X&O Labs' Coaching Research Report #110402

Midline/Midline Triple
Vs.
The Odd Stack
By Mike Kuchar
Senior Research Manager
X&O Labs
mikek@xandolabs.com

It's official. We've begun our journey into the hallowed halls of football by presenting the first of what will
be many reports on the double/triple option series.

We've always had a great deal of respect for the true option scheme. We feel like it is the cornerstone or
foundation of all football concepts that have derived since. Think about it. Where would Urban Meyer be
without the triple option? Would Rich Rodriquez still be at Glenville State? Many of these spread coaches
developed their schemes off the structure of the midline or veer option where you read off one defender and
pitch off another.

What we also respect is the camaraderie of the coaches that teach this scheme. Similar to the Wing T, these
guys are a clan; a gang of football purists who travel the country and preach the world of the triple. You
can find them everywhere, but once a year they gather at the Mecca of option football - Annapolis,
Maryland - to watch The Naval Academy work through spring drills.

When X&O Labs started to piece together this report, we decided to focus on one specific area to research
and study. Anytime you explore a topic that is close to 100 years old, you will find pages and pages of
information and some terrific coaches who will tell you everything you want to know. But as we started to
unravel all of this information, one common thread kept appearing...many coaches (even the veterans)
wanted to know the best ways to run their midline schemes against an odd stack or 3-3-5 defense.

It seemed the odd stack presented some concerns offensively against double or triple option schemes.

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For clarification purposes, the midline option is presented in two distinct ways in this report:
 Midline Option: This is the true double option play where either the B-back (fullback) or QB will
carry the ball. This is the traditional midline scheme.
 Midline Triple: This is the midline triple option scheme where a QB will give the ball to the
 fullback, or keep or pitch the ball to the slot back (A back). This is becoming more common among
coaches who feel they need to get to the perimeter vs. odd-stack teams. Theoretically, the ball can
be pitched on midline triple, even though over 40 percent of coaches surveyed say the ball gets
pitched on midline triple LESS THAN 25 percent of the time.

Researcher's Note: Because these two schemes are so similar in nature, we will be referring to both in this
report.

Problems an Odd Stack presents to midline option:

1. A Dominant Nose Guard: Chances are defenses wouldn't be playing an odd front if they didn't
have a nose guard that could handle the double A gaps. Well, this might not be exactly
true. According to coaches, in many cases the odd front became the "flavor of the week" for
defenses that would change their entire scheme that week when defending the option. But our
research has found that most teams who shift to an odd front will usually slant their nose in either
direction - just like true odd stack teams.
2. A Protected Mike LB: With that middle linebacker in the odd stack protected, it's difficult to get
the play side guard to climb to him. If the nose slants to the play side, chances are your guard will
get picked. It's a reoccurring issue that will be discussed later in the report.
3. Up to 8 Defenders in Tackle Box: The structure of the odd stack can distribute a total of eight
defenders from A-back to A-back. The nose, both defensive ends, the middle line backer, both
outside linebackers and both safeties are all within two yards of the offensive tackles. If you run a
traditional Navy style flex bone offensive formation - which the majority, 31.7 percent of the
coaches polled do (Diagram 1) -you're outnumbered by one player. Now, that's where option
football comes in - reading defenders instead of blocking them.
4. Readily Available Twists and Pressures: By nature, the odd stack provides a plethora of blitzes
and pressures designed to destruct option football. Since most option teams use a count system to
designated who will be the dive player, the pitch player, etc. these players can often change post-
snap with movement. What we've found is that 64.8 percent of coaches now employ an area
read system (which we will discuss later) when playing odd front teams. Now, the QB is asked
to read an area, as opposed to a player. If he sees grass, he gives. If he sees color, he pulls. It
can be as simple as that. In fact, Navy's head coach, Ken Niumatalo, tells his QB that every
time he sees a stack, to read the area not a player because he can anticipate some sort of gap
exchange. It's a system that 64.8 percent of coaches polled now use instead of reading
individual players. Can't see the diagrams? Click here.
With all of these problems, one would think that the midline scheme isn't a suitable call against odd stack
defenses, but we found otherwise. Sure, there were some purists this weekend at the clinic that felt there
are too many likely circumstances (like the ones mentioned above) that would prevent success. But when
we researched the topic thoroughly, we found that those who "run their stuff," "run their stuff," regardless
of what a defense does. Now, there are some aspects of the play that may be tweaked - which is the
purpose of this report.

