We always hear coaches say we run the spread. Or we always see that classic debate on well spread teams are soft. Or which is better, wing T or spread? Well, what defines a spread offense? You also see how coaches label their offensive players when making their playbook, or drawing up plays. As a new coach, have you ever thought about what those labels might mean? Or what personnel groups mean? Or how you would do it if you were a new head freshman football coach, or sophomore or JV OC? Lets discuss!
When you are watching games on Saturday's you might hear TV announcers say, "they just lined up with their 10 personnel group". When you hear football coaches talk to each other, you might hear them talk about when they line up in 21 personnel and how they attack a defense that way. Do you know what they are talking about? What is 10, 20, or even 21 personnel? And, is there only one way to actually use these or define them? Lets talk about it!
Universally, football coaches on offense, and I guess defense, talk about personnel groups. For me, it has been used more in offense. You might see or hear a coach say, "We can run Power read from our 10 personnel group as well". What does that mean when a coach says 10 personnel? This means he has 1 RB and 0 tight ends. This means he has 4 WR's out in space. You see Mike Leach use 10 personnel probably more than anyone. (don't quote me on that). So, this means when you hear 11 personnel, this means there is 1 RB, 1 TE (or labeled as Y). This means you probably have a player who can put his hand in the dirt and block, and also release from the line of scrimmage to catch a pass.
Labeled above is a bunch of examples of how personnel groups are labeled and what they mean. Football coaches can use this to get certain players on the field. If a coach is yelling out "10 10", this means he wants his 10 personnel group on the field. This usually allows means he is trying to spread out the defense. You see this when teams run a 2x2 or 3x1 formation with WR's spread out. You see Coach Leach run these kind of formations throughout the entire game.
When you hear a coach yell out for his 12 personnel, usually this means he has 2 tight ends that could be lined up on the line of scrimmage with their hand in the dirt, or as a wing. This can add an extra gap in the run game. As well as bring more eyes to the box and could open up the passing game.
This is just how personnel groups are usually used in football. You do not have to call them by their numbers. You can use these groups, but give them names. For example, if you want your 32 personnel to get 3 running backs and 2 tight ends, you might call that your heavy personnel. So, if its 3rd and 1, or on the goal line, you yell out "Heavy Heavy". Your 32 personnel group knows to run out to the field and you know you have 3 running backs and 2 tight ends, probably to run the ball.
You also do not have to go by this numbering system at all. You can use what you know and what you think your kids can remember. If you call your 10 personnel, and your tight end who can block on the line can also line up wide, you do not have to sub anyone. Then you can call 11 personnel and line up in a different formation so now the defense can't pick up on what you are trying to do. When you line up wide in 10 personnel, the look is you are either trying to widen out to run something up the middle, or you are trying to widen out to pass. When you go in 11 personnel, you are either trying to add another gap to run, or you are trying to get the defense to focus so much on the run or pass then you can do the opposite.
To determine your personnel packages, just depends on what kids you have. Colleges and NFL can really determine and pick what kind of players they want. In high school, you get whatever players decided to come out to play. So, if you have fast kids, you might spend more time in 10 and 20 personnel. If you get big kids that can run and pound, you might do 11, 12, 21 personnel groups.
Now that you have the personnel groups down, how do those groups normally line up? What do some of the formations look? How do you label your players on the field and when you are making the playbook or chalk talking? Have you even took a step back and thought about how you would do it? Lets discuss!
If you go in 10 personnel, you have 1 RB and 0 tight ends. This normally means 4 wide. But, how would you label the positions? This all depends on who you coach for, or what you want has the HFC, or OC. But, make sure your players can pick it up, and your assistant coaches can pick it up and remember. And keep the rules simple on how to line up, and where to line up on the field.
For almost every program I have been apart of, they label the WR's and others in 10 personnel groups the same. We used X as the far left WR, H as the slot on the left if we are in 2x2, Y as the right slot, and Z and the far right WR. With T as the running back.
Now, these labels can mean different things for different personnel groups. For example, Your Y in a 2x2 10 personnel is out wide in the slot. Y is usually known as your Tight end. When you go 11 personnel, is when you have 1 RB and 1 tight end. This usually is a Pro Set where you can have your Tight end with his hand in the ground with the rest of the lineman. This is why it is important to know where to put certain kids. But, you can still label that player as a Y, just means you are looking for a bigger kid that can block.
In the 10 personnel, in the 2x2, the H is in the slot on the left. When going in 20 personnel, you are now with 2 running backs. Now, the H is in the backfield with the QB and running back. In this situation, your H back can be a different type of player. Depending on your offense, he could be a fullback type of kids to help block and run some short out routes, or he could still be a speedy guy if you are looking at speed options, screens, or motions with him out of the backfield. But, you can still keep that label H to keep it simple.
