For years the no huddle offense in football was reserved for the last two minutes of each half. We associated the no huddle with Roger Staubach and his innate ability to drive his team down the field with little time. Today the no huddle offense is often used as a scheme and can be deadly when it is implemented correctly.
The system is fun to coach and more fun to play. Kids love the fast pace and are enthusiastic about practicing offense. The key with the no huddle offense is to make it simple enough for kids to understand but complex enough that the defense does not catch on to the signals or verbals being used.
There are many ways that the system can be operated. Many coaches use numbered wristbands. In this system typically a number is communicated and then referenced by players on the field. If the number is verbalized make sure you have your favorite plays listed a number of times. Some coaches will mix in colors on the wristband. So for example you may have a brown 1, red 1, blue 1, and green 1. Therefore the number 1 could be four different plays.
In other systems everything may communicated off the body including the formation, motion, and play. Our goal in our system is to be over the ball ready to snap as soon as the official steps away and blows his whistle. Coach your kids to help officials by always handing them the ball at the completion of each play. Hustle after incomplete passes as well and return them to the field to keep the tempo high.
Another key is to limit what you do. Often in a high tempo no huddle offense it's less about what you call and more about how fast you call it. Pick three or four run plays, three or four pass plays, throw in a screen or draw play and then go as fast as you can. Resist the temptation to constantly change formations. My experience has shown that once you find the formation where you have an advantage versus a particular front then stay with it until they adjust.
During the course of a game we often find a formation that gives us an advantage then we find a particular play that we have success with. We will play off of that then run play action passes or other plays that look the same or include motion over and over with it.
You must practice like you play. Move the ball up and down the field. Chart your defenses tendencies based on down and distance. Script your daily practices factoring in those tendencies. Have a defensive coach give you fronts, coverages, and blitzes based on the defense you call for on your play script. Another coach should be in charge of setting the ball.
Allow position coaches to sub athletes on the run (not too often though) but don't allow them to stop practice to coach kids. This should be done during individual and group periods. If a kid must be coached then sub for him and coach him then. Remember the real advantage in this offense is playing fast. Don't let other factors take away from the speed in which you play. Go fast, make multiple plays look alike, and attack the width of the field. I cannot stress enough the importance of attacking sideline to sideline with tempo.
Now this can be accomplished in multiple ways. It can be done using the jet sweep, the bubble, or the jailbreak screen. Again repetition is the key. Group work is vital in this offensive system. Runners and the quarterback have to have a unique system of timing. Receivers and quarterbacks must be on the same page as well.
The most difficult thing for many coaches is allowing players to make on field adjustments. There is no better advantage than letting players make real-time changes to help your team gain an edge over the defense. Give quarterbacks the flexible to flip plays. For example we run lead. Our preference is to run to the 2-5 side versus and even front. We allow our quarterback to flip the play and adjust our alignment if necessary. Another common example is changing trap. We prefer to trap a "3" technique versus a split front. Again we allow our quarterback to change this play as well. There are numerous examples I could give. The key is to limit the changes and base the audibles on the ability of your personnel.
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