Keele Crusaders Offense 2016/17 Preview (2)

Our 2nd base running concept, or first compliment to the Veer - whichever way you want to look at it, will be
the Midline. As a concept, it is as old as the Veer, mainly because the two fit together so well that any offense
that runs a Veer will generally run a Midline because one always makes the other stronger and the absence
of one would make the other weaker.
The concept itself is slightly more straightforward than Veer as it is only a Double Option (so to speak. You
will rarely hear the phrase double option because if something has less than two possible outcomes theres
no option!), but it will still employ the same principles as Veer in that it will utilise a read on an unblocked
defender at the first point of attack to allow for blocks from offensive linemen on linebackers rather than
defensive linemen and doubleteams when they are blocking defensive linemen.
The difference between Midline and Veer is the intention of the play. Veer is aimed very much at exploiting
width in the defense; most of the threat comes off the edge (with the potential to attack through the middle if
the defense does not respect that edge threet enough), and so we read the EMLOS (end man on the line of
scrimmage) and make him the HOK (Hand Off Key), then the first defender to challenge the running lanes off
the edge becomes the PK (Pitch Key). We run that TOWARDS the 1 tech side so that we get a nice double
team on the 1tech from the playside guard and center, which in turn leaves the playside tackle free to VEER
around the man were leaving unblocked and block a linebacker instead. For Midline, we will run it AWAY
from the 1 tech (or TOWARDS the 3 tech, whichever way you want to look at it - although given the
prevalence of 3-man defensive lines and therefore often absence of a 3 tech whatsoever in our division, it
might easier to this of these plays as either TO or AWAY from the 1 tech because every defense has a 1 tech
or at least a guy we can confidently treat as the 1 tech), and whereas in Veer the HOK is effectively the C
gap defender (because hes the end man on the line of scrimmage), in Midline we will consider the B gap
defender our HOK and he will be the guy we leave unblocked and run straight past.
Lets look at that against just the defensive front:

As per the drawing, by not blocking the B gap defender and making him the HOK, the playside
guard is able to blow straight by him and block the linebacker over him instead, the center and
backside guard can get a strong double team block on the 1 tech and combo block him up to the
other linebacker, and the playside tackle has an inside leverage block on the defenses 5 tech to
the playside meaning the B and A gap both essentially merge to form one big gap with just one
defender left in it to try and fill both sideswhich he will not be able to do and therein lies the QBs
read.
The concept is called Midline because the aiming point of the Fullback is essentially the midline of
the formation. Hes going to aim to just run in a straight line from his starting position, this should
take him straight off the ass of the center and towards the HOKs left side. He will have to move
quickly to get into position to make a play on the fullback in that situation and UNLESS he does
and puts himself in a position to tackle the fullback, the QB will hand the ball off. On the other
hand, if he does crash hard on the FBs path, the QB will pull the ball and run it himself off the
HOKs right side:

As mentioned, there are only two options in this concept so the motioning slot guy who would
otherwise be looking for a pitch in Veer is essentially a decoy in this play. By establishing the Veer
first and forcing the defense to react to that motion, we will be able to manipulate how they react to
that motion and then exploit when we attack straight through the middle with Midline. The absence
of a third option though means we do not have to identify a PK, but we do however still need to
identify a Slob. This will be the first defender OUTSIDE the Midline Block, which in turn will be the
first defender OVER the HOK.

The slot must as far as possible aim to get inside the Slob and block him inside to out to prevent
him getting into the play. By establishing the Veer and forcing the defense to react to the motion of
the backside slot, we will likely see those linebackers on the side the motion is coming to widen in
anticipation of the playing the QB and the Slot in Veer which will make it easier for the slot to get
inside this defender and block him out for Midline.
This is a much quicker hitting, and much more central play than Veer so there is little the
cornerbacks can do to impact it, however we will use the same auto-slant idea in Midline as we will
in Veer to combat a backside OLB walking up to the line on sight of the motion and trying to get
into the backfield to blow the blow the play up during the QB > FB exchange. The playside receiver
will block the cornerback over him, again ideal inside to out.