Subscribe now

Gus Malzahn

Eli Drinkwitz began his coaching career in college as a quality control assistant under Gus Malzahn at Auburn during the 2010 and 2011 seasons. Chip Lindsey joined Gus Malzahn as an offensive analyst during Auburn’s journey to the BCS National Championship Game in 2013. Lindsey later returned as the offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach, with Malzahn assuming full play-calling responsibilities. In 2022, Lindsey reunited with Malzahn at UCF, where he continued as the offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach. The influence of Gus Malzahn is evident in the offense’s increased reliance on QB Run Reads and its Up Tempo No Huddle structure.

Ole Miss

Austin Simmons transferred to Missouri from Ole Miss on January 6, 2026. On January 24, 2026, Ole Miss wide receiver Cayden Lee also joined Simmons at Missouri. The integration of aspects of Ole Miss’ offensive schemes is evident in the increased use of Y-Cross variations and Iso Insert RPO variations. Y-Cross was called 5 times in the first half with a 100% completion rate and 1 touchdown. Ole Miss called it 104 times in 2025.

Chip Lindsey, who did a commendable job last year with Michigan quarterback Bryce Underwood, has the potential to make a significant impact on Missouri’s offense with their new quarterback, Austin Simmons. The all-22 film provides valuable insights into Lindsey’s passing concepts, which enable Simmons to read the field effortlessly with full field progressions.

Outside Zone

Ahmad Hardy amassed 1,649 rushing yards last season, with a significant portion coming from the Outside Zone. While Lindsey ran some Outside Zone plays during his time at Michigan, there was uncertainty about how much he would incorporate it into his game at Missouri, particularly given Hardy’s injury.

In the season opener, Lindsey utilized the Outside Zone from the Pistol 16 times, resulting in 52 yards and two touchdowns. Despite Hardy’s absence, the Tigers intend to maintain their Outside Zone identity, even if they rely on running back Jamal Roberts.

The Modern Triple

Due to Malzahn’s influence, Simmons at the helm, and the absence of Hardy, Lindsey employed a significant portion of Modern Triple or Zone Read with a throw option.

As a counter to Outside Zone, Lindsey dialed up a Modern Triple concept 16 times, resulting in a total of 71 yards. Out of these, 13 plays resulted in runs, while 3 resulted in passes. Modern Triple plays are an effective strategy to create defensive conflicts by leveraging a powerful running game, a talented quarterback, and a skilled receiver corps.

Going Forward

Missouri’s upcoming schedule includes games against Kansas and Troy over the next two weeks, followed by a challenging SEC gauntlet. This offense is likely to be a point of interest to watch closely, particularly if Hardy’s return is imminent.

Subscribe now

Veer and Shoot Offenses

6 out of the 16 SEC teams are employing a Veer and Shoot offense. This offense is characterized by an up-tempo no-huddle strategy, wide WR splits, a high number of RPOs, and deep choice routes. Given the prevalence of the Veer and Shoot offense in the SEC, it is anticipated that the conference will lead the nation in passing yards.

LSU

Lane Kiffin brings offensive coordinator Charlie Weis Jr. to LSU from Ole Miss. Weis Jr. had complete control over the offense at Ole Miss and will maintain that control at LSU. The Tigers offense has seen some upgrades with the addition of Sam Leavitt at quarterback, along with enhancements to the offensive line and wide receivers.

Ole Miss ranked 2nd in total offense in 2025, while LSU ranked 111th. This indicates that the Tigers offense is poised to be the most improved in the country.

What to expect: Wide WR splits, Duo, Iso, Split Zone, and Counter RPOs, along with a significant dose of Y-Cross.

Tennessee

Josh Heupel handles the primary play-calling duties for the Tennessee Volunteers, with assistance from offensive coordinator Joey Halzle. Since Faizon Brandon, a true freshman, is the starting quarterback, there may be some growing pains.

The Vols ranked 7th in total offense in 2025 and have consistently had a top 20 offense in the past five years under head coach Heupel. While their defense ranked 92nd, they made a significant improvement by hiring a quality defensive coordinator, Jim Knowles.

What to expect: Wide WR Splits, Duo, Iso, QB Runs, and a variety of Choice Routes.

Auburn

Auburn made a significant hire by bringing in Alex Golesh from USF as their head coach. Golesh will be joined by offensive coordinator Joel Gordon, who will be responsible for calling the offense. Additionally, they brought in quarterback Byrum Brown, who is well-suited to their system.

USF ranked 3rd in total offense in 2025, and were very impressive. On the other hand, Auburn had a 79th ranked offense. Golesh decided to retain DJ Durkin as defensive coordinator, who had a 29th ranked defense.

What to expect: Veer and Shoot structure, more QB Read Runs, Screens, and Play-Action Passes.

