Fordham Universitys Double Pull Concept

Published on Monday, 30 December 2013 07:19

By Mike Kuchar, Senior Research Manager, X&O Labs

Joel Rodriquez, the offensive line coach and run game coordinator at Fordham, knew he may not

have had the beef up front to run traditional gap style runs, which is why the Rams developed

their MAP run concept a combination of man and zone principles that meshed well with their

zone read game. The result: a 11-1 record, the best tally since 1930 and an offense that averaged

over 520 yard per game this season.

By Mike Kuchar

Senior Research Manager

X&O Labs

Editors Note: Mike Kuchar sat down with Joel Rodriquez to talk exclusively about the MAP concept, a double-pull concept in Fordhams run game that has averaged 8.3 yards per carry. Joel Rodriquez is the offensive line coach at Fordham. He had previously served in the same

capacity at Bryant College (RI).

Introduction

The crux of Fordhams offense- one that has netted 522 yards per game this year- is a no huddle, high tempo, 10 and 11 personnel unit that takes advantage of misplace defenders by using the

zone read game and play action concepts off of them. In fact, my first interaction with what

Fordham does was when I sat and listened to the Rams head coach Joe Moorhead talk at a clinic

about the various pass concepts he uses of his zone read run game. Though this may be a topic

for another conversation, I couldnt move my pen fast enough to write down all of his coaching points. What I did catch was his admirable comments about his Offensive Line coach and run

game coordinator Joel Rodriquez and the terrific job he does designing. So I made it a point to

go drop in on Coach Rodriquez to talk about how Fordham is so successful running the ball.

What he divulged to me is what he calls his MAP concept- a Man/Gap hybrid used to take

advantage of defenses that play various games (exchanges, scrapes, etc.) to the read side of the

zone read. At its core the MAP scheme is a man concept to the front side of the play and a zone

concept to the backside of the play. The offense lineman to the play side have man assignments

while the backside lineman are responsible for backside gaps, at least in theory. While it may

seem like Power in structure, the front side man blocking assignments prevent any possible

double teams while the backside Tackle is free to climb to the second level as a double

puller. (Diagram 1) We didnt want to Trey or Deuce block because we just dont have the personnel, said Rodriquez. It doesnt take much to install it- its zone for the front side of the line and its a different read for the linebackers. The reason why its a different read is because the running back executes a cross bow assignment by lining up away from the call side. His footwork will be different based on whether or not the Rams or giving it or reading it.

Play Side Blocking Assignments:

Play Side Tackle:

For the play side Tackle, it is generally inside zone blocking. He will block man on to outside,

could be head up or outside. Rodriquezs coaching points for him are below:

PST should always have inside leverage by alignment, so drive DE & fight to keep

inside leverage; widen the B-gap.

Must stay square & under control so we can redirect and react to movement

Dont care which leverage he gives, by movement or alignment

Strain to stretch whichever leverage the defender gives you

Play Side Guard:

The play side Guard has essentially the same assignment as the Tackle but a much bigger

responsibility. He has the man up to inside, whether its a 2i, 3-technique, etc. But his biggest responsibility is to not let any player cross his face to the play side. If he (the defender) works a side, press him back inside and square him up. Cannot let a player cross his face.

Rodriquezs coaching points for the play side Guard are below:

PSG is essentially the same as PST

Must stay square & under control so we can redirect and react to movement

Dont care which leverage he gives, by movement or alignment

Strain to stretch whichever leverage the defender gives you

Backside Blocking Assignments:

Center:

Similar to the Power scheme, the Center is blocking the backside A gap to replace the pulling

Guard, but he must keep play side leverage. Its the same footwork as in a double team, said Rodriquez. We want to cut him in half. We call it a gap drive block. He aims to get his near toe on the DL near toe on the first step. It keeps him square. Im going to put my whole body on half his body. Im going to put one hand on the chest plate and one hand on the shoulder pad and try to put pressure to knock him way. If he tries crossing my face, I already

have leverage so Im going to race my feet and bend him over in half. By game plan, we

have to make a decision on whether or not that Shade defender is a penetrator or a reader. On a

penetrator- we aim for the V of the neck and were flat. Against a reader, were aiming for the tip of the hip and we get downhill on him. We cant get penetration or cross face players.

