Watching Film: Coastal Carolina
24 min readSeth Varnadore takes a closer look at the Coast Carolina Offense
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Welcome to watching film my name is seth Varnador I'm a former high school and college Football coach now i'm just a civilian But i like to stay connected to the game By uh breaking down scheme And looking at kind of interesting Interesting schemes In college football one Offense it seems has captured the Imagination And attention of a lot of people this Season has been the coastal carolina Offense They are undefeated so far this year Getting ready for toast college game day This weekend And they run an interesting offense that Kind of mixes elements of a few Different things So we're going to go through i've pulled Some film from select Games this season no all 22 film i don't Have that kind of access But kind of tv copy so we're not gonna Be able to see everything but there's Some interesting stuff and some Interesting wrinkles they do We'll start with kind of the base run Stuff So let's start with a clip from last Week's game against texas state One thing they do is they they take a Really good
They take advantage of their personnel Right they will get in Interesting personnel packages they'll Use A lot of times the same personnel and And Move guys in out to different formations Uh number four It's kind of like a big tight end body But they'll kind of flex him out wide at Receiver sometimes so You'll get what looks like 11 personnel Formations Which is one back one tied in with when You really have 12 personnel which is One back two tight ends You'll get some two back or you'll get Some Tight ends in the backfield makes it Like 21 personnel two backs one tied in So they they they present you a lot of Interesting stuff just Personnel wise and then how they put That personnel in different formations Here uh against texas state to start They're just gonna run the straight up Zone And they've got a really well closed Offensive line You see here they've got some good backs That if you give them a crease they can Hit it But here this is just straight up zone See here climbing
Gonna reach Right here good job there there Got a big wide lane You'll see them do this a lot they'll Kind of leave the corner out and they'll Go inside At receiver so he's going right to Safety leaving the corner out there Corner step up and make a tackle he's Probably not going to And then you have backs that can hit Their head on the goal post anytime they Touch the ball Very explosive guys Same game again great job here Giving a hand he's coming to take over I'm climbing Seem to hear climb Good run by the back and that's a Different back than the previous run They've got a staple of good running Backs Here's a little look at split zone so Again just zone You see here you got two tight ends he's More like a A wing h-back full-back type look though And now he's coming across kick out in Man I think i've seen them run the same look And run wham as well Wham is where you're gonna kinda it's Kind of like a split zone But you're gonna instead of kicking out
In middle line of scrimmage you're gonna Kind of come inside for an interior Alignment i've seen them run that In other games i believe this is just Straight split zone Again really good job by the offensive Line the backs did a good job of reading It So you got a good offensive line you got Good running backs You know you're gonna be able to run the Ball and now you got this guy a Quarterback Who has a rare combination i think of of Running ability And throwing ability he's not obviously Not the greatest thrower in the world But he's very good Very athletic guy he's kind of the guy That makes it go you need a guy like This that's comfortable with the option Concepts that we're going to get to Here in a second and also comfortable Throwing the bottom of the field which We'll see kind of towards the end of This video So here's some of the kind of the Interesting things right triple triple Option stuff It's right here this could be triple This could just be window dressing but They will run triple out of this look And they'll run it i believe he's got Eyes here
Because of this front structure Nobody's outside the tackle here he's Kind of the first thing outside so i Think we got eyes there Eyes on him he gives it Later on you'll see him throw this And even though he's not attacking to Run here It's still kind of the same idea as a Triple option i got a dive guy and i got A pitch guy i'm just gonna throw the Pitch now Good job up front and this back is able To get up inside And break off a big run Again similar look He appears to have his eyes there If he stays inside here like this he Kind of treats inside Well now i can whip it out and throw it Out to my other back He's my pitch guy even though it's a Throw that's still my pitch guy right There Again get the ball into athletic guys Hands Get them the balls in space and let them Go and make plays Now here's more like a true triple And this one's kind of got some nice Window dressing on it right You get what looks like kind of jet Motion here And then he's going to come back around
And be the pitch guy We're in here reading out here So we actually have dive guy We're going inside dive guy Pitch guy Takes the dive now i'm able to get Outside him and now the pitch Comes out here quarterback's really Comfortable running this And really athletic We'll let it run full speed one more Time here just to kind of see it Really really interesting really well Done And then make the defense prep because They'll give that jet as well So they make the defense get they it Looks just like jet to start you get Safety's rotating maybe for jet You see here you got guys just this Safety Or just this motion makes him rotate Towards the middle of the field And now i'm just going to bring it right Back in run option And here's the guy that rotated Amazingly go inside And pin him And break off a big run Right here it starts a little late But i believe you have the titan start Here he's going to come across and loop Around So you got the dive you got the pitch
