Recoded and Reloaded...a review that is finally done

Long overdue, I can’t believe that it was almost a year ago when I wrote a preview… 
You don’t just read a book by Dan Gonzalez, you digest it. Once again, Coach Gonzalez produces a book that makes you think. When is the last time you saw a quote from Benjamin Franklin in a football book? The great thing about this compilation is there are many ideas that can easily transfer to your offense. This is not Coach Gonzalez’s “first rodeo”, but an evolution of his first book , but you don’t necessarily need to buy it to understand the second work. In my opinion, BOTH books are significant additions to my permanent library.

Coach Gonzalez’s packs a large amount of football goodness into 171 pages. The book’s size resembles a notebook…

no small pictures or print to contend with!

THANK YOU!

NO READING GLASSES required

The book contains 10 chapters

1.    The need for restructuring
2.    Traits of a complete pattern system
3.    An offensive flow chart
4.    Formations and Personnel Groups
5.    A structure for calling pass plays
6.    Protection
7.    Structural tags and backside tags
8.    Distilling pass concepts and attacking the defense
9.    Assembling patterns
10.  Installation

Route Tree that I love!

Coach Gonzalez has a Route Tree that makes sense. I’m not a big fan of the traditional route tree. But I believe it can have a place in your offensive system. It is a great teaching tool for rookies. I HATE the traditional route tree! WHY? Many of the traditional route trees (YAWN) have “branches” that are used seldom. Coach Gonzalez’s tree has all routes that are staples to his offense. The pictures in the book grouped some of the routes together… I would have liked to see each route diagrammed separately too. I’m sure if you hire Coach Gonzalez, he could make that happen. I am intrigued by the 2 route, which is describes a 3 step IN. This may replace the slant…

Protections using colors…

We have used names for pass concepts and the lineman and backs had to know their assignments based on the just the name. Two years ago, our head decided the Oline and backs needed some concrete verbiage. So a THREE digit system was introduced:

• First number tells type of concept and direction for line.
• Second number tells which direction for back to block.
• Third number tells the CONCEPT.

It has it flaws, but I have learned to live with it.

Coach Gonzalez uses colors to signify the protection type.
You want the BACK in typical slide BOB protection? That would be BROWN or BLACK call. If you want the back in a route or GONE from the protection? That call would be GREEN or GOLD. If you have a Tight End in formation and want to keep him in the protection…the call would be TAN or TEAL. More protections and codes are fully diagrammed in the book. If you are struggling for pass protection communication that is simple, then I highly recommend using the Coach Gonzalez coding.

Tags

SWITCH, CUBE, DEPOT, BRONCO, BENGAL, BADGE…these are a few tags diagrammed in the book.

Coach Gonzales groups the tags into three groups:

o    STRUCTURAL TAGS
o    “B” TAGS
o    “R” TAGS

Great teachers use teaching methods that work. Coach Gonzalez is a big fan of acronyms. I love them too. They are an excellent memory tool. HIDE and SLIDE are two staples of the backside tags. HIDE is simply “Hitch, then come Inside” and SLIDE uses switch release then HIDE technique. for those of use that love the TRIPS formation, the tags CUBE and CASH are used.

The names Dolphin, Patriot, and Redskin are used…no, not as play names but as part of the “STRETCH FAMILY”.

Dolphin = OUTSIDE to INSIDE Read
Patriot = INSIDE to OUTSIDE Read
Redskin = DEEP to SHORT Read

Coach Gonzalez is easy to reach through his website. I have had a few telephone conversations with him that always seems to humble me (No, I don’t know everything)

and

wondering how to get a visual conversation the next time....

 

A couple of nuggets I have gained from his conversations

He would rather have a GUY that makes the catch, not a playmaker

When setting the Pass Protection, you should set the slide to the field. Most Zone Blitz comes from the field.

What is your favorite concept? Anything with a  DRAG route

What do you like on 3rd and 8? It starts with 2 back protection and a DRAG route...

He loves 4 verticals and the adjustments off the concept.




So, if you are struggling with your pass game then buy Coach Gonzalez' books.

BOTH OF THEM.

If you need more help...HIRE HIM!

And finally, I am hoping to have a PART THREE to this story...

VIDEO CLIPS

please oh please pretty please

EDITORS NOTE: As always If you find errors in this article let me know... Any questions or comments? please post HERE or contact me.