Mississippi State

Head Coach Jeff Lebby, assisted by offensive coordinator Philip Montgomery, calls the offensive plays. There’s a lot of buzz surrounding sophomore quarterback Kamario Taylor, who had a few appearances in 2025.

Mississippi State’s total offense ranked 56th in 2025, a significant improvement from its 78th-place ranking in 2024. Notably, Lebby served as the offensive coordinator for Oklahoma’s 3rd ranked offense in 2023.

What to expect: Iso RPO, Switch Choice Routes

Ole Miss

John David Baker, formerly of ECU, has been appointed as the offensive coordinator for the Rebels. He was a part of the Ole Miss staff from 2021 to 2023 and now returns to take over as offensive coordinator after Charlie Weis Jr. departed. Baker will be tasked with leading the Rebels’ offense, which includes quarterback Trinidad Chambliss, who had an exceptional year and is considered one of the Heisman Trophy favorites.

ECU ranked 19th in total offense in 2025 and Ole Miss ranked 2nd. Ole Miss returns 61% of offensive starters, so don’t expect a drop-off in production.

What to expect: Very similar to the offense from last year, but with more Vertical Routes.

South Carolina

Kendall Briles, comes from TCU to be the offensive coordinator at South Carolina. His coaching roots trace back to his father, Art Briles, at Baylor, where he worked with Veer and Shoot offenses, and Lane Kiffin at Florida Atlantic. Briles served as the offensive coordinator at TCU for 3 years under Sonny Dykes, during which they ran a more Air Raid-style offense.

TCU’s ranked 27th in total offense in 2025, while South Carolina’s ranked 109th. With a talented offense led by quarterback LaNorris Sellers, expect a significant improvement.

What to expect: Veer and Shoot with Air Raid sprinkled in. Wide WR Splits, heavy RPO and Play-Action, and Deep Choice Routes.

Subscribe now

Pro-Style Offenses

4 out of the 16 SEC offenses employ a Pro-Style offense. Although many of these offenses are often categorized as Spread offenses, they incorporate various elements of Pistol or Under Center formations, Mid or Wide Zone runs, Gap Schemes, and Play-Action passes.

Georgia

Mike Bobo served as the offensive coordinator for the Georgia Bulldogs from 2007 to 2014 and again from 2023 to the present. Gunner Stockton is currently in his second year as the starting quarterback.

The Bulldogs ranked 50th in total offense in 2025. With 63% of their offensive starters returning, they are expected to see improvement this season.

What to expect: Mid and Outside Zone, Crack Toss, RPOs, variety in the Pass Game and a lot of Screens.

Texas

Steve Sarkisian, the head coach and play-caller for the Longhorns, is entering his sixth season. Kyle Flood is serving as the offensive coordinator. Sarkisian previously held the position of offensive coordinator for the Atlanta Falcons from 2017 to 2018. Arch Manning, the current quarterback for the Longhorns, is the second Heisman Trophy favorite.

Texas, despite ranking 70th in total offense in 2025, bolstered their offense during the offseason by acquiring a plethora of weapons for Arch Manning.

What to expect: Wide Zone from Pistol, some QB Runs, Play-Actions, and tend to be better when they use Motion in their passing concepts.

Alabama

Ryan Grubb, in his second year as the offensive coordinator for Alabama, joined the team in 2024 after serving as the offensive coordinator for the Seattle Seahawks. Keelon Russell emerged victorious in the quarterback competition, defeating Austin Mack.

The Crimson Tide ranked 84th in total offense in 2025.

What to expect: Hopefully an improved Run Game, Play-Actions, and balance in the Pass and Screen Game.

Missouri

Head Coach Eli Drinkwitz appointed Chip Lindsey, former Michigan offensive coordinator, as the primary play-caller. Both Drinkwitz and Lindsey were under the tutelage of Guz Malzahn, but they have developed their own distinct philosophies. To bolster their offense, the Tigers acquired Ole Miss backup quarterback Austin Simmons. However, superstar runningback Ahmad Hardy will be sidelined for some time due to a gunshot wound.

Michigan ranked 59th in total offense in 2025 and Missouri was ranked 32nd. There are many questions about what this offense will look like because of the uncertainty surrounding Ahmad Hardy, Austin Simmons’s system fit, and the philosophies of Drinkwitz and Lindsey.

What to expect: Wide Zone if Hardy is back, more QB runs with Austin Simmons, Naked and Boot Passes, and some Mesh.

Spread Offenses

The remaining 6 teams employ a Spread offense. While the term “Spread offense” is broad, these offenses typically involve running the quarterback, utilizing space through motions instead of splits, and maintaining a balanced approach across various passing concepts, including RPOs, Screens, Quick Game, Play-Actions, and downfield Pass concepts.

Texas A&M

Holmon Wiggins replaces Collin Klein as offensive coordinator, who left to become Kansas State’s head coach. Wiggins is a first time play-caller but was the Co-OC for A&M and coached WRs for Nick Saban at Alabama. Talented quarterback Marcel Reed returns to lead the Aggies.

