Building an Empty Package

September 15, 2011No Comments

The word empty generally has a negative connotation. An empty gas tank is bad news. An empty bank account is
really bad news. In terms of talking offensive football concepts and systems, empty is an exciting word filled with
many possibilities.
The empty back-field is becoming more and more common at different levels. Still despite the growing number of
spread attacks around the country, not everyone is willing to empty out the backfield. Whether you are running 60
snaps, or simply installing a third down package, going empty can ignite the scoreboard with big numbers.
There are several advantages to the empty attack. Chief among those advantages in the offense is undoubtedly
forcing the defensive coordinator to use some players that he may not feel comfortable using. Five wide looks force
nickel and dime personnel. How many programs have four or five cover guys? Programs build their schemes and
personnel around systems that they see for the bulk of their schedule. Generally, defensive coordinators do not
begin installing their base scheme with neutralizing the empty attack.
A second benefit of using the empty set relates closely to the first point. If your offensive personnel lacks a true tightend or a true fullback, both of which have become virtually extinct, you can mask these deficiencies with a five wide
set. The key, however, is that the receivers on the field must be viable pass catching threats. Going empty simply for
the sake of going empty isnt sound football.
Another advantage to the empty attack relates to the quarterback. Empty formations, 32, or 41, help to clarify the
coverages, blitzes, roll coverages and play exotic schemes vs. empty. The defense can and will do all these things,
but by stretching the defense by formation, you are forcing them to declare and to defend the whole field.
People constantly are saying that football is a game of match-ups. If this is true, the empty attack can create
favorable match-ups and expose some of those liabilities that we discussed earlier. Going five-wide doesnt mean you
need five great wide-outs. A speedy running back can play one of the spots. A nimble tight-end can suffice as well.
Clearly there are legitimate drawbacks to going empty. First, you need good skill people and an above-average
quarterback. With an empty backfield, the quarterbacks role is magnified to some degree, because he now becomes
the focal point. The run game has been reduced to the quarterback draw, or a jet sweep using motion. With a limited
run game, the threat of a play-action pass is nullified. Finally, with only five blockers, the empty set limits the types of
protections that are viable.
Despite these drawbacks, we believe with our personnel, the positives far outweigh the negatives. The empty attack
has emerged as a major part of our offensive philosophy. The first thing we tried to establish when we explored the
no-back system was incorporating concepts we already had installed in our normal mode of attack. One of our most
durable pass game concepts is the option route.

Diagram 1 -- Click to see a larger version

We have long relied on the option route as a call we could lean on at any situation in the game. The outside receiver
must execute a positive outside release on the corner to soften the flat. The number two receiver has the option of
breaking out on a square cut or sitting down inside if the defender over him is expanding quickly. Normally we run
this from 10 personnel, in a 22 set. With the 32 set the number three receiver pushes an inside release and works
up the seam. The seam route gives us a built in hot throw versus blitz and a possible vertical threat versus a slower
defender. The option route is good vs. any coverage, and the outside verticals are good choices versus cover 2 or
man.
Since it is more difficult to move the launch point in empty sets, it is critical to mix in several types of throws. We use
screens, quick throws, rhythm throws and down the field throws that stretch the field. Quick throws frustrate the
defensive line and neutralize the blitz. Rhythm throws allow us to attack zones and down the field throws capitalize
on positive match-ups we have created.
One concept that we employ that actually incorporates quick throws and down the field throws is the smash concept.

Diagram 2 - Click to see larger image.

We put two receivers into the boundary and the three receivers to the field. The quarterback starts his progression
with the seam route by the number three receiver, then works the boundary smash concept. At one point we had a
hook route to the field. But since we rarely threw it, we changed it to an idle route by our inside slot to give the
quarterback another viable option.
The seam route by our inside slot to the field is essentially a get-open route. We give him some latitude to work open
and generally try not to over-coach it. The key with the smash route is to emphasize to the quarterback to take the
hook route if it is open. The corner will try to bait the QB into forcing the corner route.
Despite the reduced running capacity of the empty set, it is important to have something automatic, or built in to take
advantage of a numbers advantage in the box. One way to do this is to have a bubble/draw check play. With five or
less in the box the QB will check draw. More than five we check bubble screen.

Diagram 3 - Click to see larger image.

The receivers are not tied into the check. They run the bubble scheme outside and are ready for the ball. The
bubble action is effective in widening perimeter defenders away from the draw.

Diagram 3b - Click to see a larger image.

After we have established some degree of success with the bubble screen, we look at ways to hit some rhythm
throws outside. When the defense starts to expand too fast to the bubble route we want to throw the slant route
behind them.

Diagram 4 - Click to see a larger image.

The quarterback must pick a side per-snap based on leverage and match-ups. The three receiver side gives him
more options with slants working on different levels, but the two receiver side could be a cleaner picture. If he works
the inside slant, the ball must be out quickly. These quick throws neutralize the pass rush and are real popular with
the offensive line coach.

Teams use a variety of strategies to combat the empty attack. We have discussed some of the quick concepts that
are available in empty to combat pressure. Rather than selling out and bringing pressure, another popular ploy is to
drop eight defenders into zone and shrink the throwing windows. With only a three man rush, the first thing the
offensive line must be ready for is a variety of twists or a zone blitz. The three man rush should give the quarterback
some time to get the ball down the field. The main thing we want to achieve vs. teams that drop eight is to attack the
whole field.

Diagram 5 - Click for larger image.

The outside receivers have post-corner routes trying to attack the deep edges of the coverage structure. This is a
good man-beater cut and good vs. cover 2. Versus a cover 2 corner, the outside receivers will stem inside on their
release, push vertical for 10-12 yards and run the corner cut off the high safety.

Diagram 6 - Click for larger image.

Our number two receiver to the field runs a shallow cross route climbing up to six yards. Again, this gives us both a
man beater route, and a possible quick throw vs. pressure. The number three receiver lets the shallow clear first, and
runs a shake flat route. The flat route, combined with the post corner creates a high low stress on the flat defender.
The number two receiver to the boundary has some latitude with his route. We give him some freedom to get open
between the hashes.
If there is a single safety working hard to stay over the top he will bend his route off at 15 yards and find a window. If
a cover 2 safety is getting off the hash, trying to squeeze the post-corner, he will push up the seam. Versus man
coverage, we want to execute an efficient release and take advantage of a positive match-up.

Generally, we put one of our fastest receivers in this role of running get open type routes. One important factor to
consider when installing the empty package is how to deploy your personnel. If you are using players that are not
necessarily trained as true wide-outs, dont ask them to run precision routes. We want speed inside and precision
outside.
The final empty scheme that we use is the shallow-cross concept.

Diagram 7 - Click for larger image.

Since we have this scheme in a variety of our personnel groupings and formations, it is easy to install to our empty
package. The three receiver side features a vertical by number one, deep post by number two and a shallow route
climbing up to six yards by number three. The two receiver side has a 14 yard dig by number one and crossing route
up to 10 yards by the slot.
The quarterbacks progression is: shallow, dig, cross, post. The shallow-cross concept can attack a variety of
coverages and fits well into our philosophy of forcing the defense to defend the whole field.
Exploring the possibilities that the empty package provides does not mean that you should junk your regular offense.
Indeed you may discover that many of the ideas and concepts that you are using in traditional formations and
personnel groups fit nicely under the empty umbrella. Going empty can expose personnel shortcomings and force
them out of their comfort zone.