Ever wonder how you can get your players playing more confident and attacking offensively? It’s not really as hard as you might think. Sometimes we coaches over complicate a simple thing and the resulting confusion leads to poor execution! The solution I’ve found is in the Pro Style Spread Offense. Now we run a simple system that fits our personnel every single year…even if a dual threat quarterback is on the team or not.
Quality Over Quantity
My new mantra this year was to simplify and get really, really good and a few core play. Our team ended up with a 6-3 record and lost two of those games to crazy last second plays! We didn’t paralyze ourselves with difficult game plans. By the end of the season we spent less and less time game planning because we simple remembered the last team that ran that same defensive look. Some games I called the same play 8 times out of 10 plays. Why? Because we were so efficient at executing them, the defense couldn’t stop it. On the sideline I was “almost” bored! Of course that would never really happen.
We Needed A Simple Solution
Running the Pro Style Spread Offense this year was just as much fun as it was last year when I had twice as many plays that I could call. But what is the Pro Style Spread Offense? First of all, it is a combination of an old school power running game with the modern spread offense. There are a few key elements here that are required, but the great thing about this offense is that the range of how modern or traditional you want to be is totally up to you! You could essentially still run all your same Pro Style formations like the “I” but now with a shotgun snap. This keeps it very traditional but you gain the advantage of the QB being in a better position for Play Actions, Sprint Outs, Pass Drops, and even Fly and Jet Sweeps.
Here’s a look at some base formations of the Ohio State offense, designed by their famous coach Urban Meyer.
Notice the Pro Style two back formation with the Spread offense shotgun QB? They have also split out their Tight End to further extend the defense. With just 6 players in the box by Penn State’s defense, it is a great look to run Power or Iso. Then, when you add in a mobile QB running the option you have the defense outnumbered!
Another option is if you choose to be more modern and utilize typical 2 x 2 and 3 x 1 spread formations. Here you can also utilize your QB as a runner by running Power Read Option. At any point, when you want to line up and run the ball, you always have your running formations and when you need to throw it, you have your passing formations.
Traditional Run Game Simplicity
The good old tradional Power, Iso, Counter, Toss are all easily adaptable to each formation. These are the four basic run plays that are called Core Runs. They can be installed at any level and are simple to teach and execute. They all rely on getting the ball in the hands of your top athletes every play. This plan is simple and has been proven effective by many excellent teams over the years. Often teams can have great enough success with just the core of this offense that they don’t need much else. That was this year for us.
Get my 5 Day Offensive Installation Plan Here
Power
Iso
Counter
Toss
Multiple Pro-Style Spread Offense
If you want to really blow your opponents mind and have the players to do it, you can easily add in more spread offense formations. This makes your team “Multiple” and defenses will have a much more difficult time defending you because week to week your offense has a lot more potential variety. Defenses have to look at each formation you add and game plan for it. They have to decide how they will stop the run, play action, pass, and screens from each formation you show. Whether you have those plays or not, defenses have to be thinking about who is eligible and what could possibly happen. Yes, they can scout you, but again the scouting report can’t show them what new play you may have put in that week. It’s usually not too much to put in a few extra plays each week that fit nicely with your current tendencies.
Bunch
Personnel For The Pro Style Spread Offense
What kind of an athlete is your QB? Can he run or throw or both? Either way, you can build a great game plan just for him. He can be confident and successful at whatever he does best. If he’s a thrower, then running the spread formations for the pass and screen game will be perfect. He will also love play actions out of your core run game.
If he’s a runner and a passer, then using the QB for counters and options will fit him perfectly. Find what your team’s strengths are and build on them. Keeping it simple allows players to play aggressive and fast.
Don’t forget to check these other posts for more great ideas on running the Pro Style Spread Offense!
-Jason Hahnstadt
The 5 Day Pro Style Spread Offense Installation Plan
[Podcast] 6 Keys To A Successful Offense
How to Run The Bubble Screen Effectively
Good stuff!!!
Thanks! I love hearing feedback and suggestions for more content!
Looking to learn more about your spread offense as I want to be a offensive coordinator. Been Coaching the o line for about 17 years from the youth to the high school level. Would you be able to help me. Thanks
Coach Randy
Looking forward to hearing more about the Pro Style Spread Offense.
I’m excited to share!
Trying to get back to basics with a twist. Running split back pro set, but want a spread option as well.
Keeping split backs you can do a lot of both, they should compliment each other nicely.
I like a pistol formation because the quarterback is closer to the line and the back gets more of a power rushing start downhill. This type of offense probably would do better against a zone defense, especially if the receivers are spread out wide from each other. I think this offense would have its hands full against a defense employing a redirecting man to man scheme. A redirecting man to man scheme would dictate the receivers routes as opposed to a zone defense that reacts to the receivers routes.
I agree that any pass offense would struggle against a redirecting man scheme if they are good at disrupting receivers releases. There are answers to that though in running routes and cuts that make it difficult to stay with receivers as they make their breaks. Pick plays are a good example of this that man teams have to really work to defend.
Im the oc for a pro development team Id like to get more info on this style offense. would possibly like to implement this in our system
we are doing similar stuff at HS level now, interested in…how to incorporate some RPO stuff into this scheme…
Coach Hall
Hey Tim, I’d love to hear what you are doing similar sometime. Most of what I like to do is using the Bubble Screen package as a pre-snap RPO (Run or Pass Option) based on numbers and defensive alignment. Post snap RPO’s are definitely possible and can be done simply or more advanced. I like the idea of reading a LB in coverage and running a QB Power or QB Iso and the qb just watches to see if the LB reads run and attacks, then throwing either a hitch or seam behind him. If he sits, then the numbers are great to run the ball and he will keep it (like the stick/draw rpo). If you are running more advanced Read options then you could read him and give it or pass it as well. It’s a topic I hope to look into more and put together a package on it for the offense this off-season.
I like it we traditionally run our power with backside GT pull out of a Trey or over formation against a 4 man front with PSG taking Will and PST taking Mike leaving the PSE to pulling G and Sam to the pulling T depending on the play called its either QB or H run or a read counter play if the backside DE crashes
Looking for tips on the spread offence
Look no further! Check out the free playbook at the top of the page and this new article has a full 5 day Installation https://prostylespreadoffense.com/2017/08/06/install-your-offense-in-just-5-days-without-hours-of-planning/
Great information. I’m looking forward to learning and implementing into our offense. Thank you and keep it coming