THE "STRETCH PLAY"

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Blitz
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THE ?STRETCH? PLAY

The stretch running play is very much in vogue these days, both in the NFL and the CFL!! In the SuperBowl we saw the Indianapolis Colts very successfully use the stretch play as an integral part of their offence. The Seattle Seahawks have made excellent use of the stretch play as a key component of their running game with Shawn Alexander, who is so patient, that he will run the ball all the way to the sidelines looking for an opening.

In the CFL, our Leos implemented the stretch running play last season, with good success. Dickenson or Pierce would take a couple of hard steps to their right or left and then hand off the ball to Joe Smith, who would either run the ball to the side of the play or cut back against the grain.


THE POPULARITY OF THE ZONE RUN

The zone run has been make popular because of advanced defenses, the lateral speed of defensive players, and the athleticism of offensive lineman and running backs. In the past, most running plays were designed to go to a specific hole or gap along the offensive line. A zone run requires the running back to read the blocks in front of him and choose the best crease to enter. The stretch play also leads to many ?cutback runs? where the running back can start in one direction and turn back when an opening develops elsewhere.


RUNNING BACK AND OFFENSIVE LINE WORK IN UNISON

The stretch play, sometimes called the ?outside zone run' involves the offensive line and the running back working in unison. For the running back the stretch play requires more quickness than power. It also requires patience and the ability to cut back. For the offensive line it means the ability to understand and execute zone blocking schemes. The offensive lineman begin the play by stepping the same way, with what is called a 'weight adjustment step'. When they take this step, and the team runs all three phases of the zone run, the defence or the fan in the stands can't tell if the ball is going to be stretched and go outside to the tackle area and bounce, or to the guard tackle area, or to the backside cutback. The whole theory (of the zone-blocking scheme) is stretch-and-cut... stretch the front side and cut the backside .

FRONT SIDE AND BACKSIDE OF THE STRETCH PLAY

There's two sides to a running play?. the front side and the back side. Where the ball is going (say it's going to the right) that's the front side. The opposite side...that's the back side. In the zone scheme, the goal is to get the defensive guys on the 'backside' down on the ground. Which means cut their legs out!! That way, they can't pursue, and when the running back is running to the right and he sees a cutback lane (to the left), he can cut back and everybody on the backside is on the ground, so nobody's there to tackle him. Cutting off the ?backside? is very important to the success of the stretch play and technique is the key to success? using proper footwork and hand placement.

The challenges with cut blocking - in which linemen launch their bodies at the defender's legs, aiming just above "the play-side knee", are twofold. Offensive lineman can't work on this technique in practice against live players and secondly, offensive lineman who were trained to a man blocking schemes, are often not skilled at cut blocking techniques and require additional technique work. Sometimes offensive teams will also try to 'seal' rather than 'cut' the backside, using proper positioning to enable the running back to cut back. The backside offensive lineman creates a 'seal' with his body to allow the running back to change direction and cut back as the defensive lineman's flow towards the initial direction of the play... is used against him.

ZONE BLOCKING

In zone blocking, linemen are not responsible for a man, but rather an area, and when they slide laterally, in unison, gaps open. Most professional teams, when running the ball, now use zone blocking schemes. Zone blocking originates with blocking the first level (defensive line). There are usually two double teams on every zone blocking play (playside and backside...sometimes refered to as weakside).

From each double team, one of the lineman from each will work into the next level (linebackers). Depending on the flow of the linebackers, either the drive man (inside blocker of double team) or the post man (outside man of the double team) will leave the double team in order to reach the linebacker. If the linebacker reads over the top of the double team (outside) then the post man leaves the double team in order to block the flowing linebacker. If the linebacker comes inside the double team (underneath), the drive/inside double teamer will pick up the backer. This scheme of the zone creates cut backs lanes, which good runners will know where to find. Cut back lanes are created due to an over commitment (flow) by the defense and a seal or 'cut' block on the backside by linemen.


