Chapter 833: Armchair Quarterbacking
"Pro-Set formation, blue 30, red F, red 69."
Standing on the practice field, all the players were not in full pads. They were simply wearing the San Francisco 49ers' home jerseys. But they were perfectly lined up. The offensive line, wide receivers, tight ends, and running backs of the entire second-team offense were on the field, as if this were just a normal practice.
The only difference was that instead of Colin Kaepernick, it was Lu Ke standing in the pocket.
"Hut!"
Lu Ke immediately called the snap. Although there was no opposing defense, the offensive line still adjusted their footing in unison and began to tilt their bodies to create a point of friction. Everyone quickly moved to the right, and then the wide receivers, tight ends, and running backs all started to move to the left.
This was a very basic offensive play. There were no tricks. Each set of play calls had only the simplest two commands. The first corresponded to the offensive line, the second to the wide receivers, and the third to the running backs. If there was a tight end play, there would be another set.
However, these were just the play calls for basic practice. They were clear, simple, and direct. In a real game, all calls would be further upgraded on this basis to complete the most complex play in the shortest time possible. The reason for using basic calls now was to sort out the second-team offense's tactical awareness.
The so-called Pro-Set formation actually has many similarities with the "I" formation. Both are derived from the earliest and most primitive vintage football play, the "T" formation.
The "T" formation consists of five offensive linemen in a line, a tight end on the side (either left or right), a quarterback standing behind the center, and three running backs lined up horizontally behind the quarterback (two fullbacks and one halfback). This was the prototype of modern football plays, and basically, most plays have evolved from it.
In a Pro-Set formation, which is symmetrical, it usually includes one quarterback, two running backs, two wide receivers, one tight end, and five offensive linemen.
If it's an "I" formation, the running backs are lined up vertically behind the quarterback. If it's a Pro-Set formation, the running backs are lined up horizontally behind the quarterback. The difference from the "T" formation is that there is one less running back behind the quarterback. This absent running back has evolved into a wide receiver, whose job is to catch the ball.
However, in modern football, the distinction between a fullback and a halfback has gradually weakened. When using the Pro-Set formation, some teams still use two running backs at the back, while others use a combination of a wide receiver and a running back, or a combination of a tight end and a running back. These are all variations of the play. And depending on the wide receivers' and tight ends' positions, whether they are inside or outside, or on the near side or far side, the play can be different.
You can even replace the tight end with a wide receiver, creating a strange formation with three wide receivers and two running backs, or four wide receivers and one running back, which completely speeds up the team's offense.
In short, a basic formation can be changed into countless possibilities, which is why it is still widely used in modern professional games.
A Pro-Set formation can be used for both rushing and passing, and the success rate of both is very similar. This is crucial in a game, as the deceptive nature of the formation makes it impossible for the defense to immediately determine the offense's intention. At the same time, since the two running backs are standing side by side, they can both be a tactical piece for the quarterback. The defense also needs to spend more time figuring out the offense's main point of attack.
If this formation is executed successfully, it is an absolute nightmare for the defense.
When defending against a rushing play, they must also be wary that it is a play-action pass, which will inevitably affect their defensive intensity. This also forces the safety or linebacker to leave their position and move forward to the line of scrimmage to solidify their defense. If the quarterback can find an open gap, there is a high chance the offense will succeed.
Of course, there are pros and cons. A Pro-Set formation is more advantageous for a passing offense. If you choose a rushing offense, the possibility of a breakthrough in the middle is correspondingly reduced, and a breakthrough on the sides is the best option.
This formation was popular throughout the league in the 1980s, and the one who started this trend was the legendary San Francisco 49ers coach, Bill Walsh. It is also the most important part of the West Coast offense system.
In the current San Francisco 49ers' games, this formation is used quite frequently. However, Harbaugh has further varied it, mixing it with the pistol formation, the multiple-route offense, and so on.
The two players behind Lu Ke are usually one wide receiver and one running back, but the wide receiver's position is further away from the quarterback, forming an inverted triangle with the two receiving targets in front. It looks like a multiple-route offense formation, but it is actually a variation developed from the Pro-Set formation to deceive the opponent and then complete a deadly pass.
