The Time Has More Than Arrived for a New Offence

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Blitz
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THE SPREAD OFFENCE HAS BECOME A CFL RELIGION THAT DOMINATES OFFENSIVE THINKING

The CFL has become a copy cat league in terms of offensive thinking. We've seen the spread offence in the CFL now for more than two decades. It's all we ever see. The base formation of every CFL team is the five receiver set with a quarterback in the shot gun and an ace backfield (single tailback). The slot backs usually waggle from 5 yards back of the line of scrimmage, timing their waggle to the line of scrimmage at the snap of the football.

A complimentary formation of the CFL spread offence is the six receiver set (removal of the tailback or lining the tailback up as a 6th receiver and going empty backfield.

John Hufnagel introduced the spread offence to the Calgary Stampeders in the early 90's. Its success in Calgary during that time spawned imiators across the CFL. Every CFL team uses the spread offence and has for a very long time. Each team adds its own wrinkles to this offensive system but most CFL offences look alike.

THE FIVE RECEIVER SET IS THE BASE FORMATION

The five receiver set in the spread offence dominates CFL offensive thinking. Usually there are three receivers lined up to the wide side of the field and two receivers to the boundary side of the field.

Why the conformity? Why have all CFL offences been using the same copy cat offence for so long?

The real reasons for this "conformity" has to do with the following:

⦁ Fear of failure by trying something new
⦁ The old adage of "this is the way we have always done it"
⦁ Most CFL offensive coordinators are former quarterbacks who only knew the spread from their playing days.
⦁ Coaches are too often just re-cycled
⦁ Offensive coordinators are often mentored by a Head Coach who only knows 'one offensive system (the spread offence)
⦁ 'Group think' permeates the coaching fraternity. Coaches are usually conservative 'in the box' type of thinkers.

THE 80-20 RULE - INNOVATION IS IGNORED
One of the main concepts of winning in football is for rhe offence to confuse the defense in what ever way they can.
When designing an offense, one of the keys is to use confusion to help get great match-ups or better yet, blown coverages because those plays are the big plays that often win a game. Most games boil down to three or four big plays and often those big plays happen is because the defense gets confused or makes a mistake.

If the concept is to get the most blown coverages or the best match-ups, then an offence should try to be innovative and as unpredictable as possible on every play.

Pro football is very copy-cat in it's approach. Most teams run about 80 percent of the same stuff until a coach takes a chance and if it succeeds and then you might see some teams adapt the new innovation into their playbook. But for the most part pro football coacvhes are afraid of new ideas. There is a mathematical concept or rule called the 80/20 rule that is found in all areas of life and pro football is no stranger to that rule.

It is the other 20% where we see the innovation and then it is usually more about match-ups than real innovation. Most pro coaches focus on execution and details rather than "out of the box" innovation

INNOVATION BEGINS

Thankfully there are innovators in pro football, even if they are rare.

The CFL, while always more of an 'open' game than the NFL, due to its three down football concept and wider field, was always more of a passing league than the NFL. Quarterbacks were more free to run with the football and rollouts were utilized more in the passing game.

Prior the introduction of the spread offence in the CFL, most CFL teams had either used a fullback and a half back or a fullback and a tailback, tailback, along with a tight end. Some teams split out their tight end on some formations.

In the backfield the two backs had lined up in either a Pro-Set, an Off-Set, or an I Formation. The quarterback lined up under center and took a one step, three step, five step, or seven step drop.

Tight ends such as Pat Claridge, Herm Harrison, Peter Dalla Riva, Tomy Gabriel played important roles in their offences. Fullbacks as Nornie Kwong, Johnny Bright, Marv Luster, George Reed, John Henry White, and Sean Millington were exciting players to watch play the game of football, CFL style.

The fullback was much more than a blocking back. He was used as a key player in the running attack. For example, in 1974, the tandem of Lou Harris and Monroe Ely each rushed for well over 1,000 yds. each in our Lions backfield. The days of John Henry White and Larry Key are long gone.

CFL teams favored the 50/50 rule of run/pass while the NFL ran the football more than it passed the football. In 1978, not one NFL team passed more than it ran the football.

The only real innovation, in terms of offence in the CFL, from the 1960's to the early 1990's, was splitting the tight end out on certain downs. But running schemes were dynamic and passing schemes involved a lot of variety in terms of misdirection, play action, bootlegs, and rollouts.