DOUBLE TEAMING OPPORTUNITIES

On defence the linebackers have to 'read? the play. This means the offensive linemen can initially double team at the point of attack. The object for the offensive linemen is twofold. One is to create a wall of humanity and no ?run through? lanes for the linebackers. The second is to take their double teams right into the laps of the linebackers. It?s often refered to as ?securing the first level? and then going for ?gold? on the second level. By running it the same way and threatening the entire front, if the linebackers get frisky and try to run through, they are often wrong and create a running lane

The STRETCH "DOUBLE" TECHNIQUE

In executing the stretch double technique, the uncovered lineman assists the covered lineman to the playside; i.e., if a center and playside tackle are covered, the playside guard executes the stretch double with the tackle, NOT the center. If side-by-side linemen are both covered, the ?play? side lineman is "on his own" and executes a stretch base block without double team help.

When executing the double team, both linemen follow what some coaches call a four hands-four eyes technique. This means they have four hands on the defensive lineman and four eyes on the linebacker in the area (their zone- which is where the name of the blocking comes from). When that linebacker commits to attacking the line of scrimmage one of the linemen ?chips? off the double team and blocks him. The other lineman must be in position by then to take over the block on the lineman by himself. The linebacker is technically the responsibility of the uncovered lineman, but in practice either lineman can chip off and take the linebacker, depending on their position.

THE CUTBACK LANE

The goal of the stretch and stretch double is to create a cutback lane for the running back. When executed correctly, the "stretched" defender has moved in the direction of the call, and the stretch double prevents him from reaching a running back that has "cut back" against the flow of the play. If the double team can prevent the down lineman from making the tackle, and the "chip off" block prevents the play side linebacker from doing the same, the play can quickly get into the secondary. The beauty of zone blocking is that the defense can pick its poison. Which ever way they choose to attack or stunt, the linemen (if they have perfected the zone blocking teamwork) can account for them. And the running back is trained to watch this block develop and cut off of it, no matter which direction the defenders are moved.

THINGS THAT CAN HURT THE STRETCH PLAY

Three things that can hurt the stretch play are as follows: 1) allowing defensive lineman to penetreate 2) having the running back cut back too early and 3) missing a cut block or seal block on the backside when the running back uses a cutback technique. Execution is the key to an effective stretch play.


THE 'WRAP"

Most professional teams, when running the ball, now use zone blocking schemes. In the past most running plays were designed to go to a specific hole or gap along the offensive line. A zone run requires the running back to read the blocks in front of him and choose the best crease to enter. The stretch play also leads to many ?cutback runs? where the running back can start in one direction and turn back when an opening develops elsewhere. The stretch play can also very be effectively used to set up play action.
Look to see our Leos use the stretch play a lot next season.
"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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Tighthead
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I would say that the popularity of the stretch contributes to the current role reduction of the FB. In the NFL, the stretch seems to be used in a single back set, with two TE or 3 WR. Of course, many of the TEs now rarely line up tight - Shockey, Witten, Vernon Davis, Dallas Clark, Gates - seem to line up in the slot as much as they do tight.
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cromartie
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Not one of my favorite plays. For a couple of reasons.

1) It's entirely too easy for a defender to read and react to.

2) Most often, it takes too long to develop to really be successful (because of point #1).

3) Seldom useful in short yardage and goal line situations where defenses are overloading the box already. (I'd just as soon man up and run straight ahead, or use the perception that I will to run play action).

4) Generally requires more space to develop than is available when run to the short side of the field.
Blitz
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I would say that the popularity of the stretch contributes to the current role reduction of the FB.
Tighthead....I'm not sure if the stretch running play contributes to the current role reduction of the FB or wether it really developed because teams were not using the fullback position and needed to find better ways to make their running game effective. It's an interesting question. However, with the popularity of the stretch play, it certainly isn't helping us to see a return to the regular utilization of the fullback on a lot of pro football teams.

cromartie wrote:
Not one of my favorite plays. For a couple of reasons.

1) It's entirely too easy for a defender to read and react to.

2) Most often, it takes too long to develop to really be successful (because of point #1).

