A Systematic Approach to Executing in the Most Crucial of Circumstances.
Every great coach will tell you that the game of football is situational. From Bill Walsh to Bill Belichick, the game’s greatest minds have all focused their efforts – and their players – on performing in precise circumstances, and on executing in exact scenarios. It is this systematic approach to game-planning and preparation that has produced some of the greatest teams and brightest shining moments in football history.
What follows is a simple outline of some of the game’s most crucial offensive situations. It is a specific set of guidelines and objectives for the most important of in-game circumstances. It is called “The Situational Rules,” and it can – and should – be taught to players throughout the week’s practices and preparation.
Every coach, at every level, should teach and preach the importance of situational football to his team. Utilizing the Situational Rules can be the key to helping your players execute at their highest level when the pressure is on, and to perform to the best of their ability when the game is on the line.
The Situational Rules
Rules and Objectives for Each Game Situation, To Be Taught Before and During Practice to the Offense
2-Minute Offense
The Objective: Try to score quickly.
• Focus on this play. Execute the task at hand.
• Focus on one play at a time. Execute one play at a time.
• Get the first down.
• Get out of bounds. Get out of bounds. Get out of bounds.
• Get the first down and then get down. Don’t squirm for extra yards when there’s little to gain (unless it is a first down). Get down and end the play.
• Run to the line of scrimmage and get set as quickly as you can.
• QB: Make sure everyone is set for one full second, even before spiking. Remember that when we spike the ball, it counts as a play. We are now on the next down. So if we spike it on 1st down, the next play will be 2nd down.
• Know what we need to score: touchdown to tie, touchdown to win, or field goal.
• Know how many time-outs we have.
• Know how much time we have; know how much time we may need to use. Do we want to score and leave as little time left as possible?
• Know that when the game is tied, we can either win it or go into overtime. There is no need to take unnecessary risks. We can make smart, high-percentage plays that give us a chance for bigger plays - short passes/play-action/screens.
• If you get injured or hurt, or if you cramp up, stay down. The clock will stop for injury.
4-Minute Offense
The Objective:
Take as much time off the clock as possible - Get first-downs.
• Churn out first downs.
• Try to run out the clock and win the game.
• Stay in bounds. Stay in bounds. Stay in bounds.
• Go down in bounds. Don’t get driven out; get down before the sideline.
• Eat up clock; waste time. Get up slowly after being tackled. Get up slowly from a pile.
• Use the entire play clock. Let as much time run off the clock as possible. Wait until the referee gives the ‘5-second’ signal before you call for the snap.
• QB: On the option play - when in doubt running, keep the ball. Keep it and get what you can. There’s no need to take a risk by pitching it.
• QB: Be smart in the passing game. Make good decisions. Live to play another play. It is better to take a sack or scramble for a few yards, than to force a throw. When in doubt, keep the ball and get what you can.
• Play smart. Keep your composure. No penalties. Keep your poise. No tricky cadences: either run the play on “first-sound” or on “one.” This reduces the chances for an off-sides penalty or a bad snap.
3rd Down
The Objective: Get the first down.
• Get the first down.
• Know what we need to get. Find where the first-down sticks are. Know what we need to gain in terms of yardage.
• QB: Know where your playmakers are. Be aware of your personnel and the match-ups we can exploit.
• Get the ball to the open receiver.
• Get the ball to the person who gives us the best chance to make the play. If you have the best opportunity to get the first down, get it.
• Have a “Win 3rd Down” mentality. Third down is “our down.” We own it. Practice this way. Play this way.
3rd and Long / 3rd and Extra Long
The Objective: Get the first down.
• Know what we need to get. Know where the first-down marker is. Know what we need to get for yardage. Know what we can afford to take if it is available.
• QB: Know where your playmakers are. Don’t be afraid to take a shot deep. (A deep interception is the same as a punt.) Be aware of your personnel and the match-ups we can exploit.
• Get the ball to the open receiver. Give him a chance to make a play after the catch.
• Be smart. Live to play another down. If nothing is open, (and if the game is not on-the-line), do not take an unnecessary risk. Throw it away, or tuck it and run it. A punt on 4th down is not a bad play.
• Execute the play that is called.
• Do what you have been trained to do in this situation.
• Make a play and do what you need to do to get a first down.