Case 1: Proper Mesh of the QB/FB (B-Back)

Contrary to the veer scheme, the midline veer scheme hits tighter and faster. The QB will usually have to
open up on the midline of the center (thus the name of the play) and seat the ball to the fullback or B-back
as option guys call him. If you're playing an odd front, like an odd stack, many times the five-technique
would be the dive read because he's the next defensive lineman past the center. Because he's closing from
the C gap, (or B gap if he's a 4i technique), chances are a give can be at least a three yard gain before the B-
back is touched.

According to our research, 44.8 percent of coaches use the defender's jersey number to determine
whether to give or keep the ball, a higher percentage than a shoulder level or head level read. "We
love playing against an odd stack because the read key is so far removed," said Greg Lusardi, the head
coach at Morris Catholic High School (NJ). "It's a long way for the 4-tech to close, so it's a greater
likelihood for a give."

Lusardi teaches his QB to "pull unless" against odd schemes. In other words, the QB should pull the ball
unless he feels the dive player can't tackle the full back in which case he would give it. He teaches this by
using a one-two-five finger read drill to make sure the QB's eyes are up and on the read key. He'll flash a
number at the QB, in which he will have to recite just to make sure his eyes are up. "When we first put in
the read, we will make him hand the ball off every time, but still have him reading my fingers," said
Lusardi. "We do this just to keep him honest, because when teams start to twist, his reads will change. But
we want to get him in the mindset of giving the football because that is where the bubble is."

The first thing Lusardi will do is have the QB check the play to the largest (or widest) technique. His first
step will be a drop step with the foot opposite the play - seven o'clock when going right and five o'clock
when going left. His play side foot should come slightly off the ground to allow his hips to open. This is to
make sure the cylinder is cleared for the B-back.

Lusardi teaches his QB NOT to seat the ball (meaning keep the ball in front of him without moving it, much
like spread option teams do, mainly because those teams teach the running back to be responsible for the
mesh), and this differed from some other coaches we spoke with. Instead, he'll force the ball back as far as
possible with the weight on the back foot and chin on the front shoulder. As the QB rides the fullback, he
must transfer his weight to his front foot and cannot allow the read to go beyond the front foot.

Lou Cella, the founder of the Flex Bone Association, an organization devoted to option fanatics,has a
different approach when teaching the the QB/FB mesh. He teaches the QB to seat the ball. Cella, who
tutors thousands of players every year on the intricacies of the Navy offense at his clinics across the
country, teaches a "point method" to identify whether to give or pull the ball on midline option. Cella tells
his QBs that once he takes the ball from center, his feet better go back fast. The opposite foot pushes away,
and the ball must be on the mid-point of the center - in other words, right up his crack. The play side foot
pushes back into the back-side A gap, and the opposite foot steps with it. Essentially, the ball is pointed at
the mid-point of the center while the QB ends up in the back-side A gap.

Next Week's Report: The Shade Nose Guard. Get this Study FREE!

"It's the easiest way to get the ball from QB to B-back," says Cella. "All you do is take the snap, seat the
ball six inches from chest and fully extend arms. The body is limp. The B-back runs his path. If the QB
believes the read key can make the tackle, he can reseat the ball, replaces the read, and runs. It's a mesh
and a soft squeeze on the ball. By nature, it's a far superior method. It's a much simpler way of teaching it,
but many guys who have been running the ride-and-decide just don't want to change."

Our report wouldn't be complete without addressing some of the shotgun spread midline schemes that are
slowly infiltrating the football landscape. We didn't want to spend too much time on this topic because we
are currently conducting the largest ever study on the zone read principle (results of this study will be
released this summer), in which the gun midline will be addressed. Primarily because old school option
guys like Cella, feel this version of the midline can be considered a minor form of option
Communism. Despite what Cella and some other coaches at the clinic this week thought (61.2 percent of
coaches feel that under center is the best way to run the midline) we are about appeasing our readers, so
we spoke with Brian Sheehan, the offensive coordinator of Thomas Moore College (KY) who has had two
straight undefeated regular seasons. Sheehan runs the midline scheme out of the pistol, because it helps his
quick passing game.

