Daily Devo 7/17/10

Hebrews 11
1Now faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction [evidence] of things not seen. 2For by it the men of old gained approval.
6And without faith it is impossible to please Him, for he who comes to God must believe that He is and that He is a rewarder of those who seek Him.

Pleasing Faith
Faith is a common buzz word in today’s culture. It is used heavily to describe anything from a spiritual person, to someone who promotes cause and even someone who pushes thru a trial in their life. Phrases like, “Keep the faith”, “Just have faith”, “My faith got me thru”, “He’s a man of faith” and my personal favorite, “He had faith in himself”, are overused as examples of what faith is.
But is that really what faith is?
According to this verse, faith is being assured of something without seeing the evidence. Basically, it is believing without seeing, trusting in the word of another without tangible proof. Now without getting mystical, our faith in God is not without reason or proof. There is more evidence in this universe that speaks to the person of God than there is evidence that George Washington ever lived. Christian faith is not a weak, blind faith. It is grounded in truth and reality.
Where the “faith” part comes in is in relation to God’s promises of who He is and what He has and will do. The evidence for God is overwhelming, but the evidence for the future is not. We only have His word. We cannot see the future with our own eyes and so therefore, we must have faith in what we know of God and what He promises.
The second facet of this is that people have only ever gained approval from God when they have exercised the faith He has given them. Old Testament people were saved by faith, belief in God. New Testament people are saved by faith in God, specifically in what God did thru His Son on the cross. That faith evidences itself in obedient behavior to God.
But here’s the kicker: Faith is not in a what, but a who! Having faith is useless unless the object of your faith is something worth believing in. Notice the second part of verse 6. Not only can you not please God without faith, but you must believe who He is and what He does. Basically, you must have faith that He exists and His character is what He said it was and is.
Having faith without appropriating it on the correct object is like believing that if I faith in my ability to fly, I will be able to transcend gravity when I jump off of the roof of my house. I simply must believe strong enough.
Whoops! Faith must be grounded in truth. Truth is reality. God is truth (notice I did not say truth is God, because God is a person, not a mystical force or presence. God creates all truth because in Him there is no lie).
So what about faith in yourself? Why would you want any kind of belief in a fallen, frail, sinful and finite being when you could have faith in an infinite, holy, perfect and all-powerful God?
I think that “faith in ourselves” is better phrased “faith in what God can do thru me”. Then, my faith is still being directed to the correct person and my trust is in Him for strength and not myself!
Is your faith pleasing? Is it focused and directed to God?
It’s not mystical. It is simply taking Him at His Word and living as though everything He said has already come true, even if it still has yet to!

Daily Devo 7/16/10

Isaiah 43
10“You are My witnesses,” declares the LORD, and My servant whom I have chosen, so that you may know and believe Me and understand that I am He. Before Me there was no God formed, and there will be none after Me. 11“I, even I, am the LORD, and there is no savior besides Me. 12“It is I who have declared and saved and proclaimed, and there was no strange god among you; So you are My witnesses,” declares the LORD, and I am God.

Christian Responsibility
I think often as Christians, we have this notion of what we are responsible for that doesn’t fit with what God has asked of us. It is an unseen, unspoken burden that we unnecessarily place on ourselves. It is this idea that we must bring the lost people to church, get them saved and train or disciple them in the faith. We then feel extreme pressure when the work moves slowly or not at all and not many are saved. It becomes frustrating, which causes us to want to quit.
As we will see, this is an unnecessary burden. If we would simply quit trying to act in the place of God, we would find that this frustration will never occur.
Isaiah and Jeremiah were both prophets of God who spoke for God for many years with few tangible results. God never put the burden on them. In this passage we see not only what our job is, we also see the message and the reason.
First, let’s notice the job: We are God’s witnesses, chosen by Him.
What is a witness? One that tells or shares the information that they know.
In a legal court trial, is the witness responsible for convicting or acquitting the accused? Certainly not.
So where did we get the notion that salvation was our responsibility? We are supposed to know, believe and understand something and share what we KNOW, BELIEVE and UNDERSTAND with those we come into contact with!
Second, notice the message: What we are supposed to know, believe and understand is that the God of Israel is the only God, Creator, Master and He is the only one that provides salvation. There is NO SAVIOR besides Him.
Third, notice the reason: It is God who declared and saved so that He would have witnesses.
This thought is totally freeing. God has made us witnesses to simply share what He has taught us about Him so that He could save more people to become witnesses. But our job is only to TELL what we know, believe and understand and then leave the results in God’s hands. He is the one that declares and saves.
So the question arises, can you let God be the one who does the work or do you think that somehow you can do the telling and the convincing and even the saving?
Show the ultimate trust in God: Tell someone what you know, believe and understand about God and then let God handle the results!
What will happen? God will bless you for faithfulness even if He never saves the person you shared with. And after all, it is up to God who He saves anyway, not you!

Daily Devo 7/15/10

Galatians 1
6I am amazed that you are so quickly deserting Him who called you by the grace of Christ, for a different gospel; 7which is really not another; only there are some who are disturbing you and want to distort the gospel of Christ

Defectors?
If you’re like me, your attention can be swayed by something fairly easily. I am normally focused, but can be drawn away by things that intrigue me or puzzle me. There is a problem with that. Often times the things that distract me are not things that would be good distractions.
For example, if my wife or one of my children was talking to me and my attention drifted to a football game or sporting event that would be less beneficial. Not that sporting events are wrong, but they certainly should not rank in priority above the attention of another human being, especially one of your family members.
In a much greater sense, Paul here is amazed that the believers in the churches of Galatia could so quickly become distracted with what he had previously taught them. He came and taught them of salvation thru grace, God’s unmerited, undeserved favor. After he left to continue starting churches around the ancient world, these believers quickly fell into the trap of wanting to work for their salvation, figuring that by working God would somehow owe them eternal life. It only took a few false teachers to come in and stir the pot by introducing some erroneous teaching for them to become distracted.
What about us?
In America, we tend to have many options of things to do and believe in. In today’s culture it is common practice to meld many ideas together, even if they are in complete and total opposition to one another, and call it a consistent philosophy. I have encountered “Christians” who have an unhealthy interest and participation in Wicca. I hear of many so called believers who see no problem with casual sex or even homosexuality, but at the same time want to profess God. Two opposing ideas cannot be simply put together and touted as new truth.
This is what Paul was dealing with. People, who had been saved by faith thru grace simply by trusting Jesus’ sacrifice on the cross for the payment of their sin and repenting of their sin by claiming that He would now and forever be their Master, were now trying to add certain works into the equation. In effect, they were defecting from the simplicity of salvation. Instead of salvation by grace, now it was salvation by grace and some observances, rituals and good deeds. The problem is God will never owe us anything because of the observances, rituals and good deeds we perform because we will NEVER be anything even remotely close to His character. If He owed us something, then it wouldn’t be free, which grace obviously is!
So what compromises have you made?
What distractions have you let in that cause you to defect?
It may be simply looking for prosperity, or rationalizing away some flaw in your character. Or it could be a full-fledged defection in which you are living a sinful, disobedient lifestyle that is not the same Gospel you were called to.
Don’t defect, or be distracted or be anything but truly focused on God’s grace to supply!

