Navy's Creative Run Game, Part 1: The Power Variations Behind the Nation's Top Rushing Attack

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.