Football 101 : Higher learning

[Extremebillsfan247]

This thread was designed with a purpose. There are fans out there like myself who have watched this game for years, watching the Bills play, without a real grasp for what really goes on in practice, or on the field on game day. I'm talking about fans who rarely if ever get down to the X's and O's of a play, and why, or how it's run. You see them run plays that have funny names like the Kgun, the spread, Wildcat, or Wing T etc. and identify these plays by how they line up. But how many times have you ever heard people ever go in depth on plays like these? their design? how they are created? why they work, or don't work?

This thread's purpose is to bring together those Bills fans with definitive knowledge of the game, and those who want to learn the things about the game they did not know before. I am one such Bills fan who will never claim to know everything about this game we have all grown to love so much, but will always be on the hunt for more knowledge. Will this work? who knows? but it never hurts to ask.. lol

[T-Long]

Re: Football 101 : Higher learning

I'd be willing to answer any questions about the game that any fan has...I'm all ears

[YardRat]

Re: Football 101 : Higher learning

You stand alone. Everybody else here is an expert.

[wmoz11]

Re: Football 101 : Higher learning

I played QB in HS for a wing-t team and in college in a pro-style/spread.

I'll help with any questions relating to either.

[Jaybird]

Re: Football 101 : Higher learning

I have high school and college experience on the defensive side of the ball (also kicked field goals.. but who cares about that). I am willing to answer any questions

[wmoz11]

Re: Football 101 : Higher learning

Oh, and I'd be more than happy to discuss secondary play. Especially when it pertains to people refusing to understand the difference between a team playing cover-2 and Tampa 2. Pet peeve of mine.

[topher180]

Re: Football 101 : Higher learning

This is a great idea and no matter how much anyone thinks they know, they always have something to learn.

I am far from an expert, but I played both sides of the ball in high school, and assistant coached youth football for two years.

[X-Era]

Re: Football 101 : Higher learning

Fine, I'll play.

Define the difference between a pro-style offense and a spread offense. It's an important factor for people evaluating QB's in college. Why would that difference potentially affect a players ability to play QB in the NFL?

I don't think everyone understands it.

[Beautiful East]

Re: Football 101 : Higher learning

Oh, and I'd be more than happy to discuss secondary play. Especially when it pertains to people refusing to understand the difference between a team playing cover-2 and Tampa 2. Pet peeve of mine.

Shoot!

[X-Era]

Re: Football 101 : Higher learning

This is a great idea and no matter how much anyone thinks they know, they always have something to learn.

I am far from an expert, but I played both sides of the ball in high school, and assistant coached youth football for two years.

Well, I agree in principle but were 7 posts in and no one is willing to ask any questions.

[T-Long]

Re: Football 101 : Higher learning

Fine, I'll play.

Define the difference between a pro-style offense and a spread offense. It's an important factor for people evaluating QB's in college. Why would that difference potentially affect a players ability to play QB in the NFL?

I don't think everyone understands it.

A pro style offense is one that incorporates a running back with the possibility of a fullback. It also is given that name because it is the style of offense most teams in the NFL run. A spread offense is mostly played with 5 wide and consists of short high completion rate passes.

There are so many variables though that one can argue either side...but that's how I look at the two.

[casdhf]

Re: Football 101 : Higher learning

WTF are gaps?

[X-Era]

Re: Football 101 : Higher learning

A pro style offense is one that incorporates a running back with the possibility of a fullback. It also is given that name because it is the style of offense most teams in the NFL run. A spread offense is mostly played with 5 wide and consists of short high completion rate passes.

There are so many variables though that one can argue either side...but that's how I look at the two.

Why is it considered an important factor in the evaluation of a college QB's ability to transition to the NFL?

[T-Long]

Re: Football 101 : Higher learning

Why is it considered an important factor in the evaluation of a college QB's ability to transition to the NFL?

Most spread offenses are run out of the shotgun, so NFL teams are scared off of not being under center. But, as you look at the NFL nowadays, you are seeing a lot more shotgun plays called..so eventually, there won't be a difference.

[wmoz11]

Re: Football 101 : Higher learning

Shoot!

Okay, well, first things first. Cover-2 just pertains to the secondary whereas the Tampa 2 is a defensive scheme.

Coverages are termed, in general, by the amount of deep segments the secondary is broken into. In cover 0, it's straight man coverage throughout. The safeties are manned up, the corners are manned up, and linebackers are manned up if applicable.

In cover-1, there is 1 deep safety who is responsible for the entire deep part of the field from sideline to sideline. The corners (usually multiple ones) play man underneath. This coverage is usually paired with a blitz so that the QB doesn't have enough time to stand in the pocket and wait for his receivers to beat their men and get up field where there is only one safety to cover the entire field.

Cover 2 has two safeties, each with deep half-field responsibilities. Corners can play soft, but in a base, usually play within 3-5 yards of the receiver. The corners are responsible for the flats first and foremost, but must travel deep with the receiver if they get a clean break and get vertical since the safeties won't have time to get over top of the sideline receivers. The vulnerabilities in this coverage are gaps between the safeties and corners (think flag/corner routes) and in the seams (usually tight ends or slot receivers).

Cover 3 is usually seen in high school or low-level colleges if we're talking base, although you can disguise them well enough with giving a cover 2 look and bringing one of the safeties (usually to the boundary) to take the wide receiver on that side at the snap of the ball and playing the corner to that side in a hook/curl section of the field or bring him on a blitz. Each secondary member is responsible for a deep 1/3 of the field and the vulnerabilites are hitches, comebacks, etc. because of the soft cushion generally played the the corners. The linebackers are to take away hook/curls, flats on the other side, and have to be aware for the number 1 receivers from each side slanting in.


Cover 4 or Quarters is just how it sounds (pretty much prevent defense). Four DBs each have a quarter field deep and the defense is willing to give up short passes.

Tampa-2 is a defensive scheme were the linemen have gap responsibilies and the MLB is in charge of getting to the deep middle of the field. That's where we have seen Poz struggle at times staying with tigh ends as they go up field. You can play cover 2 in any front and in any scheme, as long as you have 4 DBs, but you cannot play Tampa 2 in any situation. It relies on linemen, linebackers, and secondary members each functioning together to pull it off effectively.


Most of the above is in general, base terms.