However this was not the play of choice for the “have not” football team. To make the old Tailback ISO work, you had to be more physical than your opponent. When these power teams met equally talented teams the ISO got stuffed.

Gerry DiNardo had success with this play out of the I-Bone in conjunction with the Option. DiNardo came up with the saying “Easy to read, hard to block. Hard to read, easy to block” DiNardo and I have had discussions about the need for a downhill running play to compliment the triple option. Coach DiNardo felt it was especially important with the Gun Triple.

Many under center Triple Option teams run the QB ISO as a complement to the triple option. They refer to it as a QB Follow play, because the QB fakes to the fullback and the follows him through the hole. This is very effective because it doesn’t LOOK like ISO, hence it is not defended as an ISO play. This has become Georgia Tech’s most frequently called short yardage play.

The QB ISO from the Triple Gun takes the ISO to a completely new level. First of all it gives us a downhill play. This adds to our offense:

1. Defeats a sit and read hand off key. ( hard to read, easy to block)
2. Takes the read out of the play.
3. It takes advantage of LBs running to the perimeter.
4. It’s great in short yardage.
5. We use it with both Triple Motion and Jet Motion.
6. It’s a great goal line play or coming out play
7. It’s a great victory offense play.

The Triple Gun QB ISO has been a great fit with the Gun Triple and the Jet Sweep. So it gives us a power play and a counter play all in one. The advantage is that we don’t see the hard LB fill that plagued the old I ISO teams. There are many advantages to running the QB ISO from the Gun.

1. The use of motion and the threat of Triple & Jet Sweep gets the LBs going east/west while the ball carrier is going north/south.
2. The ISO can be run to the motion or away from it. Multiple plays in one.
3. It can be run from all our formations – even empty.
4. It can be run with all our motions
5. We can run it to the 3 technique or the 1 technique.
6. Flash is part of the play if the “D” crowds the box.
7. It is great against a sit and read hand off key.
8. In the Gun the QB can cutback vs. overly aggressive LBs. So the QB has the ability to read the blocks and make an intelligent cut. This can’t be done with the QB follow play.
9. The QB ISO from the Triple Gun combines the qualities of the I TB ISO, The I-Bone ISO and the Flex-Bone QB follow play all in one play.

THE QB ISO ASSIGNMENTS

1. Off-side WR – check Flash if 8 between the slots. If not – normal triple rules ( cut off)
2. Play-side WR – normal Triple Rules
3. Play side Slot – OLB – If in Twins stalk man on. We like to use twins alignment to spread the front. VS. goal line block man on.
4. Off side slot either Jet or Triple motion. If jet make a good fake – if triple motion keep pitch relationship in the vent the ball bounces outside.
5. The TB has play-side LB
6. O. Line – ISO RULES – if covered block man on. If uncovered block down & combo to back – side LB. (see diagrams). If there is a TE – he blocks man on.
7. QB – fakes the play called then runs to daylight. VS. a 2 LB set he must always be aware of the cut back. Always ID the front.

The QB ISO play has been a very productive play for The Gun Triple. It is a low cost, low risk – high production play. The wrinkles to it are endless and also low cost. The QB ISO is very formation friendly which allows you to dress up the pig in a lot of different ways. Take a look at some of the videos & diagrams.