The football played at the dawn of the 1970s in the U.S. generally featured hard running, ball control football, accented occasionally on third and long by a pass out of a stationary pocket.

Whether it was the Green Bay Packers Power Sweep, the Texas Wishbone, the Veer Triple Option, the U.S.C. Power I , or the Pro Offence, they were variations of ball control or option-oriented rushing offenses.

In the NFL, three coaches brought new, innovative ways of thinking. The first was Don Coryell. Coryell sent four receivers downfield, with an emphasis on precisely timed and executed, numbered, vertical pass routes. Air Coryell was born.

The Run and Shoot Offence, refined and popularized by Mouse Davis, was also introduced. It used an ace back, two 'slotbacks' as part of four receiver sets, (the tight end and fullback positions were removed in this offence). Receivers read the defense and adjusted their routes in response to the defensive coverage employed.

Then, Bill Walsh brought his West Coast offence to San Francisco with great results. It brought all five skilled players into the passing attack, with the fullback highly utilizeed as a pass receiver. Rather than use the run to open up the vertical passing game the horizontal passin game was used to open up the run and the vertical passing game. Joe Montanna quarterbacked this offensive system to four Super Bowls and almost everyone in the NFL adopted a version of it.

THE CONCEPT OF THE SPREAD OFFENCE

The concept of the spread offence, initially was to give college teams a greater upside to beat powerhouse opponents who could always recruit blue chip offensive linemen and tight ends, as well as outstanding running backs. The spread offence was a potential leveler.

Those U.S. colleges began spreading the field with receivers and lining up their quarttherback in the shot gun. They passed first and ran second. The "Shot Gun Spread" was born.

THE SPREAD OFFENCE ARRIVES IN THE PROS

The first pure spread offensive system in pro football was introduced by John Hufnagel in Calgary. Defenses, stuck in the old 4-3-5 system, had great difficulty stopping it. Remvoing the tight end and fullback from the offence and using five and six receiver sets, quarterbacks such as Doug Flutie and Jeff Garcia were able to get one or two receivers matched up against the slower linebackers of those days. They were mismatches.

The spread offensive system was slower to arrive to the NFL. Teams as the New England Patriots, Indianopolis Colts were the first to use the spread offence in the NFL. The 2007 New England Patriots administered one of the most successful spread attacks in NFL history. They broke team records for the most points in a season, most touchdowns in a season and most first downs. Tom Brady broke the record for the most passing touchdowns in a season, and Randy Moss set the record for most receiving touchdowns in a season.
Other NFL teams took notice.

The spread offence became more and more popular. NFL teams passed the football more and more. The fullback started to become obsolete or rarely used. Tight ends often stood on the sidelines, replaced by a slot receiver. Whereas no NFL team had passed more than ran the football in the past, now almost all NFL teams were passing the football more often than running it.

DEFENSES ADJUST

In the last decade, CFL defensive coordinators knew they could no longer play the kind of defensive style that had been favored for so long. Don Matthews style of blitzing defenses often worked against the spread offence but if the quarterback was able to find or buy time, that style of defence got burnt badly, with the type of personnel being used.

Enter first the hybrid linebacker. Matthews took one of the linebacker positions and changed his personnel to use a bigger defensive back in that position. It became the forerunner to the CFL nickel back position.

Innovative defensive coordinators began to use different defensive packages, based on down and distance. Dave Ritchie introduced the zone blitz. He even rushed only two defensive linemen on occasion. He dropped defensive tackles or defensive ends into zone pass coverage while blitzing linebackers. Rich Stubler focused on deceptive pass coverages, while giving up more on the run, belieivng that offensive coordinators whould not stick wth it. Chris Jones brought the heat while going press man underneath.

The dime back was introduced. Blitzes were mixed with three man fronts, with nine in zone or combination man/zone coverage. Defensive ends became faster speed rushers to get to the quarterback more quickly. Defensive tackles got bigger to plug the inside zone read and bull rush the pocket passing quarterback.

In the NFL, defenses adapted too. Nickel coverage became the base defense when playing spread offences. Situational defensive personnel packages became the norm and substitutions became common based on down, distance, and tendency.

THE SPREAD OFFENCE ADAPTS

To counter these defensive adaptions, a number of offensive adaptions were required. The first adaption was the zone read option.
Because CFL defenses were getting more adept at taking away the inside zone run, the zone read option was introduced. CFL quarterbacks were trained to read the defensive end and if he slanted down, they would keep the football and run outside or throw outside quickly.