Texas A&M ranked 23rd in total offense in 2025.

What to expect: QB Run Reads, supplemented with Play-Actions, a creative downfield Pass Game, and receivers drawn open with Motion.

Florida

New head coach Jon Sumrall recruited Georgia Tech’s offensive coordinator, Buster Faulkner, who brought quarterback Aaron Philo and several other key players along with him.

Georgia Tech ranked 11th in total offense in 2025, while Florida ranked 104th. With a talented roster and play-caller, expect a significant upgrade in success.

What to expect: QB Runs, variations of Counter, and well designed Screen and Play-Action Passes.

Kentucky

Former Oregon offensive coordinator Will Stein was hired as the head coach, but Joe Sloan, who is transferring from LSU, will be responsible for calling the offense. Kenny Minchey, who previously backed up CJ Carr at Notre Dame, will be the quarterback.

Oregon ranked 16th in total offense in 2025, LSU ranked 111th in 2025 and 24th in 24, and Kentucky ranked 105th. Production is expected to see a significant improvement, but there are still many uncertainties surrounding this offense.

What to expect: True spreading of the field, variety in the Run Game, and Switch Release passing concepts.

Vanderbilt

Tim Beck, known for an exceptionally impressive 2025 campaign, has returned as the offensive coordinator. Following Diego Pavia’s departure, Blaze Berlowitz secured the starting quarterback position, defeating five-star Jason Curtis.

Vanderbilt ranked 9th in total offense in 2025.

What to expect: Spread Modern Triple, Quick Game, and downfield Vertical Pass variations.

Arkansas

Ryan Silverfield and Tim Cramsey, the head coach and offensive coordinator duo, have joined Arkansas from Memphis. KJ Jackson secured the starting quarterback position and will be tasked with replacing Taylen Green, the 2025 quarterback.

Arkansas ranked 13th in total offense in 2025, while Memphis ranked 35th. Although the team is expected to improve, the offense will likely decline after the departure of previous offensive coordinator Bobby Petrino to North Carolina.

What to expect: A variety of QB Run Reads and a generic Pass Game.

Oklahoma

Ben Arbuckle, in his second year as the offensive coordinator for the Sooners, has ties to the Air Raid offense, having worked with current FAU head coach Zach Kittley. However, he aims to develop a more effective run game. John Mateer is expected to have a better season as the starting quarterback.

Oklahoma ranked 92nd in total offense in 2025, an improvement from 2024 where they ranked 113th.

What to expect: The Air Raid roots are still there, including Empty formation, Quick Game, Mesh, and Y-Cross. However, expect Arbuckle to focus on the QB and RB Run Game.

2026 Season

I’m thrilled about the prospect of a fantastic 2026 season and have high hopes that most of these play-callers will enhance their offenses.

Here’s the whole season schedule for the SEC, so keep an eye out for these play-callers, either on the sidelines or in the box.

Utah had the #1 FBS rushing offense in 2025, and QB/Wildcat Long Trap was their top run, averaging 11.1 yards per carry. They ran it 57 times with a 70% success rate.

We analyzed all 57 runs and found 6 reasons why Long Trap is so successful.

1. The Motion Away

2. The Frontside Blocks

3. The Ball Carrier’s Path

4. The Kick Out

5. The Wash

6. The +1 Effect

Subscribe now

1. The Motion Away

94.9% of Utah’s QB/Wildcat Long Traps contained a motion away. This motion away is pivotal because it keeps backside defenders honest for the Sweep away or Play-Action pass, but more importantly, gets box defenders to bump slightly in order to create better paths for blocks.

2. The Frontside Blocks

Every single play of QB/Wildcat Long Trap consisted of Jason Beck’s “Rhino” personnel. This means there are 5 blockers frontside: the Center, Guard, Tackle, Extra Offensive Lineman, and Tight End. With Long Trap being a gap scheme, you get solid down blocks and double teams front side in order for the backside Guard to kick out the end man on the line of scrimmage.

3. The Ball Carrier’s Path

Backup Quarterback, Byrd Ficklin, had the most success with QB Long Trap. He ran it 17 times for 254 yards (14.94 YPC) and 8 touchdowns. His path on the run helps the hole open up between the down blocks and kick out block. Many times, second and third level defenders would over pursue because of Ficklin’s path.

4. The Kick Out

Because Utah ran this concept with heavy personnel and with a motion away, the edge defender was usually an Outside Linebacker, Safety, or Cornerback. In the clip below, Utah is able to get a 315 lbs. Guard to kick out a 215 lbs Outside Linebacker.

5. The Wash

If you combine the frontside down blocks, kick out by the backside Guard, and the path by the ball carrier, you get a lot of bodies clumped together in the box. This usually creates a wall to keep Inside Linebackers, Cornerbacks, or Safeties from making a play.

