Teaching Play Side Tackle to ID for Tackle Wrap/Tackle Trap

By Justin Trahan
Offensive Line/Run Game Coordinator
West Orange-Stark High School (TX)
Twitter: @coach_trahan

The Dart is a great scheme to use when you can variate at the line of scrimmage based on the defensive alignment. Our play-side (PS) tackle will make this pre-snap read for us and echo his call down the line of scrimmage (deciding whether we will wrap or trap). It is a physical run play in which we coach the Tackle Wrap variation as we would one back power, and our Tackle Trap variation we coach just as we would a physical trap play at the point of attack. This play has been a huge part of our success in recent years. We mirror the Dart with our sprint out game as well as our jet sweep game, which allows us to slow down the second level or get flow at the 2^nd-level away from the play using misdirection in the backfield. The backfield action we are showing is a sprint draw look. We use this as misdirection because we sprint out so often it’s just a natural fit to use something that we do well to create smoke and mirrors to make the Dart a better play. We coach a 3-step sprint out fake for the QB and RB, hoping to create that 2^nd level flow.

Tackle Wrap

In the Wrap variation of our Dart game, we are showing the Sprint Draw in the backfield, this is something we don't change regardless of how we variate upfront. We coach a 3-step sprint out fake for the QB and RB, hoping to create some 2^nd level flow. This could be the biggest reason for our success with this play because we get that 2^nd level flow which makes LB’s easier to handle. When facing a 3-man front or a 3-4 defense we can climb to the BS LB using a combo with the center and PS guard. However, against a 4-man front, we are unable to climb to that BS LB which is why the misdirection in the backfield is so key to help us remove that BS LB threat with the flow. We coach a 3-step sprint out fake for the QB and RB, hoping to create that 2^nd level flow.

Vs. 3-4 or Odd Stack

Coaching points when facing a 3-4 or a 3-3 stack when running the wrap variation of our Dart game. We treat these two fronts differently if a force player is present. If we are facing a 3-3 stack with a force player, we will use the wrap variation and try and hit it under the force player. Whereas against a 3-4 we would only use the wrap variation if there is no force player.

• PS Tackle is either going to block a 5- technique inside out or down block on a 4-technique.
• Center and PS Guard will always combo the nose guard to the BS LB, or if it’s a 3-3 stack their combo will be to the Mike LB.
• The BS guard never changes regardless of the front he always replaces the pulling tackle by blocking back.
• BS tackle which is the pulling tackle in the wrap variation will use a skip pull technique to create space from the line of scrimmage as well as maintain square shoulders throughout his pull, so when he gets to the whole he can attack LB with square shoulders. Versus a 3-4 defense, he is attacking PS LB which is normally a "20" backer by alignment, or versus a 3-3 stack, he would be pulling for the stacked backer on the PS tackle.