1. BCS CHAMPIONSHIP GAME: LSU vs ‘Bama – LSU is #1 unless the Tide blows them out. Two great coaches who understand the game. Defense & ball security are the 2 most important factors in football. If either team can score 25 points they will win. Scoring a non- offensive TD will be huge. I think LSU’s ability to run the option will off- set Trent Richardson. Also LSU has a greater ability to score non- offensive TDs. which is a big factor. For Nick Saban to prevail he must run Trent Richardson effectively & win the special team game. He can’t allow LSU to score more than 16 points.
2. Orange Bowl- WVU – Clemson – two young coaches and two erratic teams. Holgorson’s “Air Raid” offense will struggle because of Clemson’s D.Line. They will put heat on Geno Smith. WVU only scored 2 offensive TDs vs USF & struggled vs Pitt. Clemson has dynamic skill & will test WVU’s “D”. For WVU to win they must protect the QB & get the ball to Baily & Austin.
3. The Rose Bowl – Oregon vs Wisconsin – A great match up. Wisconsin has the perfect offense to beat the Ducks because they can run the ball & SLOW THE HIGH TEMPO Ducks’ game down. Wisconsin must keep it to an 8 possession game. However The Badger “D” is suspect & Chip Kelly’s “O” will score & score. Chip would like it to be a 16 possession game. The key is Oregon’s “D” – if they can stuff the Badgers to some 3 & outs The Ducks will out score the Badgers. The 1^st quarter is important for Wisc. They must get an early lead & let the clock bleed.
4. Cotton Bowl – K-State vs Arkansas – anytime you can watch a Bill Snyder team play you’ll learn something. Add Bobby Petrino and you have another great coaching matchup. The Wildcats must, absolutely must, keep the game to 8 possessions. They don’t have the fire power to run with the Hogs. Petrino must turn it in to a shoot- out. It’s going to take a perfect game by The Cats to upset the Hogs.
5. The Fiesta Bowl – Stanford vs Okie State – The Cowpokes should be playing LSU but the BCS can be BS sometimes. If the Pokes are not into the game, they’ll lose. If they are out to prove they deserved a shot – it will be a very entertaining game. Two high –powered offensive attacks. If you like offense this is your game. Andrew Luck is the best player on the field & his running & scrambling ability will cause OSU’s “D” lots of problems just like Iowa St’s QB did in their only loss. The Pokes’ “D” has no trouble vs a Landry Jones type but a scrambler gives them bad Luck. Stanford doesn’t want a shoot-out like they had with Oregon – they have to play at their pace 10-12 possessions with great ball security & productive Red Zone opportunities.
6. Capitol One Bowl – Nebraska vs So. Carolina – The Ol’ Ball Coach vs Bo Pelini. Interesting game Taylor Martinez is the key to the Husker “O” but The Cocks’ “D” is one of the best in the country. What’s interesting is watching Spurrior re-invent his “O” to fit his QB. Fortunately they don’t have to score much to win. I don’t see the Huskers scoring more than 16 points so their “D” must be super.
7. The Sun Bowl – Ga. Tech vs Utah – Paul Johnson is always fun to watch, an outstanding option coach. However Utah has extra time to scheme against the spread option which gives them a little edge. If The Techsters’ O. Line can win the line of scrimmage & Al Groh can keep Utah to less than 24 points – Paul Johnson will have a very sunny day.
8. The Liberty Bowl –Vandy vs Cincy – Two of the best & brightest young coaches in the game. James Franklin vs Butch Jones. Franklin has The “Dores making a rare bowl appearance & wants to make the most of it. The Vandy ”O” has emerged as a powerful run game led by Zak Stacey, who set the Vanderbilt season rushing mark, coupled with a productive pass attack. Their Zone Blitz defense has been outstanding all year long. Butch Jones boasts The Big Least’s “O” player of the year at TB but their starting QB is out. The ‘Dores playing the tougher competition in the SEC gives them the edge.
9. Chick-Fil –A Bowl – UVA. vs Auburn – SEC teams do very well vs ACC teams. Mike London has done a great job at UVA but they will struggle on “O” vs Auburn. Fortunately, Jimmy Reid’s “D” will stifle Malzahn’s “O” so The Cavs will be in the game.
10. The Military Bowl- Air Force vs Toledo - Troy Calhoun does a great job of using multiple options. So I enjoy watching The Falcons offense. AFA has not had a great year but they are a very fun team to watch.

These are the top bowls that I want to see but I‘ll try to watch all the bowls and will give you my thoughts on the College football section of my forum. If you think I’ve missed a good bowl matchup post it on my forum. Enjoy the games.

• Blocking angles for the wide receivers to crack inside linebackers or strong safeties
• Bringing Corners in so you can circle the defense. If you come; they will come in. If you widen out; they will widen out.
• Creating a new pitch key by cracking the normal pitch key. For example if you crack the strong safety in an 8 man front; the pitch key is now the corner. How much practice time do you think coaches devote to teaching their corners to be a pitch key?
• Creates natural rubs in the passing game. We never teach picks because they are illegal; however, it’s OK to rub against your own man to create a natural obstacle for a defender.
• By widening and tightening your wide outs splits, your opponent has one more thing to prepare for.
• Compressed sets create a different look to our basic option attack and our quick game.
• This fits with our philosophy of a “few plays run many ways”. You have to execute plays, formations is just lining up.

The number of compressed sets you can use our endless. You are only limited by your imagination. However I would suggest a couple of specific reasons for getting into a particular set. What do you want from this set? Can I run the Gun Triple from it? What is my sequence of plays for this game from it? For example you may use an unbalanced compressed set and run Gun Triple, Play Action Pass and the Jet Sweep & QB ISO from it for this week. The next week you may do the same sequence from an Empty compressed set. Remember your playlist for each game must be small enough to practice daily.

