Steve Sarkisian Clinic

https://youtu.be/d5Tnuch0-M0
OPENING
• THIS GAME IS ABOUT EXPLOSIVE PLAYS
• GET YOUR BEST PLAYERS THE BALL ON THE MOVE
• IF THE DEFENSE WANTS TO PLAY WITH 2 HIGH SAFETIES, RUN THE
BALL
• IS IT ABOUT YOU OR YOUR PLAYERS?
• DEFENSIVE MINDSET “STOP WHAT THE PERCENTAGES TELL YOU TO
DEFEND”
• MAKE DEFENSE DEFEND SHOTS DOWN THE FIELD
• BUILD LAYERS THROUGHOUT THE GAME
RPO
• HOW DO YOU TAKE AWAY AN RPO?
• LEVERAGE
• MAN COVERAGE
• HAND INSIDE LEVERAGE
• PLACE SAFETY AS HOLE PLAYER
RPO
• RPO = OPPORTUNITY THROWS
• GIVE QB OPTION TO GET FREE COMPLETION
• IF YOU GIVE QB TOO MANY OPTIONS, YOU DON’T RUN THE BALL
ANYMORE AND YOU LOSE YOUR IDENTITY
• SIGNAL TO SINGLE RECEIVER ROUTE OPTIONS- CAN ALERT TO IT
• EXAMPLE - QB TAPS HIS HEAD (ALERT) TELLS RECEIVER THAT SS IS ON
L.O.S AND HE WANTS HIM TO BREAK TO DAYLIGHT (FOR NEXT SLIDE)
 RPO

• INSIDE ZONE
• READ STRONG SAFETY
• VS. 2 HIGH – RUN THE BALL
• DON’T THROW SLANTS…GLANCE
ROUTES
• 4TH OUTSIDE STEP – BREAK TO
DAYLIGHT (READ CORNERS
LEVERAGE)
RPO
• MAN TO MAN – HAVE TO WIN
• COVER 3 – GET IN WINDOW
• 2 HIGH TRAP – WRAP CORNER, GET IN VOIDED AREA
• AT FIRST JUST BLOCKING TO FIELD BUT CAN ATTACH ANYTHING
PLAY PASS
• DEFENSES GENERALLY PLAY MAN TO TAKE AWAY RPO
• ALLUSION OF RPO
• HAVE LEVELS IN YOUR RPO WORLD
• MAKE IT LOOK/SEE/FEEL LIKE RPO
• YOUR OFFENSE MUST HAVE LAYERS
• PURPLE TAG ADDED TO RUN MEANS PLAY PASS
 PLAY PASS

• X - DOVER
• H – HIGH CROSS
• Y – CHECK FLAT
• Z – PRESSURE – STEP ON TOES
• RECEIVERS – CREATE
SEPARATION GETTING ACROSS
THE FIELD
 PLAY PASS

• X – PRESSURE, STEP ON TOES

• H – B-LINE, OCCUPY SAFETY
• Y- CHECK FLAT
• Z – HI CROSS, GET BALL OPP. HASH
• IF SAFETY STAYS DEEP, THROW DEEP
CROSSER
DROP BACK
• DON’T CHANGE CONCEPTS – READS ALWAYS STAY THE SAME
• 1 - 2 - 3 – 4 BALL, MAKE THE READS
• DEFENSES WANT TO PLAY MAN BECAUSE ZONE CAUSES
MANIPULATION
• DON’T NEGLECT RUNNING BACK IN PASSING GAME
• DON’T NEED TO ALWAYS BE IN 6 MAN PASS PRO
• RB IS LEAST COVERED ON PASS PLAYS
• CATCH THE BALL OUT OF BACKFIELD
• MAKE THE DEFENSE COVER HIM… DOESN’T NEED TO ALWAYS BE FLAT ROUTE
DROP BACK
• MAKE OPTIONS FOR YOUR QB TO GET THE BALL OUT OF HIS HANDS
• CROSSERS
• PUT YOUR BEST PLAYERS ON THE MOVE
• PUT YOUR PLAYERS ON THE MOVE – CREATE EXPLOSIVE PLAYS
• DON’T THROW BALL TO STATIONARY TARGET
• YOU ARE AS FAST AS FASTED PLAYER STANDING STILL
• GET GUYS CATCHING BALL ON THE MOVE, GET ON THE RUN
• LET THEM DO WHAT THEY DO BEST
• CALL CURL ROUTES VS. COVER 3
 DROP BACK
• X – RAILROAD, UNDER H, STAY ON THE
MOVE
• H – PICK CORNER, HIGH ANGLE
• Y – SHALLOW SIT
• Z – CHIEF (OTB)
• R – RAIL, HOT BACK SHOULDER
• POSSIBLE SHORT MOTION FOR INDICATOR
• PICK ROUTES
 DROP BACK

• X – BASIC
• H – SHALLOW
• Y – FLAT (GET TO 6)
• Z – CRASH
• R – CHECK SLOW
• NATURAL HIGH LOW INTO BOUNDARY
WITH CROSSERS
• WORKS VS. 2 TRAP BOUNDARY CORNER
• HAVE TO ID TRAP CORNER VS. 2 HIGH
SHELL
• VS. MAN – GET CROSSERS FOR NATURAL
RUB