Snapshots: 11 Personnel Outside Zone
This is a pretty basic play, but I like looking at X’s and O’s, so I decided to draw up Jordan Marshall’s 54-yard touchdown run against Purdue.
With a 1st and 10 on their own 46-yard line, Michigan put 11 personnel (1 running back, 1 tight end) on the field. Wide receiver Andrew Marsh lines up wide left, WR Channing Goodwin lines up in the slot to the left, and TE Max Bredeson lines up as a wing to the left side. This is already a good look for Michigan to run the ball, because Purdue only has six guys in the box and Michigan has six guys to block them (5 linemen + Bredeson), not to mention QB Bryce Underwood and RB Jordan Marshall.
Michigan puts Goodwin in jet motion across the formation, which gets the two-high safeties to rotate. The weakside safety rocks down to be prepared for Goodwin coming across the formation, and the strongside safety drops back to the middle of the field. Michigan doesn’t even need to block the defensive end to the offense’s right since he’s a) removed from the play by formation and b) needs to respect the bootleg from Underwood.
The key block here is Bredeson on the nickel. As long as the offensive line can get a hat on a hat, the play just requires the 250 lb. Bredeson to block the 6’0″, 195 lb. nickel Smiley Bradford in space. With Bredeson making contact and blowing Bradford out of the way, now Marshall just has to beat the deep safety to the alley, which he does.
It’s fight song time.
