Bryant University’s 11 Personnel Duo Concept

By Mike Kuchar with Steven Ciocci
Offensive Line Coach/Run Game Coordinator
Bryant University (RI)
Twitter: @CoachCiocci

When Bryant University (RI) moved into the competitive environment of the Northeast Conference, the offensive coaching staff had to decide on what run concepts they wanted to hang their hat on. And despite being a traditional inside/outside zone outfit, they knew they needed to build something different to win against a higher level of defensive lineman. So, run game coordinator Steven Ciocci felt the Duo scheme- which provided for more double teams at the point of attack- would be the answer to win in the trenches. Reading backside linebackers was an easy ask for an athletic running back and adding it to their eleven-personnel menu gives them the option to run it strong or weak.

While Coach Ciocci and his offensive staff treat Duo differently than inside zone, he does consider it to be a mix between true zone and gap schemes. “The play side will look like zone because of lateral double teams and not horizontal double teams,” he said. “But if you treat it like inside zone, you may lose the physicality of the play.”

We are going to take an inside look at how Bryant built its Duo scheme, starting with the count system.