The Offense I Run - The SPRAID Offense Part 1 (The Baiscs) - Corliss X's Blog

Corliss X's Blog

The Offense I Run - The SPRAID Offense Part 1 (The Baiscs)

Posted on July 14, 2013 at 12:23 PM.

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The SPRAID OFFENSE Part I

Hello, today I will be explaining the basics of my offense. The basics include: the staples, the belief system behind it, and a lot of the logistics.

The Staples

I've always believed that an offense should be built with staples. Oregon's staple is the Inside Zone Read (IZR), Mike Leach's Air Raid staple is the "Stick" play and Mesh Series, Gus Malzahn's could be the Inverted Veer. I like to have staple plays and staple formations; now, some of the staple plays are in the staple formations. Part II of the SPRAID Offense goes into my universal staple formation. I believe any offense should have a few plays and formations that they are superbly comfortable and confident in. Here are a few of my staples:

Spread Flex - HB Dive

Normal Spread Set

Pistol - Spread

Pistol - Full House

Spread - Empty Quads

Pistol - Trips Open

Shotgun - Trips Open

You can notice one pattern in my offense. I enjoy having symmetry. That means usually having a balance on both sides. The best part about this is you easily shift or motion for an unbalanced. I use the Pistol - Trips Open heavily. It provides a lot of isolation plays; that means isolating one receiver to the side of the field. Isolation is probably my second favorite concept of an offense. The Pistol - Trips Open may just have had the sickest/best PA play in the whole game at one point also. Isolation isn't a new concept teams like Oklahoma State and West Virginia use it a lot. I only recommend isolation plays if you have an accurate QB and a good catching receiver.

Stretch The Defense

Another concept of my offense is to stretch the defense. I like to use the most spaced formations from the Spread and Pistol. I want my receivers to be beyond the numbers or nearly beyond them. This is a concept I first noticed by Coach Art Briles at Baylor. He likes his receivers very far from the O-Line. This creates space for the RB in the open field. I can in fact show you an example of this concept in action.

Example:

This is taken from a game between Baylor and Kansas State from the 2012 season, and this is the play Lache Seastrunk, Baylor's RB, scored a 76-Yard TD. He scored this for several reasons.
First look how spread the WR's ARE !!!

It is uncommon to see receivers that far apart or that pass the numbers or that split out, because of the timing of throws and the arm strength of the QB. Next notice the location of the safeties. The safeties are near the middle of the field, but they often spread apart just to cover the large areas. Also, notice that there is TE in this formation, for more optimal run and passing support. Now notice that this is just a simple trap play that you can find in NCAA Football 14. The gaurd flows over and hits a crashing defender which opens up a gap for the RB.

This is a play I utilize in my offense and the wide-spread receiver concept also. The play was beautifully executed.

Here's the whole video and a better diagram of the play:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=B-zjtItF6gM

Shotgun - Normal - 45 Quick Base

The Playcalling and Selecting

I choose plays based off the talent of my roster and what will benefit them the most. Here are a few rules I follow when making a playbook:

1) Keep play number under 210. Reason: You don't need 300+ plays to run an offense. No college team has a 300+ play playbook! It may seem easy to have that many on NCAA Football 14 but just think how difficult it is for a player to learn 1 play.

2) Stay consistent with play selection I try to at least have in every formation:

Short Pass
Deep Pass
Play Action or PA
Read Option
Run i.e. HB Dive or another option
Two basic passing plays i.e. Levels, Mesh, RNS Series
And 2-3 screens

Now there are exceptions to this rule. Some formations I utilize one play but to keep some variety in there i'll add two or more plays. Normally this sequence is Pass-Run-Pass or Run-Run-Pass. Tip: I always have a load of formations but not plays. Why? I want to give the defense several looks but utilize the same play concepts. I might have 28 formations but only 198 plays.

Example: I'll pick the Pistol - Train formation

I use this formation for more of a power run set, so I'll pick maybe two read option plays and one PA. That's how it goes for about every formation.

3) Minimalism See I'm a minimalist with my offense. I try to simplify playcalling and make a lot of the plays situational. Similar to how you can have certain plays for certain situations on Madden now i.e. Quick pass on 3rd & 5. Although, you can't program this in the game I program this in my head.

4) Set Up Plays!! I try to set up plays constantly. I might have 3 plays I use throughout the game to set up another. Setting up plays is what I and all college OC's do. My theory is that for every play I use it should be setting up an equally or more powerful play. I normally run AND pass to set up PA's. Passing to set up PA's is different. I feel if you keep throwing 2-4 yard completions the defense will cheat up and that'll open up down field.

5) GO DEEP Deep throws should always be executed in a game. I'm not saying to do 4 Verts and throw a pick. But to keep a defense honest calling a deep passing play will help open run lanes and short passing lanes.