The fly sweep was introduced to attempt to run outside. The hitch screen, jailbreak screen, motion screen, and quarterback draw were implemented to counter the blitz, amongst other adaptions.

Most CFL teams were pass happy. John Hufnagel, when he returned to the CFL, recognized the running game needed to become more integral to an offence again. He had seen the results in 2007, when he served as a consultant to our B.C. Lions. Some offences began to follow suit. Hufnagel saw the run setting up the pass rather than the pass setting up the run, which had become the norm for pass happy spread offensive coordinators.

Finally, CFL offensive coordinators began to get situational. The Jumbo team was used for goal line and very seihort yardage situations. Some offensive coordinators began to use an extra offensive lineman or two (single or two tight end set) for additional blocking for the run or additional pass blocking. The fullback was sometimes used as a tight end. In certain situations, the fullback was also used as an off-set back to block for the run or pass block for the pass. Slotbacks were also used at times as back side pass blockers against the blitz.

However, the limitations of using this concept are obvious. The additional depth offensive lineman, used as tight ends, are not pass receivers and do not threaten the defense. Linebackers and defensive backs do not have to worry about them as receivers and can either play the run more or help in pass coverage. The fullback, when used in the backfield is a one dimensional blocker who is very rarely used as a runner or a receiver.

However, while using fullbacks and extra offensive lineman on occasion, the CFL remained mired in the spread offence philosophy.
However, in the NFL, things began to change. Some teams began to experiment with the zone read option but that concept is tough on NFL quarterbacks and most NFL coaches were reluctant to expose their quarterbacks to the increased injury risk of doing so.
Instead NFL offences began to move away from the spread offence as its base offence.

Instead they began to introduce the tight end again. New England started the trend. Using one and then true tight ends, defenses were put in a bind. The tight end could block for the run, protect the quarterback as a pass blocker and also be a threat as a receiver. Now the nickel back was no longer an advantage but using a traditional linebacker created matchup problems in pass coverage.

But New England did not use their tight end(s) just as a tight end. They also used the tight end as a slot receiver on the boundary side, as a wide receiver set alone on the boundary side against a smaller corner, and as an H Back to lead block or as a pass receiver in the flat. These tight ends could also run deep patterns.

They were hybrid players who created problems because defenses could not play situational defence or bring in situational players. Some offences even lined up both tight ends to the same side of the field, helping with the running game and also causing problems for zone coverage.

Most NFL teams have moved away from the spread offence or are doing so. Tight ends are very back in vogue in the NFL.

WHY SHOULD CFL TEAMS MOVE AWAY FROM THE SPREAD OFFENCE

Why should a CFL team consider moving away from the spread offence

1. ITS MORE DIFFICULT TO RUN OUTSIDE
With only five offensive linemen in the base spread offence, running outside is difficult. Usually the only way a tailback gets outside is by running a cut back against a crashing defensive end.

2. ITS WEAK AGAINST THE BLITZ
When an offence only has five offensive linemen, its easier to blitz. The defense can overload a side. It can blitz linebackers an safeties inside and blitz linebackers and defensive backs outside. The tailback, if kept in to block, has to read the blitz, and get to the right blitzer. It can force an offence into quick passes. The blitz can also make it difficult to run the football.

3. ITS PREDICTABLE

Every CFL defense lines up against a spread style offence all week at practice and every week in a game. For vets like our Ryan Phillips, they have seen this offence their entire career.

Defenses know that the spread offence is primarily a pocket passing offence for most teams and they can also predict the running game will be primarily inside. They know the quarterback will mostly throwing from the pocket.

They know that, when an offensive lineman or two come into the game for a single or double tight end set, the depth lineman are not receivers who have to be covered, therefore making it easier to cover the remaining receivers. They know, if in a single or double tight end formation, and one of those tight ends is the fullback, he will rarely be thrown to and never deep (unless its Calgary's Rob Cote).

They know that the fullback is off-set as a blocker and will not be used to run the football. They know if the fullback goes into a pass pattern he is usually slow and will only go into the flat or run a short pattern. They know the fullback is not used as a screen man.

4. DEFENSES ADJUST PERSONNEL

The defense can also adjust its personnel to what players the offence brings in. If the offence uses a fullback as a tight end or a depth offensive lineman, they can insert a linebacker instead of a nickel back or bring in an extra defensive lineman or both.