• Have a “Win 3rd Down” mentality. Third down is “our down.” We own it. Practice this way. Play this way.
4th Down / Last Play
The Objective: Score.
• Score. Sell-out and give your all. Sacrifice to make the play. Make the play. Do everything you can to score - as your life depended on it.
• Give us a chance to make a play. Do everything you can to make something happen.
• Throw the football. Taking a sack does not give us any chance to convert the play.
• Take a chance and throw it to a receiver; throw it up for grabs if you have to. Throwing the ball out of bounds does not give us any chance to convert the play.
• Concentrate on the moment. Collect yourself.
• Be aware of the situation and the field position. Be clear-headed; have poise.
• Execute. Focus on the task at hand.
Backed Up/Coming Out
The Objective: Get the first down.
“Backed Up” – Own Goal line (Minus 5 and In).
• The goal is to get past the 5 yard-line, in order to provide room for the kicking game. We want to ensure enough space for a full punt formation, snap, and protection. We also want to make sure our punter is not forced to stand near the end-line, where he might accidentally step back to field a snap, resulting in a safety.
• This might be a good time to take a shot deep, either with a play-action pass or a deep ball on the outside.
• The play-calling is designed to keep the ball in people’s hands, as often as possible.
• No balls will be put in the air unnecessarily. (No shotgun, no tosses, no pitches).
• All snaps are taken from under center.
• All run plays are direct handoffs. No options or tosses means there is no chance for a bad pitch or toss.
• All passes will be 3-step drops. The ball needs to be thrown on-time. If the route is not open, throw the ball away.
• Throw the ball on-time. Throw it away if you have to, but throw it on-time. In the 3-step pass game, the ball must be thrown on-time. This eliminates the chances for being sacked in the end zone, or for being in the end zone and having a lineman called for a holding penalty. Both result in safeties.
• Practice throwing the ball away if you need to, but throw the ball on-time.
• Play smart: no penalties. Good footwork prevents holding penalties.
• Running Backs: Run forward. Get what you can. Every bit of space matters. Every yard counts.
• This is a good situation to mix-up the snap-count, especially inside the 5-yard line. If we jump off-sides, we only lose a yard or two (half the distance to the goal). If the opponent jumps, however, we gain a full five yards.
Coming Out: Own Goal Line (Minus 6-20)
The Objective: To get a first down and give kicking game space,
and then to work toward gaining neutral field position.
• Gain space for the punter:
– So that we have enough room to have a full snap and adequate protection space.
– So that our punter has enough room to be clear of the back of the end zone and not be at risk of stepping on the end-line.
– So that our punter has enough space to take his normal kicking steps and to execute his normal punt routine, so he can execute a solid, effective kick.
• Gain the first down to start the drive.
• Gain better field position, so that we can utilize more of our offensive playbook.
• Gain neutral field position.
• From neutral field position, we can start gaining first downs and get toward midfield, where we can run our regular and full offense.
Regular Offense/Midfield – Prime Field Position
The Objective: Set-up the Score.
• This is the “Set-up Zone.”
• The goal is to get into the scoring zone, with the possibility of attacking with the big play or the play-action pass and deep ball.
• This is a good time to take deep shots. It is a great time to exploit weaknesses.
Scoring Zone
The Objective: Score points.
• Score points.
• Each time you practice the situation, focus on scoring a touchdown on that possession.
• Score at least 3 points every time inside the 20.
• Set-up touchdowns. Work to get into the “Finishing Zone” getting ready to punch it in for points.
1st and Goal
The Objective: Score touchdowns. Get in the end zone.
• This is the “Finishing Zone”.
• Score touchdowns. Finish the drive.
• Punch it in. Finish.
Football games are generally won and lost inside the 20 yard-lines, on 3rd downs, and in the final minutes of the first and second halves.
Try to review each list of goals at the beginning of practice or that phase’s segment of practice, each day, every day. Then, review which were accomplished at the end of the day and what is needed to work on. If we focus on accomplishing them in practice, we will accomplish them in the game.
About the Author: Frank DiCocco has coached at high schools in Connecticut, Massachusetts, Virginia, South Carolina and Florida. He is also the author of the book, ‘Playbook for Manhood: A Game Plan for Being a REAL Man.’ Coach DiCocco can be reached at his email address: fdicocco@gmail.com.