Coach's Playbook: Trips Receiver Screen

"Trips Receiver Screen" is run out of the Trips flag football formation just like my previous 2 flag football plays, "Trips Center Screen"  and "Trips Swing Pass"

The 3 wide receivers (A, B, D)  line up to the far right near the sideline and close together (this is the same for all "Trips" formations).  The quarterback (Q) is under center (C) and the running back (R) is lined up on the opposite side from where the wide outs are lined up, 3-4 yards deep.

At the snap of the ball the 2 wide receivers on the inside both run deep post patterns.  The center (C) will run a deep flag pattern.  These are the decoys.  The running back (R) short out pattern just beyond the line of scrimmage.  Receiver A take a small studder step forward and turns to face the quarterback.   The quarterback (Q) should pump fake toward one of the deep receivers (B, C or D) then turn quickly and throw the ball to receiver A.   Depending on the rules of your league it may be necessary for A to step forward over the line of scrimmage before the pass is thrown.

The play is designed to catch the defender back pedaling to cover D & B as they start to pass by or moving out of position on the pump fake.    If the corner back is getting aggressive and moving up to cover A, or trying to jump the route to intercept the ball,  then you can have A run a stop&go instead.    In this case the quarterback should pump hard to A and as the defender moves up, A should sprint past and down the side line. 

 

You can also use this play to set up several other options from this same formation:

• A fast hand-off to the running back (R) 
• Faking a hand-off to the running back then throwing deep to one of the wide outs - D, C, or B.
• Fake to A then throw deep to D, C or B

For more flag football plays & drills go to Youth Flag Football HQ

Coach's Playbook: Trips Swing Pass

"Trips Swing Pass" is very similar to my previous flag football play "Trips Center Screen"  conceptually except the rolls of the center and running back are reversed. 

The 3 wide receivers (A, B, D)  line up to the far right near the sideline and close together (this is the same for all "Trips" formations).  The quarterback (Q) is under center (C) and the running back (R) is lined up on the opposite side from where the wide outs are lined up, 3-4 yards deep.

At the snap of the ball the 3 wide receivers all run deep post patterns.  These are the decoys.  The center (C) will hesitate for a second then run a short slant toward the opposite sideline.   The running back (R) comes behind the quarterback running parallel to the line of scrimmage.  As the running back nears the sideline, in the area that the wide receivers (A, B, D) have vacated, he should turn up field.   The quarterback (Q) should them be able to pass the ball aiming in front of the running back so that he is able to catch the pass on the run.   It takes some practice but once executed correctly the "swing pass" is a very effective toss that gets your running back outside with the ball.

If the running back does not get open, the center (C) is the short dump off option.  

 

After we call this play a few times,  I like to confuse the defense by lining in the same football formation as if we are running the same play and then using one of these 2 options instead:

• A fast hand-off to the running back (R) 
• Faking a hand-off to the running back then throwing deep to one of the wide outs - D, B, or A.

You can find similar flag football plays on Youth Flag Football HQ website.

 

Coach's Playbook: Trips Center Screen

"Trips Center Screen" is a play taken from my 2011 season flag football playbook.  The play is designed for 6-on-6 flag football.  "Trips" refers to the football formation the players line up in where there are triple receivers lined up wide and close together.  I have also heard this called a "bunch" formation, since the receivers are standing bunched up.

The 3 wide receivers (A,B, D)  line up far right near the sideline and close together.  The quarterback (Q) is under center (C) and the running back (R) is lined up on the opposite side from where the wide outs are lined up, 3-4 yards deep.

At the snap of the ball the 3 wide receivers all run deep post patterns.   These are the decoys. The center (C) will hesitate for a second then run underneath the area cleared out by the wide outs as they ran past.  If the center does not get open, the running back (R) is the dump off option.  

After a few successful passes to the center, I like to mix it up by either handing off to the running back or pump faking to the center then throwing deep to one of the wide outs - D, B, or A.

You can also flip this football formation so that the receivers are on the left and the running back on the right.   This will sometimes confuse a defense, who may think it's a totally different play.