When Flat Control Matters
A look at one aspect that makes the Scissors Concept work
Good morning. Today is a look a fundamental detail in the Scissors concept. We will look at two different variations of the concept within two separate contexts. However, one detail will appear impactful in both. Here we go.
Without Flat Control
The Noles’ version of this Scissors concept is a deep play action shot of GH Counter action. QB Jordan Travis fakes a wide zone path to the left with the RB, however, but the OL is blocking up GH Counter to the right (this will be important when we get to the crux of the issue, flat control, in just a second). He turns his back to the defense and sets up deep to the right. This creates a massive throw requirement for him to be able to hit either route, but especially the deep sail route run by the number two receiver.
Because of the play fake, the routes are also deeper than usual. Both the post and the sail route are nine steps. Travis doesn’t sit in the pocket long at all, and launches the post off one reset and on time in relation to the break of the route. The post isn’t a bad look as the safety was low on the sail and not a threat to the post. In addition, the cornerback’s hips are facing the sideline at the break of the route, so he does not have good position to defend the post’s route space either. However, Travis puts a little too much mustard on the ball and sails it.
Stick with me here — all those words to describe what happened and why the play wasn’t complete, but that isn’t our focus today. The Noles’ Scissors concept is a deep play designed to go big to the post
Because the RB doesn’t get out into the flat from his wide zone path, the flat defender is able to sink under the sail and take it away. So if the post had not been there, neither would the sail because there was no flat control. The Noles have six blockers in their protection scheme without the RB and they only need to account for six from the Hurricanes. So the RB is wasted in protection. Either he should’ve gotten out into the flat or the scheme called him to stay in and help.
Without flat control, Travis wouldn’t be able to take advantage of the sail route if the post wasn’t there. So not only was the RB wasted in protection, the sail route was wasted because there was nothing stopping the flat defender from being able to get underneath it regardless of the fact that the sail route had great leverage on the safety. Big problem.
With Flat Control
The Rebels’ Scissors concept feels and looks much different than the Noles’ but it is still Scissors and theirs works because they use proper flat control. Like the Noles, the Rebels use the concept off gap scheme play action, but here it’s a fake toss into the boundary. Unlike the Noles, the RB off the fake goes into the flat. Additionally, Ole Miss uses a fake jet action that gets Alabama into a check in the backend that leaves them with two defensive backs over the two WRs running the Scissors concept just like the Noles got. Alabama ends up passing the routes off unlike Miami, but it doesn’t matter because Ole Miss forced the issue with flat control.
Notice the flat control making all the difference in the world. The flat defender has to respect the RB in the flat and that creates a ton of space for the sail route to get past the sticks and pick up the first down with no problem. Easy pitch and catch.
What Do We Learn From This
Though both teams ran the same concept, they were constructed differently and against different defenses. However, we saw the same fundamental detail of the concept show up for both of them: flat control. This detail is the difference between good offensive architecture, and not-so-good offensive architecture. Both teams can say “yes, we run scissors,” but as you can see, if the rules of the game aren’t followed, you don’t get the full effect of the play.
Until tomorrow,
Emory Wilhite
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