As a offensive coordinator who became head coach, the speaker took over play calling in 2022. After starting the season 0-2 from trying to make the perfect play call, the speaker decided, "Screw it. Let's go fast". The halftime adjustment was to "run our two-minute drill and give our quarterback more freedom and condense everything down". To go fast, the team uses a backup quarterback to signal everything in via AirPods from the sideline, which cuts out the middleman coach. After making the change to go fast, the team averaged more yards per game than any team in school history (Concordia) and has had a top 10 passing offense for two years in a row. They also had the nation's leading receiver and scored more points per game than any team in the school's history since 1972.Cam Debess's Presentation: Don't Blink Cam Debess is the offensive coordinator and quarterback coach at McKenna. He was previously the offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach at Brazoswood for two years. His presentation is titled "Don't Blink".Offensive Identity and Philosophy The three things the offense focuses on are being fearless, fast, and physical. To play fast, the athletes must be fearless and not scared to make a mistake or be afraid to make a play. Athletes who think are considered "bad athletes". The offense is spread and extremely fast, but it is not just an "air raid throw the ball a lot" type of offense. They have a vertical passing game and will take shots down the field, but they also focus on establishing the line of scrimmage with a physical, downhill run game, including running power 20 to 25 times per game. The offensive philosophy includes:

• Control the tempo: The team aims to play faster than anybody in the country and set the pace of the game, although they will change the tempo when needed. They will play as fast as possible when they can.
• Be disciplined: They are a disciplined football team and do not want to lose a game because they "beat ourselves" due to penalties or fumbles. They focus on starting the play cleanly (no pre-snap penalties).
• Great ball security: Ball security is a huge part of the offense. The speaker's main offensive goals are to win and have no turnovers.
• Establish the line of scrimmage: The run game is downhill and physical, featuring power and inside zone.
• Be aggressive/Four-down mentality: The team has a "four down mentality" and will go for it on fourth down a lot, especially when reaching the other side of the 50-yard line. In the last two years, they have gone for it on fourth down 68 times (not counting required attempts late in the game) and succeeded 56 times (almost 83%).
• Spacing (Wide Splits): Receivers use wide splits to utilize the entire field and force the defense to worry about sideline to sideline. Wide splits help the quarterback by making it easier to define the picture (man or zone coverage). The splits stress conflict players, who cannot be both a run and a pass player. Wide splits also create one-on-one matchups, especially when defenses load the box (eight in the box) and play cover one or cover zero against the tempo and power run game.
• Minimum amount of schemes: The offense is simple. They will only have three run schemes (really only two, with a third mixed in) and will run them repeatedly, ensuring the kids know how to block them against every front. They carry about 28 to 30 plays each week. They make it simple for the athletes, who are discouraged from thinking. The offense uses many different formations and sets to look different to the defense, but the players' responsibilities remain the same.

Why Run Tempo? Tempo's philosophy includes:

• More snaps, more opportunities to score: This increases the chances of winning.
• Keeps defense guessing: When the offense is going fast, the defense is worried about getting lined up and cannot get "real exotic" with calls or blitzes.
• Defense is tired when it matters: Late in the third or fourth quarter, after running 75 plays, the defense is tired, leading to sloppy fundamentals, poor tackling, and a loss of focus.
• Allows players to just go play and be athletes: The goal is to avoid slowing down the best athletes by making them think too much.
• Talent equalizer: Tempo closes the talent gap, similar to the option or wishbone. The speaker stated that at Brazoswood, they were probably the worst team in the district for the last two years, but tempo allowed them to have success. It works in any offense, including spread, oneback, Wing T, option, or pro style.
• Players want to play in this offense (High School): Uptempo offenses get kids excited and encourage athletes to come out for football.

The speaker showed screenshots demonstrating how playing fast prevents the defense from getting lined up or communicating effectively, leading to advantages for the offense, such as extra yards or a defensive tackle playing outside linebacker. If the defense tries to substitute, the offense takes advantage, resulting in a free play. The team has a specific "fire" call for when the defense tries to substitute, using the same formation and pass play all season to try and catch them off guard.Mechanics for Playing Fast

• One speed: Fast: The kids are taught one speed, which is fast. The play caller slows the tempo down by delaying the play call.
• Unique Signaling System: The team uses a unique, "dummy proof" signal system that is signaled every day in practice, even during drills, so the kids get used to seeing and processing them quickly.
• One-Word Calls/Gas Plays: They use a lot of one-word calls and "gas plays". Gas plays are used for wordy motions or exotic formations, allowing players to memorize the entire play call (formation, motion, run/pass, RPO, shifts). They go into a week with six to eight gas plays. The term "gas" indicates to the players that it is a play they have memorized (e.g., "Gas Five" would mean inside zone with a specific set and motion). The gas plays can change each week, but there may be carryover from previous weeks. The gas call only affects the quarterback and players involved in the motions; the offensive line just runs the base play (e.g., power or inside zone).
• Player Freedom on Alignment: When playing fast, the formation is not signaled in. Players are taught where to line up based on the play. For example, the Z receiver is given a lot of freedom in where he lines up, as long as he stays on the correct side of the field. The running back has "absolute freedom" to line up where he wants: same side, across the formation, or in the pistol.
• No Subbing within the Drive: The team tries not to substitute within a drive to prevent the referee from standing over the ball, which allows the defense to sub. They will sub for specific personnel sets in the red zone or goal line. They have a call plan for when the defense tries to sub.
• Ball Carrier Mechanics: The ball carrier must get the ball to the inside official (the umpire). This is non-negotiable for playing fast. The player should run it to him or toss it softly within five yards. They practice this every day and use only one football in practice to eliminate the "copout" of having multiple balls.
• Center Mechanics: The center must take the lead and find the line judge to get set.

Perfect Tempo Drill The team runs a drill called "perfect tempo" every single day in practice. They run six perfect plays as fast as possible, using perfect tempo mechanics. If they mess up a play or the tempo mechanics, they start over from play one. This drill is a great opportunity to mix in gas plays and focuses on using only one football.Wide Splits The team uses "really big splits" with their receivers for spacing and to create a clear picture for the quarterback. Generally, the slot receiver splits the difference between the hash and the number, and the outside receiver splits the difference between the numbers and the sideline. Wide splits create a lot of one-on-one matchups and make it easier to know what the defense is doing.Deep Choice Route The team uses deep choice routes frequently in the passing game because it pairs well with tempo. Deep choice can be called against any defense (zone, man, cover two) and out of any formation (2x2, 3x1, 11 personnel, tight end attached) because everyone has rules that do not change. Deep Choice Rules:

• The receiver runs a 10-yard "track meet" at full speed before making a decision.
• The three options are a stop, a go, or a post.
• The choice route is not over-coached; the instruction is "run 10 yards and get open".
• The inside receiver runs a "sit route" at 10 to 12 yards; his primary job is to capture the safety's attention, but he is in the progression.
• Backside receiver does not run a route if he is not involved; he stands there and catches his breath. This forces the backside corner to run across the field to pursue a play and then run back for the next play, which tires the defensive back.

The team will be strategic about throwing to a side where a tired or backup defensive back has entered the game. The speaker encourages others to run deep choice, even without an uptempo offense, especially if they have a decent quarterback and a talented receiver.