Defensively, the CFL has completely adjusted to the spread offence. The use of big defensive tackles, speed rushing defensive ends, nickel and dime backs, and tweener linebackers have been used for years now. Personell packages on defense for down and situation are the norm. The three man rush is as common as the four man rush and zone blitzers are also the norm.

The defense also knows, in the base spread formation, that they can bring in extra defensive backs and cover five receivers with 8 or 9 defenders in zone or combination man/zone coverage.

ITS TOUGH ON QUARTERBACKS

The spread offence is both a quarterbacks dream and his worst night mare. Quarterbacks lined up in the shot gun get to throw the football a lot. Its the spread's version of 'Air Raid'. But the quarterback is usually throwing from the pocket with pressure in his face.

Even thought the CFL has penalized hits to the quarterback's head, does not allow hits below the knees, and is very strict on late hits (you can't hit the quarterback if he has completed his throwing motion) quarterback injuries are common. In the old days, quarterbacks were often hit 3 seconds after they threw the football and could be hit anywhere and there were less quarterback injuries.

However, the spread offence, susceptible to the blitz and the blind side hit on the quarterback, susceptible to the quarterback getting hit in the pocket with a lot of bodies coming at him from all directions, is a dangerous offence for quarterbacks.
This season, like seasons past, quarterbacks have gone down with injury. This year Darian Durrant, Ricky Ray, Kevin Glenn, Henry Burris, and Trevor Harris have been injured. Zack Collaros returned from injury. Mike Reilley and Drew Willie took their usual beatings.

Only Calgary and B.C. have gone unscathed so far. But even Wally, who once said "That's why we have four quarterbacks" when questioned about our offences poor job of quarterback protection has chalnged his tune. He made the offensive line changes that he did before our last game because he said Jennings was taking too many hits and he was.

Being committed to a running game helps quarterbacks in the spread offence. If not, the defence can tee off.

A DIFFERENT WAY OF LOOKING AT OFFENCE

The majority of NFL offences have moved away from the spread offence. They may use a spread formation for a longer pass play or to change things up but NFL teams use tight ends a lot now. In fact they want two good tight ends and a depth tight end on their roster.
The NFL tight end if no longer a traditional tight end. He can line up tight inside, line up in the slot, line up wide as a lone wide out on the boundary side of the field, be used as an H Back. He is an excellent receiver as well as a very good blocker. He can even run with the football.

CREATING A DYNAMIC, INNOVATIVE NEW STYLE OF CFL OFFENCE

The best way a CFL offence could become dynamic, unpredictable, and create matchup problems for a defense would be to get rid of one of the International slot back receivers and use a hybfid tight end in that spot instead. The National fullback would be phased out and instead become a second tight end, when the offence chooses to use him.

That tight end could line up tight as a blocker, line up in the slot, be used as an H Back in motion, be used as an H Back as a lead blocker, be used as a slot receiver on the boundary side, or even be used as a single wide out on the boundary side. In other words he is a 'flex' or hybrid tight end.

The offence would have two base formations. The first would be a three reciever set and two tight ends, with an ace back. The second fomation would be a four receiver set with a tight end and an ace back.

In both formations, the tight end can go in motion, be used as an H Back, be lined up tight, or in the slot. You could even line up two tight ends to one side of the offensive line, creating a power side that could create problems for the defence against run and pass.

WHAT ARE THE ADVANTAGES of REINTRODUCING THE TIGHT END

There would be many advantages to reintroduing the tight end.

1. DEFENSES CANNOT PREDICT BASED ON OFFENSIVE PERSONEL

Because at least one tight end would be playing on every down, the defense would not know how he will be utilized. He can be lined up tight and used as an additional blocker for the running game. He can help an offence run outside or for extra pass protection. He would cause a wider split by the defensive end.

He can be used as a lead blocker as an H Back. He can be put in motion. He can be a tough guy to bring down on a motion hitch screen.

But he can also brush block and be used on play action as a pass receiver. He can be isolated against a linebacker. He can go deep as well as short or intermediate. He can also be lined up wide against a corner, where his big body can create a mismatch. He can be split and or used in a tight slot position for quick 'pop' or seam passes against the blitz. He can cause problems in the flat.
In essence, he is the fifth receiver but he is also the tight end, the H Back, and the Flex Back.

AN OFFENCE CAN RUN THE FOOTBALL BETTER

The tight end can double team the defensive end and be used in a myriad of ways to help the running attack. The defense cannot play up too tight or the tight end can be a threat in the passing attack. He can be a lead blocker as an H Back.