6. The +1 Effect

With Utah running this out of Wildcat or with a Quarterback, they get +1 in the run game. Every defender is accounted for in the blocking scheme, and even if it is Cover 0, Jason Beck feels good about his athletes being one-on-one with a third level defender.

The Verdict

Put your 6th Offensive Lineman and Tight End on the line, motion away a Wide Receiver, and run Long Trap with your Quarterback or Running Back. If you need some teach tape and cutups, check out the Jason Beck System by clicking here!

Jason Beck is now the offensive coordinator for the Michigan Wolverines, who open the season on September 5th against Western Michigan. It will be interesting to see how Beck uses this scheme with Quarterback Bryce Underwood and the pieces around him.

Subscribe now

Meet The Guys

The main player Utah used as an extra offensive lineman was #49 Solatoa Moea’i. He originally wore #62 and played offensive guard; however, they gave him an eligible number and primarily played him at tight end. He is listed at 6’4”, 325 lbs.

Another OL they used was #74 Keith Olson. Olson plays offensive tackle, but would come in to serve as an extra OL at times. They also put him in a #48 jersey in some games. He is listed at 6’6”, 307 lbs.

The last guy they used was #99 Semi Taulanga. He was recruited as a defensive lineman; however, they put him in an eligible number and made him an extra TE. He would play in a wing, sniffer, or backfield position, and they even threw him the ball a few times. He is listed at 5’11”, 317 lbs.

Better Down Blocks

Gap schemes work great with extra offensive linemen. Instead of asking a tight end to block down or double up to a linebacker on a defensive lineman, now Utah has an extra offensive lineman do it.

Jason Beck dials up a QB Long Trap, and #49 Solatoa Moea’i is going to block down on a linebacker walked down as a 7-tech. He is able to easily wash him down and allow the kick by the backside guard to create a huge hole.

Utah is going to run Belly-G and #49 Solatoa Moea’i is going to get a double team with the right tackle to allow the frontside guard to kick the defensive end.

Box Defenders Get Lost

With bigger bodies blocking in the box, it makes it harder for LBs to scrape over the top and harder for DBs to fit into the box.

Utah is going to run a QB Long Trap, and the blocks by #49 Solatoa Moea’i and the TE make it harder for the cornerback and safety to play the run.

Here is another QB Long Trap, but this time #74 Keith Olson and the TE get a double team on the Sam LB, making it harder for the Mike LB to play over the top.

They Understand Blocking Rules

The defensive front and box movement isn’t always static. They are going to try to slant, stunt, twist, and blitz to mess with the blocking rules. Because Jason Beck utilizes an offensive lineman at tight end, they are able to understand how to combat these defensive games.

Jason Beck dials up GR Counter and #74 Keith Olson is able to pick up the 9-tech who slants into the C gap. Now the backside guard kicks out the outside LB and the wing wraps for the safety.

Kick Outs on Defensive Backs

Jason Beck likes to attach the extra OL to the boundary and motion an outside receiver away to the field. He locks the extra OL onto the defensive end and has the backside guard kick out a cornerback or a safety rolling down.

Utah runs a QB Long Trap to the boundary with a wing, #49 Solatoa Moea’i at TE, and motions away a receiver. The safety rolls down and gets kicked out by the backside guard.

Here is a GH Counter to the boundary with the receiver motioning away and #48 Keith Olson blocking down on a 7-tech. The cornerback rolls down after the motion and gets kicked out by the backside guard.

Tendency Breaker

Another great reason to use an extra OL is because you can catch the defensive in the pass game. Utah was primarily run with an extra OL; however, would occasionally break this tendency with a pass.

Here we have 3 extra offensive lineman in heavy formation. Utah got into this formation to run the ball in short-yardage situations, but decided to break the tendency with a play action pass.

Here is another one that is dialed up exactly like their QB Long Trap with #49 Solatoa Moea’i at TE. But instead of running the ball, they play action it and hit the vertical route from the slot receiver after the safety flies down.

Forgotten About in Pass Game

No one expects the offense to throw to the 317 lbs lineman, right?

Utah motions #99 Semi Taulanga to run the flat route on a Hank concept. The curl/flat defender is not worried about him, so Taulanga is able to catch it in the flat and get vertical for a first down.

Destroy Defenses’ Wills

Lastly, using extra offensive linemen breaks the wills of defenses. Utah had 422 rushing yards against Colorado. You can see in the videos below how badly Colorado wants to get on the bus and go home.

Utah is winning 46-7 with 3:55 left in the 4th quarter. They put #49 Solatoa Moea’i at TE and #99 Semi Taulanga in a wing position to run Wildcat Long Trap for a touchdown.

