Want to know the strong side of the formation? Look for the tight end, right? Turns out, there’s more to it. Join Van Dam for how the offense will set themselves up in terms of different strengths along with different ways to disguise their intentions using motions and shifts.
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Speaker 1 (00:00):
So you think you know football, come find out straight
from the source in the Booth Review podcast, where we
take you inside the offices of the Bucks assistant coaches
to talk some football fundamentals. Get your white boards ready.
Here's Buccaneers staff writer Carmen Vitality for today's episode. I
am joined by John dan Damm, who is the Bucks
(00:22):
offensive quality control coach and newly minted assistant tight ends coach. John,
thank you so much for being here. It's great to
be here. Appreciate having man. This is this was a
new development. You are now officially you have the assistant
tight ends coach title. Where where did that come from?
How did that happen? Yeah? Well yeah, no, Um, well
(00:42):
this past two seasons, I've worked with the tight ends
quite a bit, um, among other positions. But you know,
as as you grow in an organization, you hope that
you can kind of move up a little bit. And uh,
I was lucky enough and uh you know to uh
add that title. Of my roles really are going to
(01:03):
be pretty much the same. Um. Obviously still doing some
of the quite a bit of the quality control work, um,
but um obviously adding the responsibilities cool things. So excited
about it and uh, I'm ready to roll, excited for
more work. UM. Just so people understand, because again offensive
quality control isn't something as cut and dry as people,
(01:24):
I think understand what assistant tight end coach means. But
what are some of your briefly the day to day duties.
I know that they're extensive, but what are your day
to day duties? Yeah, I mean quality control is like
a lot of people don't even know what that means,
which I don't even really know. Um, it's just kind
of the jack of all trades. I guess you could say, um,
assist the offensive staff obviously primarily the offensive coordinator and
(01:48):
just keeping him and the offensive organized, um, so that
we're all on the same page. Um. But in detail
a little more, it would be, um, the offensive grips,
so practice scripts, making sure all those are UM typed
up properly, everything's right on them. Remind people what scripts are, Yeah,
that is basically what you follow during practice. So on
(02:11):
the plays are on those, um, and um you're running
the plays, so you're just staying on schedule, what's going on,
whatever the situation, maybe, um, so keeping those all straight. Also, UM,
drawing quite a bit on the computer of the past
plays that are in UM, the installation for every day, UM,
(02:31):
the call sheet, game plan, YadA, YadA, YadA, but a
lot of the just the behind the scenes type stuff.
And then obviously the breakdowns is a big portion of
it once we get into the season, breaking down the
opponent on the computer, just typing basically what they're doing
defensively in because obviously offensively, we're focused on the defense
(02:51):
that we're gonna face the following week and staying ahead
because if we're playing the Patriots one week and then
the next week were in the you know, the Saints,
then I'm really on the next following week because I
have to stay weeks ahead so that when we do
get into that game week or ready to roll, they're
not waiting. They don't trust me, they don't want to
(03:13):
wait for me to get my work done. No, I
can't imagine, UM that that sounds like a lot to
keep track of, UM, But we I wanted to get
with you for today's topic, UM because even though it
kind of matters a lot to the defense, the offense
is the one that sets the tone when it comes
to the strong side and the weak side, and so fittingly,
(03:34):
you deal with tight ends, and we're gonna get into
why that's fitting in a little bit, but I want
to get real base level here to start out with.
And before we even define what strong side week side means,
we're talking about the offensive formation. When you say offensive formation,
what what are we talking about? What are the alignments?
What are you know some maybe some common way things
that the Bucks do as far as offensive alignments go.
(03:56):
How is that all set up? Yeah, no, that's a
great question obviously. Um. Basically speaking in a basic form,
you're I think coach Atkins um is going to talk
to you guys or have talked to you guys about personnel.
So that kind of starts with the offensive personnel. What
how many receivers you have in the game, how many
(04:16):
tight ends you have in the game, how many running
backs you have in the game. Obviously you're always gonna
have five offensive linemen, um, and a quarterback, So what
are the other complimentary positions that you're gonna have in
the game. And then from there you have a strength So, um,
you know, if you have one tight end, typically you're
gonna say the strength is to wear that tight end
lines up simplistic kind of way. Of putting it. That
(04:39):
would be the simplistic for sure. And the other thing
to think about is there's also a UM tight end strength,
but there's also a passing strength UM, which is where
it gets a little more complex and confusing. You may
have UM or tight end to one side and you
may have three receivers to the opposite side. So the
(05:01):
strength could be to the side that the tight ends on,
but the passing strength obviously is going to be to
where all those receivers are. So defenses UM may do
certain things to your passing strength. Maybe they'll set the
defensive front to your tight end, but then they could
set the coverage to your passing strength UM. So all
(05:26):
of that kind of goes into it as well. Yeah,
So what happens then, if say you have you're talking
about these personnel sets. So what you just described sounded
like eleven personnel where you have one tight end, one
running back in the field, three receivers. What happens if
you have two tight ends the field and what if
they are split out on either side of the formation,
(05:46):
And how do you set me at least the base strength,
the basic strength strength maybe for the front of the defense, Yeah,
no for sure did again, So there's obviously there's gonna
be some we call them to buy two formations, which
are essentially balanced formations. Right, you've got two guys on
one side, two guys on the other. Um, if you
have one back in the backfield, okay, Um, So if
(06:10):
we have two tight ends in the game and we
are in a two by two formation, obviously we assigned
all these positions. We sign them letters, which is pretty
common among football offensive schemes. Um, you're tight end. A
lot of times it's gonna be the Y. You know,
you're gonna have letters for the receivers, A Z X,
(06:31):
and then the extra receiver can be called different things.
Some people call them a you and F and H
or whatever their term is for that extra guy. Um,
because that guy could be a tight end of that
guy could be receiver. Okay a lot of times nowadays
in football. So we're ace personnel. We have a Y
tight end who's gonna go to the strength, and then
(06:53):
we have an off tight end who's gonna go either
away for their strength or to the strength, depending on
the formation. Word when you say off tight end, does
that mean he's off from the formation or is he's
still attached like that means he's just the other tight end,
So we use you know why, and then we'll use
it a letter F. Okay, in the F tight end,
(07:15):
he's still a tight end. However, Um, it's just helping
him aligned to the formation so everybody knows where to go.
You can't have two guys named two wise in the game, right,
So we say, if we have a two by two set,
I'm not necessarily going to throw out our terms, but
if we have a two by two set, we would
have in twelve personnel, we have one tight end would
(07:39):
go to the strength and then the other tight end
would go on the line of scrimmage away from that
call um. So offensively, our strength would be to the right.
Let's say we said the right formation even though to
the defense is he's balanced with me, so that the
F tight end would know he goes away from the
(08:00):
strength call um, and then we could have also some
terms that would end up actually he would go to
the same side as that why tight end, so the
F and the Y would be together. So um, Now
defensively you flip it around and they are going to
have to do if you're in a two by two
balanced formation with two tight ends, they're gonna have to
(08:23):
declare who that strength tight end is to them. A
lot of times they're gonna say, okay, we're gonna treat
Jersey number seven, for example, that we're gonna treat Rob
Gronkowski as are our tight end, just some guy. Um So,
then they're gonna set their front to where he's aligned
(08:45):
if they get into that situation where there's two balanced
looks with me. So it's easy when they're both on
the same side because that would be a tight end
wing type alignment, and they're obviously going to set their
strength to that s um so. And then offensively, okay,
(09:05):
as your game planning and looking at all these different
formations formation strengths, um the open side okay, or the
close side, the open side. When we say open side,
that is going to be away from that tight end strength,
or a lot of times to where there's no tight
ends at all, so just guard tackle nobody else. That
would be an open side. So when we're game planning,
(09:29):
we also we have strong side runs and we have
weak side runs, and what we try to gauge is
how they're going to align to those formations. So how
are they going to play how they play last week
to these That's where my breakdowns come in. So how
how do you then? Essentially, then your goal is to
(09:51):
beat whatever defensive coverage or defensive alignment you're about to see.
So is there ways are there ways to be manipulate
what the defense sees using strong side you know the
strength of tight ends. Is there a way to manipulate
the defense to thinking one thing or two acting a
certain way so that you can beat them for sure?
(10:12):
And I think there's the first thing would be obviously
just to see how they their base alignment. Now you
may watch film and they may have a bunch of
different fronts that they set, so it's going to be
a little more difficult to necessarily gauge what you think
they're gonna do to you. Um, you like it when
you can see some consistencies and kind of know how
they're gonna lie. Um. Ways to kind of dictate that
(10:36):
would be shifts and motions at times. Let's let's talk
about what shifts emotions that are. So you have your
tight end starts to the right on the ball, for example,
you have three receivers, doesn't matter where they're at. You
got one running back in the quarterback in the backfield.
Let's say you're tight end starts to the right, and
(10:56):
then you shift him to the left, meaning he starts
on the right, get set, you stay, move or whatever
you want to, and then he goes on the other side.
Some defenses will actually change their front based on that,
or some may stay the same. Um. That's one way
to do it. The other way is to get into
a two tight ends set, like you're talking about. Put
(11:19):
one tight end on the ball, the other tight end
in the backfield. Good. Then they set their front to
the tight end on the ball, and then you shift
the tight end on the ball. The other way allows
you sometimes to dictate what front or if you want
to run it to a certain look. Um. Sometimes that's
a way or a strategy people will use. UM. You
(11:41):
could also start in tight end wing to one side.
Again talking more twelve personnel here, meaning two tight ends
are in the game. Um, twelve personnel. Everybody is two
tight ends, one running back. All these numbers have to
add up to five. That's how I remember. Right as
you got two running backs or one back to two
tight ends, so you've got two receivers. Most people can
(12:03):
do that kind of math. I struggle sometimes with it.
But and then, um, so you may start in a
tight end wing situation and you may motion the wing over.
Maybe he still stays off the ball and doesn't get
on the ball. But now you're getting to a two
by two or a balanced type front is another way
to kind of gain an advantage or making a little
(12:27):
harder on the defense. You could say yeah, because that
seems like it would then affect not only the front,
but even the coverage too, because if you're in a
balance formation versus maybe one that's like a three by
one or something like that, they're going to act differently,
even on the back end. You get in you in general,
you have you know, two by two formations, which I've
(12:48):
talked about. I mean there's two guys, two guys one
back in the backfield. You have you know I formations
meaning now there pro formations if you want to call
meeting now they're that extra tight end is in the backfield.
Got it, okay? Right, So now the defense is to
treat that different. You have slot formations. The slot formations
are now tight end that that off tight end could
(13:12):
be on the ball, he could be anywhere. And then
you have two receivers to one side. Pro formation would
be one receiver one side, the other receiver the other side.
Slot formations. Now there's two receivers on one side, one
tight end by himself and a guy. So again, defensees
have to just that's why our defense and most defense
has spend a lot of their time during walk through
(13:34):
just adjusting to formations and motions and shifts. And because
a simple motion or a simple shift can completely change
the strength for them or the strong weak side. And
now they have to adjust there not only the front
and just like you said, their coverages coverages. Can you
give me is there some maybe a type of play
(13:55):
where this kind of stuff comes into play for the
box that you can remember something it sticks out maybe
from last year, um, where you were able to it
was it was a successful play. Can you think of
a successful play where it happened because maybe the tight
end shifted, you caught the defense um off guard, something
like that. I can't think right now at the top
(14:16):
of my head. I've been a specific play, um for instance,
But I um we we typically um we we'll shift
in motion a decent amount. But um, you know, the
other thing you get into is when you shift in
motion a lot and the fronts moving a lot. A
lot of times it makes the off makes it hard
(14:38):
for the offense to identify who you're blocking, because if
you're sitting there and everybody's standing still, right, and you
point out who you're going to, Let's just say a
lot of times we use that with a mic point,
meaning you're pointing who the mic linebacker is, um, And
now all of a sudden you're shifting and you're motioning,
and now all of a sudden they start moving, and
(15:00):
then you got to figure out where they're at. And
then there is an element that you're almost outsmarting yourself
and the fact that you're making it harder than it
has to be. That makes sense, right, So it's kind
of everything like everything in football, So you know what
I mean. So all right, we're gonna do all these
shifts and we're gonna start in this and we're gonna
fly this guy over here, and they're not going to
know what we're gonna be in. Well, then we're not
(15:22):
going to know who we're blocking. So then we got
a problem ourselves. Um so UM, that does come up
a decent amount um. So we're not a huge there's
definitely teams out there that shift in motion more than us. Um.
We we have used it, um, but you know, we
don't do it a ton. I think that that's a
(15:42):
really good distinction to make because I remember at one
point last season, I think it was earlier in the year,
where I don't know who it was, the ESPN analysts
pointed out that the Bucks weren't using a lot of
motion or something like that, or not at least not
what they've seen. And I've feel like there was this
whole narrative around the fact that the offense wasn't essentially
(16:04):
creative enough and that's why they weren't being effective, and
that's why they weren't whatever it was because of the
fact that they didn't use a lot of motion. But
there's a there's a flip side to using motion. Yes,
it'll confuse the defense, but now you're saying you can
also confuse yourself, which makes a lot of sense because
everybody has in a blocking assignment based on like you
were saying, the mic linebacker, and if that mic linebacker
(16:27):
changes because the front changed, then now all of a sudden,
you guys have to shift again too, like to to
your blocking assignments, and the thing that the defense has
an advantages. They don't have to worry about the plate clock.
We do so as that things starts tick tick ticking,
and you're shifting in motion, and and you've got to
(16:49):
not only community know who that mike is, you have
to communicate it to all the other linemen. When there's
people and people are tired, and there's fans and this
guy is about to knock your face in, you know
what I mean, There's a lot going on in a
short amount of time. So um, so we we rather
we we we do like we gotta be all on
the same page, you know, and if we're we always say,
(17:11):
if we're wrong together, then as long as we're on
the same page, great, if we're as long as we're
on the same page, we've got a chance. But as
soon as we're not communicating, we don't know, um what
that guy next to us is doing. It's all tight
end and we're gonna be a little some trouble. Well
to recap a little bit, since we've we've gone on
this tangent which I love of no, right, I mean,
(17:34):
like that's what you want to do. You want to
progress the topic from from one thing to the other.
But we started with strength, and the basis of strength
is usually and its most simplistic form, to the side
of the tight end. And then there's there's a difference
between that. There's a difference between passing strength then, which
can come into play when if you have, for instance,
three receivers on one side, which is the opposite side
(17:56):
of the tight end, so you can the defense can
set their strength to differ things. Um if for instance,
there's a twelve personnel set, which is the one running
back to tight end set, and you've got two tight
ends on either side, it's up to the defense to
determine who they're the strong tight end, the strong side is,
and the passing strength. It's tricky too, because which tight
(18:19):
end is more of a passing threat, So they're gonna
look at, hey, which guy's a better run block or
which guy do they throw two more? That's so like
this is probably getting on another tangent. But like you
look at a guy like Gronk, for instance, we talked
about Gronk, do you think that that's essentially why he's
so good because he is a threat at any given point,
(18:41):
like he might light up your defensive end in the
blocking game. But at the same time, he's a threat
in the receiving game too, Like he can do both.
So if he's in the game, you don't know essentially
what he's about to do. I would, yeah, I mean him.
I think. You know, if you could go on a
lab and make a tight then you'd like a guy
that could block and catch, right. Unfortunately that's not the case.
(19:05):
So a lot of guys, like anybody, have strengths and
weaknesses of their game or whatever. So if you have
a balanced guy that can you know, dominate in both
areas or be great in both areas, then you've got
a chance to be successful, you know, and it's harder
for the defense to defend that. Obviously, you'd like to
have both tight ends that can run in block, right. Um,
(19:28):
But as an offense, as you're trying to sell what
play you want to run, and let's say you've got
a guy that has a really good blocker, but he's
not good in the passing game, You're not gonna want
him run a town of routes, right, It's pretty common sense.
So you're gonna have a tendency um of doing that
in games as they watch all your games, right, there's
no secrets in the NFL. I mean, they watch film,
(19:50):
they know that what you're doing. So if you don't
ever use that guy to block, then they know when
that guy's in the game, then you're probably gonna throw
the ball UM. So then obviously that's going to dictate
the defensive coordinators call. So the great part about Rock is,
like you're saying, he is excellent blocker, but he also
(20:10):
is effective in the passing game, so they have to
honor that. And then you know o J as well.
You know o J is an extreme, extremely good athlete.
UM has great range and he also is a big dude.
You know, we can block UM, so obviously that will
be awesome to have him back as well. And then
(20:31):
and then Cam obviously is known a little more as
a pastor obviously, and then move around guy UM, but
he was able to fill in and come in and
UM add some blocking that you know, maybe people didn't
think he could do, but he's completely capable too. So
we're fortunate to have UM some some obviously talented and
well rounded tight ends. And it has to be a
(20:52):
pretty good position room for you to be associated with.
So yeah, it's fun and and I'll say, there's not
a lot of dull moments when you crock in there.
What is I just I need to I need a story,
I need some sort of anecdote here. I need like
whether it was the first time you met him, what
was you know, just how he integrated into that room,
because that was a really well established room as it was.
(21:15):
And then you get you get a guy like Rob Groundcowski. Yeah,
I mean he is what I mean, he's he obviously
when he's on the field, he's playing hard and he's focused,
and he works harder than anybody, you know, as as
hard as anybody. We all that's the great part about
our team, and that's what we want. We just have
a lot of hard workers. Um and uh. But at
(21:36):
the same time, you gotta have a little fun, you know,
and he nobody understands that more than him. Um So,
I would see to say, the biggest thing he brings
to the room and and our offense is just laughing
at yourself a little bit, right. I Mean a lot
of times we're we're in there simply at a you know,
practice and you what you you're kind of doing routes
(21:57):
on air and you know, coach Aarons is yelling at
anybody if the balls in the ground, and everyone's scared
to death that they might drop the ball, right, and
you're just simply running routes and catching the ball. Right,
do you think NFL team should not drop any balls? Right?
But it happens, and usually when it happens at a
serious moment. Right, you dropped the ball, and the players
mad and the coaches mad. Um. But I just remember
(22:21):
Gronk dropping the ball and maybe a third practice for whatever,
and everybody's like, oh my gosh, Gronk dropped the ball.
He never drops the ball. And he just kind of laughed,
you know, he just kind of took it chill and
he just laughed about it. He goes, oh, man, I
dropped the ball, And nobody really yelled at him too
much because it doesn't happen with him very often. And um,
we just kind of moved on, you know, um, because
(22:42):
that's gonna happen. It doesn't matter what level you're at.
Things are gonna happen. But he just doesn't take the
situation too seriously. Um, and he doesn't overthink it. You know,
he's able to just go and because he doesn't really
care if he drops the ball. He doesn't drop it,
you know what I mean. Sometimes if you think about
something so much about catching, I gotta catch, you gotta
(23:02):
catch you gotta catch it, and then you freak out
about it, you get tight and you dropped the ball.
Whereas he's able just to play loose because um, his
his care free character. You know, it's just kind of
how he is. Yeah, what is what's? What's that equivalent
for you as a as as a coach? You're don't
talk the ball, don't like what do you lock up on? Oh? Man?
(23:22):
Well I was. I was an offensive coordinator for a
couple of years, and I learned um at a Southern
Illinois Saluki's yeah dogs, I've heard of it, of it
and then um and then um laffiat College Leopards roll
parts whole PARTI roll part yes exactly. Um so anyway,
(23:45):
um and obviously um, you know you're getting similar things
you get, especially as your first calling plays, you get nerve, Hey,
this play, you know, I call them perfect plays, and
same thing. Don't this can't be a bad play. Can't
pay a bad play. It can't be a bad play.
Right then you call a bad player or something right
instead of just kind of getting in the flow of
the game and all with it, which um kind of
comes as you as you go and get comfortable with it.
So I'll see that kind of that type of thing,
(24:08):
um a little bit. But just as anyone I think
human nature, right, sometimes you overthink things, um, tighten up, right,
But in this board of football and all sports, UM,
the looser you can play, and the faster you can play,
and the quicker you can make decisions and process things,
the more effective you can be. It's easier to do
that when you're you know, calm and cool and collective
(24:30):
than freaking out right. Yeah, I think those are life lessons.
Life lessons from John down. Here we go allrre we go.
Now we're really completely off the open. This is this
is fantastic. I really really appreciate your time because I
know it's very valuable, and you know you do a
lot as he checks is watched what you're not having fun.
(24:54):
But I really really appreciate you coming on giving us
all these wonderful tidbits and hopefully you'll know what's how
to how to identify a strong side week sides the
next time you're watching the game, you can say, hey, listen,
I know exactly what this defense is setting themselves on
all thanks to you, Thanks for your time, thanks for
having me. I appreciate it.
So you think you know football, come find out straight
from the source in the Booth Review podcast, where we
take you inside the offices of the Bucks assistant coaches
to talk some football fundamentals. Get your white boards ready.
Here's Buccaneers staff writer Carmen Vitality for today's episode. I
am joined by John dan Damm, who is the Bucks
(00:22):
offensive quality control coach and newly minted assistant tight ends coach. John,
thank you so much for being here. It's great to
be here. Appreciate having man. This is this was a
new development. You are now officially you have the assistant
tight ends coach title. Where where did that come from?
How did that happen? Yeah? Well yeah, no, Um, well
(00:42):
this past two seasons, I've worked with the tight ends
quite a bit, um, among other positions. But you know,
as as you grow in an organization, you hope that
you can kind of move up a little bit. And uh,
I was lucky enough and uh you know to uh
add that title. Of my roles really are going to
(01:03):
be pretty much the same. Um. Obviously still doing some
of the quite a bit of the quality control work, um,
but um obviously adding the responsibilities cool things. So excited
about it and uh, I'm ready to roll, excited for
more work. UM. Just so people understand, because again offensive
quality control isn't something as cut and dry as people,
(01:24):
I think understand what assistant tight end coach means. But
what are some of your briefly the day to day duties.
I know that they're extensive, but what are your day
to day duties? Yeah, I mean quality control is like
a lot of people don't even know what that means,
which I don't even really know. Um, it's just kind
of the jack of all trades. I guess you could say, um,
assist the offensive staff obviously primarily the offensive coordinator and
(01:48):
just keeping him and the offensive organized, um, so that
we're all on the same page. Um. But in detail
a little more, it would be, um, the offensive grips,
so practice scripts, making sure all those are UM typed
up properly, everything's right on them. Remind people what scripts are, Yeah,
that is basically what you follow during practice. So on
(02:11):
the plays are on those, um, and um you're running
the plays, so you're just staying on schedule, what's going on,
whatever the situation, maybe, um, so keeping those all straight. Also, UM,
drawing quite a bit on the computer of the past
plays that are in UM, the installation for every day, UM,
(02:31):
the call sheet, game plan, YadA, YadA, YadA, but a
lot of the just the behind the scenes type stuff.
And then obviously the breakdowns is a big portion of
it once we get into the season, breaking down the
opponent on the computer, just typing basically what they're doing
defensively in because obviously offensively, we're focused on the defense
(02:51):
that we're gonna face the following week and staying ahead
because if we're playing the Patriots one week and then
the next week were in the you know, the Saints,
then I'm really on the next following week because I
have to stay weeks ahead so that when we do
get into that game week or ready to roll, they're
not waiting. They don't trust me, they don't want to
(03:13):
wait for me to get my work done. No, I
can't imagine, UM that that sounds like a lot to
keep track of, UM, But we I wanted to get
with you for today's topic, UM because even though it
kind of matters a lot to the defense, the offense
is the one that sets the tone when it comes
to the strong side and the weak side, and so fittingly,
(03:34):
you deal with tight ends, and we're gonna get into
why that's fitting in a little bit, but I want
to get real base level here to start out with.
And before we even define what strong side week side means,
we're talking about the offensive formation. When you say offensive formation,
what what are we talking about? What are the alignments?
What are you know some maybe some common way things
that the Bucks do as far as offensive alignments go.
(03:56):
How is that all set up? Yeah, no, that's a
great question obviously. Um. Basically speaking in a basic form,
you're I think coach Atkins um is going to talk
to you guys or have talked to you guys about personnel.
So that kind of starts with the offensive personnel. What
how many receivers you have in the game, how many
(04:16):
tight ends you have in the game, how many running
backs you have in the game. Obviously you're always gonna
have five offensive linemen, um, and a quarterback, So what
are the other complimentary positions that you're gonna have in
the game. And then from there you have a strength So, um,
you know, if you have one tight end, typically you're
gonna say the strength is to wear that tight end
lines up simplistic kind of way. Of putting it. That
(04:39):
would be the simplistic for sure. And the other thing
to think about is there's also a UM tight end strength,
but there's also a passing strength UM, which is where
it gets a little more complex and confusing. You may
have UM or tight end to one side and you
may have three receivers to the opposite side. So the
(05:01):
strength could be to the side that the tight ends on,
but the passing strength obviously is going to be to
where all those receivers are. So defenses UM may do
certain things to your passing strength. Maybe they'll set the
defensive front to your tight end, but then they could
set the coverage to your passing strength UM. So all
(05:26):
of that kind of goes into it as well. Yeah,
So what happens then, if say you have you're talking
about these personnel sets. So what you just described sounded
like eleven personnel where you have one tight end, one
running back in the field, three receivers. What happens if
you have two tight ends the field and what if
they are split out on either side of the formation,
(05:46):
And how do you set me at least the base strength,
the basic strength strength maybe for the front of the defense, Yeah,
no for sure did again, So there's obviously there's gonna
be some we call them to buy two formations, which
are essentially balanced formations. Right, you've got two guys on
one side, two guys on the other. Um, if you
have one back in the backfield, okay, Um, So if
(06:10):
we have two tight ends in the game and we
are in a two by two formation, obviously we assigned
all these positions. We sign them letters, which is pretty
common among football offensive schemes. Um, you're tight end. A
lot of times it's gonna be the Y. You know,
you're gonna have letters for the receivers, A Z X,
(06:31):
and then the extra receiver can be called different things.
Some people call them a you and F and H
or whatever their term is for that extra guy. Um,
because that guy could be a tight end of that
guy could be receiver. Okay a lot of times nowadays
in football. So we're ace personnel. We have a Y
tight end who's gonna go to the strength, and then
(06:53):
we have an off tight end who's gonna go either
away for their strength or to the strength, depending on
the formation. Word when you say off tight end, does
that mean he's off from the formation or is he's
still attached like that means he's just the other tight end,
So we use you know why, and then we'll use
it a letter F. Okay, in the F tight end,
(07:15):
he's still a tight end. However, Um, it's just helping
him aligned to the formation so everybody knows where to go.
You can't have two guys named two wise in the game, right,
So we say, if we have a two by two set,
I'm not necessarily going to throw out our terms, but
if we have a two by two set, we would
have in twelve personnel, we have one tight end would
(07:39):
go to the strength and then the other tight end
would go on the line of scrimmage away from that
call um. So offensively, our strength would be to the right.
Let's say we said the right formation even though to
the defense is he's balanced with me, so that the
F tight end would know he goes away from the
(08:00):
strength call um, and then we could have also some
terms that would end up actually he would go to
the same side as that why tight end, so the
F and the Y would be together. So um, Now
defensively you flip it around and they are going to
have to do if you're in a two by two
balanced formation with two tight ends, they're gonna have to
(08:23):
declare who that strength tight end is to them. A
lot of times they're gonna say, okay, we're gonna treat
Jersey number seven, for example, that we're gonna treat Rob
Gronkowski as are our tight end, just some guy. Um So,
then they're gonna set their front to where he's aligned
(08:45):
if they get into that situation where there's two balanced
looks with me. So it's easy when they're both on
the same side because that would be a tight end
wing type alignment, and they're obviously going to set their
strength to that s um so. And then offensively, okay,
(09:05):
as your game planning and looking at all these different
formations formation strengths, um the open side okay, or the
close side, the open side. When we say open side,
that is going to be away from that tight end strength,
or a lot of times to where there's no tight
ends at all, so just guard tackle nobody else. That
would be an open side. So when we're game planning,
(09:29):
we also we have strong side runs and we have
weak side runs, and what we try to gauge is
how they're going to align to those formations. So how
are they going to play how they play last week
to these That's where my breakdowns come in. So how
how do you then? Essentially, then your goal is to
(09:51):
beat whatever defensive coverage or defensive alignment you're about to see.
So is there ways are there ways to be manipulate
what the defense sees using strong side you know the
strength of tight ends. Is there a way to manipulate
the defense to thinking one thing or two acting a
certain way so that you can beat them for sure?
(10:12):
And I think there's the first thing would be obviously
just to see how they their base alignment. Now you
may watch film and they may have a bunch of
different fronts that they set, so it's going to be
a little more difficult to necessarily gauge what you think
they're gonna do to you. Um, you like it when
you can see some consistencies and kind of know how
they're gonna lie. Um. Ways to kind of dictate that
(10:36):
would be shifts and motions at times. Let's let's talk
about what shifts emotions that are. So you have your
tight end starts to the right on the ball, for example,
you have three receivers, doesn't matter where they're at. You
got one running back in the quarterback in the backfield.
Let's say you're tight end starts to the right, and
(10:56):
then you shift him to the left, meaning he starts
on the right, get set, you stay, move or whatever
you want to, and then he goes on the other side.
Some defenses will actually change their front based on that,
or some may stay the same. Um. That's one way
to do it. The other way is to get into
a two tight ends set, like you're talking about. Put
(11:19):
one tight end on the ball, the other tight end
in the backfield. Good. Then they set their front to
the tight end on the ball, and then you shift
the tight end on the ball. The other way allows
you sometimes to dictate what front or if you want
to run it to a certain look. Um. Sometimes that's
a way or a strategy people will use. UM. You
(11:41):
could also start in tight end wing to one side.
Again talking more twelve personnel here, meaning two tight ends
are in the game. Um, twelve personnel. Everybody is two
tight ends, one running back. All these numbers have to
add up to five. That's how I remember. Right as
you got two running backs or one back to two
tight ends, so you've got two receivers. Most people can
(12:03):
do that kind of math. I struggle sometimes with it.
But and then, um, so you may start in a
tight end wing situation and you may motion the wing over.
Maybe he still stays off the ball and doesn't get
on the ball. But now you're getting to a two
by two or a balanced type front is another way
to kind of gain an advantage or making a little
(12:27):
harder on the defense. You could say yeah, because that
seems like it would then affect not only the front,
but even the coverage too, because if you're in a
balance formation versus maybe one that's like a three by
one or something like that, they're going to act differently,
even on the back end. You get in you in general,
you have you know, two by two formations, which I've
(12:48):
talked about. I mean there's two guys, two guys one
back in the backfield. You have you know I formations
meaning now there pro formations if you want to call
meeting now they're that extra tight end is in the backfield.
Got it, okay? Right, So now the defense is to
treat that different. You have slot formations. The slot formations
are now tight end that that off tight end could
(13:12):
be on the ball, he could be anywhere. And then
you have two receivers to one side. Pro formation would
be one receiver one side, the other receiver the other side.
Slot formations. Now there's two receivers on one side, one
tight end by himself and a guy. So again, defensees
have to just that's why our defense and most defense
has spend a lot of their time during walk through
(13:34):
just adjusting to formations and motions and shifts. And because
a simple motion or a simple shift can completely change
the strength for them or the strong weak side. And
now they have to adjust there not only the front
and just like you said, their coverages coverages. Can you
give me is there some maybe a type of play
(13:55):
where this kind of stuff comes into play for the
box that you can remember something it sticks out maybe
from last year, um, where you were able to it
was it was a successful play. Can you think of
a successful play where it happened because maybe the tight
end shifted, you caught the defense um off guard, something
like that. I can't think right now at the top
(14:16):
of my head. I've been a specific play, um for instance,
But I um we we typically um we we'll shift
in motion a decent amount. But um, you know, the
other thing you get into is when you shift in
motion a lot and the fronts moving a lot. A
lot of times it makes the off makes it hard
(14:38):
for the offense to identify who you're blocking, because if
you're sitting there and everybody's standing still, right, and you
point out who you're going to, Let's just say a
lot of times we use that with a mic point,
meaning you're pointing who the mic linebacker is, um, And
now all of a sudden you're shifting and you're motioning,
and now all of a sudden they start moving, and
(15:00):
then you got to figure out where they're at. And
then there is an element that you're almost outsmarting yourself
and the fact that you're making it harder than it
has to be. That makes sense, right, So it's kind
of everything like everything in football, So you know what
I mean. So all right, we're gonna do all these
shifts and we're gonna start in this and we're gonna
fly this guy over here, and they're not going to
know what we're gonna be in. Well, then we're not
(15:22):
going to know who we're blocking. So then we got
a problem ourselves. Um so UM, that does come up
a decent amount um. So we're not a huge there's
definitely teams out there that shift in motion more than us. Um.
We we have used it, um, but you know, we
don't do it a ton. I think that that's a
(15:42):
really good distinction to make because I remember at one
point last season, I think it was earlier in the year,
where I don't know who it was, the ESPN analysts
pointed out that the Bucks weren't using a lot of
motion or something like that, or not at least not
what they've seen. And I've feel like there was this
whole narrative around the fact that the offense wasn't essentially
(16:04):
creative enough and that's why they weren't being effective, and
that's why they weren't whatever it was because of the
fact that they didn't use a lot of motion. But
there's a there's a flip side to using motion. Yes,
it'll confuse the defense, but now you're saying you can
also confuse yourself, which makes a lot of sense because
everybody has in a blocking assignment based on like you
were saying, the mic linebacker, and if that mic linebacker
(16:27):
changes because the front changed, then now all of a sudden,
you guys have to shift again too, like to to
your blocking assignments, and the thing that the defense has
an advantages. They don't have to worry about the plate clock.
We do so as that things starts tick tick ticking,
and you're shifting in motion, and and you've got to
(16:49):
not only community know who that mike is, you have
to communicate it to all the other linemen. When there's
people and people are tired, and there's fans and this
guy is about to knock your face in, you know
what I mean, There's a lot going on in a
short amount of time. So um, so we we rather
we we we do like we gotta be all on
the same page, you know, and if we're we always say,
(17:11):
if we're wrong together, then as long as we're on
the same page, great, if we're as long as we're
on the same page, we've got a chance. But as
soon as we're not communicating, we don't know, um what
that guy next to us is doing. It's all tight
end and we're gonna be a little some trouble. Well
to recap a little bit, since we've we've gone on
this tangent which I love of no, right, I mean,
(17:34):
like that's what you want to do. You want to
progress the topic from from one thing to the other.
But we started with strength, and the basis of strength
is usually and its most simplistic form, to the side
of the tight end. And then there's there's a difference
between that. There's a difference between passing strength then, which
can come into play when if you have, for instance,
three receivers on one side, which is the opposite side
(17:56):
of the tight end, so you can the defense can
set their strength to differ things. Um if for instance,
there's a twelve personnel set, which is the one running
back to tight end set, and you've got two tight
ends on either side, it's up to the defense to
determine who they're the strong tight end, the strong side is,
and the passing strength. It's tricky too, because which tight
(18:19):
end is more of a passing threat, So they're gonna
look at, hey, which guy's a better run block or
which guy do they throw two more? That's so like
this is probably getting on another tangent. But like you
look at a guy like Gronk, for instance, we talked
about Gronk, do you think that that's essentially why he's
so good because he is a threat at any given point,
(18:41):
like he might light up your defensive end in the
blocking game. But at the same time, he's a threat
in the receiving game too, Like he can do both.
So if he's in the game, you don't know essentially
what he's about to do. I would, yeah, I mean him.
I think. You know, if you could go on a
lab and make a tight then you'd like a guy
that could block and catch, right. Unfortunately that's not the case.
(19:05):
So a lot of guys, like anybody, have strengths and
weaknesses of their game or whatever. So if you have
a balanced guy that can you know, dominate in both
areas or be great in both areas, then you've got
a chance to be successful, you know, and it's harder
for the defense to defend that. Obviously, you'd like to
have both tight ends that can run in block, right. Um,
(19:28):
But as an offense, as you're trying to sell what
play you want to run, and let's say you've got
a guy that has a really good blocker, but he's
not good in the passing game, You're not gonna want
him run a town of routes, right, It's pretty common sense.
So you're gonna have a tendency um of doing that
in games as they watch all your games, right, there's
no secrets in the NFL. I mean, they watch film,
(19:50):
they know that what you're doing. So if you don't
ever use that guy to block, then they know when
that guy's in the game, then you're probably gonna throw
the ball UM. So then obviously that's going to dictate
the defensive coordinators call. So the great part about Rock is,
like you're saying, he is excellent blocker, but he also
(20:10):
is effective in the passing game, so they have to
honor that. And then you know o J as well.
You know o J is an extreme, extremely good athlete.
UM has great range and he also is a big dude.
You know, we can block UM, so obviously that will
be awesome to have him back as well. And then
(20:31):
and then Cam obviously is known a little more as
a pastor obviously, and then move around guy UM, but
he was able to fill in and come in and
UM add some blocking that you know, maybe people didn't
think he could do, but he's completely capable too. So
we're fortunate to have UM some some obviously talented and
well rounded tight ends. And it has to be a
(20:52):
pretty good position room for you to be associated with.
So yeah, it's fun and and I'll say, there's not
a lot of dull moments when you crock in there.
What is I just I need to I need a story,
I need some sort of anecdote here. I need like
whether it was the first time you met him, what
was you know, just how he integrated into that room,
because that was a really well established room as it was.
(21:15):
And then you get you get a guy like Rob Groundcowski. Yeah,
I mean he is what I mean, he's he obviously
when he's on the field, he's playing hard and he's focused,
and he works harder than anybody, you know, as as
hard as anybody. We all that's the great part about
our team, and that's what we want. We just have
a lot of hard workers. Um and uh. But at
(21:36):
the same time, you gotta have a little fun, you know,
and he nobody understands that more than him. Um So,
I would see to say, the biggest thing he brings
to the room and and our offense is just laughing
at yourself a little bit, right. I Mean a lot
of times we're we're in there simply at a you know,
practice and you what you you're kind of doing routes
(21:57):
on air and you know, coach Aarons is yelling at
anybody if the balls in the ground, and everyone's scared
to death that they might drop the ball, right, and
you're just simply running routes and catching the ball. Right,
do you think NFL team should not drop any balls? Right?
But it happens, and usually when it happens at a
serious moment. Right, you dropped the ball, and the players
mad and the coaches mad. Um. But I just remember
(22:21):
Gronk dropping the ball and maybe a third practice for whatever,
and everybody's like, oh my gosh, Gronk dropped the ball.
He never drops the ball. And he just kind of laughed,
you know, he just kind of took it chill and
he just laughed about it. He goes, oh, man, I
dropped the ball, And nobody really yelled at him too
much because it doesn't happen with him very often. And um,
we just kind of moved on, you know, um, because
(22:42):
that's gonna happen. It doesn't matter what level you're at.
Things are gonna happen. But he just doesn't take the
situation too seriously. Um, and he doesn't overthink it. You know,
he's able to just go and because he doesn't really
care if he drops the ball. He doesn't drop it,
you know what I mean. Sometimes if you think about
something so much about catching, I gotta catch, you gotta
(23:02):
catch you gotta catch it, and then you freak out
about it, you get tight and you dropped the ball.
Whereas he's able just to play loose because um, his
his care free character. You know, it's just kind of
how he is. Yeah, what is what's? What's that equivalent
for you as a as as a coach? You're don't
talk the ball, don't like what do you lock up on? Oh? Man?
(23:22):
Well I was. I was an offensive coordinator for a
couple of years, and I learned um at a Southern
Illinois Saluki's yeah dogs, I've heard of it, of it
and then um and then um laffiat College Leopards roll
parts whole PARTI roll part yes exactly. Um so anyway,
(23:45):
um and obviously um, you know you're getting similar things
you get, especially as your first calling plays, you get nerve, Hey,
this play, you know, I call them perfect plays, and
same thing. Don't this can't be a bad play. Can't
pay a bad play. It can't be a bad play.
Right then you call a bad player or something right
instead of just kind of getting in the flow of
the game and all with it, which um kind of
comes as you as you go and get comfortable with it.
So I'll see that kind of that type of thing,
(24:08):
um a little bit. But just as anyone I think
human nature, right, sometimes you overthink things, um, tighten up, right,
But in this board of football and all sports, UM,
the looser you can play, and the faster you can play,
and the quicker you can make decisions and process things,
the more effective you can be. It's easier to do
that when you're you know, calm and cool and collective
(24:30):
than freaking out right. Yeah, I think those are life lessons.
Life lessons from John down. Here we go allrre we go.
Now we're really completely off the open. This is this
is fantastic. I really really appreciate your time because I
know it's very valuable, and you know you do a
lot as he checks is watched what you're not having fun.
(24:54):
But I really really appreciate you coming on giving us
all these wonderful tidbits and hopefully you'll know what's how
to how to identify a strong side week sides the
next time you're watching the game, you can say, hey, listen,
I know exactly what this defense is setting themselves on
all thanks to you, Thanks for your time, thanks for
having me. I appreciate it.
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