Attacking Coverage (Part 2: Man Coverages)

In part 1, I touched on the idea that coaches need to understand the strategies that defenses employ in order to combat them and win. Unfortunately, many coaches think they can re-invent the wheel by running the same concepts against all coverages. But the reality is that it just won’t work unless your talent is infinitely greater than your opponent’s.
Let’s review:
There are 4 types of coverage: Man coverage, Zone coverage, Combination coverage and Split coverage. From there, we can divide the coverage into 3 categories: No deep defenders, Middle of the Field Closed (MOFC = 1 deep defender in the middle) and Middle of the Field Open (MOFO = 2 deep defenders or more, but each outside the hash)
So, now the Man Coverages:

Cover 0
Type: Man
Classification: NO Deep
Key Words: Middle, Deep, Mismatch, Quick Rub or Crossing routes
QB Needs: Good-to-Great Accuracy, Touch on deep throws and time to steady feet
QB Don’ts: Throw late, Panic
The first coverage is Cover 0. It is primarily a high pressure coverage designed to get to the QB before he can throw, to change his rhythm so much that the pass cannot be completed or to bring as many defenders up to stop the run as possible.
Identifying Cover 0 is usually fairly easy. Besides the No deep defender look,
1. The cover men will creep close enough to keep all receivers from getting too easy a release.
2. The eyes of each cover man will be locked onto the receiver.
3. Most or all cover men will have inside leverage on each receiver
Once it is identified, the strategy is now on.
Ask yourself, what is the DC giving me and what is he trying to take away?
The defense is probably banking on their pressure to get to the QB before he can set and throw a deep pass. They are also giving up quick out patterns if the use inside leverage.
So how do you attack it?
First, let’s think of personnel:
Do you have a solid pass blocking O-Line and 6th Blocker (RB, TE, etc…)? (Always think of protection first)
If you do, then consider simply protecting with 6 to give the QB time to setup and throw. Time is not on the side of the defense running cover 0. The longer it takes to get to the QB, the better the odds are that a receiver will be open.
Are the blitz schemes difficult enough or is your O-Line average or below average pass blockers, or do you have good receivers who can get open quickly?
In that case, remember some key words to speed up your decision process:
1. Middle – in cover 0, the middle of the field will be open if a receiver can “break the leverage” of the defender. Slants, Shallow Crosses and In routes (5 yard) are nearly impossible to cover man to man. Breaking the leverage is a matter of footwork and hand violence.
One of the most effective routes to run versus Cover 0 is an Angle route from the RB. You must have a RB who can catch out of the backfield and you must be quick enough to throw “hot” that is with an unblocked rusher (unless you have 2 RB or a TE to stay home).
2. Deep – because the cover men are so close to the LOS, their ability to cover deep throws is limited. A good route runner can create enough space that even without a speed advantage, he should be able to get behind a close defender. As long as the throw isn’t late, the receiver has a chance.
The other tactic here is to throw a back shoulder fade. In that move, the receiver gets behind the defender but because the defender’s back is to the QB, he cannot play the ball until the receiver shows. The QB simply identifies that the defender has his back to him and slightly underthrows the ball to the outside. The receiver then plays the ball, slowing up and making a play while the defender tries to recover and find the ball. It takes practice, but can be a very effective play against man coverage.
3. Mismatch – when all else fails, attack the coverage by attacking a defender who is at a disadvantage covering one of your receivers. Because Cover 0 is a man coverage, the QB can “stare down” the receiver until he comes open if necessary, although it wouldn’t be the best habit to get into.
4. Quick Rub – having two receivers run routes that nearly intersect can be difficult for man coverage, especially if they lock down and do not switch. The QB simply has to see which receiver comes open first and deliver the ball quickly.
Of course, any double move routes are devastating to Cover 0. Blade routes, Hitch & Go, Slant Corner (or Sluggo) and out & Up are nearly impossible to defend.

When you are likely to see Cover 0:
Most likely, defenses will bring heavy heat and play Cover 0 on 2nd and 3rd and short. Gambling to stop the run and expecting to get the QB before the throw fit the situation of short yardage. Goalline scenarios from inside the 10 are also spots where defenses will play straight up man with no help.

Some Video versus Cover 0

Cover 1
Type: Man
Classification: MOFC (1 Deep)
Key Words: Under, Away, Mismatch, Quick Rub or Crossing routes
QB Needs: Good-to-Great Accuracy, Touch on deep throws and time to steady feet
QB Don’ts: Throw late, Throw near the safety in the middle, Panic
The second coverage is Cover 1. It is so named because there is one deep defender in the middle of the field. It is primarily a 5 man pressure coverage designed to disrupt the QB before he can establish rhythm, to give deep help in the middle and to have a deep run defender.
However, a version of Cover 1 actually only rushes four while leaving a deep defender in the middle and a short defender both playing a zone of sorts while the other 5 defenders play man to man. This version can be called Robber, Rat or Hole coverage. This version is a type of combination coverage.
Identifying Cover 1 is also fairly easy. Besides the 1 deep defender look,
1. The cover men will creep close enough to keep all receivers from getting too easy a release.
2. The eyes of each cover man will be locked onto the receiver.
3. Certain cover men will have outside leverage on each receiver to funnel them to the help in the middle, while the outside most receivers will be covered using inside leverage to help funnel them to the sideline.
Once it is identified, the strategy is now on.
Again, ask yourself, what is the DC giving me and what is he trying to take away?
The defense is probably banking on their pressure to get to the QB before he can set and throw a deep pass. They are also giving up quick out patterns if the use inside leverage. Remember that with only one deep defender, the defense is trying to match or outnumber the blockers/potential ball carriers in the box. This means matchups downfield and one-on-one coverage matchups.
So how do you attack it?
First, let’s think of personnel:
Again, do you have a solid pass blocking O-Line and 6th Blocker (RB, TE, etc…)?
Versus Cover 1, the most a defense can rush without leaving a defender uncovered is 5. If you decide to, consider simply protecting with 5 to put pressure on the defense to cover all five eligible receivers. Usually versus a Cover 1, you will find at least one defender who is NOT a solid man cover guy. This matchup can be exploited because the poorer the skills of a cover guy, the more of an advantage for the receiver, even if he himself is not a particularly strong receiver.
The QB needs time to setup and throw accurately. The longer it takes to get to the QB, the better the odds are that a receiver will be open.
Are the blitz schemes difficult enough or is your O-Line average or below average pass blockers, or do you have good receivers who can get open quickly?
In that case, remember some key words to speed up your decision process:
1. Under – in cover 1, the short middle of the field will be open if a receiver can release quickly over the middle while running across the field horizontally.
*One Warning here: There are coaches that will only rush 4 and leave the Robber, Rat, Hole defender sitting right where the Under Routes go. From the QB perspective, he must identify if this version of cover 1 is used so he can throw the underneath routes when the receiver clears or passes the “Hole” defender.
Shallow Crosses, Delays and In routes (5 yard) are nearly impossible to cover man to man, and can’t be stopped without a Hole defender to jump the route.
Again, one of the most effective routes to run versus Cover 1 is an Angle route from the RB. You must have a RB who can catch out of the backfield and you must be quick enough to throw “hot” that is with an unblocked rusher (unless you have 2 RB or a TE to stay home). His matchup on a usually lesser pass defender can be a critical advantage to beating Man coverage.
2. Away – because the cover men are so close to the LOS with some using inside leverage, their ability to cover out routes is limited. A good route runner can create enough space that even without a speed advantage, he should be able to get outside an inside leverage defender. As long as the throw isn’t late, the receiver should be open.
3. Mismatch – when all else fails, attack the coverage by attacking a defender who is at a disadvantage covering one of your receivers. Because Cover 1 is a man coverage, the QB can “stare down” the receiver until he comes open if necessary, although any throws near the middle of the field will have help from a defender who is reading the QB’s eyes.
4. Quick Rub – having two receivers run routes that nearly intersect can be difficult for man coverage, especially if they lock down and do not switch. The QB simply has to see which receiver comes open first and deliver the ball quickly.
Of course, any double move routes are devastating to Cover 1, particularly ones moving away from the middle of the field. Blade routes, Hitch & Go, Slant Corner and out & Up are nearly impossible to defend.