You got the quarterback and then he's Going to be kind of he could be a lead Blocker out there with a tight end good Right here you see these two guys Fly but he flies outside He flies up field easy dive reed And again get these playmakers the ball In space Just misses making this safety mess if He makes a miss he might be gone But still a really big gain on first Down Right here again so they'll do in Different Ways right sometimes this guy next will Stand next to him be the dive guy Sometimes they'll be the pitch guy so it Looks like here he may have pedaled At the snap now he becomes the dive guy He becomes the pitch guy This right here this maybe it looks like Maybe this is my dive reed right there He squeezes that so now i'm pulling And now i got a this is nice i got a Kind of a crack or an inside out on to What could possibly Be in normal circumstances the pitch Read but this could just be a Predetermined We're going to pitch this and we're just Trying to get him outside So make it look like triple and really I wanna it's almost like a toss with a Triple action
It's almost maybe like a double option But Really well designed nonetheless again i Don't know their terminology i'm not Sure exactly what they're trying to do And i don't have the kind of the all 22 But this is really interesting stuff And it's really well designed and it's Very tough to prepare for and this is Against george the southern who runs Some options stuff of their own So it's not like they've never seen it Before I'm classifying this as triple as well Because you have in my mind right you Have the dive guy You have the quarterback and then you Also He's the pitch guy he's running a flat Out so this is kind of like an rpo but i Think this is like a modern Way to run triple option and you'll see This in other offenses that don't run as Much option stuff They'll have a dive guy quarterback can Run it and pull it or he can throw The flat to the running back as the Pitch guy to widen The defense running back makes a great Cut backside Makes a safety miss touchdown Another good look at it against here Against texas state Dive reed arcing
And what's interesting is they have Almost like a It's like a an iso almost as well so It looks like we're down here down to Him And then i'm not coming out i'm gonna I'm gonna be coming to iso on this Backer We have an arc here So if he widens Right now i'm giving The ball to the dive in a huge hole With a lead blocker He squeezes a little bit well now i can Just pull it And i'll pitch i'll go ahead and pitch That get it ball in hand And also you see again we're gonna Bypass the corner To the safety and now my tackle is going To come out here And get the corner Really cool wrinkle But running like iso with your triple Option as well so now you got a lead Blocker for the dive If they don't squeeze it then you pull And pitch it you got your tackle Kicking out a corner that's a matchup You always like This is kind of they do a variation of This on the goal line and the short Yardage they like to pull And run almost like uh a lot of times
It'll be the center here they got the Guard With the jet fake you got the guard Coming kicking out the inman almost like A long Trap This is kind of their favorite short Yardage play i think it's kind of uh That trap but there's there's a guard Pull and you'll see some later with the Center pulling Here's something um i like to call this Speed reader It's they want to show we're going to Arc here They want to show read option at first Quarterback's going to turn right we Want to see All right here's what we're reading we Want him to think it's read option We want him to try to come and attack The mesh point at least his first couple Steps inside And then we're gonna break it out the Speed option so it kind of it almost Ensures i get the pitch Right if he attacks inside my first Step's here And then i'm out he's gonna come up and Then out Well if he commits himself inside like This i'm gonna get this pitch all day Long Right so it's kind of a speed option
With a read element i like to call it Speed reader I'm sure there's a real name for it Somewhere but right here it looks just Like read option or dive And now we're running speed well now It's gonna be really hard for him to get All the way out there he's pretty much Committed to the quarterback You got somebody pulling and then you Got the pitch all by himself which is Probably the guy you want to get the Ball in his hands Number one i believe he's a really Explosive player So right there you get yourself the Pitch basically schematically you don't Have to read it But if he was to widen you'd have a good Play still too here's another look at it We're going to kind of get to the Sideline This is more just speed really but the Little Show this quarterback is pretty good Athlete right there This may be like a pitch read but he can Stick his foot in the ground and go He makes the guy miss and then gives the Pitch late Quarterback is very athletic he can do a Lot of different things in the run game I mean this is a great play by him Making this guy miss