"We're in pistol the entire time," says Sheehan. "We tell the QB to step off the midline. Our B-back's
aiming point is the front side leg of the center. The QB pivots. He's at 4 yards but he cheats up half a
step. Our deep back is always heels at 6 yards. He steps off the midline, snaps the ball back and rides him
through. We call it stab, ride and replace the outside number of the dive key. He stabs the ball into the
belly of the B-back while riding and deciding. If the dive key crashes, he replaces him with his feet.

Case 2: Controlling the Entry Point - the A Gap

Of course, the nose guard could present a problem against the midline scheme, which is why Rick Coles,
the offensive coordinator at Ripon College (WI), makes sure his best lineman every year is his center. "Our
best offensive lineman is always the center, mainly because we know that we will see a ton of odd fronts
during the course of the season for what we do," said Coles. "We're the only college program in our area of
the Midwest that runs the scheme. The center has to be able to handle that nose and the FB cuts off of the
center's block."

We've found that option teams handle the nose in one of two ways - a slanting nose (or one gap nose) or a
two gap nose. When facing a slanting center, you would need to train the FB how to cut off the center's
block. The center will take the nose where he wants to go. "When the nose beats the center across the face
you have to make the adjustment with the fullback," says Sheehan. "The B-back has to cut it back. When
the nose stunts hard and Mike LB fills the back-side A, you're a guy short on the back-side so the fullback
should be able to split them. We tell our fullback that it's a first level read - we just jump cut it back-side
(Diagram 2). We usually stay on our track of staying in the front side A gap against four down fronts, but
against odd structures, the fullback has the green light to always cut it back. Can't see the
diagrams? Click here.

According to our research, 62.1 percent of coaches have their B-back run at the butt of the center. A
disciple of Navy's schemes, it used to be the same way that Lusardi taught it to his kids, but now he tells his
fullback to run at the play side hip of the center. "It gives the FB better vision," says Lusardi. "If
something crosses his face he cuts it back. In an odd stack, the nose usually beats our center, so it's a
natural thing for the fullback to do. His rule in all our triple options is to zone run off the first DL inside the
read key - which would be the center."

Cella said he wouldn't run the midline scheme against a two-gap nose. It's too difficult for the center to
block. "If you got a slanting center, then you've got a play," says Cella. "If you have a nose who two gaps,
you need to make sure your center can rip though his outside pad to get him out of the front side A gap so it
clears way for the fullback. But in the odd stack, the backers can come from two different ways." Cella
teaches his tackle to "high pressure control" the 5-technique out. This means that the tackle blocks the five
out and works vertical. As soon as his heels can get to the heels of the 5-tech he turns his hips out and
walls that out defender. It's a block that he learned from Navy.
Now, the front side A gap may be accounted for, but what about the back-side A gap? There are so many
games an odd stack front can play, mainly by swapping responsibilities with the Nose and the Mike
linebacker. If the nose slants back-side, Sheehan will have the back-side guard be what he calls a "control
player" to make sure that nose can't blow up the back-side A gap. He'll tell his center to get his hat on the
play side number of the nose. Coles, however, tells his back-side guard to come off the ball with his inside
foot, and eye the Mike LB to see if he blitzes the back-side A gap. If he does, he's got him. If not, he
works to pick up the stacked linebacker. Lusardi coaches a traditional double team. "Normally, the guard
on midline will block the play side backer to back-side backer in a 3-4 or okie front," said
Lusardi. "Verses a stack front, the center and guard must double team nose guard to the middle backer."

Case 3: Front Side Blocking at the Point of Attack

Because there are different blitz varieties in the odd stack, it's important for players to recognize their
assignment post-snap. Defenses can cloud the line of scrimmage and send the outside backer and safety
through the B and C gaps. Lusardi teaches his play side tackle to never release inside the read key in
midline. If he gets a 4i, he will release outside for the safety (Diagram 3). He's not worried about any B
gap run-through, he feels the QB has plenty of time to get the read right. "If that outside backer stunts into
the B gap, he has a long way to go. The assignment of the tackle is to block the first guy outside the read
key. We will double team the nose guard into the Mike with the front side guard and center. If the nose
goes away from play, the center handles him. If he comes play side the guard picks him up. The play side
tackle will turn out on the strong safety. The hip backer in an odd stack has too far to play the B gap to
make the play. But once Lusardi sees that outside linebacker cheating tight into the B gap pre-snap, he will
often check to the midline triple option. Can't see the diagrams? Click here.