When you are likely to see Cover 1:
Some teams base out of Cover 1, like Nick Saban’s LSU and Alabama teams. They could simply play versions of it depending on the situation. The threat of a deep middle defender who can help stuff the run is appealing to coaches who like to play man. Run correctly, it is a difficult defense to beat. Patience is the key as well as not forcing throws near the Zone help defenders.

Conclusion:
Remember the key buzz words when choosing how to attack the versions of man coverage a defense can use against you.
One side note: Most teams that play man coverage also play Bump and Run or Jam coverage. It is imperative to spend time every day working on how to release off the line quickly and effectively versus a Jam.
In part 3, we will discuss the more common defenses, the zone coverages.

Daily Devo 7/14/10

Proverbs 19
15Laziness casts into a deep sleep, and an idle man will suffer hunger.

Are you sleeping, are you sleeping….?
Laziness is a pandemic in this world. More now than ever, people feel entitled to be able to live their lives with a minimum of effort and a maximum of leisure. Then, when tough times come, instead of leaning on developed skills learned from a lifetime of toil, they look for a “bailout”.
I think I know where this comes from.
First, laziness is an offshoot of selfishness which says life is all about me and since I am the focal point things should be done for me by others. There is also a large element of pride (pride and selfishness are twin brothers). In that, the lazy person claims what they deserve is to live comfortably while others around them toil. The sluggard then wants to receive the reward that the hard worker labored for.
That is the attitude behind laziness.
In practicality, it develops from childhood. Parents can go overboard on either side of the boat in this fight. Some will praise endlessly the exploits of their children without requiring any real work on the child’s behalf. This praise can create very low expectations which the child then meets and is praised for without actually doing anything. The child then grows up with these low expectations while feeling like he has done something of value. It becomes equivalent to praising someone for breathing or for not killing themselves.
On the other side are parents who abuse their kids. I don’t mean physical abuse, but psychological and emotional abuse, never regarding anything as good enough, berating a child’s real work and effort as useless. This child grows up with the idea that no one is pleased with his toil and therefore why should he try?
The point is, that we were created for “good works” (Ephesians 2:10). Notice the word work. We were not supposed to be anesthetized by laziness, simply killing time by sleep or pleasure. We were made to enjoy the benefits of labor. God has called us to a lifetime of labor for Him so that we may enjoy the leisure of heaven for eternity.

Is it not very rewarding to undertake a project and see it to its completion?
So how do we train ourselves and others to avoid laziness?
I believe it comes down to relationships and expectations. For our children, are we developing close, nurturing relationships with them so that they know our care is genuine and our praise is meaningful? Are we placing on the responsibility and expectations that stretch them so that what they thought was impossible turns out to be possible with some effort and struggle?
How about you? Are you placing expectations on yourself that will require you to work or are you simply acting like the nursery rhyme character brother john?
Are you sleeping? Are you sleeping brother john?

Daily Devo 7/13/10

Titus 2
11 For the grace of God has appeared, bringing salvation to all men, 12 instructing us to deny ungodliness and worldly desires and to live sensibly, righteously and godly in the present age, 13 looking for the blessed hope and the glorious appearing of our great God and Savior, Christ Jesus

What are you looking for?
If you’ve ever been in love (you know, the feeling of infatuation that causes you to obsess over someone), you know what it’s like to wait anxiously for your better half to appear for something. The seconds tick away like huge chunks of time and the minutes seem like hours. Every moment you have to wait is an eternity apart from your loved one.
Aside from the overly dramatic moments of young love, this is what God expects of us. We should be eagerly anticipating the return of our Loved One, our Savior. We should be watching and expecting that each moment will be the one in which He returns to take us to glory.
Notice, there are two parts to His coming: the blessed hope and the glorious appearing. These are two parts of the same coming. Two different occasions separated by seven years. Christ will come in the clouds (the blessed hope) to rapture His church and take her to heaven with Him. Then seven years later, He will return fully to earth, gloriously appearing before the whole world to judge the righteous and the wicked as The King.
So we know who is coming and the order and what will happen, but how are we to look?
How do we look for our loved one when we’re waiting?
We should live for them. You don’t watch and wait for your beloved by being distracted with others, or by paying attention to objects or toys. You patiently, expectantly wait with a focus that is laser-like.
God expects nothing different from us. We are instructed to deny ungodliness by keeping our thoughts, eyes and attention on Him only and not on false gods. We are instructed to deny worldly desires, those things that would cause us to break fellowship with Him, things He has warned us from to protect us. Those are the “What not to dos”.
We are supposed to live sensibly, making decisions that would please Him.
We are supposed to live righteously, reflecting His character in our day to day behavior.
We are supposed to live godly, striving to obey His example and mirror His Word.
How can we do all of that?
His grace enables, empowers and enthralls us. It is the only power that can allow us to wait for Him with anticipation.
So, what are you looking for?
Secondly, how are you looking?

Daily Devo 7/12/10

Ephesians 5
3 But immorality or any impurity or greed must not even be named among you, as is proper among saints ; 4 and there must be no filthiness and silly talk, or coarse jesting, which are not fitting, but rather giving of thanks.