Up-Tempo of The Offense

I personally believe Up-Tempo is the best way to run any offense; not just the Spread Offense. My SPRAID Offense uses the quick tempo to confuse the opponent and make him have limited time to audible. I rarely audible in my offense. But here are the most common audibles I have:

Spread Flex - HB Dive
Empty Quads - Bubble Screen
Spread Offset - MTN Inside Zone
Shotgun Trips Open - Stick
Pistol Trips Open - PA ________

These are the audibles I commonly use in SPRAID Playbook. My audible plays are once again my staples and the plays I am most comfortable and confident in. If it's 4th & 1 or less. I'll click any play on the Hurry Up Screen and immediately audible to Spread Flex - HB Dive and click Hike as soon as possible. That's maybe to me the best way to get a first down when the defense is on it's heels. Up-Tempo to me is the best way to fully unleash your playbook but you must be aware of substitutions

Substitutions and Rotations

Most of this post is what I primarily do with my SPRAID Offense Playbook but this is a universal rule here. I MODERATELY sub my O-Line. I try to keep fresh blockers in at all times to up experience in dynasty mode and to stay fresh in a real match. I try to keep the best in for as long as possible though. With WR's I sub them in constantly, I want a new WR at 100% every time I take a break from the no huddle. Most players prefer a moderate subbing of them; that's fine only if you don't have real depth at the WR position. Only other personnel that gets subbed MODERATELY are the RB's. Most teams I play with using the SPRAID Offense Playbook or any really have great depth at RB. Having a fresh pair of legs every new set of downs will grind a defense.

Repetitious

Although, I have 185-210 plays within my playbook. Seldomly, do I use more than 50 of them a game. Why? No OC uses all of their plays in a game similar to how a magician doesn't do all his tricks in one show. Normally 60% of my plays are audibles, staples, and just quick runs. To add a ripple or try something new I'll a new formation and a different play to switch it up. Repetition causes the opponent to get content with the defense. He may thwart the play once or even thrice, but eventually you'll see a crease in the defense. That play by Baylor was used 4+ times in the 2nd Half before Lache Seastrunk burst for that amazing touchdown run. Proof goes into execution.

Practice

I'm always practicing and executing my plays against several looks. Although the opponent can audible they seldom ever get the time to. I practice different runs and what to expect. I always play on Heisman. I want the CPU to have an edge, so that my playcalling must be perfect or at least consistent. I practice more than I play online matches.

The SPRAID Offense can be very POWERFUL. You must continue through the Part Series to fully grasp the concepts. Stay Reading.

Comments

# 1 jejones @ Jul 14

Nicely written!!!

# 2 Corliss X @ Jul 14

Thanks man! Tell your friends! I need more viewers !

# 3 young madden @ Jul 14

Amazing work so far!!! Just love how you tied real life tactics to the game... Bravo!

# 4 Corliss X @ Jul 14

Thanks! Let it be known!

# 5 Drae504 @ Jul 17

Is there a way you could perhaps make a video showing your entire PB. i wanna duplicate that and use it. It looks legit from my guessing. im having the hardest time getting my PB under 350 plays.

# 6 Corliss X @ Jul 17

Chea I was going to make a list actually of all my formations and a few staples out of each. It'll just take a while!!!

# 7 Drae504 @ Jul 17

Thanks bro. I was up till like 3 am trying to duplicate ur PB. i dont know what plays from what formations to Remove to get my play count down to about 200-220. I'd love to see ur entire PB. Thanks in advance for that video. i'm sure its gonna take a while to show every play and every formation.

# 8 Corliss X @ Jul 17

It'll just be a list. I can't grab video sharing technology yet. But a 220 Playbook is too much. 210 is really pushing it. Just make sure you're only using what you're only using.

# 9 karp9 @ Jul 18

Corliss, where would you post the formation and plays list? I can't be alone in wanting to see this and try it out!

# 10 Corliss X @ Jul 18

It's going to be in a post soon!

# 11 8mileroad @ Aug 9

Cool write-up, disagree with one thing, though. College teams have way over 210 plays, depending on how you look at it. Plays aren't called as they are in the EA Sports video games. Different teams call plays differently, but usually it goes something like: [formation] [personnel] [concept] [back] [hole] if it's a run or [formation] [personnel] [concept] [misc. modifier] if it's a pass. It obviously doesn't always go like that, but I'm just trying to get the point across. As an example, my team would run 10 right (formation) tiger (personnel) 28 (back, hole) speed toss (concept). You can run 28 speed toss out of over 20 formations. But it's not 20 plays, just 1. "Learning plays" applies really to the concept. For instance, teaching Smash in real life is just one play, but it can be applied to nearly any formation. In NCAA 14, that could translate to well over 20 plays depending on your playbook. But in effect, you're teaching one play, not 20.

# 12 Corliss X @ Aug 9

See you corrected me but answered yourself at the same time, fascinating. I understand College playcalling is way more complex, takes many practices (or just 3 to install in Dana Hologerson's case), and way more intellect than a push of a button. I hope College Football 15 or later on calls plays how they do in college. My idea is that they indeed have 210 or maybe less "plays", but these plays apply to different personnel packages. For instance, Baylor may run the Normal Offset one play then run the Normal Flex Wing the next play. The only difference is the TE or H-Back goes into a wing. But they are still running the same PA Comeback in it and the QB is throwing a bullet to the sideline. So, in essence, it is one play but 2 different formations but same personnel. Maybe I should say College Teams have 210 basic plays or concepts but can be applied to 30+ formations and 30+ personnel groupings. Thank you! Stay Reading.