Crack Option Play

At the youth football level you can run the option with much success. I coach the midget level a few years ago and we ran the crack option play  with great success (Midget Pop Warner Ages 13-15).  At the older ages of youth football, the option can be ran with much success. I personally would not run the veer on any age level lower than 13-14 years old but I think the crack option is simple to teach and works well at any age level.

This option play isn’t executed with traditional option rules. I came up with this way of running it because it allowed us to get these nasty defensive ends blocked. We faced pretty good DE consistently that year.  We utilized the crack option play. This was basically like double load option but we would crack the defensive end, rather than load block him.  In youth football the DEs are usually decent players. We want to block the defensive end with either a split end cracking or have my wing back hook the defensive end. This all depends on the defensive look I am seeing. My full back will fill B gap, help secure B gap. I see a lot of A-B gap blitz by middle backers-they try to time my motion snap count. This is a double option, the fullback isn’t an option. We do want him to fake, then work onto the second level.  My play side wing back will hook the defensive end. If he cannot hook because the defensive end is in a hard 9 tech he will tug on his face mask, this will indicate he cannot hook the defense end. So our split end will crack him because he has better leverage/angle. The back side linemen cross face- cut off pursuit. Play side OL down block. The quarterback will take the snap and come down the line of scrimmage, no belling into the backfield. The left wing back will come in motion on first sound of the QB and be the pitch back. The pitch back must keep good pitch depth in relation to the QB. The read is the cornerback; he will be closer to the formation because I cheat my split end in. If the CB takes the QB, the QB must pitch to the wing back. If the corner-back sits on pitch, QB must keep the ball and run up the field just outside the crack block. If the cornerback sits, QB must keep the ball. The backside tight end must get to the middle safety. If all players do their job, this play can go for 6 points. This crack option is easy to teach and it is youth football friendly. Good Luck!