View the larger version

Our 2X2 Compressed Package is named after playing cards. For the sake of this article we are going to stick with these basic sets. The first set is a compressed look to both sides – “Jack” – we use this to run the Gun Triple or Double Option to either side with a crack possibility. The second set is compressed to the boundary but normal splits to the field – “Queen” – we can crack to one side but still have the stalk/arc look to the field. The third set is compressed to the field and normal to the boundary – “King”. We now have all our normal looks to the boundary but great crack possibilities to the field.

We add a little spice to all our sets not just compressed sets by adding the term “Wide” that tells the boundary slot to replace the Wide Receiver to that side except stay off the line of scrimmage. So for example one of my favorite set is “Wide Jack” – this compresses both wide outs but the boundary slot splits out like a flanker. This set enables us to throw the hitch to our slot (another way to get him the ball in space) and with motion bring him back into the backfield to be a pitchman.

The ability to crack on the option (double or triple) gives you some variety in the perimeter and causes the corner to play pitch. That is one more technique for the defense to learn in a week.

We use compressed sets to create easier throws for our QB. Besides creating natural rubs in the passing game; compressing the formation makes it easier to throw the corner route to the field. We also use compressed sets to create the spacing concept that has been popularized by many spread teams.

So in conclusion adding compressed sets to your menu takes very little teaching but adds a lot to your production.

This season has many interesting teams to follow. I am looking forward to seeing the offensive developments in the world of college football. The following are some teams to take a look at:

1. Oregon – Chip Kelly has a great offensive mind and has some great players to execute his offense. Darron Thomas pulls the trigger on the most explosive “O” in the game and LaMichael James may be the best TB in the land. Their big showdown will be vs. Stanford and Andrew Luck. But Chip’s Shotgun Option “O” is one to watch. Kelly will run multiple options & mid-lines while still having an outstanding pass game. Toss in the Hi-Speed pace & you’ve got a great package.
2. Air Force- I always enjoy Troy Calhoun’s potent Option Offense. Calhoun has done a great job of combining the Gun Option with the traditional under center option. This combo gives the opposing defenses a lot to prepare for in three days. Calhoun has one of the best option QBs in the land to run the show in Tim Jefferson. Navy is a big game for the Falcons.
3. Florida State- Jimbo Fisher has brought the ‘Noles back to power. E.J. Manuel is a top flight QB and the FSU Offense really came on in 2010. Ricky Trickett is an unsung hero in this tale. Trick is one of the best O.Line coaches in the business and holds the key to the FSU machine.
4. Georgia Tech – Paul Johnson is arguably the best option coach in the business but has a big challenge ahead. Johnson must have a higher level of performance at the QB spot. Tevin Washington must step up or out. If Washington doesn’t get the job done, Paul may have to go with a Frosh. I also look for Johnson to throw the ball more frequently to avoid 9 man fronts.
5. Nebraska – Bo Pelini really has things rolling in Nebraska. The Huskers play GREAT defense so they are always in the game. Taylor Martinez is an outstanding running QB and will develop into a more efficient passer. The advantage of a great defense is that you never have to score a lot to win. The Huskers play Wisconsin & Ohio State on successive weekends and therein lies tale.
6. Navy – Coach Ken has done a great job building on Paul Johnson’s success with the Midshipmen. He has established himself as an outstanding option coach in his own right. His biggest challenge will be to replace Ricky Dobbs at QB. The key to an option attack is the trigger – you can have all the pieces but without the QB it will be a long year. Air Force will be a huge test for Coach Ken’s Middies.
7. Army – The Black Knights have made great progress under Rich Ellerson. But until they beat Navy the turnaround won’t be complete. Ellerson has brought in his own version of the option and got Army into a bowl in only his second year.
8. Nevada – Chris Ault’s Pistol Offense has been on target ever since its inception. It has elements of the option, but it is a downhill power offense at its core. Ault also gets huge plays from the play action pass. But make no mistake The Pistol is not some gimmicky offense; it is rooted in sound hard-nosed fundamentals. On September 10^th they go against Oregon, and this will be a benchmark game for The Wolfpack.
9. Ohio U. – Always a big frank Solich fan. His offense is always evolving and is incorporating some of Chris Ault’s Pistol Offense. The big game for The Bobcats is vs Temple.

