Yes, the “Sniffer” is a thing in college football. While we look at who that player is in the Oregon offense, it is also important to recognize the innovations we are seeing from Offensive Coordinator Will Stein. I had to take some time away from my fun at The Division 2 to break down this new addition to Oregon’s rushing attack, and I am sure you will find it as much fun as I did.
While the title above shouts a “Bait-and-Switch” strategy, the term “Sniffer” is what many coaches call the H-Back, a tight end who hovers a yard behind the line of scrimmage and very close to being behind the offensive tackle. I will let you use your own imagination as to why they call this player the “Sniffer,” although I’ve always referred to them as an H-Back. As you may surmise, coaches call the same thing by different names, and it is often dependent on the part of the country the coach is in, or the type of offense, or if a coach wants his own vocabulary for his team.
This is the “Sniffer” or H-Back in the Oregon Offense. (Screenshot from Fox Sports Video)
You can see in the above screenshot where the location of the H-Back or “Sniffer” is on either side of the offense. It could be No. 3 Terrance Ferguson, No. 88 Patrick Herbert, or No. 18 Kenyon Sadiq lining up in this spot, as they start their blocking or pass pattern often from this starting position.
Watching this develop is a beautiful thing… (Screenshot from Fox Sports Video)
We will note what to look for in the screenshots, and then watch the short 15 second videos. Above is the beginning of what many coaches call an “Isolation” play, or an ISO. An ISO is a blocker dedicated to taking out a linebacker, and in old offenses–it was a fullback. Nowadays out of the Shotgun we see a tight end taking on this role, and as you will see–it can be very effective.
Above we Nishad Strother No. 50 (Red dotted line) taking on one linebacker, with Ferguson (Yellow dotted line) taking a bead on the other. Note the fantastic sealing blocks to the outside with Josh Conerly Jr. No. 76, (Black arrow above) and inside with Iapani Laloulu, Poncho. (Blue arrow above)
Do the blocks get completed? That is what we watch the video for… (Screenshot from Fox Sports Video)
So far, so good above, as we have a hat-on-hat with Jordan James in the middle of it all looking for a lane to burst out. Note how both Conerly (Black arrow) and Poncho (Blue arrow) have sustained their blocks, and both Strother (Red arrow) and Ferguson (Yellow arrow) have made great contact with their linebackers.
This ISO in the video above with a tight end went as well as any ISO plays did in prior decades with a fullback leading the running back into the hole. While Ferguson did superbly above, all the others needed to make their blocks in order for the running play to get the nine yards. Really well done by everyone!
This time it is Poncho getting a linebacker with the tight end. (Screenshot from Fox Sports Video)
While the last play had the “Sniffer” attack the linebacker on the near side from the center, this play above features the same action on the off-side of the center. We see Poncho, (Blue arrow above) working a double-team with Marcus Harper No. 55 before leaving that block and attacking the linebacker in front of him. Note how Strother, (Red arrow above) is sealing the one side to create one side of the running lane.
The “Sniffer” on this play is Patrick Herbert No. 88 (Yellow dotted line above) who is going to attack the far linebacker in another ISO, or isolation play. Note how in both cases you see receivers headed downfield, or turning as if to look for a Bubble screen to keep the defensive backs away from the box.
This ISO above tore out a nine yard gain as the first example did, only with slightly different blocking assignments, and location. Another name for this blocking by the tight end/H-Back/Sniffer besides calling it an ISO, is a WHAM block. (You can imagine why) Coaches will swear by that descriptive name for the WHAM block, but I believe this is one of those good-or-good decisions as to how refer to it.
Do watch for this WHAM or ISO block in the future, and note to see if Will Stein has some sequential or constraint plays off this. Let’s discuss over in the forum-with-decorum because…
“Oh, how we love to ponder about Our Beloved Ducks!“
Charles Fischer (Mr. FishDuck)
Eugene, Oregon
Top Photo by Eric Becker
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Charles Fischer has been an intense fan of the Ducks, a season ticket holder at Autzen Stadium for 38 years and has written reports on football boards for over 26 years. Known as “FishDuck” on those boards, he is acknowledged for providing intense detail in his scrimmage reports, and in his Xs and Os play analyses. He is single, has a daughter Christine, and resides in Eugene Oregon where he was a Financial Advisor for 36 years.
He now focuses full-time on Charitable Planned Giving Workshops for churches and non-profit organizations in addition to managing his two Oregon Football Websites, of FishDuck.com and the Our Beloved Ducks forum. He is a busy man!
He does not profess to be a coach or analyst, but simply a “hack” that enjoys sharing what he has learned and invites others to correct or add to this body of Oregon Football! See More…