Back Side Guard:

The backside Guard is responsible for blocking the play side Inside Linebacker. Rodriquez

teaches what he calls a Sickle pull, which is like skip pulling without skipping. We push off

the outside foot, give ground, cross over, give more ground and come down hill. We have more

ground to cover. It helps us get more depth. It gets us away from the line of scrimmage. So

many teams are used to spilling the power, we need to see it more and to do that we must get

depth. The Sickle allows us to do that.As he pulls, he looks for the first gap he can insert his

body into- A gap, to B gap to outside the B gap. That is his progression. He can do this

because the backside linebacker is being accounted for by the backside Tackle, which is

different than Power. If the Defensive End is trying to spill you, square it up. The ball could

get spit out to the front side. We have to run a tight path. Rodriquezs coaching points for the backside Guard are below:

Pulling BSG for play side ILB

Sickle-Pull to keep shoulders square to line of scrimmage and target

Get depth on pull path and read the surface, insert yourself into first gap open playside

Looking inside-out, from A-gap to outside of PST

Once you find your insertion point, run downhill and kick out whatever cloth shows in gap

Back Side Tackle:

Here lies the biggest difference between this scheme and the Power concept. He is responsible

for backside backer or backside B gap. The only thing that may impede him from doing so is a

backside 3/5 technique which we will detail later. In that case, he can still pull around the

Centers back block to get to the backside linebacker. On his pull he looks for the first open gap, which will be the A gap for the most part, says Rodriquez. We call it TZT- which

means Tight Zone Through.

What this means is that if the backer youre working to is head up to outside of you, than dont bury yourself in there. Work tight through your zone. Work tight to his inside shoulder pad.

We want to replace his foot and drive our inside foot straightforward. He has to control the B

gap first. You have to protect that End from spiking inside. We cant hinge because there is no double team front side. We man the front side, so were short on the backside. If the LBs framework is inside of him, he has to pull. If hes stacked or outside, you can take your time. What you dont want to do is bury yourself in there and have this DE attack the mesh and you get a pull and the DE is right there to make the play. Rodriquez coaching points for the backside

Tackle are below:

BST is responsible for B-gap run-thru to backside ILB

If B-gap is clear and nothing impedes your path to LB, climb right away to LB

If your path to LB is impeded, then follow puller around and fit play side for the backside ILB

No call is needed

Backfield Action:

Fordham will either have a read principle built in (by reading the backside C gap player) or

simply just give it to the back. But his footwork will change based on which of these concepts

are being executed. If were giving it, the back takes an open step and gets downhill, similar to Power, said Rodriquez. The back will be away from the call side and cross bow which holds the linebackers. If we read it, then the back is taught to jab step away from the play . It throws off the linebackers reads completely.

The QB will read the Defensive End on the read principle. If hes blocked, he gives the ball. According to Rodriquez, it meshes perfectly with the zone read game. We are a big zone read team so many teams will set the 3-tech to the back because they dont want to give you the bubble to run zone. Now you get a good crease to run the MAP concept against a shade/5

technique. As it turned out, Fordham was more productive giving the ball in 2012. The Rams

averaged 11 yards per game on giving the ball and 5.7 yards per carry when they were reading it.

MAP Variants

The Rams will also utilize the same concept out of Empty by running Q MAP (Diagram 8)

where the QB will be the ball carrier. If Fordham wants to predetermine the give, they will also

use a backside Tight End to seal the C gap and while still getting the double pull (Diagram 9).

Rodriquez also found that out of his 11 personnel teams, many teams were naturally the 3-

technique to the Tight End side (Diagram 10), which usually opens up a wider entry point for

the back. We dont like it to the 3-technique, but we will run it, said Rodriquez. Now you have a back and a puller in a tight spot.

MAP Conflicts

One of the issues that the MAP concept presents is the difficulty it can present against a backside

3 and 5 technique such as a reduction front. Its tough for the QB to read a five with a back block on a 3-tech. We will usually block the backside end in that situation and give the ball.

Against Odd or three-down fronts, Rodriquez will utilize the T.Z.T. call to get the backside Tackle on the backside linebacker.

To see film cutups of the MAP concept against various fronts, click on the link below:

Conclusion

The reason why we were so intrigued by the MAP concept are essentially the two components

that intrigues all football coaches to schemes- its inexpensive to install and it meshes well with two common concept most coaches are utilizing already: the Zone Play and the Power Play.