In Reply to: You forgot the important quote posted by Pyperkub on May 14, 2025 at 12:44:37
... was that sunseri had the o (and the d) practice "Fred" and "Stan" screens A TON.
When will we see Ucla run a "Fred" screen?
When Ucla lines up in a " tight bunch" formation (one receiver on the LOS about 5 to 10 yards from the OT, then a second receiver off his left hip and a 3rd receiver off his right hip) to the wide side of the field.
Let's say the wide side is to the left. So the bunch will go to the left side. The 3 receivers are numbered like this: the receiver closest to the sideline is #1 (aka, 1st), which is the receiver on the "point" receiver's left hip. The guy on the LOS is #2, the guy off the right hip is #3
#1 (first) is called Fred, because the letter F starts the word "first" and the name "Fred"
So a Fred screen is a pass thrown slightly behind the LOS to the receiver farthest away from the QB. Given it's a tight split, it's not a long throw.
The Fred pops backwards at the snap, the "point" receiver "reaches" outside to block the CB, and the #3 receiver blocks the guy lined up directly over the point man.
The d usually puts 3 defenders over a bunch: a nickel over the point man, a CB lined up 5 yards deep, outside leverage. And then a safely 10 yards off.
If each blocker engages a db, then the Fred is 1on1 with the safety. If he breaks the tackle or makes the safety miss, it's an easy 5 to 10 yards.
It's a great substitute for an outside run play.
Conversely, if our d can't reliably stop that play, it's gonna be a long day. So running it a ton benefits the o, but it benefits the d even more. The o had a lot of success on the early reps, but the db's got better at fighting off/ slipping the blocks and holding the play to a minimal gain.
The second play was a "Stan" screen. The 2nd receiver is called Stan because S is the first letter of the word "second" and the name Stan.
Instead of a bunch formation, the receivers are evenly spread out almost all the way to the sideline.
On the snap, the Stan steps back, the Fred goes after the most outside db, the Tony (aka, the *t*hird receiver) will go wide and block 1st color, and the Stan tries to take the ball wide.
Again, we'll see Ucla throw this when it is 3 or 2 over 3. If it's 4 over 3 (4 db's guarding 3 receivers), then Ucla is going to run the ball or throw to the other side.
I didn't see Ucla devote much practice time to these WR screens last year.