What do you laugh at?
Humor is such a funny thing (ha,ha, pun intended). It is individual enough that what makes you laugh may not make me laugh and vice versa. Certain situations brought to light in a “humorous way” might not be funny to me because it is something personal and serious. But God has indeed established a common standard for what is funny: Would it be “funny” to Him?
Believers have much freedom in Christ. Freedom to obey God and not to serve sin. Freedom to eat whatever food they choose without fear that the food itself will be considered immoral. Freedom to observe days and feasts or not observe any day as special. Freedom to drive any color car, have any color house and the list of liberties goes on.
But there is no freedom to take part in things of the world, things that should not be part of a Christian’s life. This list is vague and general, but specific enough to guide our behavior. Immorality is any sexual behavior outside the boundary of marriage as is impurity. Between the two words, every sexual sin is covered so there is no gray area for a believer to “dabble”. Greed is the desire to obtain more as a means to an end of self-gratification. These are things that should never be characteristic or charged to a believer in Jesus Christ.
And a second list that deals more with the discussion of the first list than the actual behaviors themselves.
Filthiness refers to obscene acts or gestures, discussions about sexual things outside their place. The implication is that this is something said lightly and with a devious intent, not a frank discussion between husband and wife or patient and doctor. Silly talk and coarse jesting are the things we laugh at.
Do words that are foolish or about foolish things compel you to laugh?
Does the folly of an unbeliever discussing things of God tickle your funny bone?
Does talk of sinning said in a light manner bring a smile to your face?
Do we laugh at the “dirty joke” that makes light of God’s creation of sex and its place in marriage?
It is all too often in this culture that entertainment media (being the world’s main avenue for information and instruction) presents shows, movies and variety acts that strive to be funny. I sometimes love to hear or watch stand-up comedy. Who doesn’t love a good laugh at the exaggerations of the life we live?
My problem comes when I find myself laughing at something that when I stop and think about it is offensive to God. Unfortunately, the brand of humor that is most prevalent today is categorized under silly talk (foolishness) or coarse jesting. The problem is that in time, we become desensitized to what God’s opinion on the matter is and don’t stop to take a stand on what believers should not be part of. May we never be so calloused and part of the world that we cannot separate ourselves from the filthy things it seeks to entertain us with.
Ask yourself if what you laugh at would God laugh with you?

Daily Devo 7/11/10

Philippians 3
13Brethren, I do not regard myself as having laid hold of it yet; but one thing I do: forgetting what lies behind and reaching forward to what lies ahead, 14I press on toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus.

The Goal
I’ve watched the Olympic games for as many years as I can remember. I love the competition, the struggle and the joy of seeing someone who has sacrificed so much to achieve victory. The highlight of the summer games for me is always the 100 meter dash. The sheer exhilaration of watching a human being propel himself forward at such breathtaking speed is an awesome sight. I’ve seen many 100 meter dashes in my lifetime. I’ve seen the Olympic versions, the World Championship versions, the time trials and some exhibitions. In all the races I have ever seen there is one thing I have never seen: A sprinter looking behind him, looking backward over where he has been.
Similarly, in our spiritual race, the things we may have clung to that defined who we were or the paths that we have taken to get where we are are not as important as where we are going. In Paul’s specific case, he was forgetting all the things he had accumulated through Judaism. He used to declare himself righteous because of his “good works”. He used to believe he had more zeal for God than anyone else.
But then, he met Christ.
After his meeting with Jesus, everything changed. His past was no longer anything he could boast about. In fact, he lamented his past from then on. But here we learn that he knew that where he was headed in the future was of far more importance than where he had been.
He admits that he had not arrived (spiritually). He knew that he had not gotten to the place where he no longer needed anything. If Paul never “arrived” spiritually, what makes you or I think we ever could?
Understand, Paul never advocates choosing not to learn from mistakes of the past. He is advocating not resting on your laurels or believing that what you have done in the past will be good enough for today. That is the ”forgetting what lies behind”.
So after deciding to forget the past, he presses on. What does he press on for? He presses for the Prize, but he states it in a special way. He presses toward the GOAL first. A goal which seeks to acquire the prize.
What is a goal? Everyone knows what a goal is. A goal is a desired outcome, something you strive to achieve. A goal is something that is measured, something you know when you reach. Paul is talking about something that he can achieve, not some mystical feeling or premonition of spirituality.
The goal is “for the prize”. The prize is the reward of reaching the goal.
But what is the prize?
The prize is a calling of God. The upward call of God. The upward call is Heaven.
Paul presses on with the goal in mind of receiving the prize of heaven and eternal communion with God.
What will we be like in heaven?
We will be like Christ.
So our goal should be to be like Christ knowing that as a special prize which will be revealed when we are “called upward” by God.
What is your goal?

Attacking Coverages (Part 1)

Attacking Coverages (Part 1)
Sun-Tzu, the famous war strategist said, “…the best policy in war is to attack the enemy’s strategy,” and “Defend yourself when [or where] the enemy’s strength is abundant and attack when [or where] it is inadequate.” Basically, what it means is: Don’t attack an opponent where he is strong, attack where he is weak by attacking the strategy he is using against you. While I believe we cheapen the sacrifice and service of our soldiers when we equate sports to war, tactically, football and ancient warfare are very similar.
All coaches seem to understand these ideas when it comes time to run the football. Things like “run to the bubble” and “kick out to create a seam” are prevalent sayings in the run game. It seems that coaches forget this idea when it comes time to throw the ball. If the approach to throwing is not the same philosophy, we invite trouble.
So how is it that Offensive Coordinators can spend so much time scheming for how to block a particular front (probing for vulnerable areas to attack) while at the same time trying to use a “one size fits all” approach to the passing game? I believe it is due either to a lack of interest, a motivation to learn or to an idea that passing is by nature simple; something that every flag football and pickup game does with great success.
Wrong!!
In order to successfully throw the ball, one of the first fundamentals necessary is to know how to attack the weak areas of the coverages you will face. A plan of attack must start here. That means that not only do coaches need a thorough understanding, but the players executing the attack do as well.
We will examine the different types of coverages and use key words to help speed up decision making during a game.
First of all there are 4 types of coverages as I break them down and only 3 ways to divide the coverage.
4 Types of Coverage
1. Man coverage. In man coverage, each eligible receiver will be covered by at least one defender, although some receivers may be double covered or bracketed. Most man coverages also apply extra rushers to speed up the QB’s timing and ease the burden of having to cover receivers for longer than they may be able.
2. Zone coverage. In zone coverage, defenders are more responsible for areas on the field than for following a receiver all over the place. In zone coverages, the defenders’ eyes are more on the QB than solely on the receiver and make them able to break more quickly on a throw.
3. Combination Coverage. In combination coverages, some defenders will play man and some will play zone. This can give support where needed to help cover particularly dangerous offensive receivers.
4. Split coverage. In split coverage, one side of the defense executes a different coverage than the other side. Both could be zone, but more likely one side will be a form of man and the other side will be zone. What differentiates it from Combination coverage is that with combination coverage, the zone defenders are there more to help the man defenders. In split coverage, the design is more for the ability to cover formations and still be able to defend run plays.
Sounds complicated? Don’t worry. We’ll break it down further.
3 Ways to Divide coverage
1. No Deep. If all defenders are within 7 yards of the LOS, I classify the coverage as NO DEEP. This changes how we will attack. It is almost a guarantee to see lots of pressure when this occurs.
2. Middle of the Field Closed (MOFC). This means that there is 1 deep defender in the middle of the field. It also tells you of the strategy of the defense: more defenders near the LOS.
3. Middle of the Field Open (MOFO). This means that there is more than one defender deep, but no one in the middle of the field. This is usually associated with some kind of 2 deep defender coverage where both deep defenders are outside the hashes.

The next article will breakdown the strengths and weaknesses of each coverage, where to attack and how to use your QB's strengths to attack the weaknesses of each coverage.

Daily Devo 7/10/10

Psalm 103
6The LORD is for me; I will not fear; What can man do to me?

