"Putting the ball in play is a lost art." This quote was in our playbook introducing our pre-snap procedures, and I think that quote still holds true. Good offenses have base schemes and sequences that fit their personnel and put them in position to have success in various situations that could happen on a drive, in a game, or through out the season. They also have varied ways to set the offense and the play caller to put the offense in the best way to be in successful positions when the ball is snapped. In today's day and age of no huddle, fast ball offense we'll review some ways to enhance your offense that may seem counter culture to current trends.
In the world of football, the huddle is more than just a group of players forming a circle. It’s a strategic gathering, a moment of focus, and a symbol of teamwork. While the trend of no-huddle offenses has gained popularity, the value of a well-executed huddle should not be underestimated. A huddle allows for clear communication of the play, ensures everyone is on the same page, and can even serve to misdirect the opposing team. Similarly, pre-snap procedures are crucial in setting up a successful play. They provide the quarterback with the opportunity to read the defense, make necessary adjustments, and ensure that every player knows their role once the ball is snapped. Let’s delve into how these traditional elements can enhance your offense, even in the face of modern, fast-paced trends.
"Let’s start with the huddle. The huddle is not just about calling the play; it’s about creating unity, focus, and a shared understanding among the team members. It’s a moment where the quarterback can look his teammates in the eyes and instill confidence. It’s a chance for the offensive line to understand their blocking assignments, for the receivers to know their routes, and for the running backs to know their gaps. In the huddle, everyone gets on the same page. Before we get into the huddle, the quarterback should make sure he is aligned to our sideline to get the call from the sideline. While he gets the call, he needs to be outside of the huddle to ensure any personnel changes can happen in a one-for-one exchange with clear communication from the sideline on who is subbing in for whom. This ensures we do not have more or less than eleven in the huddle. Once the quarterback has the call from the sideline, he will close the huddle once he knows there are ten players besides him already huddled.
As we move into the specifics of the huddle, it’s important to note that no one should speak in the huddle besides the quarterback. The quarterback should relay the necessary information in the order of the system, including snap count, shift, trade, motion, formation, formation adjustments, protection, concept, and any other information needed. This should be done twice in a clear and concise manner so everyone can understand. The other eleven players should be focused on the quarterback’s voice and should be watching his lips as they listen to the information he is relaying. If any player misses information, they should say ‘check, check’ and put their hands over their ear hole to indicate that they need the information repeated. It is crucial this huddle procedure is done in a timely and efficient manner. It needs to be slow and smooth but also not use a lot of play clock. The huddle will end with a break. The quarterback, as well as all players, must know where the play clock is and be cognizant of it at all times. Our goals for the timing on the huddle are:
The QB will get the play # from the sideline by 30 seconds on the play clock.
The QB will read the play off the wristband to the offense and break the huddle by 20 seconds.
The unit will be lined up and ready for any shift, trade, motion, or adjustment by 15 seconds on the play clock. The unit must break the huddle and align with urgency, getting lined up, set, and staying there.
It is everyone on the unit’s responsibility to be aware of the play clock. The play clock is located in each endzone and in full view of the players. The play clock will be started by the umpire’s spot or the referee’s signal before each play. We will have either 25 seconds or 40 seconds to put the ball in play."
"Putting the Ball in Play: A Lost Art
In the modern game of football, the act of putting the ball in play has become somewhat of a lost art. Teams should have ways to vary cadence, have the ability to "Can," to a second call, or audible to a more favorable play against a specific look, and more tools. When the ball is put into play, it’s not just about the snap. It’s about the quarterback reading the defense, making adjustments, and ensuring that every player is in the right place at the right time. It’s about the offensive line knowing their blocking assignments, the receivers understanding their routes, and the running backs identifying their gaps.
Let's look into some ways to utilize pre-snap information gathering to put your player in position for success post snap.
#1 Varied Snap Count & Cadence:
Have multiple cadences to snap the ball and keep the defense from picking up your cadence. Have the ability to go on quick, on one, on a long one, on the hard two, and the ability to sugar with varied cadence. Below is a playbook page with the color for cadence to protect the cadence system of the team used as an example:
SNAP COUNTS
Quick (“Set-Hut”)
Long (“Set-Hut…Hut”)
One (“Set-Hut…Green 80…Green 80…Set-Hut”)
Two (“Set-Hut…Black 80…Black 80…Set-Hut…Hut”)
Dummy (“Set-Hut…Brown 80…Brown 80…Set-Hut...Hut-Hut”)
Will always use Brown as the color.
Whenever the QB goes on the Dummy or on Two, expect for him to accentuate the 1st hut to try to draw the defense offsides.
Code words can be used as a reminder of the snap count if somebody forgets the cadence as we are walking up to the LOS.
Blue = Quick Count
Green = On One
Black = On Two
White = Long Count
Brown = Dummy Count
CADENCE
QB starts cadence with “Set-Hut.” Everyone must be set!