3) Seldom useful in short yardage and goal line situations where defenses are overloading the box already. (I'd just as soon man up and run straight ahead, or use the perception that I will to run play action).

4) Generally requires more space to develop than is available when run to the short side of the field.
I read your points with a lot of interest cromartie.,..they are all excellent points. I agree that the spread run is too slow developing for short yardage plays and it's also harder to run the play to the short side of the field. I tend to be 'old school' with regard to the running game, prefering to see double downs and kick out blocks by a fullback or off tackle traps, middle traps, quick hitters at times, counters, etc.

I wasn't a big fan of the spread run at first, watching offensive lineman slant to one side like a giant wall while the back runs wide trying to pick a hole or cutting back to the backside of the play. However, I'm starting to understand why teams are zone blocking more due to the complexity and movement of today's defences. I find teams are running the spread run too often (spread right, spread left) resulting in a simplified running game.

However, the Leos used the spread run very effectively this season and their running game had struggled prior to using it. Smith was a runner who could stick his head in there and make good yards running off-tackle and also showed he could run the cutback play. I don't think it's easy to read because it creates problems for linebackers who find it difficult to find a gap to penetrate into. However, quick penetration by the defensive line can certainly shut it down. It is a slower developing play but teams have been successful running it if the back is good at picking holes or cutting back if the offensive line seals or cuts the backside well. It also can hurt overpursuing teams.

Guess I'm mixed on it...prefering to see it because of it's strengths but also not liking to see it overused!
"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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cromartie
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Guess I'm mixed on it...prefering to see it because of it's strengths but also not liking to see it overused!
Part of the problem last season was how it was called.

Take a look at last summer's game in Toronto. I would bet you, 9 out of 10 times, you could tell when that play was coming, and it was almost always to the short side of the field. Smith did well with it, but it was despite the play calling.

I think, running it to the short side of the field is a complete waste of time. More often than not, you could gain just as much, if not more, running straight ahead. The short field really minimizes your chances of catching someone over pursuing. Doing it in short yardage means that there are guys in the box to compensate for an over pursuing linebacker.

To me, it's a play best used judiciously.
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So what does the average fan in the stand look for in the stretch play ? Are there certain keys to focus on ?
Blitz
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So what does the average fan in the stand look for in the stretch play ? Are there certain keys to focus on ?
These are some things to look for TheLionKing. For the outside stretch run you'll see the quarterback really hustle to get the ball to the tailback as wide and deep as possible. The quarterback will often really 'stretch' his arm out to hand the ball to the tailback. That is so the tailback will be able to take the handoff wide and still be able to get his shoulders square to the line of scrimmage...that allows the tailback to run the play outside towards the edge or cut it back inside the tackle. A second thing you'll see is the entire offensive line, most of the time, appear to slant to one side of the play like a gigantic wall....their first step will almost be lateral.

Teams like to make the inside zone run look similar to the outside stretch but you can pick up subtle differences. For the inside run stretch the quarterback will try to get the ball to the back as deep as possible but he will not have to hustle to get the football to the tailback wide as well as deep. The quarterback will also very often fake bootleg opposite to the side that he hands the ball to the tailback on the inside stretch. In the outside stretch the quarterback doesn't have the ability to do that. The entire offensive line may not slant to the side of the play on the inside stretch and may keep the offensive tackle opposite to the side of the play to backside block sometimes. This is done to deal with a defensive end who wants to crash down on the play. In the inside stretch the tailback will look to be running the football to the off guard spot rather than the off-tackle area before possibly cutting the ball back.

Often watching the offensive line will be the key to the play. The first step is almost lateral and the offensive line slanting and you anticipate a run...at least one of the two zone runs. Look at the quarterback's first couple of steps, (eg: more lateral vs deeper) and you can distinguish between the outside and inside stretch run. Look at the spot where the tailback receivers the handoff (wider vs more inside) and you'll have a good clue whether it's the inside or outside stretch. Watch the offensive lineman's first step be backwards and you can anticipate it's definitely not a run (unless it's a rare draw). Of course play action is much more difficult to read, for the fan and the defense!!
"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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