The motion package.

Some production that I noticed at the game yesterday was the speed/motion package that looked like the one that Mack Brown mentioned putting in for our burners. He didn't want to let the defense key in on Monroe/Goodwin on the field, so they've put together a package that can take advantage of their big play ability, but also leverages some constraint plays.

The package starts from a formation with 2 WR and a TE on one side, and 1 WR on the other. The RB is deep and GG is under center.

The package leverages a fast WR in motion ( Kirkendoll/Goodwin/etc... ), who is the outside WR. That reciever goes in motion and moves inside the other receiver on their side. They then can either stay there, which we did once during the game, or more often they motion into a reverse as GG hikes the ball.

After the snap, there are 3 possible options:

1. Hand off to the RB for an inside run, then fake the reverse.

2. Fake to the RB and hand off to the WR in motion for the reverse.

3. Fake to both the RB and WR, and roll out in the direction the WR came from, looking downfield for a pass.

Instances of this package being used and its outcome after the jump.

All times below are the clock times for the video on ESPN3, if you want to watch the plays yourself:

55:00 - RB hand off. This is the bread and butter for this package, an inside run for the RB. 10 yard gain for Tre Newton

56:00 - WR motion stops before heading into the backfield for a hand-off, I assume to throw off the D's timing. A little different than the rest of the plays here, but still looks like the same package. GG hands off to Tre for an inside run for 4.

56:15 - RB hand off. Tre walks into the end zone untouched. 1 yard TD.

2:10:15 - The video doesn't show it, but I thought this was the same package w/ a GG roll out. Here, the action is covered up by Malcom's replay on the big gain. If I remember it correctly, this play started w/ a man in motion like the others, but after faking the hand off to the RB then the WR, GG rolls out looking for a man downfield. No one is open, GG throws the ball away. Someone correct me if I'm wrong on this.

2:18:00 - RB hand off. 8 yard gain for Tre.

2:19:00 - RB hand off. Gain of 5.

2:19:30 - RB hand off. Make 'em stop it. Gain of only 2. Looks like Rice is locked on the RB.

2:42:00 - RB hand off. Ok, we'd never run that again, right? Gain of 6 and a first down.

2:44:00 - Reverse. Now the constraint play, if that's the right term. 4 runs up the middle in a row, but now the hand off to the RB is a fake, and GG hands off to Goodwin in the backfield. Good for nearly 20 yards.

2:46:00 - RB hand off. The line didn't do their job, Tre gets hit in the backfield and struggles back to the LOS.

After this point, the backups are in, and I'm not going to work through the video anymore. The package averages 5.6 yards per play, and that's counting a 1 yard TD run and a roll-out pass that went for 0.

This package accounted for a quarter of our rushing yards, but only around a fifth of our carries, making it one of our more productive packages. Also, the formation that leads to this package ( 3 WR, 1 TE, 1 FB and GG under center, but no WR motion ) had some very productive running under Fozzy and Tre.

The thing that irks me, and is classic GD, is that he calls 8 inside runs, and only 1 pass and 1 reverse. I would have been happier with 4, 3, 3 for a more balanced attack. I hope he'll start to trust the constraint plays a little more.

I'd be willing to bet that we see a lot more of this formation with and without the motion, as it seemed to be the best thing we had going IMO.