Perfecting Fullback Trap

[Rich Erdelyi]

I believe you need to be in a 2 pt. stance to take the proper steps on Belly...Lead-Crossover- Square up with your 3rd step ending up on the inside foot of the PST about 1 foot ahead of where you started.
When I coached in HS 34 yrs ago we were in 3 pt. stance because we were an I team running wing-T plays and schemes. We had 3 D1 TB's and 5 D1 QB's and that suited our personnel. I too thought the FB should hit the trap fast. I no longer think that. I believe in the 2 pt. stance he can take better steps, he should be on the mid-line with the first step being with the play side foot aiming down the butt of the OC. He should get the HO between his 1st & 2nd step and can see the hole and blocking much better. Should the 3 tech squeeze, the pulling guard might have to over block him and the FB can see this and adjust his path. This is one of the reasons for the On-Backer rule for the TE. With the PST on the Sam we've had some big plays when this occurs. It's not ideal but still OK.

We were running Jet to the TE against a 50 team and my OC could handle the nose. The backers were really flying with the pullers and the safeties as well. We ran Jet sucker and pulled the PSG&PST. The OC engaged the nose, the BST cut off the 4i and the FB ran 30 yds thru the backside A gap untouched for a touchdown. We only blocked 2 guys and not well. The head coach asked what play it was and I told him and his response was No Shit...but the FB hit the wrong hole but we'll take the TD. His vision allowed this to happen.

We could block FB trap 6 ways:
1.Traditional= OC away PSG inside on the Mike...BSG in the hole kickout 3 with play side shoulder. Vs. 50 double the Nose to BSILB, PST on the PSILB, trap the 5.
2. On= Block the man on...used mostly against a reading 50 and a surprise 3-0-3 Bears look. FB needs to find a hole hence 2 pt. read
3. Gut= Used against good readers...PSG vs. a 3 reach steps, works inside getting his hands on him showing an upfield flipper and wheels him out using his momentum to read outside against him. I called this the Jack Henry block after my friend who coached the line at Pitt, Steelers, Saints etc. OC away, BSG pulls up on the Mike.
4. Sucker= Similar to Gut except we pull the PSG & sometimes the PST. Used when 3 tech follows the puller on Jet/Buck.
5. Pass Influence= Quick pass set and block out by the PSG on the 3 tech getting him to outside pass rush. PST&TE must get to the backers. Used when running trap away from motion to trips SE.
6. Slam Influence= PSG or PST slams inside shoulder on 3 or 5 outside shoulder then blocks out as the 3 or 5 get trapped. Must get PST or TE on the backers. Used to slow down a stud 3 tech.

I only allowed my line coaches to pick 2 ways each week since we just couldn't practice it all. In all honesty FB trap was a better HS play than college play hence all the ways we needed to block it since college DL read so well. My advice is to not force the play. Remember this is a flank attack and trap would be a 2nd or 3rd quarter play for us once we knew what the DL was doing. I hesitated writing this and I apologize for it's length but it is a great play and I've invested a lot of time in it over the years.

As always, write or call with specific questions. Glad to help at any time. See you in Pittsburgh.

Rich Erdelyi

[CoachSchelb]

Coach Erdeyi,

Of those 6 schemes you listed how many do you feel are necessary at the HS level?

[Rich Erdelyi]

We probably ran more Traditional and Sucker than any so these would be the 2 I'd need. The Pass Set was probably #3 for us but remember we would throw 25-30 times a game. I was just giving a lot of options. Trap was not a big play for us maybe 2 times a game but usually for good yardage because of the defensive adjustments/ reactions to the external plays...Jet, Buck etc.

As always, write or call with specific questions. Always glad to help.

Rich Erdelyi

[lewjohnston]

Since I started this thread!!! I figure I have the right to "chirp" in here! For you coaches who are relatively new to this website and/or the Wing T "Fraternity" of coaches... when Coach Erd' speaks, you should listen. This guy "gets" it! He knows the offense probably better than any of us but... he (as he just did in this previous post) knows that there is a BIG difference between the college game and the high school game. Like the old E.F. Hutton commercials said: "When Coach Erd' speaks, everybody listens!!!" You'd better if you want to learn the right way to do something! If Tubby DID it and Erd' says you should do it a certain way (Full in a 2 point stance!) then... that's the way you ought to do it!!!!

[jsanny]

Like Coach Erd said, we also would only have 2 schemes plus a wedge scheme for short yardage. We would always have the traditional 24/26 Guard Trap and one other depending on the front. If it was an even front, we would have the sucker scheme in with the front side guard false pulling to the outside ant the back side Guard gutting around the Center. If it was an odd front, we would have both guards block out on the DTs and the tackles would gut inside around them and block the LBs while the Center blocked the Nose and took him anyway the Nose wanted to go and the FB would read the Center's block. Our other schemes include 23/27 Guard Trap vs. an even front if we thought it would be too difficult to run inside the 3 technique. We would then run our trap to the 1 tech side and trap the 5 tech and vs. an odd front we would run Hand Back Trap, which is the trap away from the motion. We did this with either jet, rocket, or extended motion. Our special variation was what we call "Guards Away". Both guards pull to the outside while the tackles release inside to the LBs. The Center will either block the nose (odd) or block the nearest DT (even) and the FB cuts off the center's block. This has been good for us vs. both the odd and even fronts.

