Power Screen

I am going to the other side of the ball and talk Offense for this post. One of the best looking Screens I have seen on film is the Power Screen. I haven’t seen much of the newer Purdue film, but I have studied a lot of Jeff Brohm’s Offense while at Western Kentucky and I think that is the best Screen team I have seen. They didn’t necessarily have the best playmakers but the timing, blocking, and execution was extremely crisp and their Offensive Linemen moved quickly to block 2nd and 3rd level defenders.

The Power action with the backside Guard pulling will change up your Screen blocking rules as opposed to the regular Tunnel Screen but it provides good misdirection vs. teams using their backside LB to chasing the pulling Guard on Power.  It is easy to run out of a 2x2 look but it can also be run to Trips as well as to the 1 WR side. 

Here is the play out of 2x2 vs. a standard 4-2-5 look with the Will LB just outside the box eyeing the boundary Slot WR.  The teaching to the skill guys is ridiculously simple.  The Back is set to the boundary and the QB and Back are faking Power.  The QB will fake the ball and throw it to the boundary Slot WR without any footwork.  The Slot WR will take one step and turn to the QB, catch it, and run.  The other WRs simply block the man in front of them.

Let’s take a look at the guys up front that make this play go.  The LT will take one step inside, just like he does initially on Power, and then run to the Alley.  The WR will block the CB who is #1 and the LT will work to block and get outside of #2, who is the Will LB.  The LG will pull and block the DE.  The Center will block back on the 2i like he does on Power and then climb and let the DT go upfield and look for the Mike LB or Weak Safety.  The RG will step down like he does on Power and then looks for the Mike LB.  The RT will block down like he does on Power and will prevent the 3 tech from getting any penetration.

Play 1: The pulling Guard is able to freeze the Will LB, allowing the LT to get outside of him.  The Mike LB shuffles outside, looking to scrape outside the DE on Power, and is easily blocked by the RG.  The Weak Safety runs himself out of the play but the Center was there to block him.  Easy six.

Play 2: Mike Norvell at Memphis ran this concept to the Trips side to the #2 WR who uses the old Jailbreak Screen technique (3 steps up, retrace your steps and work back to the QB).  The #1 WR still blocks #1, the #3 WR blocks #2, and the LT blocks the #3 defender.  The Center does a nice job of throwing the 1 tech by him and getting upfield.

Play 3: Memphis runs this to the 1 WR side with the H-Back kicking out #1, the CB, and the RT working up the Alley to get #2.  The RT got a good kick-out and the WR worked off his block up the Alley after catching the football.  They faked the Power Read off the Jet action for added misdirection and is a nice wrinkle.  A coaching point that you can use on Screens to the single WR vs. a Press Corner is that the WR can push-off since the ball is caught behind the LOS. 

Play 4: I love this 2-Back 3x0 unbalanced look by Auburn as they fake same-side Power before throwing the Screen.  The QB flashes the ball, quickly gets depth, and gets the ball to the WR who does the rest of the work.

Play 5: Western Kentucky runs this out of a 2x2 look again.  This play can be tough to run if the #2 defender is wide and close to the LOS and he almost blows this play up.  The LT does a good job of coming flat down the LOS in looking for the #2 defender.

Play 6: The Rams are in a 3^rd and 20 and get some good yardage vs. soft coverage from a compressed 2x2 look that they love to run.  The WR needs to do a better job of blocking the CB.  The Center can’t worry about not getting a piece of the 3 tech and needs to quickly work upfield.

The Power Screen is a nice constraint play to complement your Power and Power Read plays and can be run out of different formations and motions to keep Defenses off-balance.  If you have any questions, hit me up on Twitter, @BarryHoover.