There are some coaches taking over programs that will really make things interesting:

1. UCONN- Paul Pasqualoni takes over the UCONN program with his old sidekick George DeLeone. This spells trouble for Rutgers and Syracuse because these guys owned New Jersey and New York recruiting when they were at Syracuse.
2. West Virginia – Dana Holgorsen is the new coach for the Mountaineers in an unbelievable soap opera worthy of an episode on “Jersey Shore”. Holgorsen will open things up with a great bunch of skilled athletes, but he better not underestimate his gunfight with Doc Holliday’s Marshall Outfit. A key game.
3. Minnesota – There is no better football coach in the country than Jerry Kill. A bold statement but one everyone will agree with after he gets things rolling in Minnesota. Kill is a fundamentalist who has risen through the ranks by teaching the fundamentals of the game. Don’t expect a lot of flash & dash – just a very well coached football team.
4. Vanderbilt – The Commodores have a new guy calling the shots – former Maryland OC James Franklin. Franklin is one of the best recruiters in college football and will give Vandy a chance to be competitive in the SEC. He’ll need a couple of good classes, but look for the Commodores to make some noise in the SEC.

Some other teams worth noting for 2011:

1. Mississippi State – Dan Mullen did a miraculous job for the Bulldogs. After 2 solid seasons culminating with a thrashing of the Michigan Wolverines, Mullen has got Bulldog fans excited. Mullen’s innovative offense gives MSU a chance against powerful SEC defenses. Mullen controls the ball, limits possessions and is in every game. Chris Relf pulls the trigger on “O” & at 6’4” & 240 he’s a load to tackle.
2. Wyoming – Two seasons ago Dave Christensen had an unbelievable turnaround year at Wyoming. Another innovator on offense, look for the Cowboys to bounce back into a bowl game in 2011.
3. Notre Dame – Brian Kelly has ND on the fast track back to the football elite. They have made great strides in a short period of time. This should come as no surprise; Kelly did it at Grand Valley, Central Michigan, and Cincy prior to coming to south Bend. The Irish have a favorable schedule for a big year.

There are many other great teams to watch. I always enjoy watching Nick Saban’s Defense and, of course, you have to love JoPa & the Lions of PSU. But college football is a treasure and must be kept safe from the outside forces that try to corrupt it.

I also would like high school coaches to report in with their score in the High School section of the Forum. I know Bob Bridge’s squad from Indiana had an impressive win in their opener. Bob said the Gun Triple was their big weapon in rushing for 313 yards in their 35-12 win. So please report your results – we are all interested.

College guys report your results in the College Football section of the Forum.

Also if anyone wants to suggest a team to watch, use that College Football Forum.

Good Luck to all and go have a great season.

Start early
Vince Lombardi said, “To be early is to be on time, to be on time is to be late, to be late is to be forgotten.” His words ring true for the college process, particularly for student athletes. College coaches are restricted from contacting players outside of NCAA regulated periods, however, students can put themselves on a coach’s radar in advance of the official recruitment period. Check college websites for “Prospective Student Athlete” forms to indicate your interest in pursuing an athletic career at a specific institution.

Grades count, even freshman year grades
Even the most esteemed college bound athlete needs to demonstrate solid academic performance. Grades from ninth grade to eleventh grade are used to compute a student’s NCAA core academic grade point average. Students broaden athletic opportunities by consistently working hard in classroom.

Take the test, early
Standardized tests (either SAT or ACT) are a chief component for attaining academic NCAA eligibility. High school juniors should plan to take the SAT and ACT for the first time in December or January of junior year. Academic eligibility can be achieved prior to the start of a student’s senior year. Early academic clearance enables college coaches to focus on your athletic performance. In addition, familiarity breeds success: taking standardized tests multiple times offers the best opportunity for a solid score.

Consider all options
Only 2% of high school students earn a college athletic scholarship, though far greater numbers play sports in college. Keep an open mind about pursuing athletics in college. Division III institutions don’t award athletic scholarships, but offer students competitive athletic opportunities balanced with strong academic programs.

Select classes carefully
All students who play sports and have even the slightest interest in college athletics should select courses carefully beginning freshman year. While your school may count “History of Jazz” for graduation, the credits may not count when the NCAA computes your core academic GPA. Visit egligibitycenter.org to determine if you are enrolled in NCAA approved classes.

Register with the NCAA Clearinghouse
At the conclusion of your junior year, register with the NCAA Clearinghouse at eligibilitycenter.org. There are four components to completing this registration: submit the online questionnaire, provide payment (fee waivers may be available), submit an official transcript through your high school, and submit official SAT or ACT scores. When all components are received, the NCAA will evaluate you for eligibility.

Offensively, your whole offense should be installed in your first 3 days and from then on, it should be about mastery. Make sure you get as many quality reps as possible. To get quality reps your players must be totally engaged in practice. Keep practice tempo high and use your off the field time to review practice and make corrections.

Get as many people video-taping as possible and study your practice tape carefully.

Football is a physical game but don’t leave your game in camp by over-hitting. Make sure you get 2^nd and 3^rd stringers reps. You’ll always find a surprise, you’ll keep morale high and you’ll keep your team healthy.