What can man do to you?
Fear is a funny thing. It can heighten our senses, cause us to doubt things we know to be true, convince us to make a decision (right or wrong) or taint the way we view a circumstance. For example, how different are your actions immediately after watching a scary movie or TV show? Most of us (whether we admit it or not), will look twice before entering a dark hallway or make sure the doors are locked before we settle in for bed.
This verse tells us how to eliminate fear: God being with us. The question then is how can we get God to be for us.
That is a problem because we cannot coax, cajole or convince God to be for us. We must simply trust Him and take Him at His Word that if we accept His son as our sacrifice, we are with Him. God is never one to change sides. Humans on the other hand must be changed from the kingdom of darkness into the kingdom of Light. So when the Lord is for me, we should not fear.
What should we not fear?
1. Eternal punishment (Romans 8:1).
2. Earthly circumstances (James 1:2-3).
3. Losing Worldly popularity (John 15:18-19)
God has placed us in the palm of His hand and wrapped His fingers around us. We are His and have no need to fear these temporary things. We can fear when we have disobeyed and sinned against him.
Several Biblical principles come to mind:
“Perfect love casts out fear” (1 John 4:18). The person who fears is not perfected in love. How can you fear if you love God, the way He expects you to love Him?
“The wicked flee when no one is pursuing but the righteous are as bold as a Lion (Proverbs 28:1). Fleeing is caused by fear. Who has the fear? The wicked!
So what can man do to YOU? They can DO many things to your physical body, to your sense of self. Sticks and stones can breaks bones and words hurt our sense of who we are if who we think we are is not grounded in the reality of who God says we are.
But more important than all of that man cannot DO anything to your immortal soul. Man cannot change your standing before God or determine your eternal destiny. Man cannot by their hatred of all things God keep you from fulfilling God’s purpose for your life or from walking in obedience.
Why? Because God is with the believer, empowering, energizing, working for and teaching him to follow the sound of His voice.
Man can do nothing that God does not ordain to be done.

So what have you to fear…..if of course God is for you?

Daily Devo 7/9/10

Psalm 103
1Bless the LORD, O my soul, and all that is within me, bless His holy name. 2Bless the LORD, O my soul, and forget none of His benefits; 3Who pardons all your iniquities, who heals all your diseases; 4Who redeems your life from the pit, who crowns you with mercy and compassion;

How can God bless?
The word “bless” has such terrific meaning. Its usual idea is that of tangible items that are rewards for something. God certainly does bless people with material goods. Another is the idea of qualities, that people are blessed with the abilities they have. That is also true.
The idea here is blessing imparts a holiness, something or someone is made special, unique or holy like God (in a sense, since there is none like God).
Blessing is always conferred from the greater being or person to the lesser. The one with power blesses the one with less or no power. The one who can give a blessing is greater than the one receiving it (Hebrews 7:7). So how can David say “Bless the Lord”? Is he greater than God?
No. The contexts makes clear, that he is not the one doing the blessing. He is not saying, “God, I bless you”. He is uttering a prayer that God would be blessed by his actions and then flips the statements around to explain all the blessings God has given.
While God certainly does bless us with material goods and abilities, none of those is mentioned here. The blessing David declares are all spiritual ones. It is almost as if he asks rhetorical questions.
Who else can pardon YOUR sins? As if someone or something else could. God alone has the power to forgive sin and wipe it from memory.
Who else can heal your diseases? There is no other doctor or god that can intervene in the life of the sick.
Who else can buy you back from the slave market that would destine YOU to the pit of hell? As if you had the power to keep yourself out or the righteousness to meet God face-to-face.
Who else can give YOU mercy and compassion that you could wear as a crown to prove how good your God is? There is no other supposed deity that is considered merciful in the least. Think about it. All other gods force man to work and miserably sacrifice for a chance to achieve eternal life. Our God is the only one that did all the work for us and sacrificed on our behalf to not just give us a chance, but to guarantee our freedom and eternal life.
Every one of these “blessings” mentioned are intangible, spiritual and eternal rewards (except the healing of disease, which Is caused by sin in the first place) that God GIVES. I fear that in America, believers look for God to “bless” them with property, wealth and prosperity and not with the things that God considers so much more vastly important: His character!
Today, begin looking for the blessings God has given you….and don’t check your bank statement first!

Daily Devo 7/8/10

Psalm 100
1Shout joyfully to the LORD, all the earth. 2Serve the LORD with gladness; Come before Him with joyful singing. 3Know that the LORD Himself is God; it is He who has made us, and not we ourselves; we are His people and the sheep of His pasture. 4Enter His gates with thanksgiving and His courts with praise. Give thanks to Him, bless His name. 5For the LORD is good; His mercy is everlasting and His faithfulness to all generations.

How do you acknowledge God?
Too often, I believe that Christians only come to God when we need something. We consider Him to be the “all-powerful genie” who can grant us wishes when we have need or change the situation when we are in trouble. We only go to Him when we want something.

That is a far cry from this passage. A wanting soul looking for relief or privilege does not come before God joyfully or with singing, but with trepidation and entitlement. There is very little service, especially with gladness. The attitude is more like that of a person who goes to see his long lost rich uncle whom he hasn’t called upon or checked upon in years only to ask him for money! God certainly tells us to come to Him and ask for things and we should, seeing that He is the God who has the power to grant it and the sovereignty to control all circumstances. But how do we go about it and how often?

I think it is clear from the passage, that the psalmist had a deeper relationship with the Lord than that of asker and granter of wishes. He was overjoyed to go to God, so much so that it caused Him to sing and shout joyfully!

But why?

He had an understanding of who God is.
First, David understood that God was the creator. Man didn’t make himself. Man did not arrive by accident. Man did not exist because God set a plan in motion. God personally fashioned the first man, from the dust and subsequently all humans came from that man through God’s divine plan.

Second, he uses the sheep/shepherd analogy again. God’s people are taken care of like a shepherd cares for his sheep. Notice to that the sheep of God are in His pasture. Not only does the shepherd care for the sheep, but he cares for the area in which the sheep live.

Lastly, the psalmist knew that God is good and merciful and faithful. Do we really believe that God is good? Sometimes it can be so easy to question God’s goodness when “bad” things happen.

Our problem is twofold: 1. We cannot see beyond our own tiny perspective of space and time (whereas God sees the bigger picture and controls the outcome) and 2. We don’t want to trust God with our lives and their outcomes as much as we would like to trust ourselves.

How puny a view we take of God? To think that we, as powerless finite creations could do better than an infinite, all-powerful, merciful God who loves us and wants our best is ludicrous at best. This is where the idea of trusting the flesh seems fairly ridiculous in that context.

So what should be the outcome?

Thanksgiving!

I have never known a truly thankful person to act entitled. Thankfulness appreciates what someone has done for you and chooses to approach that with the utmost joy and gladness.

But again, it all starts with what you know about God.

The Blade/Whip Route

The Blade route (Whip route)

There are many routes in a solid passing offense. Foundational routes like a Post, a Corner, a curl and a slant need to exist to vertically spread the defense and open windows to find open receivers. Don’t forget the Out route with its many versions from speed out to quick out. But every now and then, you have to add a mix-up that becomes something the defense has a great deal of trouble covering. The Blade or Whip route is just such a route. Think of it as an out route on steroids!

Every form of passing attack has some way to “outflank” or get outside the defense. Hitting the flat with a speedy receiver is usually an easy way of picking up cheap yards. Using the Blade route, it attacks the flat, but can also attack the defender responsible for the flat by causing hesitation or delay. The other advantage is timing. Whereas a flat route, swing out of the backfield or a quick out attack the flat quickly, the blade route gives a little more time to create space.

