UGA Stack Release Creates Confusion
There were so many things that the Georgia Bulldogs did Saturday night against Texas. The UGA stack release that we are going to focus on might seem down the list but keep these two things in mind. This touchdown was the first of a one two punch that sealed the game in Athens. This play also involves a technique that football coaches at all levels can use.
Before we look at that, let’s point out a few things about the football game that stood out.
- Georgia was by far the most physical team. This was particularly true in the trenches. No dawg (pun intended) in this fight but Georgia imposed their will on the Longhorns by the fourth quarter.
- Coaching gambles are just that. Good if they work. Bad if they don’t. Smart knew how physically dominant his team was. It’s easier to onside kick and go for it on fourth down twice when that is the case.
- The Georgia defense had it’s ears pinned back all night. Once again, easier to do if you go back and read number two again.
- Offensive Coordinator Mike Bobo did an excellent job with formations, shifts and motions all night. The entire game was a clinic on how to run many different versions of the slide naked pass and also how to use different protection schemes to push the ball down the field.
Back to our original point. The motion to a stack release worked exactly as they had drawn it up. Kirk Herbstreit called it a switch release and he is not wrong. There is just another layer to it if you ask us. At the end of the day it’s as simple as counting to two. Two defenders must sort out who is covering two receivers on offense in man coverage.
CLICK ON THE PLAY BELOW TO WATCH UGA’S STACK RELEASE TOUCHDOWN VS TEXAS
If you have two receivers who are lined up or motion to a bunch look then it can cause confusion if those two receivers switch release on the snap. It makes the defensive backs communicate about who has the outside and inside receiver.
If the defense anticipates the switch release then they have to also switch their assignments. This is exactly what Texas did. Unfortunately for them the receivers did not switch.
As you can see in the diagram above, all the receivers did was come to essentially a stack. When the ball was snapped, number one and number two did not switch. Texas made a switch call because you can bet the farm that UGA had run this motion before and the receivers DID switch. This time, however, #4 for Georgia stayed number one and #16 was number two. Both defenders covered the outside receiver and you can see the result here. Next play in this game? Georgia successful onside kick.
Back to one of my earlier points. There are a lot of things that Georgia did well in this game. Many of them require better athletes and more practice time than you have. Switch releases and stack releases on offense do not fall into that category. They can be taught at every level and every style of football including flag football.