[118pass]

I believe you need to be in a 2 pt. stance to take the proper steps on Belly...Lead-Crossover- Square up with your 3rd step ending up on the inside foot of the PST about 1 foot ahead of where you started.
When I coached in HS 34 yrs ago we were in 3 pt. stance because we were an I team running wing-T plays and schemes. We had 3 D1 TB's and 5 D1 QB's and that suited our personnel. I too thought the FB should hit the trap fast. I no longer think that. I believe in the 2 pt. stance he can take better steps, he should be on the mid-line with the first step being with the play side foot aiming down the butt of the OC. He should get the HO between his 1st & 2nd step and can see the hole and blocking much better. Should the 3 tech squeeze, the pulling guard might have to over block him and the FB can see this and adjust his path. This is one of the reasons for the On-Backer rule for the TE. With the PST on the Sam we've had some big plays when this occurs. It's not ideal but still OK.

We were running Jet to the TE against a 50 team and my OC could handle the nose. The backers were really flying with the pullers and the safeties as well. We ran Jet sucker and pulled the PSG&PST. The OC engaged the nose, the BST cut off the 4i and the FB ran 30 yds thru the backside A gap untouched for a touchdown. We only blocked 2 guys and not well. The head coach asked what play it was and I told him and his response was No Shit...but the FB hit the wrong hole but we'll take the TD. His vision allowed this to happen.

We could block FB trap 6 ways:
1.Traditional= OC away PSG inside on the Mike...BSG in the hole kickout 3 with play side shoulder. Vs. 50 double the Nose to BSILB, PST on the PSILB, trap the 5.
2. On= Block the man on...used mostly against a reading 50 and a surprise 3-0-3 Bears look. FB needs to find a hole hence 2 pt. read
3. Gut= Used against good readers...PSG vs. a 3 reach steps, works inside getting his hands on him showing an upfield flipper and wheels him out using his momentum to read outside against him. I called this the Jack Henry block after my friend who coached the line at Pitt, Steelers, Saints etc. OC away, BSG pulls up on the Mike.
4. Sucker= Similar to Gut except we pull the PSG & sometimes the PST. Used when 3 tech follows the puller on Jet/Buck.
5. Pass Influence= Quick pass set and block out by the PSG on the 3 tech getting him to outside pass rush. PST&TE must get to the backers. Used when running trap away from motion to trips SE.
6. Slam Influence= PSG or PST slams inside shoulder on 3 or 5 outside shoulder then blocks out as the 3 or 5 get trapped. Must get PST or TE on the backers. Used to slow down a stud 3 tech.

I only allowed my line coaches to pick 2 ways each week since we just couldn't practice it all. In all honesty FB trap was a better HS play than college play hence all the ways we needed to block it since college DL read so well. My advice is to not force the play. Remember this is a flank attack and trap would be a 2nd or 3rd quarter play for us once we knew what the DL was doing. I hesitated writing this and I apologize for it's length but it is a great play and I've invested a lot of time in it over the years.

As always, write or call with specific questions. Glad to help at any time. See you in Pittsburgh.

Rich Erdelyi

Awesome post! Thanks for the info coach. As I stated, I want to go to a 2 point stance but I've never coached it but I didn't want the FB trap to be the hold-up. I will definitely use this information to help me.

[Rich Erdelyi]

The key for the FB and all backs is to not take false steps. We work on the Birdog drill every day with all backs and linemen. We teach all the backs all the initial steps...lead step (fire step) straight ahead, crossover @45, lead step laterally, lead step @45, crossover @90 etc. Gerry Gallagher does a great job explaining these at the National Clinic. Tom Herman does a great job with line basics as I'm sure Mike Johnson will this year as I've worked with his team at camps years ago and they are extremely sound. Our linemen are all taught every step and pull step. You cannot cheat these fundamentals!!! There are 3 basic necessities for every offense:
1. Knowledge of Assignment...if you don't know what to do you can't play...the play will fail. Rules!

2. 1st 2 steps...this gets you in the proper position to carry out your assignment. If you take a flat pull instead of an "in line pull" trap will probably fail. Keep your tail down and your head/eyes up and you have a chance if...

3. Do the first 2 with great enthusiasm and proper technique and you will succeed.

As always write or call with specific questions.

Rich Erdelyi
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[CoachCBrooks]

False steps, huh? You mean like this? :-)

Spent lots of time last season working on this. Need to improve how early we spot this and fix.

https://youtu.be/dawNJaPNP5I?t=10m29s

[jsanny]

We tell the backs to put their weight on the opposite foot before taking their 1st step.