For example, on a regular flat route, the receiver from inside attacks the flat zone on the snap. Any other routes that can clear defenders are only given a minimum of time to clear before the QB must throw the flat, otherwise the route runs out of room. That means the QB must decide on the throw earlier which allows more time for the defense to recover and surround the ball after the catch. Think about it from the perspective of a Cover 3 or Cover 4 Corner. He gives ground, backpedaling at the snap while reading the QB drop and the stems of the routes in front of him. If the QB plants his back foot and throws on his 3rd step quickly, the corner is most likely still in a slight backpedal, under control and only 10 yards deep, but ready to break to the flat as soon as the ball is thrown.

The flat defender is already chasing the throw and converging on the receiver. This gives the flat route receiver very little wiggle room to maneuver and make a play in space. It most likely would be a modest gain of 3 to 5 yards.

Now consider the same principle while running a Blade route. Now the route takes about 2 to 3 steps more to develop so the QB can pause slightly, allowing the clearing routes to close the cushion of the corner and force him to turn his hips and “keep from getting beat deep”. At the same time, the flat defender has been forced inside slightly before the receiver’s break. This attack has already created space to free the receiver for yards after the catch. Now when the ball is thrown outside, away from any defender, instead of a 3 yard halo of space to work after the catch (with defenders already closing in) the receiver has a 5 to 7 yard halo of space to get up to speed and make defenders miss tackles in space.

The Blade is great against man coverage; the tighter the better. It also works very well in short yardage against zone. It is nearly impossible to cover on the goalline without some kind of help.

How it works:
The basic premise of the route is to takeoff on a track inside at a 45° angle and break back outside parallel to the Line of Scrimmage (LOS) at 5 yards.
Because of the hard inside angle on the release, any defender has to fight to keep inside leverage which actually puts him at a huge disadvantage if the route is run correctly.

There are 2 keys to this being successful:

1. Getting off the LOS quickly and attacking inside. This move gets the attention of the defender and forces him to maintain inside leverage. If he vacates to cover outside, he is allowing the next inside defender to pick up the route. In this case, cut off the “out” portion of the route to settle in between defenders in a zone.

2. Using proper footwork to create the space. A normal quick or speed out uses a speed cut to get to the outside or a breakdown chop with an inside foot push to move outside. This footwork can be devastating when perfected, but is completely ineffective and too slow to be successful in a blade route.

Remember that on a regular out route, the release is vertical, perpendicular to the LOS and the cut forms a perfect right angle. On a Blade, the release is inside at 45°, so trying to plant and re-direct the route back to the sideline from this angle is too slow. This is where the receiver uses the “reverse pivot” footwork.

To reverse pivot, when the receiver reaches his breakpoint, his outside foot must be forward (ie. Running a Blade route on the left side of the formation means the left foot is the outside foot, on the right….well you get it). Once the left foot is forward here is the progression:

a. The hips drop to maintain control over the body’s motion

b. The inside leg must “whip” around in the direction of the next step

c. After the leg whips around, the foot must plant with the toes pointing in the direction of the step, particularly for this route, the sideline.

d. After the inside leg whips and the foot plants, the outside leg must drive the knee in the direction of the movement. This is a key step because it helps twist the torso toward the sideline and change direction more quickly.

*A common problem with the back leg in this “spin” is not driving the knee, but swinging the back leg. This is slower and will cause receivers to correct their direction with a 3rd step instead of being set up on 2 steps.

e. Because the spin opens outside, the receiver’s head and eyes naturally find the QB when the break occurs. The re-direction with proper footwork also creates separation from the defender more easily than a speed cut.

When to use the Blade
One on one matchups with a single receiver played closely by a defender are the ideal time, but since this is hardly the norm and can be a hard angle to throw outside, this route is best used with a second receiver.

On a Twins side, the outside receiver simply needs to clear the defender who could help in the flat by running a Go or Post. Even a 10-12 yard Cross would allow the Blade to open effectively in the flat.

From Trips, the #2 or #3 receiver could run it, as long as the other attacks the same defender. For example, having the #3 run a Blade route while the #2 runs a 10 yard cross would not be a great combination because the flat defender can simply play under and outside the Blade knowing that he has inside help. At the same time, the inside defender, usually responsible for hook/curl can play underneath the cross and effectively render the combination useless.

A sound combination to use would be a Blade route with a 10 yard out. This forces the same defender to choose which receiver to cover (Key reading for those that read my earlier post) and effectively play “Monkey in the Middle”

Here are some Video clips that will help further explain:

The last route run is a Blade/Whip

This route is on air, but it shows some up close angles

Daily Devotion 7/7/10

Psalm 78
4We will not conceal them from their children, but tell to the generation to come the praises of the LORD, and His strength and His wondrous works that He has done. 5For He established a testimony in Jacob and appointed a law in Israel, which He commanded our fathers that they should teach them to their children, 6That the generation to come might know, even the children yet to be born, that they may arise and tell them to their children, 7That they should put their confidence in God and not forget the works of God, but keep His commandments

What Impact and Legacy are You Leaving?
This Psalm is sometimes referred to as the grandparents Psalm, but I like either the “Great-Grandparent Psalm” or the “Legacy Psalm”. There is a purpose for life, one that far exceeds this present life.
First, look at the message:

People should be taught to praise the Lord. Verse four makes it very clear, don’t conceal God’s works, share them as praises for who He is and what He has done. His works are wondrous and He has strength. God should always be first praised for who He is and then for what He has done.

One of His works, was to establish a nation out of one man, Abraham, through him and his lineage. God eventually used Jacob as the man who would father a nation of people when God changed his name to Israel. God established a testimony, a memory, a story of how He worked in mighty ways to protect His chosen people so they could remain a nation. He appointed or sent the law to Israel with all of the promises of covenants and redemption, of a future kingdom and a ruler who would come to free the Jews. God did all of that!

Then he set in motion a system so that these deeds would be remembered for generations. He established the home to teach what His message is. He commanded the fathers to teach their children. This responsibility falls on the fathers, but is not limited to them. Mothers play a significant role in training children.

But notice that the message was supposed to be carried on by the children to their children, a generation to come even children yet to be born. So the father’s teaching will impact his grandchildren.

But it goes further! They children of the grandchildren are to be taught as well. That means that a person should have a direct impact on 4 generations of his family. Not only does he need to know the message, but he is to instill that message into his children and if possible his grandchildren so that they in turn can instill the message into future generations.

The message is simple (from verse seven): Don’t forget who God is, put your trust in Him and obey. Even if you are not a firsthand witness of the miracles of God, learn the message.

The funny thing about legacies is that you always leave one, regardless of whether or not you purposefully chose to. The positive side is you can begin choosing your legacy now by what choices you make and determine to make. Even if you have no children or are a child yourself, you can begin now to have a lasting impact for generations to come.

How?

Learn the message so well that you live it…..then share it with those who need to hear it!

OLine Pass Blocking Drills

This is Chris Hatcher when he was at Kentucky, going over Offensive line pass blocking. Enjoy and learn!

I especially love the Push/Pull drill!

Part 1



Part 2


Learning is Fun!!!

