Moors Offense Basics
Contents Formations, Huddle, Fundamentals (Qb, Receiver, Center), Plays
Formations Receivers are numbered from left to right. The center is always the 3 receiver and the 4 receiver changes side based on the name of the formation.
1, 6 are also called wide receivers. 2, 5 are also called slotbacks. 3, 4 are also called inside receivers.
Blue Red 1 2 4 X 5 6 1 2 X 4 5 6 Q Q
X is the center or 3 receiver. This system allows for every receiver to be just one number in the scheme.
The formation is Blue because there are 3 receivers on the left (I joke that Blue means Bleft). The red formation is saying that there are 3 receivers on the right of the centre.
If more formations are needed they receive different names.
Blip Rip Blaid Raid 1 2 5 4 X 6 1 X 4 2 5 6 1 2 5 6 4 X X 4 1 2 5 6 Q Q Q Q
Easier words can be used such Left, Right, Trips Left, Trips Right, Overload Left, Overload Right
In general the receivers are spread out well from each other (7-8 yards). When a side is overloaded the receivers may be a bit closer to each other. Spacing is an item that is different for each coach and may be different for certain plays. I personally like to spread the field well.
Receivers line up close to the line of scrimmage with their inside foot forward. This helps with a more explosive takeoff since their shoulders are more parallel to the line of scrimmage and it helps make the depth of patterns more consistent.
Huddle This huddle is a little bit different than most by having the quarterback’s back to the line of scrimmage. This is good because the defense cannot see what the quarterback is saying. It is also good because if the quarterback or coach is holding a playcard then the receivers see it with the same orientation as the actual play to be run.
defense ______line of scrimmage
1 Q 6 2 3 4 5
Fundamentals Coaching touch football is a challenge as is any sport. Teaching skills and strategies in touch football is especially challenging as there are many skills and many strategies but not always the time needed to incorporate them. I mention many fundamentals below but please remember it may take a season or a few seasons to get to them all. I put them all down to show that there is a progression to higher and higher levels of skill and strategy.
Quarterback Fundamentals There are a few skills that are fundamental to a quarterback’s success. The first skill of course is throwing the ball (long, medium and short as well as flat or arced trajectory). Outlined below are the other skills needed to become a better and better qb. Drills can easily be designed to break down each skill into smaller parts. Check the videos in this coaching resource section for specific drills to help with the skills below.
The first is the ability to receive a snap and get into a ready throwing position with a proper grip on the ball. A ready throwing position has a quarterback’s feet pointing towards the sideline and her non-throwing shoulder pointing directly down the field. A quarterback should be able to receive a snap and get a proper grip on the ball without looking at the ball. A more advanced skill for a quarterback to grip the ball without the laces. This means the ball feels perfectly comfortable for throwing but without regard for the laces. This skill allows the quarterback to throw the ball quicker than normal. Sometimes a bit of distance or accuracy is sacrificed for this quicker release but a quick release can sometimes be more important for a plays success than the distance a qb can throw the ball.
Another factor when throwing quickly is whether the qb is throwing to her left or right. When a qb first catches the ball she is very ready to throw the ball to her left (if she is right handed). To throw to her right she has to turn her feet almost 180 degrees to set up right.
The second skill is the ability to look around without moving the shoulders or feet very much. This allows the quarterback to first figure out who is open first before turning her body to throw in the desired direction.
The next skill is to be able to reset the body to the desired direction of throwing. This involves moving feet and shoulders to point in the desired direction of throwing. An advanced skill of this is also possible where the quarterback just changes the direction of the back foot and shoulders and then steps with the front foot in the desired direction of the throw.
Next up is the ability to look off defenders. If a quarterback stares at a certain receiver from the moment the quarterback receives the snap then the defence (mostly zone in girls touch) will flow to that receiver making a completion much more difficult. In beginner football an offensive coach often has a pretty good idea what scheme the defence is playing and can select an offensive play that is good against this defence. A good part of the play’s success will depend on the quarterback not staring at the intended receiver until she is ready to throw. A post towards the middle of the field is often a good play. I often have the qb look at a wide receiver running a fly or a receiver running a hook before focussing on the post pattern. As a quarterback gets better this skill of looking off will hopefully progress to reading the defense before deciding who to throw to. Before reading a defence the qb needs to know all of the patterns on a certain play thoroughly. Next she needs to understand how the patterns fit together from a spatial and timing sense. At this point she is ready to receive the snap and scan the field to decide who is open or follow a way of reading the defense in some progression of looks decided upon by the qb and coach. Remember that there isn’t a lot of time for the quarterback and that 2 good looks or decisions is about all the qb is going to get for decision making.