Up 53-7 with 1:47 left in the 4th quarter, Utah puts #49 Solatoa Moea’i at TE and #99 Semi Taulanga in the backfield to run GR Counter. Defenders clearly have no interest in playing anymore.

The Rhino in Michigan

Jason Beck was asked about the Rhino package during the 2026 preseason, stating, “You know, the past couple of years, so this, the Rhino thing, it’s something that went back to my time at Virginia. When we were at Syracuse, the kid that did it for us, his name was Chris Elmore. But his nickname was Rhino.”

Beck has been utilizing the Rhino package for over 5 years and used it in 444 snaps in 2025. It will certainly be interesting to see how he deploys it for Michigan’s offense in 2026.

This run concept worked so well for them because it makes interior defensive lineman wrong, creates confusion for linebackers, gets athletes in space, and works against both odd and even fronts.

The Read Key

This play is usually ran with a 4-man surface and a 2-man surface. The read key is the first defensive lineman inside of the 4-man surface offensive tackle. Pin & Pull is ran to the 4-man surface side and a Counter type concept is ran to the other side.

In the play diagram above, the quarterback is reading the 3-tech since he is the first defensive lineman inside of the 4-man surface offensive tackle. The tight end (who is an extra offensive lineman a lot of times in Beck’s offense) pins the end man on the line of scrimmage. The 4-man surface offensive tackle and sniffer tight end pull around for the running back on sweep action.

The 2-man surface offensive guard blocks down on a 1-tech and the offensive tackle works up to the middle backer. Now based on this look, the center and the 4-man surface offensive guard kick and wrap for the quarterback pull.

Jason Beck dialed up Midline 4 times against Arizona State because of their two massive defensive lineman. Against an even front, Pin & Pull Midline makes one of the defensive lineman wrong by reading him and allows your guard and tackle to get a double team on the other defensive lineman.

Read more

In 2025, Ole Miss had an RPO built into almost every run play, and they threw 117 of them, averaging 8.9 yards per attempt with a 57% success rate.

Here are three ways current LSU OC Charlie Weis Jr. uses them to perfection.

1. Quick Game

Most people think of RPOs as a run with a pass tag, but it can also be a pass with a run tag. Charlie Weis Jr. prefers quick game RPOs over quick game protection. This provides relief if the quick game concept is covered.

On 23 plays of Spacing, 61% of them were RPOs. On 26 on Ohio, 99% of them were RPOs.

Below, Weis Jr. dials up a QB Draw RPO Shock concept. Oklahoma is in Cover 1, so the Slot Fade is actually an ideal call. However, the slot defender is playing off, and the other two defenders are playing up close. They are able to cover it well, but instead of Ole Miss being in pass protection, they have a QB draw with it. With 6 blockers for 6 in the box, the run provides relief since the pass concept wasn’t there.

2. Replacement RPOs

Many of Ole Miss’s RPOs came from access throws like Hitches or Fade routes. But replacement RPOs are the ideal way to put the defense in conflict in both the run and the pass. A replacement RPO keys a certain defender, and the Quarterback will read him to decide whether to throw the ball or hand it off. This can happen with a Hitch route holding an Overhang defender or a Glance route holding a Safety from coming into the box.

Below, Ole Miss is going to run an Iso RPO with Hitches to the field and a Post route to the boundary. There are 5 blockers for 5 box defenders; however, there are some defenders that could creep in. The Hitch by #3 to the field holds the Overhang defender from coming into the box, and then the Quarterback has to read the boundary Safety to decide whether to throw it or run it. The Safety ends up coming down, so the Post comes open over the top.

3. Play-Actions

Since Ole Miss ran so many RPOs, they averaged 38 runs a game. This makes defenses bite down a little bit harder on the run.

Charlie Weis Jr. dialed up 179 Play-Action passes because he wanted everything to look the same and he knew the box defenders were worried about the run.

You can see in the clip below, it looks like Ole Miss is running an Iso Double Insert, but they play-action it and run a Post with a Crossing route. Georgia is in a 3-High Safety look and the play-action makes 2 Safeties fly down and the Cross comes open behind them.

The Charlie Weis Jr. System

Charlie Weis Jr. has perfected the RPO by running into light boxes or throwing to space. If you want to watch all 117 RPO clips, click here to access The Charlie Weis Jr. System.

Stay tuned for another system dropping in the next few days. We are releasing an exciting one before the 2026 CFB season kicks off!

In this article, we will examine Charlie Weis Jr.’s 2025 Ole Miss offense and look at 4 reasons why Bash is the superior way to read defenders in the run.

1. Easier Read

Traditional run reads are usually more downhill. The angle of the exchange makes it easier for the read key to be able to play both the give and the keep.

With Bash, the exchange is more horizontal. This makes it significantly more difficult for the read key to be able to play both. The quarterback should shuffle towards the read key, ride the exchange, and make his decision. Bash always makes it easier if you are reading the backside linebacker.

