Balance Your Offensive Attack
By Coach K
DEVELOPING A PLAY CALL
SYSTEM
WHY HAVE A SYSTEM?
 ALEVIATES CONFUSION
 CREATES CONFIDENCE IN DIFFERENT
SITUATIONS FOR COACHES & PLAYERS
 PREVENTS DELAY OF GAME PENALTIES
 PROMOTES QUICKER DECISION MAKING
THINGS TO CONSIDER
 AGE GROUP… WILL THEY COMPREHEND
IT?
 DO YOU USE NUMBERS, WORDS, COLORS,
SERIES PLAYS, OR A COMBINATION OF
THESE OPTIONS?
 HOW WILL THE PLAYERS GET THE CALL?
DO YOU USE HAND SIGNALS, WRIST
BANDS OR IS THE PLAYER RUNNING
TO THE SIDELINES AFTER EACH PLAY?
THINGS TO CONSIDER CONT…
 HOW WILL YOU SWITCH OUT YOUR
PERSONELL AND AVOID CONFUSION?
DO YOU GO BY MEMORY, DO YOU USE
DEPTH CHARTS, DO YOU RELY ON
POSITION COACHES TO MAKE
SUBSTITUTIONS?
 ARE YOU PREPARED FOR SITUATIONS IE;
RED ZONE, 3RD & SHORT, MID FIELD,
HASH MARKS, BALL CONTROLL, QUICK
SCORE ETC…
OUR SYSTEM REQUIRES THE ENTIRE
OFFENSE TO MEMORIZE 3 SIMPLE
HANDOUTS
 HOLE NUMBERING
 BACK NUMBERING
 PASSING TREE
Once these 3 simple handouts are
mastered…
We can “Playcall” out of any formation!!!
We can easily install and progress into a
“Hurry Up” & “No Huddle” Attack!
HOLE NUMBERING
Back Numbering
X
9
Y
7
TE T
5
TB
3
G
C T G TE
5
QB
1
FB
TB
2
4
Y
6
Z
8
PASSING
TREE
Passing Tree
7
9
9
3
4
5
8
8
5
7
6
6
3
4
2
2
9
5
On LOS
1
0
0
2
3
4
Passing Tree Numbers/Route
0-
Zero Route
3-
Out
2-
Slant
5-
Out & Fly
4-
Hook
7-
Corner
6-
Down & In
9-
Fly
8-
Post
• Odd numbers away from center
• Even Numbers towards center
PLAY CALL BREAK DOWN
RUN PLAYS
1.
2.
3.
4.
WHAT FORMATION
[I, SLOT, WISHBONE, QUADS, etc…]
STRENGTH
[USUALLY DETERMINED BY WHICH SIDE THE TE
LINES UP ON] I-Right, Slot Right, Wishbone Left,
etc…
NUMBER OF THE BACK RUNNING THE BALL &
THEN THE HOLE NUMBER
I-Right-38, Slot Left 35, Wishbone Right 24, etc…
NOTE: “PF” = PLAY FAKE
WishBone Right 38 Sprint Option
9
5
On LOS
1
2
3
4
WB R- Scissors 38
9
5
On LOS
1
2
3
4
PLAY CALL BREAK DOWN
PASSING PLAYS
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
WHAT FORMATION
[I, SLOT, WISHBONE, QUADS, etc…]
STRENGTH
[USUALLY DETERMINED BY WHICH SIDE THE TE LINES UP ON] IRight, Slot Right, Wishbone Left, etc…
NEXT, INSERT THE VERBIAGE “HAWK PASS” [THIS TELLS THE OLINE TO PASS BLOCK & THE PLAY IS A PASS PLAY.]
USING THE PASSING TREE AND READING LEFT TO RIGHT, THE QB
FINISHES WITH CALLING THE ROUTES THE RECEIVERS ARE
RUNNING.
NOTE: “PAF” = PLAY ACTION FAKE!
EXAMPLE: “I-Right Strong, HAWK PASS (O-Line is Pass
Blocking!!!), 839.”