Make sure you give the players plenty of water breaks and keep 4 or 5 kiddie pools around the practice field. A kiddie pool is a great investment.

The following are some ideas we used in our pre-season practice approach under the new NCAA rules:

1. CONDITIONING – most important (can’t rely on practice)
   
   
   
   1. Physical – aerobic – must get running in 18 minutes per day 7 more on single days (vert-a-max, pool, etc.)
      
      
      
      1. Weight training on single days
         
      
      
   2. Mental – daily meeting covering every aspect of the program.
      
      
      
      1. Stress synergy & attitude “We not me” TEAM.- memorize “The Law of the Jungle”
         
      2. Poise & control – get over it & get on with it.
         
      3. Winning Attitude & Optimism
         
      4. Campus behavior & respect for women.
         
      
      
   3. Toughness – condition to be RELENTLESS. Chase the ball.
      
      
      
      1. 4^th Quarter is Ours mentality.
         
      2. Discipline established by consequences – reward the behavior you want.
         
      3. Build Team Esteem & Morale –“Morale is the strength of the army.” Napoleon
         
      
      
   4. Football Smarts – Learn the Game – use video tape. chalk & walk.
      
      
      
      1. Explain field position & the philosophy of each area.
         
      2. Clock Management – teach the rules of clock control & controlling the pace of each game. Clutch & victory offense
         
      3. Down & Distance – move the chains.
         
      4. Overcoming adversity (penalties, bad breaks & come from behind)
         
      5. Inspire players to be students of the game.

2. INSTALLATION OF SYSTEMS – offense, defense & special teams.

1. Whole – part – whole
   
2. Less field time means you must minimize the number of techniques you teach & maximize their use.
   
3. Simplicity is very important – K.I.S.S.
   
4. Practice all special team situations (Tight Punt, Take a Safety, Little Rascals K.O.R., Fake kicks, onside situations etc) Unique situations.
   
5. Prepare 2^nd team to execute a simple game plan. (school 2^nd team Q.B.)
   1. get key back up personnel ready – have emergency plan ready.

6. Always have best players on the field.
   
7. All plays installed must compliment each other
   
8. Package plays in pre-season to minimize teaching & maximize their value. Be simple yet balanced & diverse.
   
9. Plot your additions to the offense weekly – you can’t get it all ready for game #1. Early in the season rely on your core & your star.
   
10. Run a few plays but in many ways – protect your core.
    
11. Come out of camp with a simple & balance offense that your team can execute & has a foundation you can add to. Vary formations & motions not the techniques. Only add plays that require no new techniques
    

3. SINGLE PRACTICE DAYS – Must make use time, Detailed Preparation is key

1. Must have a longer on field practice include a 15 minute half time
   
2. Practice divided into 2 one hour & 15 minute halves
   
3. No conditioning drills during practice.
   
4. Start each half with the Kicking game.
   
5. Condition – weight train & run at a time in the AM. – use pool, vert-a-max, indoor running etc – get aerobic & strength training during the AM.
   
6. WALK THROUGHS – evening walk-through is critical – must be scripted in detail & cover the next day’s installation as well as any corrections of the previous practice. Must include Blitz pick & protections review, reads, packs & checks, formations, shifts & motions. Punt Protection a must. Defensive Blitzes & Dogs – formation recognition & adjustments.
   
7. Meetings –
   
   1. Team Meeting – cover one aspect per day.
      
   2. Review practice tape – evaluate & correct

   3. Special Teams meeting every day
      
   4. Unit Meetings for installation
      
   5. Use Technology – make video playbook & audio reminders.

4. TWO PRACTICE DAYS –

1. No PM conditioning but must use 18 minutes to condition during practice.
   
2. Practice in AM & Evening if too hot (Walk – Thru in PM)
   
3. Each practice is 2 hours – including conditioning.
   
4. Plan for individual emphasis in the AM & team emphasis in the PM.
   
5. Every Special Team will be covered within the 2 practices.
   
6. Evaluate each practice prior to the next practice & make corrections
   
7. Meet t for 30 minutes prior to each practice & 15 minute walk thru before
   each practice.
   
8. 2^nd practice may be in uppers depending on the heat.
   
9. Make sure plenty of hydration before, during & after practice

Have a great pre-season, keep your squad healthy and you’ve taken a big step to a successful season. One last note – make sure you give your team enough time to get their legs back. Give them a couple of extra days off from conditioning prior to your first game. Another note, I always believed in practicing (not conditioning) in the heat to acclimatize them to the temperature they will be playing in. If you practice when it’s nice and cool , they’ll not be ready for the 1:00PM heat.

These are some ideas that worked for me over the years, good luck this season.

