The Spread Option Offense

Blackburn College set 36 offensive team records with the spread option offense, including most rushing yards in a season (2,820) and most total offense in a season (3,474). In this video Assistant Head Coach and Offensive Coordinator Nathan Cochran explains the system behind those numbers from the ground up: base formations, blocking techniques against the fronts you will see, and how the option run game and the pass game attack specific coverages. It is the overview install for a staff deciding whether to put the spread option in.

What you'll learn

• Blackburn's three base formations: Ace, Trips and the tight end formation
• Zone technique blocking against both three-man and five-man fronts
• Veer scheme blocking against a four-man front
• How to attack man coverage, Cover 2, Cover 3 and Cover 4
• The double option concept with full blocking responsibilities
• The triple option, Blackburn's bread and butter play, with blocking responsibilities
• The four spread option pass concepts: vertical, flat curl, smash and mesh

Who it's for

High school and college offensive coordinators and head coaches looking at the spread option as a system, plus option staffs who want a clean set of blocking rules against odd and even fronts.

About the coach

Nathan Cochran was Assistant Head Coach and Offensive Coordinator at Blackburn College, where the offense set 36 team records running the spread option.

The install is backed by extensive game film analysis. Runtime: about 36 minutes.