The above section is very important for quarterback success but don’t forget the ability to sometimes throw very quickly after getting the snap is another useful tool for an offense. Some defences leave receivers open right away and one way to attack this defence is with a quick hook and a quick release from the qb. This will cause the defence to run quickly to stop this play setting up a later play where we stare at the quick hook then throw to another receiver.
The last skill of the quarterback to discuss is throwing on the run. Before we mention throwing on the run a quick discussion of simply running is important. A running qb can be very difficult to stop. Defences have to change their principles and become completely aware of the running qb threat. This generally means one of three things, a second rusher, a delayed second rusher or more defenders playing short zone. This means that a defences will get better and better at stopping a running qb as the game and season progresses. For this reason it is important that the qb learns to throw on the run and have a great combination of two skills. There are two ways a quarterback can run: right away or not right away. If a quarterback waits to run then she will let the rusher come in and then probably make a fake or two then run. This is risky if the rusher is good but the reward can be high as the defence will show where there coverage is and the quarterback may have a lot of time to attack through passing or running for yards. As rushers get better by getting used to a qb’s moves or replacing rushers with better rushers this wait and run technique becomes riskier. The direct run is better because the qb follows a defined path on her run (generally run directly away from the side the rusher lines up on) and the offensive coach can have good patterns set up in front of the qb. This type of run is generally not for the qb to run for yards but to pass for yards. The movement of the qb sets up new passing angles, brings the wide receivers much more into play and attacks a different part of the field (sidelines). So a direct run is less risky and more predictable but the qb will have less time to run around and read the defence. The last thing to mention about throwing on the run is that a qb needs to be generally running in the same direction as she wants to throw to be able to make a good pass. If a qb is running sideways or away from her desired direction of throwing then this will lead to a weak inaccurate throw.
Receiver Fundamentals Check the videos in this coaching resource section for specific drills to help with the skills below.
The first fundament of receiving. When facing a qb a receiver must be able to catch low passes with a pinkies together catch and catch high passes with a thumbs together catch. If the receiver is running away from the qb on a fly or out pass the receiver will generally catch the ball with a pinkies catch but the catch may be in the high or low position.
Running patterns is the next skill. A great receiver needs to run patterns with precision in the depth of the pattern and the cut of the pattern. A receiver needs to be able to run a hook, 90O in, 90o out, speed in, speed out, post, corner and fly. The next level is to run combination patterns such as in out, post in, post corner or out and up. The next stage is the ability to make fakes within a pattern. These fakes include an inside flash or outside flash and a post or corner step. The final stage is to add a stem to the initial straight part of a pattern to set a defensive back up for the cut of the pattern.
At a younger ages the key to developing receivers is good catching and good basic patterns. I work a lot on outs, hook and flies.
When it is time to put receivers into a play it is very important that they run precise patterns with respect to distance because this is the most important factor for qb receiver timing and most importantly how all of the patterns fit together. The first key fundamental for pattern distance precision is a repeatable stance. I prefer inside foot forward as mentioned above. This setup means the first step of the pattern will be the outside leg. If the receiver is supposed to run a hook then she is going to have make the cut on her outside leg which means she will run an odd number of steps before she cuts. For many girls I find 3 steps to be the perfect number to get to 5 yards. Perhaps smaller players need 5 steps. I tell players I need the 5 yard hook to run anywhere from 4-6 yards. The key is that they completely stop and that they run the pattern consistently. There are other ways to manage pattern length (start off the line with the lead inside foot or shorten strides) but again the goal of all of this is patterns that are run at the right distance and repeatability. I will adjust the play slightly with the age and skill of the team I am coaching. Later you will see I have a 10 yard hook play. For men’s team this will be closer to a 12 yard hook play because this is a better length for most men (7 steps) while for women a 10 yard play with 7 steps is the better distance. The analysis here of the 5 yard hook can be applied to any pattern.