And then now waiting to pitch until now You got your quarterback one-on-one with The safety or you're Sorry your running back went on with the Safety he makes him miss You score a lot of points that way makes A decent tackle So here's an interesting look right here So We got a tight end here the one receiver They're gonna motion The receiver across to create a nub Tight inside See how texas state responds to it Bumping over gonna blitz off this edge So they got an audible ready Well what's the probably a pretty good Play here they're gonna go a speed Option Into the boundary here which is a great Call Against this look they even change it a Little bit The late change kind of gets them into Not a perfect play right here before This You have a really good play before this Linebacker moves you're just arcing And i can go inside right becomes a Little bit tougher with this look But the quarterback does a good job of Making this end man commit to him And this backs good enough even with a Tough block there by the tackle
He's able to outrun him and you're just Getting your guy in space and then you Got your big tight end coming back and Making a really smart block Not getting a crack back block but just Getting in the way that's a sign i think Of a well coached team when you see Stuff like that There's they're really taking time to Understand the details This is one of my favorite place i i Don't know if i've ever seen this before It's possible i have um But so you have like it looks like mid Line Or you know something similar you're Reading you're going to read what looks To be a nose here Or maybe a one tech but we're reading Him Right here we're going to read him Across Almost like a stretch you'll see this a Lot of times they'll read him Quarterback will get up inside but what They do here is really interesting i Think they almost run it like A trap play they kind of fold they're Gonna fold the center of the guard here But they're basically running almost Like trap normal trap a lot of times You'll You know if you have a normal front or Here right
Say he's in a one back side and we got a Three over here He'll go down and block the one the Guards coming to kick out He's climbing it inside immediately Right that's the normal kind of a trap Play they kind of do that but instead of Having to block Back they're gonna read him so the guard Just goes right Down downfield the center actually comes And kicks And executes kind of the trap block and They read this guy So right here they're reading it He doesn't fly a field well then give That outside run there But if he would have flown if he would Have got up field Or tried to cut off this stretch You have an interesting kind of play Coming back in here Inside this trap inside that trap block Right there Really cool design i thought And i don't know if i'd ever seen it Before i watched some triple option Stuff i'm no Triple option expert by any means but Just really cool kind of Almost like a midline trap Out of the gun pretty neat stuff Here's what it looks like without the Trap
You kind of got he's i'd say he's almost Like a three tech back side we're going To let him go And we're just going to climb we're Going to read him He's not fast enough watch the center Here this sinner's I think the guy i've you know you've Heard reports he's like five foot nine But watch him he kind of jumps this guy Turns him back and pins him away from The play So you'll see a huge hole open where the Center has got Beats this guy so bad right here Beats him to the point of attack and Basically just walls him off he's done And then this guard you'll see there's An end zone cut of this Should have put on here but he's gonna Go here he sees that guy go away and now He climbs Right he sees that hip go away from him He climbs He picks up here we're in really good Shape and now you got really good Players In space and there you go we talked About getting guys in space and that was It great blocking up front And kind of reading that three tech back Side what looks like a three that could Have been like a four eye but Reading back side
Then here they'll do this uh every now And then you'll see Not too dissimilar to when you'll have Like navy or army one of these triple Options i'll motion The wing back and everyone will kind of Take a step like we're going That way and we're coming back here Would they do it without the motion So here he's lined up there And now they're gonna come back Pin him inside it's a race If this guy gets way up field he can Probably pitch this quick It's a race outside you ain't going to Lose that one now you got a lead blocker So it's like a lead or load option worth Speed but you got Uh you got that lead blocker there But make it look like almost like a Counter look right make it look like i'm Going the other way And that gives you just enough you see Just enough movement To freeze some guys and now guess what That little step in he took well now He's getting cut off Just enough on the edge breaks a tackle You like a little bit better block there But Still easy first down so we said they Like to run Jet here they will the tap Pass
And these guys can roll when they get in The open field Here's kind of that that kind of uh i Believe this is the center point this is Something they like in short yardage Here you see the First and goal late in the game they're Down to app state here The center pulls everybody else is down Center pulls Kicks He'll run a pitch track and sometimes You'll see i think coming up here They'll motion him Out Right there motion them out centers Pulling This is something they like in short Yardage All right so then if you can run the Ball that well What is that set up for you that sets up Rpos and play actions So we'll kind of look through some of That to me this looks like an rpo The way the tackle's coming off the ball You'll see other examples where You the backfield action looks like rpo Because it kind of does look like play Action right Where he'll set here he's coming out of His stance For that outside backer there so i'm Thinking this is rpo
