Coach Dillingham and Oregon’s New Counter Tunnel Screen

[FishDuck Article]

Coach Dillingham has brought back the Counter play to Oregon.  This essential piece of football offense has been "missing in action" for four years!  Enjoy today's article and the new twist KD has added.

 

 

Coach Dillingham and Oregon's New Counter Tunnel Screen

FISHDUCK.COM

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Through the first five games of the season, the Counter has arisen as a favorite of Coach Kenny Dillingham and the Oregon offense. The Ducks...

 

[Log Haulin]

What are the statistical marks of success on the pass. Ducks seem to get blown up a lot against faster defenses on the perimeter. This was Tree

 

This play relies on a ton of deception and undisciplined eyes. Ducks are out numbered 3 to 1. If Stanford safety stays disciplined its not a TD. Safety leaked out to the sideline taking himself out of the play.

 

Seems Cougs blew this play up. But... I am not an expert or a football coach. Cota scored here, just seems like a low success rate. Curious to how successful it actually is 

[Haywarduck]

The counter, counter, counter counts for 6, love it!

 

That was a great article, and the work you put into it is evident, thanks!

[Smith72]

Thanks Eric for explaining how this play works.  Good job with the details!

 

A good offensive coordinator uses a counter to take advantage of aggressive defensive defenders - especially ones he notices lacking discipline.

 

Coach Dillingham is blowing my mind with a passing constraint play to his running counter!  Wow, The Counter Tunnel Screen to the Center Tackle Counter!!!

 

Counters are not used over and over as a base play.  However, they are sprung when the defense is set up.  The surprise usually results in long plays or touchdowns.

 

Buckle up.  I think we're going to see Oregon become an innovative offensive team again!   Hip hip hooray!

[Drex Heikes]

Beautifully explained.

 

Been wondering all week about that play. So the right side of O line blocks left and the left side blocks right. It’s brilliant. As a defender, having seen Oregon run left with virtually the same pulling OG and OT—you have almost no chance at foreseeing that play. 

 

Thank you for breaking it down. 

[lownslowav8r]

For me, both videos are the same showing the counter pass. 

[PittDuck]

Thanks for breaking that play down coach!  I really like how it sets up as a sequential play that confuses the socks off the Defense.

[jrw]

Great explanation, thanks!

[Smith72]

On 10/6/2022 at 7:28 AM, lownslowav8r said:

For me, both videos are the same showing the counter pass. 

Try it again.  It was just fixed with the correct video.

[Coach Eric Boles]

On 10/6/2022 at 8:27 AM, Log Haulin said:

What are the statistical marks of success on the pass. Ducks seem to get blown up a lot against faster defenses on the perimeter. This was Tree

 

This play relies on a ton of deception and undisciplined eyes. Ducks are out numbered 3 to 1. If Stanford safety stays disciplined its not a TD. Safety leaked out to the sideline taking himself out of the play.

 

Seems Cougs blew this play up. But... I am not an expert or a football coach. Cota scored here, just seems like a low success rate. Curious to how successful it actually is 

If my memory serves me, this was the first time we’ve run it this season. I’d have to go back and watch the other games to be sure.

 

I’m also not in the camp that thinks WSU was just so fast that we couldn’t get a handle on the perimeter. A lot of our early red zone woes were poor blocking and penalties, not necessarily that they were too fast. The Ducks’ first touchdown was on the perimeter. 

[Coach Eric Boles]

On 10/6/2022 at 9:47 AM, Smith72 said:

Thanks Eric for explaining how this play works.  Good job with the details!

 

A good offensive coordinator uses a counter to take advantage of aggressive defensive defenders - especially ones he notices lacking discipline.

 

Coach Dillingham is blowing my mind with a passing constraint play to his running counter!  Wow, The Counter Tunnel Screen!

 

Counters are not used over and over as a base play.  However, they are sprung when the defense is set up.  The surprise usually results in long plays or touchdowns.

 

Buckle up.  I think we're going to see Oregon become an innovative offensive team again!   Hip hip hooray!

Exactly. Constraints aren’t used as frequently as the staple plays, but they’re designed to look like the staples to keep a defense off balance. 

[Coach Eric Boles]

On 10/6/2022 at 10:07 AM, Drex Heikes said:

Beautifully explained.

 

Been wondering all week about that play. So the right side of O line blocks left and the left side blocks right. It’s brilliant. As a defender, having seen Oregon run left with virtually the same pulling OG and OT—you have almost no chance at foreseeing that play. 

 

Thank you for breaking it down. 

And to run them back to back within 12 seconds of each other at the end of a quarter. That’s a lot of stress on the defense. 