2. Speed to the Perimeter

The second reason why Bash is superior is because the perimeter run gets out with speed. With a traditional read, the quarterback has to go from a stagnant position, pull the ball, and then accelerate out to the perimeter. But with Bash, the perimeter run is already flowing to the perimeter and doesn’t have to accelerate on the give, especially if the exchange is with a jet motion.

I believe Bash times up the interior run as well. Whether it is GT Counter, Dash, or another run concept, the blocks have to develop, so there is no rush for the quarterback to get there. The timing of the whole play is superior with Bash.

3. Athleticism on the Perimeter

Another reason why Bash is superior is because you get a more athletic ball carrier to the perimeter. I think it is fair to say that quarterbacks probably have better vision than athleticism, and that a running back or wide receiver has more athleticism than a quarterback. This is why Bash works so well; you get the ideal skill set to a desired concept.

4. Linebacker Flow

The last reason why Bash is superior is because you will get more linebacker flow with the exchange more than you would with a traditional exchange. This allows the offensive line to have better angles working up to linebackers. Now, if the quarterback pulls, he has a clean hole to run through.

Bash is Superior

Traditional run concepts with reads are already a great way to get +1 in the run game, however; Bash is the best way to run these concepts. You can run Bash with Inside Zone Read, GT Counter, CT Counter, Dart, Tackle Trap, and more.

The Systems are a great way to study concepts like Bash because every play from 2025 is tagged and has all-22 film. You can find the links below!

• Ole Miss ran Bash 31 times

• Navy ran Bash 6 times

• Vanderbilt ran Bash 17 times

• Georgia Tech ran Bash 26 times

• Utah (Coming soon)

You can purchase the standalone systems for $25 or all current and future systmes for $15/mo!

There are 3 reasons this play is so effective:

1. The Crossing route

2. The Post-Read route

3. The frontside concept

Below I will detail each aspect of Y-Cross through film cutups and play diagrams from Lane Kiffin’s playbook.

1. The Crossing Route

If you have been coached up on how to run the Cross route, you have probably been taught, “get under Sam, over Mike, and over to 15-18 yards". Kiffin and Weis Jr. generally teach the same thing.

This is the generic way that the Cross is supposed to run his route; however, there are three different adjustments he can take.

The first, and probably most common, adjustment he can take is to flatten out the Cross against Man coverage or against a Safety that is playing low. Below you can see the Slot WR dive in, square up the defender, and then flatten the route out across the field. This is a necessity so that the defender isn’t able to undercut the throw.

Read more

Lane Kiffin and Charlie Weis Jr. call the concept “Stix,” and it is where every receiver gets to the first-down marker as fast as they can and then turns around.

Below are three reasons why this simple concept works so well.

1. The Deep Threat

Even though defenders will play at the sticks on 3rd down, they still have to honor the deep ball. This is why it is important for receivers to come off the ball full speed, sell the deep route, and then snap it down at the first-down marker.

2. The Spacing

Charlie Weis Jr. will usually call this out of trips or empty formation. This allows the offense to spread the field horizontally and find a window in the defense at the first-down marker.

3. The Box Out

Even if the defense is playing at the sticks, the offense can still get a box out. It becomes basketball at this point and the quarterback has to time the throw perfectly to get the ball to the receiver right as he is turning at the sticks.

One variation that I really liked was to condense the boundary TE and have him run a “Swirl” route (corner curl). This allows the TE to have leverage, sell the corner route, and box out the cornerback.

The Charlie Weis Jr. System

Charlie Weis Jr. dialed up Stix 6 times on 3rd and 8+ in 2025 and converted half of them. Converting half of your 3rd downs puts you in the top 1% in the FBS, so I would say this concept is one worth implementing.

You can watch every offensive play from the 2025 Ole Miss season, including the 6 cutups of Stix on The Charlie Weis Jr. System for $25.

If you want to access all current and future systems (new system every month), you can become a member to The Systems for $15/mo.

If you want to stay up-to-date on free and paid articles, consider subscribing to this Substack below!

If you want to study gap schemes and counter schemes, there isn’t a better coordinator to study than Buster Faulkner. After studying Buster Faulkner’s 2025 offense and Charlie Weis Jr.’s 2025 offense, it is very evident how closely Charlie Weis Jr. watches Buster Faulkner’s offense, specifically his GH Counter concepts. Let’s look at three examples.

1. QB GH Counter Toss Bluff

On August 29, 2025, Buster Faulkner’s Georgia Tech offense opened the 2025 season on the road at Colorado. They were tied 20-20 with 1:07 left in the game, and GT had the ball on the Colorado 45. Buster Faulkner dials up a QB GH Counter Toss Bluff for Haynes King. The toss bluff widens the end man on the line of scrimmage, and the pulling guard and pulling TE work up to a LB. Haynes King squeezes through the hole and takes it 45 yards for a touchdown.

