O

n behalf of John Lyons and the offen- to use many different personnel groups

No Backs:
sive staff at Dartmouth College, Joe because we do not need to teach all new
Leslie (offensive line), Scott Sallach (wide plays. When we first introduce our no

Easy to
receivers), Adam Hollis (runningbacks) and backs package it is from our base 21 per-
Bill Polin (tight ends) it is an honor for me sonnel (two backs and one tight end).
to contribute to the 2003 AFCA Summer Since our two-back pass game is predi-

Exec u te , Manual.
This past season we were able to make
cated on all five eligible receivers being
part of the pattern we are confident our

Difficult to
some huge strides to reaching our goal of backs can contribute to our pass game
being the best offense in the country. We success (our fullback caught 44 passes
finished 10th in the country in total offense and was first team all league). In addition,

Defend (416.6 per game) and eighth in passing

offense (293.1 per game). Four of our six
when we remove them from the backfield
they will still run the same complimentary
offensive skill players received all league route so there is no additional teaching. If
recognition and our tight end was named their complimentary route is a flare from the
first-team All American. We had two backfield then it is the same when they are
receivers finish in the Top 10 in receptions split out in their new alignment (Diagram 1
(fifth and eighth) and our quarterback set and Diagram 2).
an Ivy League record for total offense
Diagram 1: Pro Right Split All Slant
(330.6 per game), while finishing third
nationally in the same category. Our offen-
sive success in 2002 was made possible
by a strong commitment on the part of our
players and coaching staff in the philoso-
phy of the Dartmouth football program.

