Chapter 14 - Generalship Of Downs

Again we mention, it is surprising how many games are actually lost due to a poor choice of plays. If a quarterback knows his classification of plays, the rules governing his selection of plays by downs are not difficult. There is no excuse for a foolish choice of plays at any time.

How To Call First Down Plays

Always use your strongest play on first down.

The first play call is the one calculated to bring you the most yards. If possible, attempt to employ your strongest plays with the best backfield man carrying on first down. It is advantageous to direct this play at what you believe is the most vulnerable spot in the defense.

The first down play should gain at least 4 yards. It should always be the type of play that will gain well, if successful. The first down play is sometimes referred to as a Touchdown Play with the right man carrying the ball. If you gain 5 yards on first down, generally it is possible to gain the remaining 5 with the other two or three downs.

The first down play is also a good time to use play pass-action and throw. The defense is usually set to stop the ground attack on first down.

How To Call Second Down Plays

On second down plays you should have almost the same reasoning in selection of a play as you had on first down. Again try, by all means, to select the type of play that will gain well, if at all, and you should use a back who generally makes a good gain, if at all. Naturally this call will depend upon the distance to be gained. With second down and 6 yards to go, the above strategy would be true. In this situation, you would hammer away with your strong plays and your best back for the necessary yardage.

Second Down And Long Yards

With second down and 7 or more yards to go, you should go to the air lanes unless you "feel" positive that you can grind it out. With second and 7 situation, it is sometimes advantageous to use your fake pass series of plays: They are:

1.  Fake pass and draw play.
   
   
2. The fake pass and run play.
   
   
3. The fake pass and statue play.
   
   
4. Screen passes.

It is also wise in this situation to "loosen" the defense by setting flankers and splitting an end. This is good if you wish to run the draw play or fake a pass and trap. Remember second down with 7 or more yards is a passing situation and the defensive team is just as aware of this as you are. If you use a pass, the hook or the sideline are best. Tell your receiver to keep the first down if he makes it. Many times an end will have the first down and attempt to make more yardage by avoiding someone and as a result, he will lose the first down.

Second Down And Short Yards

With second down and 1 yard to go, use a play that resembles a run and results in a pass. Go for six points on this particular situation. If it is second down and 2—3—4—5 or 6 yards, keep hammering away with your ground attack and make the first down. There is one possible exception; with seconds and 2 yards to go for a first down, you may throw a "safe" pass in this situation. A hook pass with a lateral can be good since the line backers are crowded up to stop the first down play.

Always remember that when you pass in a short yardage situation, never take a loss. If the receiver is covered, or the passer is rushed, always over-throw. It is demoralizing to your teammates if you take a loss in this situation. In baseball, it compares to a runner's failure to touch the bag on an extra-base hit.

One more item: Especially try to make the first down on second down if your field position is such that kicking on third down is called for.

How To Call Third Down Plays

As previously mentioned in this book, it is extremely difficult to provide rules for selection of plays because they vary so greatly with the many situations, and the opponents. Nevertheless, one rule may be established regarding third down. If you have discovered a weakness at any spot in the opposing line or secondary you must use it in third down. Do not run a third down play over the strongest point in the defense is another way of stating this rule.

Third down and short yardage

It is my belief that with third down and 1—2—or 3 yards to go, the wise quarterback should "hammer out" the first down with his short yardage plays or his strongest play with the most reliable back. The quarterback should be very careful of his play selection in this situation and avoid a play that might be too delayed. Trap plays are hazardous.

Bobby Layne, Pittsburgh Steeler quarterback, said: "The third-and-short yardage situation. The winning team is the team that makes the yardage on third down.
 
"You can't give up the ball (on a fourth down punt) in our league or you'll get beat. On first down, you know you've got three chances and a pretty good set of choices.

"On second down, you've still got two chances to make it even if one play fails. On third down and long yardage, you know you've got to go with a pass.

"But if it's third-and-one or third-and-three you've got to pick the play that MUST work."

Some coaches will contend that with this strategy, the quarterback will be continually playing into the hands of the defense —doing exactly as they expect. A clever defensive signal caller will have little trouble solving an offense conducted in this manner. These coaches would call for a long pass because the defense is jammed anticipating a short yardage play. This is especially true if in your own territory. The long pass may surprise the defense and result in an easy score. Another reason for throwing long in your own territory is that old principle of an advance of rushing, if more than 30-40 yards, is rarely successful, because your own mistakes will throttle the drive. It is a gamble, and if the pass is not completed, a punt is in order.

