I was watching college football this afternoon and saw Wake Forrest try a trick play late in the game. Trick plays can be very effective, but they can also signal desperation in the team dialing it up to score some points. I sort of have mixed emotions about using trick plays; however they can be fun for the team, and give them something to look forward to during a game. Generally speaking, because most teams have pretty good video on the opposition.....thanks to #HUDL, a particular trick play can only be used once a game....if not once a season. This forces a coach to be creative in his coaching.
I was watching this video on YouTube earlier this evening, and I watched this play work for a 75 yard QB Run. The QB lined his team up, took the snap, and then started counting off yards line they were being penalized for something. The QB got 10 yards down the field and started running and ran untouched into the endzone. This trick play was run by a youth team, but in worked nonetheless. Trick plays will always involve deception of some type....and most of them really stretch the rules of the game. As you can probably imagine, I have my share of trick plays I have used over the year....some good, some bad.
I never actually ran this play, but I have seen it run by several College teams including Nebraska and Florida State, and Boston College. The QB lines up under center, takes the snap, immediately puts the ball on the ground, then an offensive lineman usually comes around and pick up the ball and runs it downfield. The whole time, the QB (and the team) usually simulates a play running the other way to draw the defense with them. The play works because no one expects a lineman to be carrying the ball. Pretty cool when it works, and the lineman LOVE the play of course.
Laying on the Field Hiding
Hiding the Ball is Common
Most trick plays involve hiding the ball in some way. Therefore, I always warned the referees before the game that a trick play will be coming during the game. I always tried to explain the play, WHY the play is legal, and what to look for when we run it. On the following play, I carefully read the rules book to design my particular play. The rule book CLEARLY states that a team MUST break the huddle with 11 players, meaning that a team cant' line up with 13 players and run two players off at the last second. Hmm, I might be able to use this rule to my advantage. Here is my play:
"GET OFF THE DAMN FIELD"
This play takes advantage of the 11 man huddle rule. I start setting up the play early in the first quarter. I would intentionally break the huddle with 12 players and quickly line up on the field. Then, VERY VERBALLY, I would call off the offending player and berate him on the sideline. I would also pay attention to how the defense reacted to me calling off the player. Of course, I would get a five yard penalty for Illegal participation.....this is exactly what I wanted. I would repeat this scenario in the 2nd Qtr or maybe in the 3rd Qtr...again, exactly like I wanted. Then, I called my play.
This time, I would only have 11 players in the huddle.....including the player caught on the field during the setup plays. I would set myself up standing directly down the line of scrimmage. I would call the "Offending" player off the field VERY LOUDLY. I would say: "WHAT ARE YOU DOING ON THE FIELD AGAIN? " The player would trot off the field directly at me.....except I would not let him leave the field. He would face me on the sideline while I berated him some more ....when the QB called for the snap, I would send the player sprinting up the sideline. Generally speaking, there will be no one within 30 yards of him. The QB threw him the ball and we would score. The defense got used to my player screwing up, so they would ignore him when he ran off the field while being berated my his coach.......ME! The play almost always worked, and I tried to save the play for when I needed it the most. I tried not to waste it.
Former Vero Beach High School Coach Billy Livings ran a version of the play called "Coach, I lost my mouthpiece." Same thing as my play really, but Coach Livings used to run his QB off the field screaming he forgot his mouthpiece, the center would direct snap the ball to his fullback, who would then throw it to the QB sprinting up the sideline. I loved this play too, but I never had a fullback who could throw the ball deep consistently.
Trick plays are fun for the kids, and fun to call at the right times....but they always pissed off the defense. So, I tried to use them for KILL SHOTS or morale killers. They were also great for a change of possession plays to gain momentum. I usually tried to have two or three of these plays in my arsenal. I would select a play, and we would rep the play during the week at practice.
I'm out of here. My shoulder is killing me.
GZ
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