Of course, with Lu Ke, a tactical quarterback who scored a perfect score on the Wonderlic Test, at the helm of Harbaugh's San Francisco 49ers, he has been able to constantly test his tactical combinations. The plays are becoming more and more varied and complex, truly bringing the intricacy and versatility of the West Coast offense to its full potential. Most of the plays are now unrecognizable, which is the core reason why the team's passing offense has become stronger and stronger in the past two seasons.
In the current daily practice, Lu Ke has simplified the complex, using the most basic Pro-Set formation to explain the variations of the entire play.
After the snap, all the players ran out. Lu Ke stood up straight and threw the football effortlessly in one direction. Mario appeared at the landing spot of the football and completed the catch. Then, all the other players stopped in place. They were not far from each other and were scattered in different positions on the field.
"Mario, just now on that route, should you have run into the short-pass area or the long-pass area? Also, should your route have been close to the line or in an open area?"
Even without a defensive player, the reason why Lu Ke still insisted on practicing in a real-game scenario was that he needed a real-game experience. In a real game, when the quarterback calls the play, the players don't have time to think and digest it. They have to react immediately. It's better to rely on their body's instincts than to talk about it on paper.
Mario had just completed the catch and hadn't had time to be happy yet. He stopped and said, "Uh... what was the play call again?"
His words immediately exposed his lack of confidence. Chad Hall, who was standing not far away, quickly reminded him, "Red F," "Red F."
It's worth noting that both Chad and Mario were rookie wide receivers from the 2008 draft, but Chad was undrafted. He later joined the Philadelphia Eagles, who were a division rival of the New York Giants. This offseason, both players came to San Francisco and reunited in a different way.
Now, Chad was reminding Mario of the play.
"Oh, right, red F." Mario suddenly understood, then he hesitated and said, "I... uh, short pass? Yes, short pass area, and then look for an open area."
"AJ, what do you think?" Lu Ke didn't give an answer but looked at this year's first-round rookie, AJ Jenkins.
Mario immediately patted his head in frustration. He realized that he might have been wrong. And Jenkins also looked flustered and began to recall seriously, "F, F, F..." After mumbling for a while, he still couldn't give a definitive answer.
Lu Ke spread his hands. "You've already missed the catch."
Again, there is no time to think in a game. Everything has to happen in the blink of an eye. Especially with Lu Ke's style of play, he often needs to constantly speed up the entire offense to disrupt the defense's rhythm. In this case, the offense has even less time to think.
The problem with both Mario and Jenkins was that the playbook was too complex, and they hadn't been able to digest it in time.
Mario had been with the New York Giants for four seasons, so his overall performance was not too bad. But the rookie wide receiver Jenkins was a real headache. His talent was really good, but he couldn't keep up with the playbook, and even more so, he couldn't keep up with Lu Ke's tactical changes. Until now, he hadn't been able to truly play as a member of the offense.
Finally, Lu Ke looked at Chad.
Chad looked at Mario and Jenkins again to make sure they had no answer before he replied, "F route, deep area, away from the defenders. According to my own style and habits, I would look for an open area. After running past the short-pass area, I would run and observe the situation in the pocket and get ready to catch the ball. Red means it's a left-side route."
Chad's situation was the opposite.
His tactical awareness was very good, and he was very hardworking and eager to learn. Although he hadn't completely mastered the playbook yet, the San Francisco 49ers' playbook was indeed too exaggerated, even thicker than last season's. He was at least able to barely keep up with the rhythm of the offense's tactical meetings and not fall behind. But his physical talent was indeed average. His speed, strength, and positioning were not outstanding.
Now on the team, Chad was more like Kyle Williams's backup. He was still competent as a returner on special teams. If the offense really needed a third wide receiver, he was a more suitable candidate than Mario and Jenkins. Even if he couldn't be a passing target, he could still be a tactical piece to create a diversion.
Lu Ke snapped his fingers in agreement and then looked at Mario again. "Then what about the red F square play?"
"Come back. After entering the long-pass area, you start to come back." Mario finally caught up with the rhythm a little bit.
Lu Ke gave a thumbs-up in praise, and then his eyes found Hampton in the crowd. "What about your execution of the play?"
Hampton stood in place, his eyes a bit flustered. After wiping the sweat off his face and adjusting his breathing, he still mustered up the courage to say, "Left side, a forward dash, then an inside cut after a short distance for a horizontal movement."
Is this the correct answer to the "69" play?
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