QB will give a color & 2 digit number to each side (as long as we are not on Quick or Long count).
Only use White as the color in the cadence.
Brown is for Dummy Count only.
Cadence must sound consistent between each QB.
Must be used as a weapon to keep the defense off-balance.
DUMMY COUNT
Used to get the defense to show their coverage & gives the QB the ability to change the play if needed, either through an Audible, Oscar or Can.
Will use the color Brown to remind everybody on offense that we are not snapping the ball on the 1st cadence.
The 2nd cadence will always be on one & be used with the colors Red, White or Blue (only if Audible).
Example:
Huddle call: “I Rt 18 Force ‘Can’ 19 Weak On The Dummy.”
Cadence: “Set-Hut…Brown 80…Brown 80…Set-Hut…Hut-Hut...White 80…White 80…Set-Hut.” (The defense did not give us a bad look, so the QB kept the initial play on).
#2 Can or Kill:
If we want to Kill a play, the quarterback will call two plays in the huddle, each one meticulously designed to exploit the defense’s weaknesses. These plays can range from run to run, run to pass, pass to pass, or pass to run, providing us with the flexibility to adapt to any situation on the field.
The cadence we preferred to use, was a long 1 or dummy cadence. This is an ideal tool to help the quarterback read the defense. It allows for adjustments based on the defense’s look, whether there are stems, MO/MC, or rotation. Here's a description of this system from a playbook:
Kill Cadence
Allows us to change a play at the LOS without using an audible.
2 plays will be called in the huddle.
We will always run the 1st play called, unless the word “Can” is used somewhere within the cadence.
Whenever the QB “Cans” the play, he will signal to the WR’s.
Example:
Huddle call: “Trips Rt 19 Wanda ‘Can’ 18 Support.”
Cadence: “Set-Hut…Green 80…Can, Can…Green 80…Set-Hut.”
Play now becomes Trips Rt 18 Support.
#3 Sugar Huddle:
The Sugar Huddle is a great way to simulate tempo and slow down defenses to make sure they can't wait on a formation to make a call or limit stemming. The sugar huddle needs to be communicated in the huddle as the tempo it is best paired with quick cadence. Everyone will have urgency attacking the line of scrimmage and getting set quickly. We wanted to carry two or three plays each game from a sugar huddle. When selecting our sugar huddle plays we liked to make them condensed plays, we wanted to make sure they were stagnant meaning no shift trade or motion, and we liked protected or spotted plays our players could execute against potentially misaligned or exotic looks. Movement passes, Crack Toss, Zone Runs, Play Actions, and Gadgets / Specials were some of our favorites in this category.
#4 Oscar:
In our playbook, “Oscar” is a strategic term we use to flip the same play in a balanced formation from one direction to another. This flexibility allows us to adapt our strategy based on the defense’s formation and weaknesses. We may choose to run a play to a shade, to a 3 tech, to the softest non-primary support, to better numbers in the box, or away from safety rotation, depending on what we see on the field. Here's a playbook description of Oscar:
Gives us the ability to change the direction of a play out of a mirrored formation such as Solo or North Clamp.
We will always run the initial play unless the word “Oscar” is used somewhere within the cadence. This tells everyone that we are flipping the play in the opposite direction.
Whenever the QB “Oscars” the play, he will signal to the WR’s.
Oscar will always be alerted in the huddle.
Example:
Huddle call: “Solo Rt 18 Alert Oscar.”
Cadence: “Set-Hut…Oscar, Oscar…White 80…White 80…Set-Hut.”
Play now becomes Solo Rt 19.
#5 Reload:
Reload is the term used by the QB to change a Kill, Oscar, or Audible back to the original play call. All reloads will be on a silver cadence which is out cadence in up tempo packages, as well as if the play clock is running out of time. Here's an example of a Reload:
Huddle call: “Double Rt 18 ‘Kill’ 19 Wanda On One.”
Cadence: “Set-Hut…Kill, Kill…White 80… Reload, Reload… Silver… Silver… Set-Hut.”
"Putting the Ball in Play: A Lost Art
In a well-coordinated offense, putting the ball in play is a symphony of movement and strategy. It’s a dance where every step, every move, and every decision matters. It’s a moment where the game slows down, where strategy takes center stage, and where the outcome of the play is often decided before the ball is even snapped. Hopefully with these cadences and procedures at the LOS can be something that could potentially help your offense next season. By incorporating a huddle we found we had more success in up tempo situations or mixed in because teams expected it less. The huddle will also help make defensive play callers wait to call later to see formation or start calling more based on personnel and down & distance due because the formation will be shown later.
In the face of current trends, it may seem counterintuitive to emphasize this aspect of the game. However, by focusing on the fundamentals and understanding the importance of putting the ball in play, an offense can gain a significant advantage over their opponents. It’s about finding the balance between speed and strategy, between chaos and control. And in the end, it’s about executing the play to the best of your ability, no matter what the circumstances are.
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