[Coach Eric Boles]

On 10/6/2022 at 10:28 AM, lownslowav8r said:

For me, both videos are the same showing the counter pass. 

The counter itself does have a bubble screen on the backside. 

[Coach Eric Boles]

On 10/6/2022 at 11:34 AM, Smith72 said:

Try it again.  It was just fixed with the correct video.

Oh I see what they meant now. That must have been a mistake on my end. 

[Charles Fischer]

Got it fixed.  No sweat.  

[shawnski]

On 10/6/2022 at 5:27 AM, Log Haulin said:

What are the statistical marks of success on the pass. Ducks seem to get blown up a lot against faster defenses on the perimeter. This was Tree

 

This play relies on a ton of deception and undisciplined eyes. Ducks are out numbered 3 to 1. If Stanford safety stays disciplined its not a TD. Safety leaked out to the sideline taking himself out of the play.

 

Seems Cougs blew this play up. But... I am not an expert or a football coach. Cota scored here, just seems like a low success rate. Curious to how successful it actually is 

Stanford isn't slow. If you heard the broadcast, they talked ad nauseum about how their DB is the best in the galaxy (I don't agree)

 

They got caught out of position, out of breath, and clock watching. Exactly the point of the play.

 

Plus, it seems that the counter run/counter screen may be an RPO? If Nix reads it right (he did)...

 

TD

 

 

 

[Charles Fischer]

On 10/6/2022 at 10:15 AM, shawnski said:

Plus, it seems that the counter run/counter screen may be an RPO? If Nix reads it right (he did)...

This is another BIG subject, but I do not believe the Tunnel Screen was an RPO, but the whole series of the counter going one direction, with either the QB or RB running naked to the other side did have a Zone-Read element to it.

 

It is an old play out of the Chip Kelly playbook from 2012 vs. USC; either you had Mariota following the pullers, or you had DeAnthony Thomas one-one-one with DBs in the open field.  It was good-or-good.

 

In this game we had how the QB follow the pullers at first, then they switched it so the RB would follow the pullers, and then with the defense's eyes going all over the place...we had play-action passes off of it?

 

Fantastic stuff by Dilly.

[kirklandduck]

Love these detailed play articles!

[Mic]

Didn't we see many of these counter screens not work against Stanford?  

 

Yeah, when they did they were pretty nifty like when Cota raced to the end zone, but when they didn't they often went for no yards or negative yards.  If a good defensive unit prepares well for this scheme it would seem prudent to me to prepare a trap for them where they're made to think another one is coming and WHAMMO! the ball goes an entirely different direction to another player..

 

See Coach Leach on this one.

[Charles Fischer]

We are averaging 40 points a game...even with only three points vs. Georgia.  We have not scored this many points per game since Taggart left, so no...not every play call is going to work.  As it is, Dilly pulled a play series out of an old playbook and surprised the 'Furd with it.  To me, it was brilliant.

 

In spite of the misses in play-calling...Dilly is doing better than what we've seen in years.  

[Charles Fischer]

On 10/6/2022 at 11:21 AM, Mic said:

See Coach Leach on this one.

By his own admission he runs about seven plays, but does so with precision and timing.

[EastBayDuckDad]

Thanks to Coach Eric for diagramming and posting video of the counter and counter screen to show how the one sets up the other. Setting up a pattern only to run something else off of it once the defense thinks they know what's coming is one thing that gets everyone excited about the Dillingham offense.

 

I particularly like the Jumbo/Big Boy package with McCormack, Herbert and Conerly that keeps going right where you expect it to go with James over tackle. Until it doesn't, and Cam M. is standing all alone in the end zone with a TD pass in his hands because the opponent sold out in the box to stop the run.

[Log Haulin]

The play worked perfectly, even with being out numbered on the perimeter. I will have to go back early this Saturday morning and take a look at the previous 5 or 6 plays.

 

See how this play was set up. I suspect it took 5 or 6 plays run purposely to set up this one. Well done coach.

 

Getting play makers in space has been talked about all year. This was probably one of the prettiest plays we've seen, top 5 for sure.

 

 

 

[Charles Fischer]

On 10/6/2022 at 1:44 PM, Log Haulin said:

I suspect it took 5 or 6 plays run purposely to set up this one. Well done coach.

It was the entire first quarter...

[Mic]

That's not a bad formula, tho maybe 10 plays run with precision (with a couple extra for special circumstances) might be better. If Lanning & Dillingham think they have a team that can handle more plays (with enough precision to reliably work) then the more - the merrier.  

 

Realistically, how many plays can an Offense run, precisely and reliably and effectively? Without confusion, false starts, missed assignments and backfield collisions?  Not being an offensive mind anywhere near the mind of you two(Charles and Dillingham), I have no idea but I would hazard a guess - it's not a lot more than 10 or 12 (not counting "wrinkles").  ?