The answer is simple. To be a master at anything requires a combination of mind, body and spirit. No one achieves excellence, let alone mastery without this combination. It is only through the process of mastery that sport becomes an art.

The key to mastery of sport is the control of the spirit. Everyone knows basically the physical skills required but what separates the master from the rest is his control of his spirit. Regardless of whether its Joe Montana or Muhammad Ali; they have control of their spirit.

This is even more important when directing the Triple Gun Offense, because the Offense revolves around the Quarterback’s decision making. He is not only responsible for his own mechanics but he must distribute the ball and put our team in position to be successful. This increases the stress level for the Triple Gun Quarterback above the level for most quarterbacks. So using Zen and relaxation techniques increases the performance level of the Triple Gun quarterback. It relaxes the mind and enables the Triple gun quarterback to make better decisions.

The single biggest destroyer of performance is fear of failure. Thinking about what you are afraid might happen, can become a self-fulfilling prophecy. Negative thinking leads to stress which leads to tension which leads to mistakes which circle back to more negative thinking. Before you know it your Quarterback is on a downward spiral to a poor performance.
Superstars have figured out that you can’t be winner if you are afraid to lose. Great players hate to lose but never fear losing. Masters know that no one is perfect and that an error is part of the game. If you make an error – get over it and get on with it. You can’t change the play that just happened so you must focus on the next play. Freedom from the fear of failure liberates a quarterback to get into a state of “flow” or “the zone”. The following are some tips for getting into a state of relaxed concentration:

1.Have a pre-game ritual. Listening to certain music on your IPOD or using some deep breathing or whatever relaxes you prior to the game.
2.Always give yourself positive encouragement through your self-talk. Have some positive affirmations that prepare you for the game.
3.Prepare a positive reaction to any setback that occurs in the game. Poise over panic. Masters never get lured into the “I gotta” mode. They maintain a positive mental attitude.
4.The great ones never lose; time just runs out.

Some characteristics of top performers are:

1.They react to the challenge not the menace.
2.They expect success. They have the realistic belief that they will succeed.
3.They set goals for the future but only focus on the task at hand. They forget about future goals during the game and focus only on the present play.
4.They always focus on the process and not the result. The Masters’ scoreboard is internal.
5.They savor the moment. They love the battle for the sake of the battle. They never tie their self-worth to an outcome.

Zen controls the spirit by letting go of the spirit. You gain control by losing control. You achieve the greatest results when you completely forget about results. By using the principles of Zen you can free yourself from the prison of results and get on the path to mastery. Only by removing your ego from the contest will you reach your optimum level of performance. Zen extols intuitive action which is the critical component of mastery. By eliminating the fear of failure you open the door to a higher level of performance that comes from your intuitive ability. The basic principles of Zen in regards to football are:

1.Intuition is more important that intellect.
2.Intuitive skills are developed through quality repitions.
3.Intuition is gained by letting go of self and by learning from experience.
4.Mastery is a process that is ongoing not a product.
5.Always perform in the present. You can’t change the past nor can you predict the future. Enjoy the day.
6.Focus on the NOW.
7.Conquer haste. Patience is power.
8.Even a tornado has an inner calm. Always maintain an inner sense of peace.
9.Only improve yourself, never compare yourself or concern yourself with your opponent.
10. Be unshakable. Poise is a part of mastery. It’s always your choice how react to a circumstance. You are in control of your response.
11. The greatest warriors are patient and wait for their moment. They are poised and ready like a coiled snake and strike quickly.
12. Let go and let flow. Trust your training.
13. That which is flexible will triumph over that which is rigid. Old trees snap off during strong winds while flexible trees sway with the wind.
14. Take your ego out of the contest. Your self-worth is not at stake. No ego helps intuition flow.
15. Training replaces intellect with intuition. The less thought the greater the performance. It’s not what you know; it’s how fast you process information and respond. Be intuitive, instinctive and immediate.
16. A focused relaxed mind has no limit.
17. Open your mind to learning by quieting your ego.
18. Anticipate fulfillment.

These are some ideas I picked from a study of Zen. Using Zen to quiet your mind is a great way to create a relaxed state to bring your performance to a higher level. I always want my Quarterback to be in a state of relaxed focus so he could play fast and loose free from fear.

Drills for the Option Phase
1. Pitch from a knee. Five yards apart and pitch to each other from a knee.
2. Fast Break Drill – 3 QBs, 5 yards apart – pitch to each other moving down the field. Coaching point is to step to the pitch.
3. Option Drill involves the whole backfield. Coaches play hand off key and pitch key. Run the Gun Triple but always making it a pull. Always use a shotgun snap.
4. Triple Drill – the same drill as option drill but now mix in give and pull reads.
5. Read Drill – full team drill. Work off Master Read Drill script.