Zone Run Game

Oregon Has one of the mot successful, yet simplest running attacks in the country. The run the Zone blocking scheme with a power, downhill mindset. Check out the clips versus USC.

Watch the Linemen's first step.

They master only about 4 base running plays and add on a few extras to keep defenses honest.

Gotta love it!!!

Wide Receiver Principles

I came across these while going through my offensive system manual. They should be a help to those creating a passing game.

Wide Receiver Principles

These rules will help receivers know what to do in any situation. This will minimize confusion and maximize reaction speed. Both QB and WR will know what to do if they master these simple rules and work together on them.

1) Clean Release – get off without contact. Try to release opposite the defender’s leverage (If he is inside, go outside. You can always weave back inside.)

2) Attack areas, not defenders – If we move to open areas in the defense, the defenders will have to move to those areas to defend us. By doing this, they will open up large areas in the zone for other receivers to move into and get open. If you attack defenders, they will simply follow and feel comfortable. Once a defender moves to cover you, then attack him using a good closure and break.

3) Run away from man coverage; Settle versus zone – When covered man to man, the receiver must get open and continue moving away from the defender, because the defender is following him. In zone, the defenders are looking at the QB and passing receivers to the next zone defender as he moves between zones. When running routes versus zone coverage, settle down and get between defenders when running short or medium routes. Settling forces defenders to find you and allows the QB time to see if you are open and throw the ball without being late.

4) Deep routes should be – (called according to the easiest release)

a) Away from deep coverage (don’t run toward a deep defender, move to an open area deep)

b) OR split between deep defenders (Seam routes vs. Cover 3)

c) NEVER outside a deep outside defender without a double move route or a quick closure of the cushion.

5) Close to your depth and then break – Don’t break too early or late or the timing can be off.

6) GO GET THE BALL!!!! – once the ball is in the air, it belongs to you. Make a play!

7) Watch the ball into your hands! – overexaggerate this in practice by taking your nose to the ball and seeing your hands squeeze every catch.

8) Remain under control – always have control over you body movements.

9) Communicate with the QB and other receivers – the hallmark of a great team is the ability to communicate quickly and effectively. If we don’t know how to work together to accomplish a task, we will fail. Communicate and be willing to let others succeed to make the team great!

In conclusion, this is not an exhaustive list, but the principles listed will greatly increase the success of any passing offense.

Daily Devotion 7/6/10

Psalm 23
1The Lord is my Shepherd, I shall not want.

There are some powerful observations from these nine memorable words from the Psalms.
The Lord is the one, true and living God of the Bible, the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob.

There is no doubt who David is referring to as “The Lord”. In this day and age of ideas about who and what God is and anyone’s version of God is acceptable, there are gods, forces and other mystical beings that people refer to as “god”. David, however, makes no mistake and leaves no room for personal interpretation regarding who he writes about.

Secondly, a shepherd’s job was to care for the sheep. He was to love, feed and protect them. Sheep are notoriously stupid animals. The Bible refers to mankind often as sheep. Here God is referred to as our shepherd, implying that not only are we foolish wayward people, but also that God loves us and cares for us like a shepherd would his sheep.

If you’re like me, then you are prone to forget that God cares more for you than the sparrows, but He still provides for all of their needs. I can so easily take my focus off of the God who provides and onto the “things” He does provide for comfort. Kind of proves David’s point about us being sheep.

Stories are told of how a shepherd would provide comfort and shelter at night for his sheep, warding off animals that would feed on lambs. Not like a hired hand that would run at the first sight of trouble. How great our God is to His “sheep” (John 10:27-29), protecting us, caring for us and showing us tender love, even when we wander off and need rescuing.

The last phrase is so explanatory. Because God is our shepherd, we shall not want. The passage emphasizes the character and power of God as the reason why the writer has no need for want. I shall not want….all my needs will be provided for because “The Lord” is my shepherd and not some other person. I will never be longing for something that cannot be provided.

This promise is reiterated in Paul’s epistle to the Philippians when he writes in 4:19 “My God shall supply all your need…” another promise for His sheep not to want. But how can He make such a promise? Paul finishes the verse, “…according to His riches in glory in Christ Jesus.” The implication is that God has infinite resources. He can provide for us in such a way that we will never be in need because He has an infinite supply to draw from: Himself!

Are you trusting the True shepherd?

What do you want for?

Reading List

I have read (am reading) 2 books lately that are fascinating.

The first is Sun-Tzu For Execution by Steven W. Michaelson.

The author uses Sun-Tzu's legendary strategies for battle and applies them to execution in various walks of life. Me being a teacher and football coach decided to mentally apply as much as I could toward the field and the classroom.
Some lessons along the way:
1. Thoroughly assess the conditions - If you cannot properly evaluate what is necessary and what you are to face, the battle is already lost!
2. Attack with Strategy - Learn to win without fighting by attacking the opponent's strategy, attack where they are weak and attack using what you are strongest with!
3. Maneuver to gain the advantage - deceive your opponent and defend the strategic points along the way.
*Simple ideas executed with gusto have a high degree of success*
4. Fight your most important fight - Prioritize what is most important, not necessarily what is most urgent!
5. Create a brand or vision of what you want your organization to be and take practical steps every day to fulfill it!

The second book I am reading is called Primal Leadership by Daniel Goleman.

This is a eye-opening book about using Emotional Intelligence to influence and create resonant leadership.

More to come on that subject.

Quarterbacks Need a System, not a Bunch of Plays!

Too often it seems, offensive coordinators draw up sophisticated combinations of routes with the intent of attacking a coverage while never teaching the Quarterback how to approach what he sees. What usually ends up happening is that the QB will drop back and simply "look for someone open" rather than anticipate someone coming open. This can be extremely frustrating for both player and coach. This is why I believe in a systematic approach.

There are all kinds of "reads" a QB can be taught, but as long as they are taught a system to follow, with principles and rules, the frustration will be minimal.

Here are some types of reads:

Key reads. If you've ever played some version of monkey in the middle, you can understand a key read. Basically, you read one defender and attack him with 2 different routes. Whichever one he covers, the QB throws the other one. Key reading is simple and a great way to teach beginning QB's how to anticipate open receivers. Bill Walsh's "West Coast offense" (which he ran but didn't like the media coined phrase for) was famous for using key reads to work the short passing game.
Some examples of key reads:

- Hi/Low Concept (Indianapolis Colts call this Levels). In this read, if the Mike LB drops too deep, the QB simply throws underneath on the IN route. If the Mike stays short to stop the IN route, the QB resets his feet and throws the 12 yard Cross or Dig.

- Curl/Flat Concept. In this read, if the Curl/flat defender drops too deep, the QB simply throws to the flat route quickly. If the defender runs with the flat route, a window opens for the Curl route to be open, in which the case the QB resets his feet and throws a bullet to the curl.

I’m sure you can watch a game or two and see many different types of examples to come up with ways you Key Read (Monkey in the Middle) a defender.
Some pre-requisites are that the QB knows the coverages that he sees (which should be a given on any pass play). He also needs to know what the timing of the play is (ie. Where his feet go while he is deciding who to throw to).

