How to Call an Offensive Play in Football

Calling a successful offensive play in football requires knowledge in three areas of the game. The play caller must understand the talent and skill level of the players on his team. He must also understand what kind of defense his opponent is playing and he must also take into account the situation in the game being played. When a team is starting a game, it will have a different play-calling agenda than it will have later in the game if it is winning by two touchdowns.

Instructions

    • 1

      Call a play that features your team's most talented player. If your best player is your running back and the second-best player is your team's right offensive tackle, call an off-tackle running play. This may turn out to be your team's bread-and-butter play.

    • 2

      Vary your play-calling throughout the game. If you are primarily a running team, you can't call a run on every single play. The defense will catch on. Don't call more than two runs out of every three snaps. Keep the defense on its toes by running when you believe the defense is anticipating pass and passing when the defense is anticipating run.

    • 3

      Stretch the defense by throwing deep early in the game. You don't have to be successful on this pass, but what you want to do is make the defense use the entire field to defend your offense. If the defense thinks you will only throw short passes and run the ball, they will keep their defenders close to the line of scrimmage and that will make it very difficult to attack with these plays. By showing the deep pass, you will force the defense to keep its defensive backs and linebackers moderately deep.

    • 4

      Send your tight end out on third-down passing plays beyond the first-down marker. One of the biggest mistakes made in football play calling is sending receivers out seven yards on a 3rd-and-9 play or eight yards on a 3rd-and-10. Send them out nine yards on 3rd-and-8 and do not assume they will get the extra yard on their own. This will help you keep drives alive.

    • 5

      Hold back one or two big plays for use late in the fourth quarter. If you find yourself down by a touchdown in the final minutes, break out a trick play like the "hook and trailer" or "flea flicker" to catch the defense unprepared. A surprise play call may help your team get back in the game even when you don't have the talent to match up with your opponents.