A day later on August 30, 2025, Charlie Weis Jr. and the Ole Miss offense open the season at home against Georgia State. Leading 7-0 in the second quarter, the Ole Miss offense faces a 3rd and 2 at the Georgia State 29. Charlie Weis Jr. brings in backup QB (at the time) Trinidad Chambliss to run QB GH Counter Toss Bluff. Chambliss runs for 5 yards and converts for a first down. Ole Miss ran this concept back in 2023 as well, but the influence is worth noting.

Even though it is possible that Charlie Weis Jr. was watching Georgia Tech the night before a game, it is probable that Charlie Weis Jr. was inspired by this from Georgia Tech’s 2024 offense. Georgia Tech had success with QB GH Counter Toss Bluff a number of times in 2024, notably against Syracuse and UGA.

2. PA QB GH Counter Toss Bluff Cross

On October 25, 2025, Georgia Tech is playing at home against Syracuse. Buster Faulkner dials up a wrinkle off the QB GH Counter Toss Bluff concept and adds a Play-Action pass to it. This is the second time in the season that Buster Faulkner runs this specific Play-Action, and the first time that he runs it with a Y-Cross with it.

A week later on November 1, 2025, Charlie Weis Jr. dials up the same exact concept. If you know anything about Lane Kiffin or Charlie Weis Jr., then you know that they love Y-Cross. Watching this QB GH Counter Play-Action Y-Cross concept is the perfect thing to steal for Ole Miss’ offense. Charlie Weis Jr. calls it on a pivotal 4th and 3 against South Carolina, and it is the perfect play call to move the chains. This would be the only time that Ole Miss ran this concept in the 2025 season.

3. PA GH Counter TE Slide

Lastly, we go to October 11, 2025. Georgia Tech is playing at home against Virginia Tech. Buster Faulkner is going to add a wrinkle to his GH Counter concept by leaking the pulling TE to the flat. This is the first time that Buster Faulkner dials up this play, and it goes for a 20-yard gain. He would go on to call it 8 more times in 2025.

A week later on October 18, 2025, Charlie Weis Jr. calls this play for the first time. They are playing on the road at UGA, and they bring this play out on the first play of the game. They set it up the same exact way that Georgia Tech did and gain 13 yards to start the game against a solid UGA defense. Charlie Weis Jr. would run this play 7 more times in 2025 and added some of his own wrinkles and variations to it.

Systems>Trends

Charlie Weis Jr. isn’t chasing trends; he is studying systems in order to make his own offensive system even stronger. This is a great lesson for all coordinators to steal or be influenced rather than copy when adding different elements to their own systems.

I would encourage you to study both the Buster Faulkner System and the Charlie Weis Jr. System if you want to steal key principles from their offenses that might fit into yours.

Get full access to the 2025 Ole Miss offense with all-22 film, cutups, play diagrams, tagged data, and more.

If you are a fan of Lane Kiffin, Trinidad Chambliss, Y-Cross, or RPOs, then this system is for you.

Members on Ko-Fi get it for FREE or buy the standalone for $25.

Notre Dame ran Verts 58 times in 2025, averaging 11.2 yards per attempt. They had a 62% success rate with it.

Mike Denbrock calls his Verts concept “Sun” and below are some cutups from Notre Dame running it and some playbook material from when Denbrock was OC at Cincinnati in 2021.

2x2 Sun (Seam)

This is the 2x2 variation of Denbrock’s Verts concept. Outside WRs are on stop routes which are 12 yard retraces and then convert vs press or cloud.

The frontside WR or TE is on a locked seam route, unless he is tagged. If he is tagged, he has a locked stop route at 12 yards. The backside WR or TE is on a seam read, keeping it up the seam against MOFC and bending it against MOFO. This is to make sure the seam routes keep their spacing from each other.

In the clip below, we see the defense roll to cover 3 cloud and CJ Carr throw the seam read that keeps it up the seam since it is MOFC.

Read more

This article will show you how to add the all-22 film to Hudl and how to match the tagged data with it.

1. Download the All-22 Film

Choose a game and click “download”. Make sure that all the video files are in one folder and then upload it to Hudl.

2. Download the CSV File

Go to that game’s tagged data and click “download as CSV”.

3. Make The Columns Match

Go to “manage sets” on Hudl classic and make sure the columns on hudl match the columns on the spreadsheet with tagged data.

4. Import the CSV

Click on the 3 dots in the bottom right corner and click “import data”. Choose the CSV and unselect “film” and “player/gain” because those data sets won’t import.

5. Match the Film and Data

Once the data finishes uploading, select both the all-22 film and the data and click “match”. This will take you to the editor where you will click “save”.

Now you should be able to watch the all-22 film with the tagged data on each play!

The video below will show you step by step on how you can accomplish this as well.

Below are 3 reasons why OC Mike Denbrock loves them so much!

