Reverses/Double Handoffs

Reverses are included in default playbooks, but generally take luck to be effective. But with a custom playbook, you can change the formation and blocking assignments to make reverses a common part of an offense. In my Wing-T playbook, reverses and double handoffs are a common play. To clarify: a reverse when a ballcarrier hands the ball off to someone running the opposite direction, while a double handoff is a fake handoff by the QB, who then hands the ball off to someone else.

Adding a reverse to a custom playbook is simple: just add an existing reverse and make the changes you need. Generally, to increase the effectiveness of the play, the reverse man should be moved closer inside, so the handoff takes place much faster. Make sure you test out the play a few times to make sure that all the handoff exchanges take place. Also make sure you test out the plays with several different teams. On some of the double handoff plays, a fast QB may be able to make the handoff easily, but a slower QB may not be able to fake the handoff, spin around, and give the true handoff.

You can also assign a custom route to the second man (the player who ultimately ends up with the ball), and get creative. For example, if you run "WR Reverse" out of I Form-Normal, but want to make the exchange quicker, you can assign a little custom route to the WR, on pretty much the same path he had before. This makes him eligible for motion. You can then motion him down a bit, snap the ball when he almost reaches the TE, and end up with a very fast developing reverse.

There are reverses both ways out of I Form-Normal, as well as a slot reverse out of Singleback-Normal, a double handoff series in the I Form in the Philly playbook, and a double handoff (pitch) in the Full House-Normal of the Atlanta playbook, among others.

Counter toss play created from "Full House-Normal/Fake Dive Pitch"

With the double handoffs, you can get a lot more creative. You can assign custom routes to both the fake man and the ballcarrier. Add motion into the mix, and you can create a wide assortment of plays from just one.

My favorite is the "Fake Dive Pitch" in Atlanta's Full House-Normal. From that, you can have things like a counter toss: Out of a double wing formation, a fake one way to one wing, and a pitch back to the other wing going opposite. Or you can motion one way, fake that way, and have the motion man curl back and get the toss. Or you can motion one way, fake the other way, and flip the ball to the motion man, who keeps running.