For three quarters in College Park, Virginia Tech’s offense looked like a clinic in manipulating defensive structure.
The Hokies were not doing anything revolutionary. The run game was fairly basic, with plenty of familiar gap-scheme concepts. But the passing game was built around a simple idea: make the defense defend space, then find the matchup you want.
Virginia Tech mixed heavy run looks like QB counter with quick misdirection, fake jet sweeps, tight end screens, fades and rail routes. The result was a Maryland defense that constantly had to adjust its eyes and leverage.
The Hokies scored on five of their first six possessions, and much of that success came from creating conflict for defenders without needing a massive menu of plays.
While Virginia Tech’s run game was fairly straightforward, the passing game provided plenty of opportunities to create mismatches in open space.
Let’s start with a pass route that everyone runs.
DASH FLOOD
Before we even get to the routes, let’s talk about the Dash protection and what the tight end is doing.
In the first example, the Hokies align in a 2x2 set and motion the tight end across the formation to the field as a wing. That motion gives him leverage on the defensive end.
The offensive line full slides to the left while the tight end pins the defensive end inside. The quarterback gets a quick look at his backside gift route before rolling to the field.
The protection and the route concept work together here.
Flood concepts are built around out-breaking routes, so pay attention to the receiver splits. The outside receiver is aligned just outside the hash, giving the quarterback plenty of room to work toward the sideline.
The quarterback checks the backside route, gets outside and connects with the out route.
The running back, aligned opposite the flood concept, becomes the #3 receiver and occupies the flat.
The outside receiver then breaks to the sideline at the deeper level, creating the vertical stretch that makes Flood so difficult to defend.
Nothing complicated. Just good spacing and good structure.
Same play, different presentation.
This time, Virginia Tech gives us trips to the field with the tight end aligned outside. He motions inside and pins the defensive end almost immediately off the motion.
That is a great way to catch the defensive end off guard.
The Hokies are using the motion to create leverage before the ball is even snapped. The tight end gets inside position on the defensive end, and the quarterback has an easier path to the edge.
Again, the play itself is nothing exotic.
The presentation is what makes it work.
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