The pattern precision mentioned is very important for short and medium patterns where collisions might occur if there is a lack of precision. Most defences are zone defence and receivers are relatively free to run their patterns. If the defence is man to man this presents some challenges to patterns because often the db is in the way and the receiver runs a different pattern and a different depth of pattern. Generally this means that medium and deep patterns get pushed into shorter patterns. It is important to coach receivers to running the right length pattern but also what side they must err on. Let’s say you have two receivers one on a 5 yard out and one on a 10 yard in. It is important to tell the 10 yard in receiver that if the defensive back is in her way then she must go around the db and run a pattern deeper than 10 yards. If this isn’t done there is a risk of the two receivers running into each when the defence is man to man.
Center Here are a few tips for centers. Centers should grip the ball just like a quarterback would. The next fundamental is most important: a good athletic stance. A wide base with feet closer to even than staggered is the suggested stance. This may change when the center is very experienced and tweaks the stance to her liking. Next, squat down so the center’s back is parallel to ground, reach the ball forward as far as possible resting it on the leading point of the football. This athletic stance almost guarantees a good snap. The center then looks through her legs and throws the ball hard to the qb. After doing this a few times then center progresses to snapping the ball and running a pattern. When a center snaps the ball and runs a pattern I find the first snaps are high compared to snaps without a pattern. I coach centers to have an aim point on the quarterback and in general a low aim point is helpful since it is easier for a qb to catch a low snap compared to one over her head. I have coached more than a few centers to feel like they are snapping a ball at grass level (when running a pattern) that in fact produces a perfect snap at waist height.
A final tip for centers is to work on a quick right or left release pattern. This is a pattern where the center runs a 30o angle (to the line of scrimmage) and then flattens it out after a few yards are gained. If going right the center should step with the right foot first, if going left the center should step with the left foot first. If worked on a quick center can now go left or right without worrying about obstructing the rusher even if the rusher lines up on the same side as the quick release. A quick 2-5 yard gain by the receiver closest to the quarterback can be very helpful in getting first downs.
Plays Numbered plays in series is an easy way to call plays. It allows for easy communication between players and a coach on the field or sidelines. It naturally leads into audible.
A series is a group of plays that have a similar backbone. The first numbers of the two digit number is the series while the second number refers to some sort of adjustment. The adjustment might refer to a numbered player variation or just a nice play variation.
90 Series The 90 series is the 10 yard hook series. The 50 series is exactly the same as the 90 series except the hooks are at 5 yards. This series is the most used series because most teams play zone defence which means there are 1 or more receivers open on this play. The worst defense for this play is man to man but you will see there are some adjustments to the play that make the play better against man to man defense. The most important coaching point about the 50 and 90 series is the depth and precision of the hook and out pattern. A 5 yard hook is a 3-5 step pattern and the receiver must come to a complete stop at 4-6 yards. A 10 yard hook is a 5-7 step pattern and the receiver must come to a complete stop at 9-11 yards.
Adjustments:
91- same as 90 but 1 receiver can run fly or post 96- same as 90 but 6 receiver can run fly or post
92- same as 90 but 2 receiver can run fly or post 95- same as 90 but 5 receiver can run fly or post
93- same as 90 but 3 receiver can run fly or post 94- same as 90 but 4 receiver can run fly or post
In the 90 series there is a play variation for each receiver but this leaves room for three more variations. I use the following:
97 - 2 and 5 receiver run flies 99 - 1 and 6 run flies, 4 runs post 98 - 99 with 2 and 5 running 10 yard outs
50 series is exactly the same as 90 series but all distances cut in half except posts. Posts are still run at 10 yards but 10 yard hooks and outs become 5 yard hooks and outs. Some coaches might prefer to have posts run at half the distance as well.
The other benefit to the 90 series is that you can call a 90 (or 50) and tell as many receivers as you want a specific pattern. Receivers who don’t receive a pattern know they are to run the 90 (or 50). More plays added in days to come!