THE TIGHT END HELPS WITH PASS BLOCKING

The tight end as a pass blocker can really help out against the blitz. He can be set back a yard or be up on the offensive line. He can provide extra protection for the quarterback while still being a threat as a receiver.

THE TIGHT END CREATES MATCHUP PROBLEMS

A big, tall, tight end, who is a receiver first, a blocker second, but can do both, creates matchup problems. He is difficult for a linebacker to cover due to his speed and difficult for a defensive back to cover due to his height and size.
He can put a linebacker in a quandry in terms of does he cover the tight end underneath or cover the back in the flat.

THE TIGHT END CREATES PRE-SNAP READS

Moving the tight end around provides pre-snap reads that help the quarterback identify the defence.

WHERE DO YOU FIND THIS TIGHT END?

You can find this player easily. In the U.S. College ranks, they have been developing a ton of them in the last five years. There are International tight ends and National tight ends playing U.S. College football.

With the influx of tight ends from collegiate spread offenses, Y-ISO has become increasingly in vogue over the last five years. This formation consists of three wide receivers on one side of the formation and a tight end on the other side, whether he’s a yard away from the offensive tackle with his hand in the dirt or split out to the sideline. The isolation creates numerous coverage mismatches across the field.

You can also develop them out of the CIS. Calgary's Juwan Brescacin, at 6'3" and 231 pounds could be developed as a flex tight end. Montreal's Nik Lewis has always been tight end material as was Jason Clermont. Antony Auclair, a tight end out of Laval, will be available in next year's CFL draft.

THE CFL FULLBACK - CHANGE IS NEEDED

While the CFL tight end has vanished the fullback position has evolved into a specialist position mainly only being used as an extra blocker for running plays or as a pass blocker. The fullback is lined up as a tight end or as a off-set back. Mostly the fullback is on the sidelines as a special team's player. The position is rarely used. Fullbacks Rolly Lumbala and Rob Cote are used more often than other CFL teams.

CFL teams would be wiser to do away with the fullback position and use a second tight end for this area of their offence. This second tight end would again be a hybrid position. While the first tight end strengths would be first as a receiver but with good blocking skills the second tight end would be a better blocker but someone who also has good receving skills.

Once again this position could be flexed. This tight end can line up in the backfield off-set, as a tight end, lined up as a slot, or even split. Its ridiculous to line up two depth offensive lineman as tight ends when neither is a pass receiver. The defensive backs can ignore them once the offence shows pass and double up on other receivers. The depth offensive lineman should only be used as tight ends for jumbo short yardage situations and not on first downs.

Once again this position could be flexed. This tight end can line up in the backfield off-set, as a tight end, lined up as a slot, or even split. Its ridiculous to line up two depth offensive lineman as tight ends when neither is a pass receiver. The defensive backs can ignore them once the offence shows pass and double up on other receivers. The depth offensive lineman should only be used as tight ends for jumbo short yardage situations and not on first downs.

THE TIGHT END OFFENCE IS THE BEST OFFENCE FOR TODAY

The most dominant offense in the NFL isn't the spread, the read-option or the pistol. The best offense in today's NFL is the two-tight end attack.

It's fast becoming a major part of every pro playbook. The set has revitalized the tight end position and made it as important as a wide receiver or running back.

The New England Patriots have made the dual tight end look their de facto offense of choice. So have the Seattle Seahawks.
Most tight ends will defeat a linebacker in man coverage. They are challenged to cover tight ends running increasingly expansive patterns. Linebackers aren't fast enough to cover them and defensive backs aren't big enough.

If they don't release into pass routes, tight ends stay in to block and reduce the threat of a blitz. That's one of the main advantages presented by the two-tight end offense.

WRAP

The time has more than arrived for a CFL team to introduce a tight end and a different offensive system. Last season, we had two tight ends, Cortez didn't know what to do with them, so he just used one tight end up as our wider slot back in the spread offence - what a waste.

There have been many opportunities for CFL offensive coordinators to take advantage of personell. Jason Clermont and Nik Lewis would have been great hybrid tight ends.