The first thing is DON’T OVERCOACH IT. Repeat; DON’T OVERCOACH IT.

When I put this offense together my number one rule was No Turnovers. I wanted ball security to be our number one priority. If you go back to my article on meaningful stats; the MOST meaningful stat is turnovers (+ 2 Turnover margin almost guarantees a win) so the Mesh is designed to #1 not lead to a turnover. The longer the ball is in the stomach, the greater the chance for a turnover. It is as simple as that. The longer the indecision by the Quarterback the greater the chance there is of a turnover. The closer the handoff key is to the dive, the greater chance he has to blow up the mesh and create a turnover. Our goal is to have an efficient read not a perfect read. When you look for perfect reads: the ball stays in the mesh too long and winds up on the ground.

The first ingredient of the mesh is the Quarterback’s thought process. The QB’s thought process is: “I’m going to give the ball EVERY Time UNLESS the Hand Off Key comes down hard and flat on the TB”. The definition of “Hard & Flat” is the HOK’s head comes across the torso of the dive back. If the HOK is blocked it is a PULL. “When in doubt – GIVE”. This decision must be made on your FIRST step! “Better Wrong than Long” When in doubt – GIVE.

The second ingredient is the Quarterback’s footwork. The QB has his feet slightly tighter than shoulder width. The first and most important thing he must do is CATCH THE SNAP. Ball security is the #1 priority. We practice snaps EVERY DAY. After he catches the snap, the quarterback merely pivots on his playside foot and puts the ball out for the diveback to run over. His eyes go directly to the HOK and he gives the ball to the diveback UNLESS that HOK flies down on the dive back, getting his head in front of the running back. If the QB sees the HOK is on this path, he SNAPS the ball to his heart and accelerates to the pitch key. If the HOK is blocked the Quarterback aborts the mesh and turns it into a double option. If the QB sees the HOK blocked, does not even mesh with the diveback, he just SNAPS the ball to his heart and is prepared to make a quick pitch.

Coaching points:

1. By pivoting and not stepping the QB actually brings the diveback away from the HOK. The pivot must be as quick as possible.
2. By bringing the diveback away from the HOK – the HOK must come harder and faster to actually take dive. This makes the read easier and enables the QB to make a efficient read on his first step.
3. If the HOK is blocked – there is no read – it becomes double option. But if the HOK work outside across the Tackle’s block – the QB ducks inside turning it into QB ISO.
4. Ball Security is our #1 priority and this process increases our ball security by taking the risk out of the read.

The third ingredient of the Triple Gun mesh is the diveback’s aiming point. The dive back must aim for the front side “A” gap. His target is the playside cheek of the center. It is better for him to be too tight than to wide. He is responsible for running over the ball. His first step is a little skip step to put him in line with “A” gap. His inside arm should be up with his thumb pointing down. The pocket should be as big as possible to give the QB room to make the mesh. By pointing the thumb down the pocket opens a little wider.

If the diveback gets the ball he reads “A” gap. If “A” gap is open – he hits it 100 MPH. If “A” gap is closed – he runs to daylight. If it is closed from the backside, he cuts back by sliding and gliding. The slide & glide is a subtle cut made with his shoulders square. We want him to be a north/south, downhill runner. We want him to “DRIVE FOR FIVE”.

If the ball is pulled, the diveback gets width and becomes a blocker. He blocks HOK to the playside Linebacker to the Safety.

If the Quarterback short-arms the mesh because the HOK is blocked; the diveback Wraps around the Tackle’s block and blocks Linebacker to Safety.
Coaching Points:

1. The diveback is a RUNNER or a BLOCKER never a faker. We always want the Tailback to become an extra blocker if the ball is pulled. This is one of the main advantages of The Gun Triple over the Zone Read.
2. The Tailback (Diveback) is a “B” gap to “B” gap runner. He “slides & glides” to daylight with his shoulders square to the line of scrimmage.
3. When getting down field as a blocker; he doesn’t have to chase a defender- the QB will be on his outside hip so the defender will come to him.
4. If the QB short arms him because the HOK is blocked and the HOK fights across the Tackles face – the Diveback is still looking for LB to Safety so he’ll duck inside the Tacles block turning into QB ISO on the run.