 

Maybe Leach has a point?

Edited October 6, 2022 by Mic

[Charles Fischer]

On 10/6/2022 at 3:29 PM, Mic said:

Maybe Leach has a point?

He will not win the SEC, or anything major with his offense.  You cannot win big without the balance of a running game, IMHO.  Plus he does not burn clock, which gives teams time to mount a comeback.

 

He had one 11 win season at Texas Tech, and three nine win seasons, and the best at WSU was 11 wins once, 10 wins once with seasons of winning nine, eight, six (twice) and three games.

 

He is 15-14 at Mississippi State, and I aspire for more for Oregon.

 

You can have Leach's offense, and I'll take what Dilly is serving.

 

 

[Mic]

On 10/6/2022 at 4:01 PM, Charles Fischer said:

You can have Leach's offense, and I'll take what Dilly is serving.

 

 

I don't want Leach's offense.  I agree with you - a team must have balance and I like the running game (when it works) best anyway.  

 

What I meant is how many plays can an O.C. load on the page and expect his QB, RB's and the rest of the Offense to be able to run properly and precisely?  Maybe, given the talent a coach has at his 'disposal' at the time, it's possible to over-load the playbook and get an offense that does "most things, OK, some things GOOD and some things POORLY" versus ALL things GOOD?  

 

I don't have the football grey cells to know but it seems to me Coach Leach, given his successes, has a better grasp on things than some others.  Hopefully Kenny D will have an even better grasp and a better group of young men to work with than Leach ever had.  And hopefully, that will lead to more success than Leach has had.  I just don't know.

 

Don't think I'm all for chucking overboard Kenny Dillingham, because I am certainly not!  GO OREGON1

[SoGaDawg]

This article and this thread represent one of the many reasons I enjoy being a member of this forum.  I consider myself a fairly knowledgeable CFB fan, yet try as I might my knowledge in this area has its limits.  I’ve read many explanations of schemes or plays in my short time here on OBD forum and my understanding of the game is better for it.  Don’t get me wrong, I’m certainly not football illiterate, but I’m also certainly not a professional in the field.  I absolutely appreciate those who have taken the time to share their knowledge.  It makes watching even that more interesting and entertaining. 

[Coach Eric Boles]

On 10/6/2022 at 1:30 PM, Charles Fischer said:

This is another BIG subject, but I do not believe the Tunnel Screen was an RPO, but the whole series of the counter going one direction, with either the QB or RB running naked to the other side did have a Zone-Read element to it.

 

It is an old play out of the Chip Kelly playbook from 2012 vs. USC; either you had Mariota following the pullers, or you had DeAnthony Thomas one-one-one with DBs in the open field.  It was good-or-good.

 

In this game we had how the QB follow the pullers at first, then they switched it so the RB would follow the pullers, and then with the defense's eyes going all over the place...we had play-action passes off of it?

 

Fantastic stuff by Dilly.

You’re right, this tunnel screen is not a RPO.

[Dave23]

I really like that Herbert was out there to block.

[Mic]

On 10/6/2022 at 6:43 PM, Coach Eric Boles said:

You’re right, this tunnel screen is not a RPO.

That would indicate that either the pass has been called, or a run has been called, but not an either/or.  

 

I wonder what the check-down would be if the pass is called and the receiver is covered?  Would the QB have the option to pull it down and run instead?  (disregarding the fact that, technically, there's is always the busted-play option of keeping the ball and trying to make some yards by the QB).  

 

Apparently not, at least not by design.

 

 

[Coach Eric Boles]

On 10/7/2022 at 10:16 AM, Mic said:

That would indicate that either the pass has been called, or a run has been called, but not an either/or.  

 

I wonder what the check-down would be if the pass is called and the receiver is covered?  Would the QB have the option to pull it down and run instead?  (disregarding the fact that, technically, there's is always the busted-play option of keeping the ball and trying to make some yards by the QB).  

 

Apparently not, at least not by design.

 

 

That’s right, they’re two separate plays.
 

Throw it in the dirt. That’s what QBs are taught to do on busted screen passes.

 

I was just looking back, and WSU ran this play against Oregon. It was the pick six.

[Mic]

On 10/7/2022 at 7:42 AM, Coach Eric Boles said:

I was just looking back, and WSU ran this play against Oregon. It was the pick six.

I didn't realize that!  Well, then that answers that.  Throw it away, hopefully not into the hands of the opponent.

[nw777b]

On 10/6/2022 at 6:43 PM, Coach Eric Boles said:

You’re right, this tunnel screen is not a RPO.

But don't tell Bo that. Haha!

 

He sits at 8.2 yards per carry this season.