When one looks at what extra advantage a CFL offence gets out of using a third slot back, in contrast to what they could get out of using a hybrid tight end for that spot, the positives for exchanging that position for a tight end ate obvious. Changing the fullback position to a National second hybrid tight end position also makes more sense to make that position a threat as a receiver as well as a blocker.
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squishy35
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Great post. I cannot begin to fully understand the complexity of running a CFL offence Blitz. I remember starting to follow the Lions in the Vic Rapp era. His double tight end offence of Harry Holt and Ricky Ellis was very well complimented by the likes of John Henry White and Larry Key. Tyrone Gray and John Pancratz were very capable possession receivers. It was an offence that powered it's way to wins. I was hoping that was going to be the type of offence that Tedford was transitioning to with Morrah and Leonardo in last year's lineup. However, injuries and speculation of inner coaching turmoil spoiled that potential.
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WestCoastJoe
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Very nice review, Blitz. Well done.

What goes around comes around.

Great running attack, as with Kwong and Bright? Defences get bigger, and also more athletic. Paycheques for top defenders rise to equality with offensive stars. Attack style defence arrives, replacing contain style defence. More blitzing. Hellacious athletes on D, like Lawrence Taylor. Rush ends like Quick Parker. Stunts. Players moving pre snap. Gambling, but with a good plan.

Innovators, as you mention, Coryell, Walsh, Mouse Davis, Hufnagel, look for new ways to attack. Personnel changes. Huge Kellen Winslow of the Chargers could run like a wideout. John Mackey, before him, a tight end, could run like a fullback.

Tight ends, as you say, can bring a new dimension. Belichick saw this potential.

What do I see coming down the pike?

The spread O can pile up the yardage and points. QBs come out of college well prepped for it. Tremendous receivers seem to grow on trees.

A team must honour the running game. They must plan it well, and coach it well. Blocking skill and schemes are key. Angle blocking and zone blocking are key, and were innovations in their time. I posted quite a lot on this in years past. Even with the spread offence, we see some huge holes in the CFL. Harder to get outside, but it can still be done.

My view: use the whole package. Honour the run game, not just token use. Inside runs, off tackle, outside, with seal blocking both inside, and take quick ends deep, past the play. Screens. Draws. QB draws. Sprint outs. Zone reads. Varied pass patterns and packages.

It's all good. To me the spread ain't dead. Maybe in need of continued innovation. No surprise Hufnagel and Trickie Dickie still have the offence humming in Calgary. They do honour the run, and have a high powered passing attack, with lots of time for Mitchell in the pocket. Their model is pretty good, and they will keep defences off balance.

MW seems to have established himself with Wally to the degree that we no doubt are seeing more of the kind of defence he prefers.

Maybe Khari does not have the creds yet with Wally to let it loose a bit. I expect he can do it, bring the full package. Our offence with Jennings woild be out of sight if we got to that point.

(On a tablet, checking for typos.)
.......

Re personnel ...

You need a top QB. Obvious, but some coaches did not endorse the notion (George Allen with Billy Kilmer comes to mind). CFL coaches, many of whom are ex-QBs know this. Ya gotta have a good one. Hufnagel, Austin, Milanovich, Dickenson, Maas, know this. Wally knows this. As you note, QBs can be at risk in the spread. This is why you honour the run, and make it stick. And this is why a team needs an effective, confident O Line, not one that is unsure, confused or forced to think too much. Protecting the QB has to be Job 1 for an offence. Pass protection schemes, coaching the skills, play calling. It is a complex package of preparation.

Receivers almost a dime a dozen.

RBs also. National, as with Harris and Messam? Cornish. Sure. They have proven that they can play. Difficult to replace with an equally gifted National RB, if nicked, however. I would go Wally's route. At least two stud International RBs on the roster. Also good to rotate them. Keep them fresh. Force defences to adjust.
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Blitz
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My view: use the whole package. Honour the run game, not just token use. Inside runs, off tackle, outside, with seal blocking both inside, and take quick ends deep, past the play. Screens. Draws. QB draws. Sprint outs. Zone reads. Varied pass patterns and packages. West Coast Joe
Great post. I cannot begin to fully understand the complexity of running a CFL offence Blitz. I remember starting to follow the Lions in the Vic Rapp era. His double tight end offence of Harry Holt and Ricky Ellis was very well complimented by the likes of John Henry White and Larry Key. Tyrone Gray and John Pancratz were very capable possession receivers. It was an offence that powered it's way to wins. I was hoping that was going to be the type of offence that Tedford was transitioning to with Morrah and Leonardo in last year's lineup. However, injuries and speculation of inner coaching turmoil spoiled that potential. squishy 35
Thanks for both of your thoughts and concepts West Coast Joe and squishy 35.

