As many of you know, I played at The University of Texas; this year has been a very trying one for me.  On one hand, I recognize the accomplishments of Mack Brown, and can tell you that I am sad the way things ended this year.  I can tell you that he has been nothing but kind to me and my family, and that over sixteen years, the young men that played for him refer to him in only the most reverent terms.  As a proud wearer of a "T Ring", I am grateful for the program he built, and am sure the next head coach has very big shoes to fill.  I am eager for a few years to pass, so that Coach Brown will be remembered amongst the Burnt Orange fan base the way he should be.  I am thankful not just for the thrilling victories the brought Texas, but for the kind of man who would send my niece a personalized note just because it was casually mentioned.  For some reason, I have a hard time picturing many big-time football coaches doing the same.

Because of my allegiance to people in the program, and because I know how coaching changes affect families, I will avoid speculation and rumor.  I can only hope that the next staff will bring a along a track record for developing quarterbacks.  It is no mistake that high-profile programs are often synonymous with difference makers at that position.  And, it is also this author's belief that the best way to develop passers happens in a systematic manner.  A multifaceted passing game must remain intact year in and year out; while individual talents will allow for expansion, the roots of the system should not change.

In our QB Manual, we outline that a complete passing system must:

·         Give receivers the opportunity to defeat tight man coverage.

·         Prevent conflict between receivers.

·         Have a defined timing.

·         Stretch the defense vertically and horizontally.

·         Keep the QB out of interception danger.

·         Deny pattern reading by the defense.

·         Minimize one-for-one trades.

·         Keep receivers from free pass defenders.

·         Have a principle of route conversion.

·         Adjust to condensed field areas.

·         Have the ability to isolate certain parts of a pass defense.

·         Allow for quick throws when the defense is outflanked.

·         Accommodate delays and screens.

·         Have set reading concepts.

·         Have organized scramble rules.

·         Have the ability to adjust to multiple formations.

Furthermore, a complete passing system must have a method for teaching not JUST patterns, but the moving parts within the patterns.  For example, this pass offense is built off of 3 patterns (the drag, the streak read, and the stick) that form the foundation of the entire pass offense.   Daily drills are designed to reinforce this teaching, and are combined with advantage principles to maximize effectiveness.  Below, we see how a drill for option routes might be set up:

Moreover, the method in regard to how plays are called is irrelevant.  Whether word or numbers are used, the principles of teaching should be conceptual.  In other words, individual routes need to be taught as part of a whole; whether a pattern is called 441 or CURL, the spacing and timing of how routes come open in relation to the passer's eyes are of paramount importance.  In the illustration below, the progression desired is to work inside-out; this is a product of the timing of the patterns and how this timing is taught -- it is not a product of the nomenclature used.

More than anything, the term CONCEPT refers to a way of thinking, rather than the distribution of receivers in a pattern.  Take, for example, the STICK pattern.  In the diagram below, the post is the advantage route; the stick/ flat (beginning with the flat) will be evaluated as the QB comes off the post, and the backside elements serve as the outlet receivers.

Here, despite using the STICK pattern, the coach designs a pattern to attack away from the MLB's drop.  With the ball on the left hash and the Mike dropping straight back, there is a lot of space to work S inside-out.  Also note the outside receiver is instead given the responsibility of releasing outside the corner and driving him back.

While the timing of individual routes remains constant, the language must exist to communicate the coach's intention's to his players; the 2 examples above show how CONCEPTS and PATTERNS can be two very different things.  Having a language that can differentiate these two components is essential with today's no huddle environments.  This language can also lead to development of players beyond just the top 1 or 2 QBs in a system. 

How can this development occur?  Like anything else, it begins with commitment.  One of my clients has begun a project that not only involves the the high school and junior high programs, but the local youth programs as well.  A system will be put in place, and the results will no doubt come thereafter.

As one who is an admirer of the rhythm of the Zampese/ Coryell passing system (and I'd have to call you a communist if you weren't), one could say that few things in offensive football are prettier than the QB taking a rhythm drop, hitting a quick post as the receiver crosses the defender's face, and turning a short pass into a huge gain.  

A staple play of the system is SCAT 525 F POST; from Zampese/ Coryell to Turner to Martz to all the others who descend from this lineage, this play was sure to figure prominently  in the play selection.  

While his predecessors switched personnel groupings to get the desired player in the F position, Martz added the ability to simply call 525 Z Post/ H Post/ X Post to give the play even more formation flexibility.  Whether it was Faulk, Bruce, Holt, Az-Hakeem, or Proehl, Martz's Rams could dial up anyone to run the quick post. The play is designed to isolate the Post runner (hopefully vs. no short hole player) for a quick rhythm throw and catch.  

There are only 2 caveats: 
1.  The post runner is not to chop his steps -- this is an absolute in this offense in general
2.  The post MUST cross the face of the man over him.

If #2 DOES NOT happen, the passer hitches up, and swings his eyes backside, to the 3 man pattern created there.  While the likes of Aikman, Warner, Fouts, and even Everett have shown the ability to do so,  I would place this on the higher end of the spectrum, as far as  degree of difficulty is concerned.

As a solution, I offer BANDIT, which is a variation of BRONCO, the backside option route discussed here.  

Using the RAM advantage principle, the passer is able to assure a clean 1 on 1 to the slot; because of the option route rather than a "locked" quick post, there is a place to go with the ball even if the slot cannot get inside.

On the Cowboys' first 3rd and medium last Thursday, Dallas dialed up 525 F Post.  The Raiders had a 2 man disguise, only to come up with a Zone Blitz.  

The Cowboys have Miles Austin (#19) in motion to give him the release he needed as the post runner; however, the blitz forced Tony Romo to make a protection check at the line, delaying the snap and making Austin come to a set position:

RAM rules dictate to throw away from rotation, but to throw TOWARDS a blitz, as we want our eyes on protection problems first.  At the snap, the blitz is picked up; however, there is simply no way for Austin to get inside the LB  (#53) buzzing out to him:

From the QB's point of view, one can see the clear advantage of being able to hitch up, allowing the receiver to pivot out, as his access inside is denied, resulting in an easy completion:

The corner will be cleared by the outside receiver, and the QB will not be stuck holding on to the ball with no place to go, as Romo was on this play.  Furthermore, if the QB was treating this is straight zone because of the protection check (the zone blitz was nullified), the popular Y CROSS pattern is available for the passer away from rotation.  Because the passer's eyes are on MIKE instead of locking in on the slot at the onset of the play, he can bring his eyes all the way our in front of the cross.  The route technique affords the crosser the ability to defeat the match technique: