Pistol Offense

Nevada’s Head Coach Chris Ault came up with the Pistol offense in 2005 because he wanted to be able to have a threat of a power run offense, but he also wanted to be able to throw the ball with the same success of being in the Shotgun. Instead of having the QB line up five yards behind the C in a traditional Shotgun formation, the QB now lines up 3 yards behind the C. When going with the standard Shotgun formation, it limited the options with the running game. In the Shotgun, running backs line up to the side of the quarterback, limiting the kind of straight-ahead runs through the line that Ault wanted to keep in the playbook. But the Pistol, just as in the Shotgun, provides an easier read for quarterbacks, who can also drop back deeper to get in a better position to pass.

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Pistol 4WR Trips Scheme

Z Spot

If you need a just a few yards for a first down and your opponent likes to play zone coverage. A good choice to call is the Pistol 4WR Trips Z Spot. This play has the FL running a spot route. If the defense plays Cover 2 or Cover 3, he is open for once he spots up. If the defense calls Cover 4, the inside slot receiver (A) running the flat route will be open as well as the FL.

The defense called is Cover 3, the receiver in the flat is covered.

Our next read is the FL running the spot route.

Once he spots up, we throw him a fast ball.

We make the catch and have room to run with the ball . Another option is to look deep at the SE. He runs a post route. If Cover 2 zone coverage is called, we throw him a bullet pass.

Curl Flat Wheel

The curl/flat/wheel concept is a good zone buster to call, but it also can be used to beat bump-n-run man coverage. The SL2 (LB) runs a wheel route. With a little motion, he can get open without being jammed at the line of scrimmage.

We make a few pass route adjustments before the snap. First we hot route the FL on a drag and then hot route the inside receiver on a streak.

Next, we take control of the SL2 and ...

... motion him left.

Once he gets behind the SL1, we snap the ball.

This allows both the SL1 and SL2 to get off the line of scrimmage without being jammed at the line of scrimmage.

With the SL1 running straight the down the field, he will draw the SS away from the SL2.

Now it's matter of having stick control. In the screen shot above, we throw a bullet pass to the SL2.

We take control of the SL2 and use hold the strafe and jump button.

We sky up for pass for 15 yard pass completion.

PA Deep In

Plays that have a receiver running a dig or in route are pretty effective against man coverage. One play we like from the Pistol 4WR Trips is PA Deep In. This play has the SE running a 10 yard in route.

This PA play works well with the HB Dive.

With the SE isolated on the RCB, he is normally going to get open ...

... once he breaks over the middle. When making the throw we make sure the SE has inside position on the RCB or no other defender is dropping into his area.

We make the catch for 10 yard pick up.

HB Counter

The run play we use for our scheme the HB Counter. This run play works very well if man coverage is called, because only one defender will be lined up on the backside near the line of scrimmage unless the FS is moved down in the box.

The HB starts off by going to his right.

He then cuts back to the left. The pulling RG will becomes the HB's lead blocker.

The SE will draw his man away from the HB.

By the time two defenders (RCB, FS) react, we are turning the corner for positive yardage.