Question about upcoming Season (Flexbone)

That's a good starting point really. You should be good with high school...IF you're repping them enough. Midline and veer are a little ambitious IMO if this is youth ball.

I think if you invest in midline and actually commit to it being a part of the game-plan, you'll be surprised with the mileage it can give you.  

This is incorrect

Have a plan B. Power, etc

Big 6 1) IV, 2) Zone dive, 3) Mid double, 4) Mid triple, 5) Toss, 6) Belly then you have 2-3 mixers of your choosing. We run zone option, qb zone option keep, and counter trey.

1 and 2 are blocked similar, 3 and 4 are blocked similar, zone option and zone option keep have the exact blocking scheme as zone dive for the line, then belly, counter, and toss are all different

I just installed the flex at a school that has been in the spread for 18 years in about the same time frame as you have. I have over a decade in the offense and can tell you that you will spend most of your first year getting them used to new techniques.

You will suck a$$ at IV the first year and lose if you feel like you have to run it to be considered an option team. Even the service academies are getting away from running so much IV. Mid triple is a superior play to IV and should be in your arsenal.

The great thing about it is every time you get a rep at mid double you are getting reps for mid triple and vice versa. For the zone schemes your OLine is getting reps on the same blocking scheme every time you run one of those plays and they get really good at it. Plus it's almost the same blocking scheme as IV so you can go into year 2 with a solid base to get good at IV.

I speak with an option coach considered one of if not the best guy to go to for this offense weekly and he said first year get good at mid triple, zone dive and toss and you can put up a lot of points.

Practice is more important than anything also. You need to know how to do it efficiently and get the kids the looks they will see every day. Know your rule, technique your rule

rsmith627, I’m the only coach that knows anything about Option football on the staff (5 coaches and I’m the OC). My only concern is the one month we have between when we start practice to the season starting. But if I KISS, then perhaps we can get enough reps in to be comfortable. As far as your PA, I know there’s the vertical concept and the switch (post-Wheel) concept. What else has worked for you?

I’ll look back through my things. Those were our bread and butter. Switch killed teams when we were switch blocking a ton on veer.

If you haven’t, Google flexbone nation. There’s a really good blog and a forum full of knowledgeable flex coaches. I’d get your guys on there. They can find countless drills, coaching points, and whatever. It’s all guys that have been immersed in this O for years.

I’m a Navy purist and a lot of them are as well, but if you’re looking into adding things like TEs so you can run OV there is a lot of knowledge there as well.

rsmith627 and @sconnieoc I’m a Navy purist as well. I’m only 31, but my first exposure to Option football was in 2002 (Army-Navy) and I fell in love with the Option. I have been wanting to run the triple my whole life and it’s what I believe in. I’m so excited to have this opportunity and I want to get it right.
To your points, I’m looking at no TE (will use heavy formation/tackle over). I’ve definitely checked out Flexbone Nation, it’s a great resource. Also some useful stuff on Flexbone Association and Veersite.
If we can get good at the base (thinking of just jumping in with triple, zone dive, midline, and rocket toss) I want to add in mid-veer and trap later in the season, and possibly belly.
I know practice time will be key, and any ideas you have will be greatly appreciated.

Triple is a bitch. One thing to do it in practice...

I should add that we finish Monday with team take off for 5 min and its just reping toss with all the tags. 2 groups 16 plays and it's for conditioning and the only time in the week we rep toss

It's just a matter of training your players that have no clue about anything you're doing and being some what successful year 1. I had no one that had ever taken a snap under center and an oline that were in 2 point stances. He will probably have the same issues.

Reps, Reps, Reps

For example releasing your tackle outside a 5 on mid triple vs a 4-3 defense. Its the only way you can have numbers on the perimeter.

You need to be able to handle a 3-2-exchange by rule but you can tag the perimeter to handle it as well as using flex formation to stop it.


You can teach blocking the perimeter 2 ways 1) count system 2) block who shows and pitch off who shows. The latter is easier to pick up stunts but plenty of people have had success doing it the 1st way

We practice 4 pap’s. One off of mid triple action, one off toss action and 2 off of veer action

Walk this back and ask yourself two questions:

1. Do you have a guy that can coach up the option reads and backfield technique?

2. Do you have a competent OL coach?

This has been my personal conundrum when trying to install triple option. I was the sole coach on staff that could handle the OL and coach the backfield. Hence why we're Wing-T and not SBV or Flexbone. The assisting staff members just didn't have the experience to handle those positions. Good coaches and good people but just not ready to take over those roles.

This is great advice. I would go mid triple over inside veer every time if i could only pick one. As some others have said www.flexbonenation.com If your anywhere near Arkansas, go to Harding and watch them practice. They are in mine and a lot of other flex guy opinions the absolute best at running it. Army visited them this last spring.
If on twitter follow 3phasefootball , @flexbonenation

Last thing is get good at Belly in year 1 it helps attack a lot of the things teams do to stop IV and other option stuff.