Advantages:
1. The Key read is great for beginning QBs because it is simple to understand.
2. It is also great for the quick passing game because it can isolate one defender and it makes decision making for the QB very easy.
3. It can be used with almost an unlimited number of concepts that 2 receivers can run.
Disadvantages:
1. It can be hard to incorporate a third receiver without complicating the read. A third receiver usually means a second or third defender which can cloud the decision making progress, and cloudy QB play means turnovers!
2. The QB must determine which side to Key read before the snap, meaning a receiver can come open on the other side and never be seen.
3. QBs can have very poor timing with their feet. The tendency is to get to the drop and then throw what is uncovered. This can mean late throws, off-balance throws and poor timing for the receiver. Timing is still critical!
4. Key reads tend to be limited to two options: either or rather than 1, 2, 3 or even 4! For coaches who like to throw, using only 2 real options on every pass play can get boring.

Progression reads. What Bill Walsh's "West Coast offense" actually used more than any other type of passing system was a progression read system.

Progression reading is like choreographing a play to perfect timing. Each route in the play should come open at the same time the QB’s feet are set in each drop. The QB thereby reads the receivers in a particular order (usually deep to short) as he takes his drop.

If the first receiver is open on the 3rd step, the QB simply stops and delivers. If the 1st receiver is covered, the QB continues the drop while shifting to the 2nd receiver. If the 2nd receiver comes open, the QB stops his drop and delivers. He continues this pattern of dropping and reading thru 3 options. If after 3 options a receiver is not open, he looks to extend the play or has a dump off receiver that squeaks out of the backfield.

Progression reading is all about timing. If the timing of the route is not in sync with the QB feet in the drop, the play is broken. The other factor in timing relates to protection. Progression reading can take time. One of the things people forget about the Walsh 49er teams was that the early QBs were sacked often and took a beating.

Advantages:
1. The Progression read gives more options on any given play.
2. It is also great for the timing of a passing play because everything happens in rhythm.
3. It can be used with almost an unlimited number of concepts that 3 or more receivers can run.
Disadvantages:
1. It can be hard to get to the third option because of the amount of time it can take!
2. The QB must anticipate very well in order to throw the ball sometimes before the receiver is open.
3. Late throws, off-balance throws and pressures by the defense are almost certain interceptions. Timing is still critical!

Half-Field reads. Sometimes, it is easier to split the field in half and let the QB attack only one side. Doing this enables the QB to read (usually from High to Medium to Low) a limited number of defenders rather than accounting for the whole defense. A common Half-Field read concept would have a deep corner route with a curl or 10 yard out route and a route attacking the flat. This way, the QB can read from the corner to the out/curl to the flat on only one side of the field.

Offenses that have a true star receiver can use this to get a particular matchup and limit mistakes by a confused QB. For example, by occupying the backside half with 3 receivers, the QB can read the star receiver to the 2nd option on only one side of the field.

However, sometimes defenders who are not “occupied” by a quarterback’s eyes will float or cheat to where he looks and can jump routes they were not intended to cover.

Advantages:
1. The Half-Field Progression/Key limits the number of defenders to react to.
2. It can create easy mismatches and even numbers advantages
3. It cuts the field of vision (and thereby the numbers of defenders) a QB must read.
Disadvantages:
1. It can become easy to stare down targets!
2. Defenders can “cheat” with the eyes of the QB not keeping them occupied.

Full-Field reads. Full field reads incorporate concepts that cause the QB to read from one side of the field to the other, rather than simply one defender or High to low on one side. They are rather sophisticated for a QB. In order to full field read, the QB must know the coverage and have a thorough understanding of where defenders are trying to go as the patterns unfold.
Full field reads have some element of risk, but the reward is usually higher. For example, reading half the field, defenders on the backside are not fully engaged when playing zone coverage because they continually peek at the QB’s eyes. This factor can allow them to squeeze zones or jump routes because the QB is only focused on one side of the field. In full field read passing patterns, because the QB reads from one side to the other, by natural progression he can move defenders with his eyes simply by following his keys.

The element of risk that is high is that all pass defenders must be accounted for and no one receiver can be stared down or…..pick six!

Advantages:
1. The Full-Field Progression/Key naturally moves defenders as the reads progress.
2. It can open up zones and become a high reward pass play.
3. It gives a QB multiple options on the play to be successful.
Disadvantages:
1. Can be too many defenders to account for!
2. Late throws or stared down receivers will be problematic.

Conclusion
A solid passing offense should work to be able to include each of these types of passing systems. Obviously, the more skilled and experienced the QB you have the more you can incorporate into the offense.
Next time, I’ll talk more about incorporating all the reads into a system that speeds up the decision making for the QB.

Daily Devo 7/5/10

Psalm 1
1How blessed is the man who does not walk in the counsel of the wicked,
Nor stand in the path of sinners,
Nor sit in the seat of scoffers!
2But his delight is in the law of the LORD, and in His law he meditates day and night.
3He will be like a tree firmly planted by streams of water, which yields its fruit in its season and its leaf does not wither; and in whatever he does, he prospers.

How comfortable are you with sin?
This passage tells us about being blessed of God. It explains how to be a man that loves the Lord. But first, it explains the different comfort levels with sin and sinful people who would create obstacles in our spiritual walk.
First, do you walk near those people who offer evil advice? Be careful not to answer too quickly. Evil advice is pretty easy to come by these days. Any advice or counsel that disagrees with what the Bible says can be considered “counsel of the wicked”. It is during this stage, that a person considers the sin. He is not yet comfortable enough to be mired in it….but the thought process has begun. Picture a man or woman on a morning jog passing by a place that will not lead them anywhere that is spiritually fruitful. The first stage of comfort is jogging or walking by this place, getting close enough to see it (check Genesis 3:6).
Second, do you “stand in the path” stopping to gaze and converse with those whose lifestyle will not bless you? The second stage of comfort is enough to make us stop and really take stock of the situation. This stage offers us the “what if” scenario and the idea that we might really need this “sin” to be happy or fulfilled. Rather than flee and abandon the temptation, he stops to see what it has to offer.
Third, are you so comfortable that you will sit with scoffers? At this stage of comfort with sin, the ability to become public about it is evident. Scoffers are people who openly mock God and all things that would give Him glory. By sitting with someone in the ancient culture (or even this modern one) a person gives his consent to the “friend” he sits with. When you have gotten to the point where sitting with sin is so comfortable that you are public about it and even openly scoff, you are mired in it.
The first verse tells us the negative; what not to do. The second verse tells us the positive; what to do!
If you truly are a believer, you will love God’s law (His Word, the Bible) and you will dwell on it daily.
This gives us a very powerful principle: The Bible has the power to keep you from sin. A person who meditates on God’s Word “day and night” will be exposed to its transforming power. His thoughts will change. His emotions will change, guided by new thoughts and expectations. With new thoughts and expectations, his desires will change. The combination of new thoughts, emotions and desires will bring about new actions, actions which are pleasing to God.
Notice the blessing. Becoming like a tree with a constant water supply. In Israel, a dry desert community, finding a constant water supply was a must. Having that supply allowed plants to tap into the power of a river. Our “river” is the power of God which comes from His Word. Getting in His Word on a daily basis is what gives us our strength so that we don’t falter.
So I ask my original question with a twist:
How comfortable are you with sin?
How often are you in the Word?