2008 Oregon Rush Attack - IZ with read of 3 Technique?
Here is another one of the “other” plays in the Oregon 2008 rush attack. I wish that Coach Kelly had provided his insight on this play and the inside veer scheme that Oregon appears to run out of the shotgun at times. Perhaps they don’t run the plays frequently enough to warrant attention or perhaps he wants to keep these plays more under wrap?
I caught Oregon running the following play at least twice during the Holiday Bowl versus Oklahoma State. The first play picked up a nice gain and this later one went for a touchdown. I originally thought that this play might be Oregon’s version of the midline option out of the shotgun. As noted in comments down below though I think I was wrong though and was hoping that it was midline. This appears to be Oregon’s inside zone play with a read of the 3 technique instead of the 5 technique DE. For those interested in true midline option I’ll list some links below with more information on actual midline plays if interested.
Regardless of whether this is midline or IZ with a read of the 3 technique Oregon is really playing a nice game of deception up front with their offensive line. I can see why defending them is such a headache. Normally they run the standard inside and outside zone scheme. To counter that play a lot of defenses will set their disruptive 3 Technique DT away from the running back to prepare for that play. Oregon will of course run the inside zone against that alignment. For a change of pace however I think they run the inside veer play sometimes from shotgun. This allows the offense to read the play side DE and run downhill to the bubble of the offensive line (1 technique / 5 technique side).
As a very deceptive change up though it appears that Oregon will also run a version of the following play like midline where they read the 2i or 3 technique type defender to keep the defense guessing. I imagine they read the 1 technique player as well at times but I did not find that in this game. By reading the defensive tackle Oregon eliminates the need to block him which can be very effective as this TD play shows. So depending upon the play either the backside DE will be read (inside zone read), the play side DE will be read (inside veer), or the DT’s - normally the 3 technique - will be read (midline option). In other words they keep you guessing and quickly take advantage of teams that vacate gaps or get out of position on defense.
Here is a play where I thought Oregon might have been reading the 3 technique defender. It scores a critical TD to take the lead late in the 3rd quarter of the Holiday Bowl.
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| First and 10 on the OSU 17 yard line. Oregon has twin receivers into the field and a TE + winged player into the boundary. 3 Technique player is away from the running back and into the boundary. | The Oregon running back motions on this play from the twin WR side to pistol and finally over to the strong side of the formation into the boundary where the 3 technique defender is lined up. OSU looks like they will blitz LB’s up the middle on the play. |
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| Here you can see the unblocked DT of OSU on the play charging into the backfield. The QB has to read whether to keep or give on the play off the action of the DT. Here he starts to charge upfield to the RB so the read is to “keep” on the play. | Here you can see how effective the play was in terms of confustion as the DT is tackling the running back who does not have the ball. Factor in the LB blitz up the middle on this play and there is going to be some nice running room for the QB. |
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| Not the greatest angle but a big gap does exist for the QB through the line of scrimmage. | Here the QB races through the gap and no one from Oklahoma State was in position to make the play. |
Here is the same play shown from behind on the replay. The TV announcers called it the zone option read play. I give them credit for trying but it was not Oregon’s zone option read play…
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| OSU has a DT heads up on the left guard and one more in a 3 technique location over on the right. The back was momentarily in the pistol location pre-snap. | The running back motions over to the right side of the play as he did on some of the inside veer type run plays in this game. |
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| I don’t know exactly how Oregon blocks this play versus different fronts. I wish Coach Kelly had detailed this part of the Oregon running game in his clinic speech - maybe next year Coach? Perhaps some things are better kept secret I guess. | Here you can see clearly how the 3 technique player to the inside right is allowed to penetrate and RG works up to the next level. The TE and winged player have a clear chance to combo and block upfield on the playside DE. The QB reads “keep” on the play. |
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| Here you can see the OSU 3 Technique player pursuing the running back who does not have the ball. The playside DE gets inside as well which creates a big vacant gap for the Oregon QB. | Here you can see how much space the scheme created on the play. The QB simply keeps and replaces where the 3 technique player was located and runs upfield. This time it worked for an easy TD run. |
As noted in the comments below I could be wrong on this play. However I don’t think Oregon is reading the five technique DE on the play though as they normally do with their IZ scheme. They may possibly have been reading the 3 technique on this play but it is hard for me to tell. The intent in hindsight on this play might have been for the winged H-Back to loop inside the TE and for the QB to follow him on more of an isolation type lead play…that would make some sense as well.
In the mean time here are some links to different descriptions of actual midline option run from various formations and both from under center and out of the shotgun.
Flexbone association example (Under center)
When I was watching this tape I wasn’t sure whether this was a midline option, or possibly some sort or variant on their normal zone read, but they are trying to give the back side DE a different blocking key, however I think it’s the midline. I thought they might be giving the different key, as many teams have the DE run the line, and have the OLB scrape over the top.
The 5th still from behind the play seems to give the best indicator that it’s a midline, because the TE blocks down and the WB blocks out, forming the lane. It’s almost as if it’s designed to take advantage of the tendencies of teams to have the OLB play over the top of the DE running the line, as they would both be taking themselves out of the play if the QB reads. It also seems like the WB gives a “zone block” read, to influence the backside contain, and then pops out from behind the TE to open the QB’s keep lane.
I believe this is based off OZ rather than IZ, looking at the initial footwork of the uncovered linemen in still 4. They are heading to the second level quickly, while others are bucketing for depth, suggesting OZ.
Greetings Coach Dave,
Thanks as always for the comments and insights. I was pretty confused as well (and still am slightly). I have one more example from the Holiday Bowl. I’ll put it up for comparison if I have it on my laptop. Unfortunately I am on the road this week and not at home. My assumption is also that it is a form of midline (reading the 3 technique) but the blocking scheme is a little unique compared to other flavors of the play??? Kind of why I wish Coach Kelly had outlined this one in his speech but maybe he does not want to discuss?
The “game” the H-Back plays on the outside is intriguing. I can only surmise that the TE’s job is to block the DE wherever he wants to go (wash him down the line inside or drive him to the sideline outside). The H-Back definitely checks C-gap first, then works back outside as the DE is washed inside. His job appears to be picking up the stacked player (CB), so the H-Back had to check most dangerous path, first.
Thanks Coach - Good insights and observation. I’ll look for another example of this play for comparison to put up against this one.
I went back and watched the tape again, and I really do believe it is designed to give a zone read key for the D. Quite a well designed play really! It’s those little wrinkles that are often lost on people who are not in the system: I wonder how many others we are missing out on.
The path of the running back sure makes it look like a zone play along with the initial footwork of the offensive line??? I can see where the defense would sell out to the one side as the running back starts to cross in front of the QB. It is a neat play and caught OSU in a pickle…I want to look for some more examples now and see if I can find a couple more for some other hints.
Art
We run this play at the high school level. It is really a zone play by nature with a change in blocking scheme. Reading the DT instead of the DE allows the OG a quicker/easier release to get up to the LB. If the QB keeps he’s now got a lead blocker. Certainly a midline feel with no pitchman.
Florida runs this, Malzahn runs this as well, they will use the receiver to motion in the backfield as a pitchman or stay on the LOS and run a bubble so the QB can pull the ball and have a run/pass option.
Pretty sneaky, you can also package the shovel pass of a similar look.
We don’t run a TE so this is the first time I have seem it run that way. Pistol is needed because the read happen quicker on the DT than on a DE.
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