1. They Protect the QB

In the clip below, the defense shows 8 rushers for 7 protectors. Instead of throwing hot, Notre Dame moves the pocket and hits a Rub Slant for a touchdown.

2. They Make the Throw Easier

On a 2nd & 1, Denbrock dials up a Sprintout Smash concept.

Instead of throwing across the field, CJ Carr is able to roll out of the pocket and hit the Hitch route for a first down.

3. They Isolate the Read

Even though Sprintouts cut the field, they also isolate a space.

Instead of trying to read the whole field, Notre Dame isolates one side with a Smash Switch concept. This isolates 2 defenders and puts them in conflict.

The Mike Denbrock System

Mike Denbrock dialed up 24 Sprintout passes, especially in short yardage situations.

If you want to see all 24 plays, check out The Mike Denbrock System!

While this isn’t a huge sample size, it shows Mike Denbrock’s dedication to sticking with a staple while still avoiding tendencies. This isn’t his only variation of Outside Zone, but it is a really neat one.

In the clip below, you can see the linebackers expecting Outside Zone to go the other way. This makes the double team to the playside LB a lot easier and makes the backside LB take himself out of the play.

This 15 yard rush came at a pivotal time in the 4th quarter against USC. The Fighting Irish were only up 27-24 with 9:49 left in the game. This run put Notre Dame in scoring position to essentially seal the game with a touchdown.

One takeaway from studying The Mike Denbrock System is the attention to detail he has when designing plays. The smallest details can make or break a play!

The video below is a 60 second cutup of Skinny Posts, Slot Posts, and Mills concepts. The receivers do a great job of stepping on toes, finding grass, and hitting explosive plays over the safeties worried about the run.

1. Numbers

Shifts are a great way to flip the strength of the offense. In the clip below, Notre Dame starts in a 2x2 formation with the defense in a Cover 3 structure with the SS rolled down. The TE then shifts to a 3x1 formation and then defense doesn’t adjust. That allows Notre Dame to have a numbers advantage to the strength, where they run a Dash Flood concept. The Sail route is able to come wide open for a huge gain.

2. Leverage

The second thing that shifts do is they create leverage. In the clip below, Notre Dame is going to be in a 2x2 formation and run a Capped Inside Zone against 6 defenders in the box. Instead of having the slot TE dig out a LB, he is going to shift to a wing position and insert for the LB. Now Notre Dame has 6 blockers with ideal leverage on 6 defenders. The RB is able to hit the hole and get a first down.

3. Recognition

Lastly, shifts can help recognize what coverage the defense is playing. In the clip below, Notre Dame is trying to convert a 2-pt play. They come out in a 3x1 formation and have an Ohio concept dialed up (MOR by #1 and Quick Out by #2). They are thinking man coverage but are able to confirm it with the shift by the #3 WR. Now the #2 WR is one on one with the slot defender and comes wide open for an easy pitch and catch.

Systems

One of my favorite things about The Systems is being able to learn from the best offensive coordinators in college football like Mike Denbrock, Buster Faulkner, Tim Beck, and Drew Cronic. I definitely don’t know everything as an offensive coordinator, but being able to study them through systems helps me grow tremendously.

Consider becoming a member of The Systems in order to elevate your craft as a play-caller, and stay tuned for future coordinators coming soon!

Not many offensive coordinators focus on the details of a play design as well as Mike Denbrock does. This shows up very evidently in his Mesh concept. For Notre Dame in 2025, Mesh had a 87.5% success rate. Denbrock only dialed it 8 times all year, but they averaged 15.12 yards per attempt. There are a few details that made the passing concept so successful for them.

The Triangle

There are some different thought processes on how to teach the progression on Mesh; however, I believe the best way is the way Denbrock teaches it. He teaches:

Pre-Snap Access 1. Rail 2. Shallow 3. OTB 4. Rub Shallow

This progression gives the Quarterback a left to right or right to left progression, making it easy for him to marry his feet with his eyes seamlessly. This also gets the Rail route out of the backfield as the first read, which is usually the most forgotten about in coverage. On top of that, the Rail route is the best route to be used as a “hot” route. If the Rail route is not open, the Quarterback comes down to the Shallow that is being picked for by the other Shallow.

(Mesh concept from when Mike Denbrock was OC at Cincinnati)

(Mesh with the Rail coming wide open)

Read more

Notre Dame executed it perfectly against an elite Miami defense. PST with a “slow” call on the DE, and Center kicks the scraping LB.

Football is all about leverage, so like OC Mike Denbrock, put your players in favorable positions to succeed!

They averaged 7.03 yards per carry with it and had a 48.81% success rate. If you carry Outside Zone in your offense, The Mike Denbrock System is for you! Study all the different ways they ran Outside Zone and how they combated different defensive looks.

Below is 2 minutes of some of their biggest Outside Zone runs!