Fly offense - Question from UK

Question
QUESTION: Louis, I am a HC of a team here in the UK and am extremely interested in you response to a question about the Fly Offense I came across. I am looking to install such a system here in the UK this season and am researching as much as I can on the system. You say you have ran it and I get the impression you know the system inside out. I want to install the system here as the base O for my team as it fits the personnel I can recruit and is my kind of football. My question is more of a request really as I'm looking for someone who knows the system who is able to offer advice on installing such a system. One can read a lot from the net but often a lot of the subtleties of football systems are only know by talking to someone who knows the system. Would you be able to offer me any assistance in developing this Fly offense as the mainstay of my offense here. I have over 20 years experience in football here in the UK, including involvement in national set ups however I am now devoting everything I have to installing the best Fly offense system the UK has seen. You also note your intention to write a book. I would be interested to know more if it is related to this question. Apologies if this is not the normal kind of question but I was interested in your post previously. Best regards and look forward to your reply. Tim

ANSWER:
Hi Coach Tim,
You are right I do know the fly offense inside out. I was one of the first coaches to develop the fly sweep into something other than just a sweep play.

The fly offense is not really an offense it is one play with four options. The key to the fly offense is the fly sweep. The fly back (or slot-back) is placed in motion towards the center. He runs at ?speed and takes the handoff from the quarterback as he runs towards the corner area. By his third step, after the handoff, he is running at full speed while the defense is standing still. That is why the fly offense works. No one on defense is able to reach full speed before the fly-back does therefore, giving the advantage to the fly-back.

When the defense tries to match the fly-back抯 speed by racing him to the corner area, they leave themselves wide opened to the other three options of the sweep play.

Mark Speckman of Willamette University has the best DVD (The Fly Offense) on the market today.

http://coacheschoice.com/p-464-coaching-the-fly-offense.aspx

My book is not about the fly offense it is the next level of offensive football. It picks up where the fly offense leaves off. Like I said before the fly offense is just one play with four options. My book the ?011 Misdirection Nightmare?is a series of plays with numerous counters built into the system.

I did finish my book however; I am running low on funds so I have not been able to buy the football software to diagram the plays. Things are a little tight here in the states and it will just have to wait until I can free up some funds.

Let me know if you have anymore question and I will be more than happy to answer them.

Your friend,
Louis




---------- FOLLOW-UP ----------

QUESTION: Hi Coach Louis, thanks for your response. I have just purchased the dvd you recommend  I have been mulling over buying it for a while. What kind of line splits work best with the fly. I note willamette sometimes have large gaps between centre and playside guard. If you were going to stop this kind of offense how would you do it. On a personal note I am looking to animate my playbooks this year for the guys to learn from using played studyingť film and media plus I do quite bit of that kind of thing too. It seems a shame to have a good book sat on a shelf. Things are tight here in the UK too but if I can help for free then let me know. There's always a way.  best regards , coach Tim

Answer
Hi Coach Tim,
I would like to thank you for the kind offer. Too bad I do not live in the UK; I would love to install the Fly Offense for you. If you like the fly offense you would love the 揗isdirection Nightmare?  Your opponents would not know what hit them!

Let抯 get back to your question, what kind of line splits works best with the fly offense?

It depends on your linemen. If your linemen can handle a 3-foot split go with it, if not go with the 2-foot split. Bigger split equal a bigger running path but they are not essential for the offense to work.

Next question,
If I were going to stop this type of offense how would I do it?

Over the years, I have seen two types of tactics used with limited success. The first one is the all out blitz on every down. The second type is a read defense.

The problem with the all out blitz strategy is that the defense has to be perfect each and every play. They are one missed tackle away from giving up 6-points on every down.

The read defense is a little better but not perfect by any standards. The problem with the read defense is that it calls for a wait and see strategy. By employing this tactic you can slow down the amount of touch downs scored however, you will still give up 300 to 400 yards of run offense per game.

The only way I know to stop the offense is by having a lot of turnovers and or quick whistles by the officials.

Let me know if you like anymore help.
Your friend,
Louis