"Our QB reads man on tackle," says Lusardi. "If the LB is closer to make the play we would check out and
run the midline triple so the play side tackle can area block. We don't area block the midline, we man block
it. The play side halfback will have a hard time coming off the hip of the tackle's block. He never comes
inside the read key. The FB runs off the play side hip of the center. It becomes an arm tackle by that
defensive end which we'll take every time. Our play side half back comes off the tail of tackle. He blocks
for the QB on the pull and not the fullback. Our guard blocks for the fullback."

If Cole's gets an A and B gap stunt he handles it by angle blocking the play side guard and tackle (Diagram
4). "If we get an A gap and B gap stunt, our play side guard will go directly to whoever is blitzing in the A
gap - whether it be the Mike or outside linebacker. Our play side tackle will find a way to get to the B gap
blitzer. It becomes an automatic give read for the QB because the five-technique is taking the C gap. We
tell our FB to split both those guys. Again, we have three foot splits across the board and a 4.5 foot split for
the tackle, so it makes it a bit easier to read." Of the coaches we surveyed, 44.8 percent average at least
three yard splits across their offensive line. Now if Cole gets a 4i, he'll run what he calls a "slip
release." "If they reduce to give us a 4i-technique, we assume he's playing the fullback so we do what we
call a 'slip release' which is a vertical C gap release by the tackle. The tackle runs for the free safety
immediately and the QB pulls and runs free." Can't see the diagrams? Click here.

Case 4: Using the Midline Triple to Keep the Perimeter Off-Balanced

It's important to realize that the major difference in the midline and the midline triple is that you don't have
to block the force player in odd stack fronts, which would usually be the strong safety - you would pitch off
him. As stated earlier, the midline scheme is a double option with the QB and fullback. Because this may
not always be accomplished due to having an overload in the box, a more viable option is the midline
triple. The coaches we spoke with use it as changeup to keep defenses off-balance. In order to
compartmentalize, we detailed the rules for the midline triple below:

Thomas Moore Midline Triple Assignments (Diagram 5)

 Play Side Tackle: Identify nearest safety. Drive through inside shoulder of C gap defender (don't
be concerned with contact) and run to the safety
 Play Side Guard: Veer release through A gap for back-side LB
 Center: Man block the nose, get to outside armpit
 Back-side Guard/Tackle: drive block through back side gap
  Play Side Slot (A-back): Seal strong safety- block for pitch (could switch assignments with
receiver). May use twirl motion.
 QB: Read the stack (nose and Mike LB) - hand off every time unless the stack fills the B gap then
pitch outside.
 Back-side Slot (A-back): Leave at the snap and get to pitch phase immediately. Can't see the
diagrams? Click here.

Coles run the midline triple similar to Sheehan, the difference is because of the constant exterior pressure
that the odd stack presents, he'll twirl motion the play side slot black (A-back) to provide for instant
misdirection and to buy time to see who the force player is (Diagram 6). This is also contrary to our
research, where 67.8 percent of coaches feel that no motion is the best way to block with the A-
back. "The play side slot takes the strong safety or stack backer (whoever is closest) and we just pitch off
the other guy. If they bring the strong safety or stack linebacker to the QB, either way the edge is blocked,"
says Coles. Even the QB play is different for Coles. "Nowthe QB kick steps out and reads the first guy
past the guard. We tell him to mesh into more of the line of scrimmage, which is, I think, where we are
different. He kicks laterally the opposite foot and opens at 90 degrees. The FB runs right up the QB but his
aiming point is the play side butt cheek of the center. Our QB will mesh with the FB and read the dive
key. If he thinks he can get around the dive then we tell him to pull it - it's as simple as that." Can't see the
diagrams? Click here.
Concluding Report
So our first installment of option football is complete. We realize there is a whole other world of football
coaches who teach the option. The way that was presented here is really just a small microcosm of the
different ways coaches are teaching the midline and midline triple.

If you want to continue the discussion, feel free to email me at mikek@xandolabs.com. And don't forget to
check out Lou Cella's Flex Bone Association.

We'll see you next Tuesday at 7 am EST. We're releasing our latest research report on the Shade Nose
Guard.

Copyright 2011 - X&O Labs