Philosophy
Here at Dartmouth College, our offen-
sive philosophy is to be an attacking style
offense. We want to keep the defense
guessing, while we try to take advantage of
their apprehension. We try to be as multiple
as possible while also allowing our athletes
the ability to master the finer techniques of
the game. We hope to stay innovative and
exciting enough to watch and attract great
young talent, while never losing touch with
the basic fundamentals of football. The
result is the ability to have an offense which
poses far more difficulty preparing for than
implementing. There is no greater illustra-
tion of these principles than within our “No-
Backs Package.”
Implementation
The first thing we look at when deciding
what to implement in our No-Backs
Package is to look at the capabilities of
our personnel. We realize that every team
is different and we do not think you can
stretch every package to fit every team.
Our No-Backs Package can be as large or
as small as we want. The size and scope
of the package will change year to year
and week to week.
The first great advantage we have in our
No-Backs Package is that the majority of
what we do is carry over from our one- and
two-back sets. This allows us the flexibility
Diagram 2: Pro Right Slot All Slant
We will teach “the concepts” of our pat-
terns to each of the eligible receivers. This
enables the athlete to understand why we
ask them to use certain techniques, get to
particular depths on routes and the impor-
tance of precision in a potent passing
attack. The more complete the understand-
ing of the concepts is, the more flexibility
we have to cross train players between
positions. Our tight end this past season is
a perfect example. He led all divisions for
receiving tight ends and was eighth in total
receptions in I-AA. At varying times he
played fullback, split end, and flanker in our
No-Backs Package.
The simplicity of the system allows
experienced players to be versatile, playing
multiple positions, while it also allows
young players and less talented players to
contribute by asking them to play certain
positions and run the routes they feel com -
fortable running. We never want be in a
position where we can not play the best
players simply because they do not know
the whole offense. On the other hand we
do not want to completely limit our
schemes just because some players are
not as talented. In our system each player
is being asked to do no more or less than
what he knows and can do well.
How They Will Defend
Once we have implemented our
scheme, we can begin to look at how the
defense will prepare for what we have
done. Being able to stay in 21 personnel
(two back/one tight end) and split the backs
out, makes it more difficult for the defense
to use special defensive units, such as
nickel and dime personnel vs. no backs.
This can help us force the defense to rely
on down and distance calls as opposed to
personnel.
By limiting defensive substitutions, we
can create the match-ups we want by
putting stress on the weaker defenders. It
also allows us the ability to take advantage
of schemes more vulnerable to what we do
well. While we are in 21 personnel, teams
who use more nickel and dime packages to
stop our no backs pass game are suscepti-
ble to us lining up in more traditional sets
leveling the playing field for our more com-
plete players.
The end result for defenses is that they
are being stressed. They are torn between
being too basic and easily read or too com-
plicated and outside their own players’
grasp. This stress typically results in us get-
ting definitive reads of what is being played
against us. We have found that most teams
look at no backs as a novelty and they gen-
erally have two base checks (one blitz and
one zone) vs. 21 personnel.
As a result, the quarterback can have a
good idea of what the defense is going to
play for coverage e.g. double safety, sin-
gle safety, or no safety deep. These are
the cues (two deep, one deep or man) he
uses to bring him to his read. Because of
this, I have found no back sets to be a
great tool to use to teach quarterbacks
about defenses.
When watching film with the quarter-
backs I start with our 3/2 “no back” cutups
because the picture is clear when we talk
about base coverage (double safety, single
safety and no safety). This helps the quar-
terbacks to understand where the weak-
nesses to each of the cover concepts exist.
(Diagram 3, Diagram 4 and Diagram 5.) It
also provides a great look at post snap cov-
erage rotations and how the back seven of
two deep work together, making it easier
for them to understand why the stretches
we try to create within our own patterns are
productive.
Diagram 3: Double Safety
Diagram 4: Single Safety
Diagram 5: No Safety
We feel our No-Backs Package gives the
quarterback a clear view of the defense’s
intention. We believe when the field is
spread by formation it is more difficult for the
defense to disguise what they are doing. It
forces the defense to get to their proper
position quicker because we have already
stretched the defense by alignment. The for-
mation allows him a quicker read post snap
because we do not have to wait for a stretch
to be created between backs in the backfield
and receivers on the perimeter. He can also
see any safety rotations easier because we
have forced them to defend sideline to side-
line right now. We also believe that by forc-
ing the defense to limit their schemes the
quarterback can get a good idea of where to
attack each team. Teams that do carry more
than two adjustments run the risk of wasting
practice time (In 2001 we ran 34 snaps of no
backs one week and four snaps the next
week.)
Execution Easy as 1, 2, 3
Once we have implemented the pack-
age so our players fully understand what
we are doing, and analyze the defense to
fully understand what they are doing, we
must execute the play. In order to ensure
that we execute, we check to make sure
our alignment has not forced a defensive
misalignment.
First, the quarterback will always check
numbers either side of the formation to be
sure the defense has covered out with
enough defenders. This means the
defense must have at least one defender
for each receiver to that side. If they do not
we will throw our bubble screen to that side
(Diagram 6).
Diagram 6
Second, he will check the leverage of
the defense to see if we have them out-
flanked. If we have out leveraged the
defense to either side, we will then throw
our receiver screen to that side. Our gener-
al rule of what is enough leverage is when
the defender is two or more yards inside
the slot receiver (Diagram 7). How much
we may need to out leverage the defense
will vary based on our opponents ability.
We discuss this variable week to week.
Diagram 7: Leverage
Third, if all receivers are covered and
we do not out leverage the defense then
the quarterback will check the number of
defenders in the tackle box. If there are five
defenders or less inside the tackle box, the
quarterback will check to quarterback draw.
This ensures that we will block every
defender and we will only run draw vs.
favorable conditions.
We feel that by using the numbers count
system we have an effective way to quick-
ly attack the flank or the interior from no
backs depending on what the defense is
giving us. In each situation if the quarter-
back is not completely comfortable with
either screen or draw he may stay with the
play call of three-step or five-step pass
game.
Conclusion
As a result of this 1-2-3 process during
the pre snap we ensure that we will exe-
cute. Our athletes are confident we will
capitalize on any opportunities based on
defensive alignment. (We gained four-plus
yards 88 percent of the time on bubble
screen and 100 percent of the time on
quarterback draw.) Therefore, when we
run our three- or five-step pass game we
are attacking a defensive scheme that we
are confident we can read with plays that
we are confident we understand.
Ultimately, we have implemented a no-
back attack with little stress on our players
and demands on our practice time while
placing great stress on opposing players
and time constraints on opponent practice
time.
Things to Consider
• Be prepared. Although teams will gen-
erally have two schemes some will opt for
the unorthodox approach. We have faced
teams who have tried to bring six-man
pressures every snap and we have also
faced a team who dropped eleven men into
coverage. Find out how teams are playing
you early so you may make any minor
adjustments.
• Use motion and shifts if they provide
an advantage. Do not motion and shift if the
picture is clear for the quarterback when
you align in it right away.
• The athletes respond very favorably to
the use of no backs and it keeps everyone
involved.

Make plans now to attend

the 2004 A F C A C o n v e n t i o n
January 4-7 • Marriott’s Orlando World Center
Orlando, Florida