They love to throw a post off this And they've got some pretty good Receivers to do that with But here you know i think we've got eyes Here for the quarterback eyes on him Does he come to phil he comes to phil Thank you i'm gonna throw right behind Your head And they've got some pretty good Receivers i think this is a kid that Played at venice high school I saw him break a ton of records really Good player His quarterback's actually the backup at Coastal So they've got some guys here i think It's the same idea You've got a hitch out here i believe The quarterback has eyes there If he widens with the hitch we're going To hand it off if he were to come up And try to get in the run game we're Going to throw the hitch out there it's Right here quarterback you see his eyes On him Eyes on him right here You see his back just handed off Again good push by the offensive line Great cut by the back Same look right here He's running the hitch he's got his back Turn Should be a give and now you got a great Cut
And so this is what that kind of going Inside To the safety right leaving if you get Man coverage like it looks like here He's gonna run inside with him And almost take himself out of the play With a cut back here And then like i said these guys can roll When they get in the open field Big time players at the running back Position This is another one you have to think Rpo just based on where the line how far The lineman get down field It's tough with this opposite look but It looks like he's kind of peeking here To see if he's got this and then turned His eyes there I'm not sure these these kind of look in The opposite way rpo stuff that you saw Kind of alabama do with two and stuff Like that It's uh you know i'm not well versed on These But i think he kind of has an idea this Guy's creeping it could just be a Package where he knows The place package already he knows if Hey this guy's creeping up before the Snap i can take that shot there I just gotta make sure this safety Doesn't rotate to the middle of the Field could just be that But again i'm not the most well versed
On these But bang throw it in there post No rotation bang Again you see the line of getting Downfield that's why i hesitate to say It's a play action But you kind of have he's here and then Once you see this movement Out with the bubble you're going to get This post behind it Well thrown ball and there's your big Tight end body That's a flexible player they you see They haven't split out wide there he'll Come in line he'll play As a wing that allows them the Flexibility to I think you know they they want to have Formational flexibility with the same Personnel and not allow you to sub Right if they go fast and they keep the Same personnel in the field you don't Get the sub This is a really nifty one it looks Almost like quarterback draw He looks like he's coming to lead on the Middle backer here and then he just runs By him This could be like a kind of a tebow Rocker step style play action I don't that may be a tough one to read There i think this is probably just a Play action play But it could be something you can see
Kind of based on the difference right The other ones we saw We're attacking here We're setting so cool play action design Here Just you need to hold him for a second Is if he stays flat-footed This guy's running by him you hold him Easy money All right here's some stuff that is just Straight play action you can tell i Think by the way the the The tackle sets here Look the safety stays in the middle of The field you can get this glance post In backside They really like that kind of glance Post back side See here again Safety right here you can kind of see Quarterbacks looking here He rotates a little bit towards the Middle of the field I know i'm going to have this with the Widening and the play action you're Going to get Because look you get great action up on Your linebacker because you run the ball So well Quarterback throws it behind Linebacker's head in the whole vacation With a safety rotation Again their looks make it look almost Like they're running a triple
Another play action shot you run enough Run right you run some of that stretch Stuff Where he's the lead blocker well now He's this guy's like i'm not Letting that get outside of me i gotta Meet this stretch i'm gonna be his Blocker downhill I'm gonna come blow this play up See ya right down the middle of the Field there's nothing you can do about That this is they put you in a bind Oops you see the linebackers i go crap i Gotta try to grab this dude ain't Happening Easy touchdown So this is a great example of i think You get like you almost get like a two For one here i think he's gonna run Almost like a post corner And gets himself wide open with a great Route i think he's gonna run a post and If you watch The play this motion gets out of this Safety this is kind of what navy gets a Lot right Then you're gonna have a deep crosser i Believe I think this was kind of a pick your Poison for the quarterback right here You see right here the plate the safety Is coming down Here's the other safety's coming down You're putting your corners on an island
Safety comes down he's trying to cut the Cross cut the cross over here Well i got this guy running the corner i Believe the other guy's running the post She probably could have taken either one Hitch up throw the corner out good route Good catch for a big play in an easy First down And that's all from that run action Those safeties think they got to come Down and fill in the alley And now you run by him and you have some Pretty good receivers Another one right so i come inside so Much on On run plays that come inside so much Come inside so much bang To the back of the end zone corner Hesitates for a second That's all you need see ya Well place ball and that's the that's The backup quarterback there For coastal Again you see the play this action gets From the safety he's coming downhill Where's there's nobody there easy Decision for the quarterback right But they just put you in a bind because They do so much stuff And to me this looks like kind of like Uh looks a little bit like a white cross Kind of the air raid staple my cross They just converted him to a post He looks like he's coming back behind
