Football Toolbox

Unlock Explosive Plays: How to Add +2 Big Gains Every Game with Play Action

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This article was originally posted on the Glazier Coaching Blog.

Princeton’s Goal is to be +2 every game on explosive plays.  In the video below, Brian Flinn, WR Coach/Pass Game Coordinator, Princeton, shows a few of the concepts they use toward that goal.  He discusses protection, QB reads, and receive reads.

The video is a portion of his complete Glazier Drive clinic on Play Action out of the Spread.

Some of our key takeaways are listed below the video.

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Our video breaks down a highly effective play action passing system designed to create explosive plays. The presenter details a specific concept featuring a dig-post combination to the field side and a vertical route to the boundary side. The quarterback’s read progression is based on safety positioning – throwing the vertical against single-high or man coverage, or working the dig-post combination against quarters coverage.

Key coaching points include:

  • Building routes that attack both one-high and two-high safety looks
  • Using proper protection schemes (typically 7-man protection with a puller and back)
  • Teaching receivers specific techniques (stacking defenders, staying on numbers, proper stem)
  • Leveraging formation tendencies to set up play action (using run-heavy sets like pistol)
  • Timing these plays on favorable downs (first-and-10, early downs)

Coach Flinn emphasizes that their offensive goal is to generate 10+ missed tackles and be “+2” in explosive plays compared to their opponent each game. Multiple film examples demonstrate the concept’s effectiveness from different formations, showing how the dig route occupies the safety to create space for the post route over the top.