when defenses adjust.

For high school coaches, the takeaway is clear. You do not need a massive playbook. You need a small group of plays that stress the defense in multiple ways.

Start with one bash concept. Teach the read. Drill the mesh. Build in motion to create leverage. Then add a tag to change who gets read.

Now you are not just calling plays. You are forcing the defense to defend everything, every snap.

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