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Home , Back (American football), Cornerback, Defensive end, End (gridiron football), Gap (American football), Linebacker

The Power Read: A Staple In Modern Offenses By Saj Thakkar, Ofensive Coordinator/ Coach, SUNY Maritime College

Te power read concept has been used by numerous The Backfield – Running /Wide Receivers programs around the country and even has made its way We align our heel-to-toe with the to the NFL ranks with the using it as . Tis allows him to come flat across, making a staple of their offense. Te basic premise of the scheme the mesh much easier. Our running backs are taught a soft is to put the player you are reading in conflict with a squeeze technique while they are coming across the face of horizontal threat, making him decide to play contain or the quarterback keeping their chest facing the sideline. squeeze his gap. Following the mesh, our carriers are allowed to be We recently transitioned from a flexbone triple-option athletes. We do not give them a mandatory landmark or tell offense to a 20/11 personnel power spread. Tis concept them they need to get around the . We allow them to was crucial to our success in the first year of the transition. read their blockers and be instinctive football players. Here at SUNY Maritime, we like to run this scheme out It is imperative that a “give” looks the same as a “keep.” of multiple formations and personnel groupings to get us If the quarterback decides to keep the football, our sweep the best possible matchups on the play side. We are a base player must carry out the play and make it look exactly the 11/20 personnel team (See Diagram 1), however, we run the same as if he had the football. power read from 12, 21 and 10 personnel as well. To work this mesh, we first start the quarterback and For us, there are three crucial components of this ball carrier mid-mesh. We work multiple gives, followed play: offensive line execution, backfield mechanics, by multiple keeps. We then actively read a player while still and perimeter blocking. beginning in the middle of the mesh. After we have gone Ofensive Line Execution through enough quality reps, we will start running the Our general front side offensive line rule for all our gap play full speed from regular alignments. scheme run game is protect your inside gap. We always have Quarterback Mechanics at least one person pulling from the backside to either kick- We teach our quarterbacks to ride the mesh for two shuffle out a defensive or wrap up for a . steps. Teir eyes should be on the read, which is typically the With our power/power-read scheme, the key block is the first defender on the outside of our . front-side double-team. Our goal is to get major movement We will make adjustments vs. odd fronts and walk-ups. on the 2i/3. We want to push that defensive lineman back We do not over-coach the read. Our quarterback’s base to the backside inside linebacker. Our backside guard pulls rule is if the read can make the play on you, give it, and if for the first inside linebacker in the box play side. Te puller he can’t, keep it. will never chase color. If his linebacker disappears, he will Tat said, we give him three triggers for his thought continue to work on his path and find the next threat. Te process when reading a defender in the run game. We read backside tackle must protect his inside gap (backside B gap) shoulders, eyes and momentum. If the quarterback gets at all costs. If nothing else shows he will hinge back and a keep read, he attacks the line of scrimmage downhill protect the C gap. reading the B gap out. If we find ourselves reading a player

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42 November/December 2017 | This Is AFCA | AFCA.com | AFCAweekly.com who is attacking the mesh, we will extend the read out Power Read From 12 Personnel further to force him to decide one way or another. Power read from 12 personnel has become a staple in Perimeter Blocking our offense. Our top formation is having the tight-end/ Whether we run the play with a stationary back or a wing align together, then motioning or shifting from that receiver in motion, our general rule is to get three players set. Tis puts the defense in a bind as it creates extra gaps blocking the perimeter play-side. Tere are three key blocks inside forcing the defense to put more numbers in the we must make to ensure success should the ball get to the box. Te front will dictate who we read to give us the best perimeter. We must seal the box, block the primary alley numbers advantage possible. defender and the secondary support defender. With our /wing sets, the tight end becomes To make it simple, we our perimeter the No. 4 seal blocker and the H back becomes the No. 2 blocking responsibilities similar to a triple-option team blocker. Tis occurs when the read man is a head-up (6) or (See Diagram 2). an inside shade (6i) of the tight-end. Tis gives us what we No. 1 is always our read. We read the first man outside are striving for in having three lead blockers to the play-side. the play-side tackle. When first installing the power (See Diagram 3) read, we had our quarterback identify the read to make When our read player is outside the tight end, and we things easier for our perimeter players. As we became feel we cannot arc around him to seal No. 4, he must check more comfortable with the concept, we went away from his inside gap and work up to the second linebacker in identifying him with a call. the box from the play-side. Tis typically happens against No. 2 is the primary alley support player. We identify a 3 with a walk-up to the play side. We will block two as the first man outside the read. Typically, this is an this multiple ways on the perimeter. If squeeze/scrape is outside linebacker or walk-down safety. We also identify giving us problems, we will have our H back make the seal this as the apex or conflict player in our RPO game. Our block and crack from our . Tis leaves the slot wide receiver or lead blocker from the backfield is unblocked but that is a one-on-one situation responsible for this block. we want to be in. (See Diagram 4) No. 3 is the secondary support player. Our play-side As we move forward with the concept, it is very important outside wide receiver will release at the outside shoulder that we can “protect” the concept. We must be able to run of the corner. If the corner gives any ground he will get his counters and play actions to keep the defense on its heels eyes on the safety. If the safety is filling the alley, he will and break tendency. No matter how we decide to protect the crack. If the safety is staying high, we will stalk the corner. play, it is imperative to always work the fundamentals. No. 4 is who we must “seal” to protect against squeeze Our mesh mechanics and perimeter blocking can never scrape. We identify No. 4 as the first man stacked or inside be over-coached. We work these fundamentals every day of the read. Tis is who our H back is responsible for. Te in-season to eliminate unforced errors. Te power read is a H back will arc release vertical and keep his eyes on his versatile concept that can be adjusted to constantly make the assignment. He needs to be very patient and must not chase defense wrong and give the offense a numbers advantage. inside. If No. 4 does not come to him, he continues his path Tere are several adjustments that can be made to combat and looks for work. It is important to note when we run what you are getting from the defense. It is imperative to power read from a 2x2 open set, we can switch assignments be creative and really diagnose how defenses are defending on No. 2 and No. 4 between our slot receivers and the play to come up with the best possible solutions for lead backs. your offense.

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