The Chess Match: Win on the Perimeter (Part 1)

• By Coach Grabowski 

In an era of spread football, it became common to hear a coach say “Bubble Screen” is my perimeter run game.  Without tight ends or wings on the field, that was definitely a sound way of getting the ball to the perimeter.

With a surge in the use of 11 and 12 personnel, the true perimeter run game is back into many playbooks and has become a staple of getting the ball to the perimeter, especially against even fronts utilizing a 7 technique defensive end, and against the highly popular odd front.

In my own experience, we initially put the play in as an answer to the odd front which was gaining popularity in what was primarily an even front conference.

Today we will take a look at the chess match involved in stopping the pin and pull and utilizing it to pick up yardage on the perimeter when defenses align to shut down the interior run.

Attack the Perimeter with Pin and Pull

Eric Marty has had success on every level, now taking his offense to the professional level for the USFL Michigan Panthers after spending 2021 as the OC at Grambling State.  He explains the rules for how they man block the pin and pull to get the ball to the perimeter here (click on image for video):

Have a Plan to Run to the Boundary

Perimeter runs would logically attack the field as there is the most space there.  However, numbers and angles can give the play an advantage to the boundary side.  Here Coach Marty explains how they approach running the Pin & Pull to the boundary (click on image for video):

Leverage and Pursuit

Jeff Dittman bases his defense out of an even front but also uses some odd front changes.  Against a TE/Wing, he loosens his Sam linebacker and plays quarters behind with a flat foot safety technique.  Sam is the force player who will have to take on crack blocks at times, and the safety’s responsibility is to make him right.  The cornerbacks, to take away the play-action posts will play inside leverage.  Coach Dittman explains it here (click on image for video):

The other element needed in any defense is a relentless pursuit of the ball.  Coach Dittman has seen more and more perimeter run, so having defensive linemen and linebackers who can run and pursue to get hats to the edge is important.  He also points out his adjustment to a nub side TE Which teams will use to attack the boundary and try to get the corner into the run fit.  He shows his defenses pursuit and alignment to a nub in this video (click on image for video):

Play Great Technique

In this example, Coach Dittman shows how they G the front.  It does create a nice angle for the tight end, but when you have a “dude” like he has, the technique of the DE can really help against the play as he defeats his block (click on image for video)

Isaac Newton’s third law of motion states, “For every action, there is an equal and opposite reaction.”  That’s true in the chess match of football as well.

Studying how a team will think about and adjust to your schemes and calls will allow you to stay ahead in the chess match that takes place on the gridiron.

Always be growing!

Coach Grabowski