THE ‘PISTOL’

Spin, Theory, Ball Handling, and Backfield action

Kyle Hockman

Head Football Coach

Campbell High School, Smyrna, GA

Pistol – what is it?

• Shorter ‘Shot Gun’.

• QB heals at 4yds.

• RB still in TB spot.

• Offset FB or ‘H’Back

• One Back

QB 4yd

ALIGNMENT

Must adjust dept according to your scheme, speed of TB, snap speed

ALIGNMENT

6 ½ YDS

Must adjust dept according to your scheme, speed of TB, snap speed

4 YDS

Q

THEORY

Why? Advantages of ‘Gun’

• QB instant separation

• QB line of sight, vision

• QB read element

• QB run element

THEORY

Why? Advantages of ‘I’

• down hill run game

-Iso, Power, Counter, Toss, etc.

• RB shoulder square

• Either direction

• Runners/runners & blockers are blockers

• Pressure off QB

Plus - SPIN

• Deception – we all need it, not good enough to line up and beat people.

QB blocks vision of Defense to RB.

QB turning back to Defense to hide the ball.

• Ball quicker to RB.

• .35 ave time to QB, undercenter .75

• .95 ave time pistol +3, undercenter 1.35

PISTOL – Is it for you?

• You like those ideas?

• Ok, so fit all those elements together with the Pistol

• Gun but need more power

• Under center but need more deception.

Ball Handling -must Consider…

• Must practice snaps everyday – pre-practice warm up.

• Center snaps – accuracy more critical in the pistol because its quicker than Gun.

• QB’s ball skills – same reason as above, slow twitch guy.

• Would you do it with back ups?

• Would you do it in the rain and mud?

Center Snaps

• Techniques – spin and flip – bothWhich is best for center or QB.• Firm but not fast – trail and error.• Adjust depths and steps according to speed of

snap.• Narrow base and low butt – small window, small

miss.• Flick wrist as arm hits leg. • Trail and error – for spin – our center,1 ½

rotations.

RISKY?

Campbell ’06 –

Pistol/Gun

500 snaps = 2 bad snap, 1 bobble.

‘Undercenter’

100 snaps = 1 muffed snap.

7 turnovers all season – 6 fumbles, 1 int.

Backfield Techniques

• Timing – can adjust depths if needed. • RB toes at 6 ½ yds, have moved to 7 or 6

based on speed and play.• QB spin must be quick and consistent to

specific play.• QB must stomach ball like under center.• Hand-off are executed like under center.• QB angle will adjusted based on play.• Toss must be a quick, flat toss.