Another way you can label your positions is the same as Mike Leach does. Pretty similar to how we labeled them before. Still out of 2x2, X the far left WR, H as the left slot, Y as the right slot, Z as the right WR, but the running back is labeled as F. Nothing big, just a different way.
Another way to label is how we did it at another program I was at. In a 2x2, with our strength to the right, our left WR was the Z, the left slot as Y, the right slot X, and the far right WR as W with the running back as the T. This was labeled this way because the WR would move depending on where the ball was on the field, and the strength. If the ball was on the right hash, our W would go to the wide side of the field, or the strength since there is more room to throw, and the X would go with him. The Z and Y would follow each other. This is to get players to move around, and know that if you are lined up as the Y, you are following the Z most of the time.
Once you get your labels for each position ironed out, you need to figure out where they will line up for each of your formations. If you are in 10 personnel, in a 2x2 set, how do you communicate where they should line up? If the ball is in the middle of the field, from left to right, the X normally would be on top of the numbers, H would split the difference between the X and the last player on the line of scrimmage. The Z on the right would be on top of the numbers, and they Y would split the different between the Z and the last man on the line of scrimmage.
Make sure your players understand what you mean when you say on top of the numbers. This means they line up on the side of numbers closer to the sideline. When you are in a 3x1 the alignment changes. If its trips right, your X would still be on top of the numbers, your Z still would be on top of the numbers. Now, your H would split the difference between the last man on the line of scrimmage and the Z. Your Y would split the difference from the last man on the line of scrimmage and the H.
If we stayed in trips right, and the ball got moved to the left hash, alignment can change. This all depends on the speed of your athletes, your scheme, and QB arm strength. Your X would still be on his normal alignment. If you have the speed and QB arm strength, the rest of the WR"s can keep their same alignment. It would be just spread out a little more, but than can soften the box for the run game. One change can be, if the ball is on the left hash, the Z would line up on the bottom of the numbers. This means the part of the numbers closer to the hash or field. H and Y would keep their same alignment rules. This would bring in the formation.
This might seem easy, or common sense, but you would be amazed how many coaches talk about their players not getting lined up right. Or how players don't know what position they are going in at or understand formations. In the offseason, early spring, or early summer workouts you need to go over this with your players. Get them started right away with the mental part of the game. If they do not know positions, or where to line up, your offense will not go the way you want it to. Be simple!
Now, lets talk about "spread offense"!
What defines a spread offense in football? Well, just depends on who you ask. Ever single coach will have a different answer to this. For me, there is no right or wrong answer. However, I do think we need to change our answer when asked from another coach, "What offense do you run"? For me, I would say we run the spread. But, I often wondered, what defines a spread offense? From doing my Podcast, I have had this conversation with some great coaches.
There are many different "spread" offenses as well. Mike Leach runs the spread offense with his Air Raid system. Coach Dearmon runs a style of the spread offense, just with wing t runs and RPO's. Georgia Southern runs a spread offense, but with pistol looks and runs a form of triple option. Oregon runs a type of spread offense with a lot of zone runs and reads. Can all of these actually be considered spread?
I believe where we got the term "Spread" offense was when football coaches started to have their QB's line up 5 yards behind the center in shotgun. So no matter what formation you line up in, if that QB is in shotgun, its a spread offense. Is this true? Is it more of a system than formations?
Some coaches say that a spread offense is formations. If you look at Coach Leach, this would be considered a true spread offense. Because he is in 10 personnel most of the time, with 2x2 and 3x1 looks. No one attached to the line of scrimmage. He will also go 20 personnel, but will not have anyone attached to the line. Or even 00 personnel to line up in empty sometimes. But, when you attached a TE to the line with his hand in the dirt, or as a wing, this is no longer spread. You have now taken away space outside the box. Or when you add a sniffer H back. Since you condensed the formation, you are no longer "spread".
This does make sense, to focus on spread in formations. But what do other coaches define spread offense as? Just when the QB lines up 5 yards behind the center. No matter what formation, pro set with the TE on the line, sniffer, 2 wings, doesn't matter. They will define that as a spread.
Some will define the spread with air raid. If you are a "spread" team, you are automatically an air raid team. This does not make sense to me. If you are lined up in 3x1 or 2x2, but run the ball most of the time, are you spread? You can spread teams out to run the ball to then set up your pass.
I have no problem with a coach defining their offense as spread. But, I think we have to explain more about what we do. If you are running the air raid, you can say we are a spread team running the air raid. If you are more of a running team, you can say we are a spread team with a lot of gap scheme with play actions and RPO's. You can even say we are a running team but with the QB lined up 5 yards back with a lot of zone.
I think we need to explain more than just saying we are a spread team. Or we are a running team. Some new coaches our there, or younger coaches, may not quite understand what we are saying. That was my whole point of this podcast and blog post. Us coaches with some experience, need to give back to new generation of coaches. We need to coach up our players, our assistants, and young coaches that want to get into our profession. Make sure they have it better than we did!
Always be simple!
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