The advantages of this style of this style of mesh are:

1. Better ball security. Ball security is our #1 priority because it is a MEANINGFUL STAT – the most meaningful. To win games avoid turnovers.
2. Easier read for the QB, making him more effective at optioning the Pitch Key. And making him more efficient at moving the ball.
3. The Tailback/Diveback is more effective as a runner because getting the ball sooner enables him to make the back door cut or keep it playside. If you ride him into the line he cannot leave his track. He becomes a crease runner.
4. The Tailback/Diveback is more effectivre as a blocker. By pulling the ball sooner the TB can get width and become a blocker. This adds an extra blocker to the playside. This can be the difference between a 6 yard gain and a 60 yard gain.
5. The entire play is faster. The QB is not slowed down by staying in the mesh trying to “ride and decide”. While he’s riding and deciding the defense is running to the perimeter.
6. The Diveback’s path constricts the defense similar to the midline option. This shortens the flank and makes the QB more effective because he becomes a North/South runner making it near impossible for the Pitch Key to use feather technique.

The most important part of the mesh phase of the Gun Triple is REPS, REPS, REPS and more REPS. Drill the QB’s pivot every day, this is something that some coaches overlook. I’ll go through the entire drill progression in a later article and eventually on a DVD.

Tony: Who were the three biggest influences on your football life?

Lobo: The number one influence is Jim Grobe, the Head Coach at Wake Forest. The second would be Fisher DeBerry who I played for at The Air Force Academy. And of course Troy Callhoun who is the current Head Coach at The Air Force Academy.

Tony: Did you invent the “Orbit Series”? How did this come about?

Lobo: I did not invent it. In 1999 when we were at Ohio University, we played the University of Minnesota coached by Glenn Mason. They ran it and it really had our defensive guys talking. Then in 2000 we played UM again and saw it again and then the former OC at UM went to Iowa State and they ran it against us. Our defensive staff thought it really caused problems. So in the last game of the season we were playing a very good Marshall team and we were big underdogs. So that week we installed a modified Orbit Sweep Series and we gained almost 250 yards on just those plays. Then the next year we went to Wake Forest and it became a major part of the offense.

Tony: What is your offensive philosophy? At Ohio University, you were a Triple Option team but not at Wake Forest, so what’s the Lobo O?

Lobo: Basically we run a handful of plays and dress them up with motions and formations. We take a pig and dress it up. Our three base runs are the inside zone, the outside zone, and power. But we will run those plays from every possible formation and with numerous motions. We will read all three runs, not as a triple option but rather as a give or keep. We will read the five technique and the thee technique as well. So by reading these plays, our quarterback could be a productive run threat and each play becomes a give/keep option. We want low risk football with no turnover prone plays. We want the offensive line play to be as simple as possible, focusing on execution rather than on schemes. We major in the inside zone that the hub of the offense.

Tony: I know you use a lot of formations, how many are you going into spring ball with?

Lobo: We are starting spring practice with 57 formations and motions that change the formation and timing motions for the Fly Sweep and the Orbit.

Tony: Wake Forest is the smallest BCS School in the country; how do you adjust your personnel to your scheme or adjust your scheme to your personnel?

Lobo: We take a Service academy approach. We totally adapt our scheme to the talent we have. If we have a good passer, we are going to throw the ball more, if we have a good running QB we’ll use him as a runner. If we have a playmaker at wide receiver we will throw more wide receiver screens and hand him the ball on the Fly Sweep and on the Orbit Sweep. A couple of years ago we had two really good Tight Ends so we used a lot 21 personnel. Our scheme and approach to offense is completely based on our personnel.

Tony: When you have a running quarterback do you limit how many times he carries the ball? If you adapt your scheme to a running Quarterback and he gets nicked you might not have another one. So do you have a QB pitch count?

Lobo: We don’t have a specific number of carries we limit the Quarterback but we try to limit his hits,. So even in the passing game we try to limit the number of hits the QB takes.

Tony: Do you have a run/pass ratio that you try to stick with?
Lobo: We want to run the ball. We are a run first team. In the first quarter if we can come out and run the ball then we will run the ball. If the defense starts to load the box then we will throw it.

Tony: I always talk about meaningful stats and turnovers are a very meaningful stat and Wake Forest excels in turnover margin. Do you place specific emphasis on low risk offense?

Lobo: Coach Grobe’s Doctrine is: Don’t Beat Yourself. We are going to make it simple for the offensive line and become great technicians. But we will really use the skill to add stuff to the offense. We want to be able to hand the ball to our playmakers. We had a wide Out that had 400 yards rushing a few years ago. The biggest thing we do for the skill is practice mesh mechanics on our reads. We feel this is critical because if you don’t master the mesh, you’ll put the ball on the ground and turn the ball over. If we can hold on to the ball and keep our defense off the field and not give their offense a short field – we’ve put ourselves in position to win.
Tony: Lobo thanks for your time and best of luck in 2011.