The game of football is like a war between two generals, each one trying to out think the other. Bill Belichick is said to be one of the greatest defensive strategists of modern times while Mike Martz has a reputation for being an offensive wizard. In this article we're going to discuss some basic football strategies and how offensive coordinators and head coaches try to out think the opposing defense.
The main thing that an offensive coordinator or head coach tries to do is play to the team's strength when running an offense. Not every team is blessed with great running backs, a great quarterback and great receivers. The truth is, many of the weaker teams have very few great players, if any at all. However, regardless of how strong or weak your offense is, you're going to have areas that are better than others. You need to concentrate on those areas and make the best of them.
For example, if your quarterback is your strongest part of the offense, even if you don't have the best receivers, use him to his fullest. Maybe he's got an uncanny ability to find open men quickly. In that case you'll want to concentrate on your pass game. But, you have to evaluate your offensive line. If your blockers are poor or just average, your quarterback may not have enough time to pull off long passes, unless he is a quick scrambler. In this case you'll want to execute a short passing game. Maybe some quick outs to your tight ends or even your backs.
However, if you continually concentrate on one part of your offense, eventually the opposition is going to catch on and they'll adjust and be ready for you. This is why you ultimately have to establish a run game if you're strong in passing or a passing game if you're strong on running. You must have a balanced attack or your strengths will be shut down quickly.
Another thing an offensive coordinator must do is mix up his game plan. A few times on short yardage situations he should choose a short pass over trying to run the ball. This will keep the defense off balance and guessing. You don't want to do this too often as again, they will begin to look for it. Same thing with long yardage plays. Occasionally you may want to sneak in a run play or maybe a reverse.
Some of the greatest plays in Super Bowl history have been trick or surprise plays. They don't always work but when they do they are a sight to behold. They are certainly some of the most exciting plays to watch. Of course to be able to pull off these plays you have to have players who are capable of doing it. X's and O's on paper are one thing, but having players who can execute those X's and O's is a completely different subject.
This is why a good offensive coordinator is worth his weight in gold. Just ask Mike Martz if he's had a successful career in football.
Michael Russell
Your Independent guide to Football
Written By: Michael Russell