Reading left to right…
The “9” back (Left Receiver) is running an “8” Route (Post Pattern)
The “5” back (Tight End) is running a “3” Route (Down & Out)
The “8” back (Right Receiver) is running a “9” Route (Fly)
WB R – Hawk Pass 83
9
5
On LOS
1
2
3
Roll out
4
Slot R-Gun-HP 949-HB Flat
C
9
5
6
OFF LOS
3
1
8
Slot Right Gun HP “9”- Scissors Wheel
9
5
6
3
1
8
I Right / Left Strong
Run Plays
[1] I Left Strong 37
[3] I Left Strong 35
[5] I Left strong 21
[7] I Left Strong 23
[9] I Left Strong 38 (COUNTER)
[11] I Left Strong PF 21-37 Pitch
[2]
[4]
[6]
[8]
[10]
[12]
I Right Strong 38
I Right Strong 36
I Right Strong 22
I Right Strong 24
I Right Strong 37(COUNTER)
I Right Strong PF 22-38 Pitch
[14]
[16]
18.
20.
I Right Strong Hawk Pass 239
I Right Strong Hawk Pass 98 HB Flat
I Right Strong Hawk Pass 474
I Right Strong Hawk Pass 24 HB Flat
Pass Plays
(Note: TE Stays Home On HB Flat)
[13] I Left Strong Hawk Pass 479
[15] I Left Strong Hawk Pass 98 HB Flat
17. I Left Strong Hawk Pass 239
19. I Left Strong HP 938
______ ________________________________________________________________
QUARTERBACK’S WRISTBAND
“I Right/Left Strong”
Play#
Play
Play#
Play
1
I-Left S 37
2
I-Right S 38
3
I-Left S 35
4
I-Right S 36
5
I-Left S 21
6
I-Right S 22
7
I-Left S 23
8
I- Right S 24
9
ILS 38 Counter
10
I-Right S 37 Counter
11
ILS PF 21-37
12
I-R-S-PF 22-38
13 [P]
I-L-S HP 479
14 [P]
I-R-S HP 239
15 [P]
ILS-HP 98 HB Fl
16 [P]
IRS-HP98 HB Flat
I Right / Left/ Weak
Run Plays
[2] I Right Weak 37
[4] I Right Weak 38
[6] I Right Weak 21
[8] I Right Weak 28
[10]I Right Weak PF 21-38 Pitch
[1]
[3]
[5]
[7]
[9]
I Left Weak 38
I Left Weak 37
I Left Weak 27
I Left Weak 22
ILW PF 22-37 Pitch
Pass Plays
[12] IRW PAF 36 HP 494
[14] IRW PAF 36 HP 839
[11] I Left Weak Hawk Pass 292
[13] I Left Weak Hawk Pass 836
[15] I Left Weak HP 99 HB Flat
QUARTERBACK’S WRISTBAND
“I Right/Left WEAK”
Play#
Play
Play#
Play
2
I Right Weak 37
1
I Left Weak 38
4
I Right Weak 38
3
I Left Weak 37
4
I Right Weak 21
5
I Left Weak 27
8
I Right Weak 28
7
I Left Weak 22
10
I RW PF 21- 38
9
ILW PF 22- 37
12 [P] IRW PAF 36 HP494 11
ILW HP 292
14 [P] IRW PAF 36 HP839 13 [P] ILW HP 836
16 [P]
15 [P] ILW HP 99 HB Flat
“SITUATION 45”
 EVER BEEN IN A SITUATION AND DID
NOT KNOW WHAT TO CALL?
 DO YOU HAVE A “SITUATION” PLAY
SHEET?
 DO YOU PRACTICE DIFFERENT GAME
TIME SITUATIONS?
 WHAT IS SITUATION 45?
SITUATION 45
4 PLAYS FOR 5 DIFFERENT SITUATIONS
1
2
3
4
5
ON YOUR OWN 1- 20 YARD LINE
FROM YOUR 20 TO YOUR OPPONENT’S 20
SHORT YARDAGE
RED ZONE
2 MINUTE / QUICK SCORE

WE IMPLEMENT 2 RUN PLAYS AND 2 PASS PLAYS FOR
EACH OF THESE SITUATIONS.
SCOUTING YOUR OPPONENT WILL HELP YOU
DETERMINE WHAT PLAYS TO WORK ON DURING
THE WEEK (RUN, PASS, FORMATIONS, AUDIBLES,
“HURRY UP” & TRICK PLAYS

BE PREPARED FOR GAMEDAY
 YOU DON’T HAVE TO HAVE A 6 INCH
PLAYBOOK TO BE SUCCESSFUL.
 KISS - KEEP IT STUPID SIMPLE
 NEVER UNDER ESTIMATE A CHILD’S
ABILITY TO PROGRESSIVLY LEARN.
 YOUR PLAYER’S MENTAL AND
ATHLETIC ABILITIES WILL
ULTIMATELY DETERMINE YOUR
PLAYBOOK AND POSITION DEPTH.
CONCLUDE WITH FILM