Simple No Huddle System seeked

We put wrist coaches on all of our offensive personnel, so we can go no huddle at any time. I have four vertical columns and 10-12 horizontal rows, so we have anywhere from 40-48 plays available on the wrist coach. I label the vertical columns with colors and the horizontal rows with numbers, so when I call a color and number, the players locate it on the grid and we run the play.

By the way, I got this idea from Coach Hugh Wyatt several years ago, and we also use it in practice so we don't have to huddle in team offense. This allows us to get far more reps done in practice.

Hey coach, you can try the wristaband method, but if your program is a little low on cash or your players seem to ruin their bands without reason(like ours...) you can try a very simple system.

The only thing you need to do is make the kids to memorize your route tree( or concepts), formations and the OL to know the ballcarrier/hole number-blocking system. Your QB will do all the play-calling himself, or it can be signaled in.

Basically the QB will call out three sets of numbers, and not all theplayers have to know them

First: formation (for example, the "1" formation can be your standard shotgun)

Second: pass protection (the QB only says this to the line and backfield, we use a simple format where the first number is the number of players blocking( usually 5), and the second(and/or third) are the route(s) the back(s) will run. Sometimes I tell my QB to call the routes directly(to confuse the defense).
*If its a running play, the QB calls out the HBs number, then the hole to the entire team. Your guys should know that if the QBs first number is below 5, then its a run. The OL should be able to effectively communicate to block at the point of attack. My OL coach taught them how block based on the hole, not defensive front or formation.*

Third: The QB tells the WRs/TEs thier routes. If you use the tree and believe the defense is stealing your signals(it happened to us once), use famous player numbers to communicate your routes, for example we used "strahan" and "reggie" to signal a fly/quick out combo

Ultimately a passing play would sound like this
"3. 3" - signaled I formation
"5, 2, swing" - five men on pass pro. upback runs out, deepback runs a swing to the weakside
"569, 569" the backside WR runs a deep post, playside WR runs a
fly and the TE curls.

A running play has only two real parts
"3, 3" - formation
" 26, 4, check-river" - 26 will get the ball, 4 is the hole, check-river is nonsense designed to confuse the defense. ;D
"86864" the QB calls out more numbers than WRs/TEs to tell them to runblock, also serves to confuse the defense.

Motion isnt necessarily called but you can teach your QB to call his own motions and by using hand signals, ala Peyton Manning. We dont shift or use much 3*1 sets so guys off the line know the QB is telling them to motion)


PS:Nice to be back at coach hueys, been very busy lately.

I don't like the wristband system. When I was in school and we faced teams with those..coach would tell me..Son, don't come back to this sideline without one of those. So we made sure we had one. It got rough in those dogpiles.