Third down and long yards

In this situation the quarterback has no choice except to go for a long gain. The defense will be aligned to this threat. Always remember the most difficult time to complete a pass is in this third and long yardage situation. The following plays are to be considered as long gainers in this situation:

1. Screen Pass.
   
   
2. Draw.
   
   
3. Fake Pass and Run.
   
   
4. Running Pass with Option.
   
   
5. Statue.
   
   
6. Double Reverse with Forward Pass.
   
   
7. Sideline Pass.
   
   
8. Hook Pass Followed by a Lateral.
   
   
9. Use of Motion.
   
   
10. New Formation.

The quarterback is forced to gamble and the odds are against him on third down with long yardage. The quarterback should loosen the defense by flankers, split ends, etc. He should call upon his most reliable receiver and passer if that is the call.

This is one area where the long pass can backfire. The defense is waiting for the deep throw and usually it is difficult to connect. However, if your team possesses an exceptionally fast receiver and everyone stays in to protect, it could be a good call. Generally, the sideline pass and hook with possible lateral are better. Be sure to warn the receiver to keep the first down yardage.

How To Call Fourth Down Plays

Perhaps the hardest rule for a quarterback to learn is that he should punt on fourth down. Sometimes the punt call is painful to the quarterback with fourth down and just inches to go. He would like to keep possession of the ball and go for that "sure" yardage. But sure plays are many times stopped cold. If this situation appears on the 50-yard line, his opponents obtain the ball on first down and are ready to roll.

However, instead of attempting to make that "sure" yardage, the quarterback follows his rule and punts. His opponents' receive the ball deep in their territory and cannot take chances. They fail to make the first down and must kick so that the quarterback again has the ball in approximately the same field position with first down. Naturally, this is a partial illustration which indicates that punting merely means delaying possession of the ball.

Scoring territory

The only time a quarterback should ever lose the ball on fourth down is in the scoring territory of his opponents. Scoring territory depends upon the range of the field-goal kicker.

There is one exception to this rule and that would occur when his team is behind and it is very late in the game.

Law Of Compensation
Every quarterback should be taught the Law of Compensation. This law of generalship simply means that everything your quarterback calls will have some influence on the actions of the defense. By way of illustration:

1. To make your wide plays effective, you must make the defense respect your inside attack.
   
   
2. To make your inside plays effective, you must make the defense respect your outside attack.
   
   
3. To make your passing game effective, you must make the defense respect your running game.
   
   
4. To make your running game effective, you must make the defense respect your passing game.
   
   
5. To make your deceptive plays effective, you must make the defense respect your bread-and-butter plays first.
   
   
6. To make your fake pass series effective, you must make the defense respect your passing game, etc.
   
   
7. To make the defense loosen, run a succession of wide plays to both sides.
   
   
8. To make the defense tighten, run a succession of plays to the inside.
   
   
9. To make the defensive "come across" hard, run a succession of straight ahead plays.
   
   
10. To make the defense "wait" and become conservative in their charge, run a succession of deceptive plays, and tricky plays.
    
    
11. To catch men out of position, use counters and some delayed plays.
    
    
12. To make a defensive man outside conscious, run outside of him.
    
    
13. To make a defensive man inside conscious, run inside of him.
    
    
14. To make a defensive player stay "honest" when he is making tackles out of position, use a criss-cross play.
    
    
15. To make the defense slow down the charge when your team is punting, use a fake punt and run or pass early in the game.
    
    
16. If the defensive has aligned itself to stop the rushing attack, it has weakened itself to some extent on defending against the pass and vice versa.

Psychological Plays

Phychological plays are generally good for a large gain, if they gain at all. However, if they are employed at the proper (psychological) time their chance for success is considerable.

The following are examples of when psychological plays might succeed:

1. Have your quarterback open the game with a play-pass that ends in a long forward pass.
   
   
2. Have your quarterback use a delayed forward pass just after exchanging ends of the field.
   
   
3. Have your quarterback use a play-pass or trick pass as the first play of the second half.
   
   
4. Have your quarterback use a psychological play  (long pass) immediately after the opposition has committed a costly mistake, such as:
   
   
5. A fumble.
   
   
6. A blocked punt.
   
   
7. An interception.
   
   
8. A key injury.

Caution

One word of caution regarding the use of psychological plays, trick plays, and special plays. If you have them in your offense, be sure and use them, but do not go "overboard" on them. They can kill your offense and destroy the continuity of your generalship.

Addition Of Plays

One of the easiest mistakes to make is the addition of plays during the season. This is not necessarily a trait of young coaches, since many of the more experienced mentors are also guilty. Generally, plays that are continually added to the offense after the season is under way are used spasmodically, if at all. In most instances they are not worth the practice time and effort.

However, they have one advantage in that a moderate addition of offense helps motivate the players because a new learning situation appears.

Summary

When the quarterback disregards the basic principles of generalship, he makes critical errors of which his opponents hasten to take immediate advantage. He destroys the morale and spirit of his team.

If, on the other hand, he sticks to the common sense rules, he makes no critical mistakes; and even if he is not a brilliant strategist, he is at least dependable, and such generalship is bound to win in the long run.

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