I totally agree with you West Coast Joe that the best way is to use the whole package. I was also disappointed last season that Tedford was not able to introduce a tight end offence.

How do you implement the 'whole package' as WCJ posts. Well, in the CFL, we don't have the luxury of the bigger roster to have two tight ends plus a backup on the game day roster as well as five receivers. The best scenario for a CFL game is to have 5 receivers and a backup receiver. Based upon ratio, it would be best to have four Internationals at receiver but I will go with 3 Internationals and two National receivers.

So lets look at what this would look like for our Leos. Our Internationals would be Arseneaux, Burnham, and an International tight end. Our National receivers are Gore and Iannuzzi, both lined up outside. Instead of a fullback we would have a second tight end who is a National.

We could line up the two National receivers outside, the two Internationals in the slot, and line up the International and National tight end tight. Or we could use the same format and split the International tight end and National tight end but have both in the inside slot positions. Or we could line up the National tight end tight and the International tight end split or just one yard back of the line in a tight slot postion. We could use the International tight end as an H Back to lead block or put him in motion. We could line up both tight ends to one side of the formation and go unbalanced line.

The two tight end format gives the offence a power series. You can run block with power, run inside or outside, pass protect very well and yet threaten with play action because both tight ends can catch as well as block. Right now, in the CFL, in a two tight end set, the offence usually uses two backup offensive linemen who can't catch or they use one reserve offensive lineman and a slow fullback.

The second formation uses a single International tight end and substitutes the National tight end for a second National receiver. This formation with the International tight end lined up tight, in a tight slot, split, or used as an H Back gives the offence a four receiver/tight end look. It still enables the offence to run to one side with power, to run inside or outside, provides an unbalanced line, spreads the field with four receivers, and the offence can use a modified West Coast series out of this formation.

The third formation would be the spread series. The National tight end would come out of the lineup and be replaced by a National wide receiver.

We dress an extra receiver anyway...so why not have one National as the National tight end and the second as the National wide receiver or replace the fullback position with a National tight end...someone who can run patterns, go short or intermediate or deep and also be able to block.

The International tight end is not hard to find. U.S. colleges are pumping them out these days. What a CFL offence needs to draft is a National tight end. Basically, what you need to draft for, is not a fullback type who is a basically a blocker but a big receiver and put some weight/muscle on him. Jason Clermont would have been purrfect for this position.

Juwan Brescan of Calgary at 6'3" and 231 pounds or Lamar Durant of Calgary, at 6'2" and 230 pounds are also the type of player you would want to draft. Shawmed Chambers of the Riders and Addison Richards of the Bombers are also CFL National receivers who are tall and big and could bulk up and be converted to become a tight end.

Overall, you can get so much more out of a National tight end than a small National receiver or slow fullback. You get a receiver first, a big blocker, and a hybrid type of player who can do many more things. He can catch, go in motion, line up tight or split,pass block, lead block, etc.

You can get so much more out of this type of player to utilize for an offence. He blocks for the run, he catches passes, he is a tall, big player closer to the line of scrimmage that is difficult to match up with. He enables the offence to run the football to the outside, forces the defensive end to play wide and have a long route to the quarterback or get double teamed, and he can pass block.
"When I went to Catholic high school in Philadelphia, we just had one coach for football and basketball. He took all of us who turned out and had us run through a forest. The ones who ran into the trees were on the football team". (George Raveling)
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PigSkin_53
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When Wally passes away they can etch the words "Lived and died by the spread offense" on his headstone as his epitaph
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Wow Blitz - wow. great post. Bang-on IMO !!!

I've thought and posted about many of your ideas there on various CFL forums over the year - but not with that kinda depth - couldn't agree more. Sorry I discovered it so late.

The CFL is such a limited copy-cat league with same old 5 pack offence and limited run game a glaring feature. IMO - a diverse CFL offence - with real use of a fullback and real tight end, plus way more ground game, could possibly kick @$$ - big-time.

We aren't going to see it though - not until CFL types stop hiring same old, recycled , limited, myopic thinkers to run offences. Too much to ask for? - even out of just one team breaking the tired trend? Answer is yes ! - get used to same old. Although - the Argos won the GC last season with former unhearalded H-back Declan Cross playing a strong (but still limited role in their offfence) - guy is a big, powerful player who can block plus made many good plays and some big gainers as a receiver - other CFL teams to take notice ?
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