Here He's gonna be the flat guy so instead of The go route there They turned him into a post with the Play action Easy easy money Here another kind of airaid staple you Got white corner Sort of motion to it off the screen here We're gonna have A snag route from out there you're gonna Have a corner out And a flare route flat route from the Back Horizontal and vertical stretch right Here He's driving that snag route somebody's Widened Off screen for the back that means you Got the corner Right there big number four gets his Feet down Then not too dissimilar from what we saw Earlier it looked kind of like white Cross but It's kind of the same idea to me it Looks like a flood concept or i'm Sending one guy deep which white cross Kind of is he's coming from across the Field To be my intermediate threat and then i Got a short threat on the same side i'm Flooding that third of the field Off play action linebackers get lost
Find him downfield the corners run out Of there Really good design especially paired With that run game You'll see them run this a few times Here right we got the tight end here From a compressed split Where he's he's in line he's around kind Of a A sailor speed out it looks like we got Like a drive concept here He's coming underneath you can kind of Work here first and then come back So i don't like that i got this If he's if he's on that i can come back Behind him To the square end that's coming drive is An old west coast concept Bill walsh kind of brought it about Here's kind of I think a similar look out of a Different formation So now he's gonna push vertical and be The dig guy He's got the shallow I believe you got the same kind of Action here It's the same kind of outro number one Running to go kind of running people off But Same idea drive in there so it's not Like a rinky-dink passing game with some Some interesting concepts in the passing Game as well
Some pro concepts stuff you'll see Everywhere so really well design outfits All around They like to run rubs so see here I'm gonna inside release inside release And get vertical Outside Rub You'll see kind of simmering down here I'm coming out and i'm gonna get Vertical I'm gonna go inside And kind of follow So rubs so if you're gonna get man Coverage these rubs Make everything easy another rub here on The goal line Again inside release get vertical Getting his outside hip give him some Problems or he's got either You know he's not gonna be able to Follow this if we time it up well You don't have to make contact right you Just gotta get in their way bang He's breaking out the corner he's going To the front pylon He's in trouble because it's man Coverage Easy money for a touchdown Here's kind of i think a flood look Right where you got the go route Normally you got the intermediate You got a flare they kind of i'm Guessing they've kind of tagged
Post here Safety has eyes on number two He goes with him the corner goes with Him and you leave the post Wide open down the middle of field For an easy touchdown it looks like kind Of to me like a flood And you tag the post there But catching the safety with eyes on two Getting over the top This is a concept they don't hit here And i haven't seen him hit it yet But right that white corner we looked at Earlier where he's gonna snag Up right They'll have him snag up for like a half Second and then go down the middle of The field They've seen them running in the red Zone it's a really good concept they Miss it here i think they missed it Later in the red zone because of Pressure But a really good concept off kind of a Constraint Play off your white corner you see him Go down the middle of the field It gets vacated right and now It looks just like white corner at first And then he's down the middle and it Looks like they do another variation Right where he kind of hooks up and then You got the back runs the wheel But you have the guy down the middle
They had him later in the red zone Another funky thing this is the backup Quarterback out in the slot so they'll Run some two quarterback stuff which is Just kind of You could obviously set up for some type Of trick play but actually throw it to Them And you know that's kind of it just Looking through i think look through Four games Really well designed run game obviously And then that helps With it's not like a rinky-dink pass Game either You have a well-designed run game that Leads into your rpo game your play Action game They're really fun to watch they got Some explosive players At kind of every skill position they've Got a well coached offensive line it's a Well coach unit That's why you can see why people are so Kind of excited to watch them and talk About them So i wanted to take a little deeper look At them really cool stuff the option Stuff is great though i do it out of so Many different formations so many Different looks with motion Different backfield looks different Initial Steps kind of everything to get that
Same Confusion that you can get out of an Option offense And then they've added in some other More i guess more Modern elements including just having Different formations and things like That um And then the vertical kind of more Sophisticated passing game i think but Then Getting the benefit of the play action That you'll see a lot of triple option Teams get where you get guys screaming Wide open down in the middle of the Field of the post Because safeties have got to come up and Play your options stuff so Really cool offense really well designed Their game against liberty Or possibly byu it looks like this Weekend Should be a really interesting one glad They're getting game day Should be really fun to watch them play The rest of the year
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