Special thanks to Jim Barg for the materials and Guy Savoie for the text conversion

Athletic Journal — 1939

Michigan

A reverse is shown in Diagram 31. Ten and 11 block the defensive right halfback and backer-up; 8 blocks the defensive right end; 5 blocks the weak-side tackle; 6 takes the weak-side guard; the center brushes past the weak-side guard and takes the defensive left backer-up; 9 blocks the strong-side guard; 4 helps 5 block the weak-side tackle in. One receives the ball from 3 and drives off tackle.

In the spin or fake reverse in Diagram 32, 5 and 10 block the right backer-up; 6 and the center take the defensive right guard; 2 mousetraps the defensive right tackle; 8 takes the left backer-up; 9 blocks the defensive left guard; 4 blocks the defensive right end. One sweeps wide to the left. The ball is passed to 3 who half spins and goes through outside guard and passes to 1.

Minnesota

In Diagram 33, 5 takes the defensive right backer-up; 6 and 7 team on the defensive right guard and drive him in; the center takes the defensive left guard; 10 the defensive left tackle; 11 blocks the defensive left backer-up. The defensive right tackle is permitted to come through and is trapped by 1 and 2. Three receives the pass from center, fakes giving it to 4, then spins and cuts inside the defensive right tackle, with 9 leading the play. After 3 cuts through the line, he laterals to 4 who has gone out around the defensive right end.

The ball is passed to 3 who makes a full spin faking to give it to 2 who continues as shown in Diagram 34. Three passes to 11 who laterals to 5. Five continues on and laterals to 3. The line holds tight; one blocks to the right and 4 to the left. This play was used most effectively in 1938 by an undefeated Minnesota team and during the present season up to date is a consistent ground-gainer.

Mississippi

The play shown in Diagram 35 is run from a short punt formation with balanced line. Five and 6 block the defensive right tackle; 4 takes the right end; 7 and center block the defensive right guard; 9 blocks the defensive left guard; 11 brushes the left tackle and takes the left linebacker. The ball is passed to 3 who steps to the right, staying low, turns and gives the ball to 2 who goes over outside the right guard. Ten and the blocking back 1 lead the play.

In Diagram 36, 5 fakes to shift out on the shift count but does not and blocks the defensive left line-backer out; 6 takes the defensive right tackle; 7 and center block the defensive right guard; 9 and 10 block the defensive left guard; 11 takes the left tackle. The ball is passed to 3 who fakes to give it to 2, then half spins into the hole over his own right guard with the blocking back 1 leading the play. Two goes on through as if carrying the ball and blocks the right line-backer.

Missouri

In the play shown in Diagram 37, 5 and 2 block the defensive right tackle out; 6 and center take the guard; 11 blocks the defensive left backer-up; 8 blocks the weak-side line-backer; 10 blocks the defensive right halfback; 4 blocks the defensive right end. The ball is passed to 3 who plunges into the line outside guard and inside tackle.

In Diagram 38, the ball is passed to 3 who drives into the line as on the previous power play. The ball is bootlegged to 2. The left end 5 swings around two yards back of 2 and receives a backward pass. Four swings wide for a lateral. The play goes either inside or outside end.

In Diagram 39, three and 5 block the defensive right tackle; 8 pulls out and blocks the defensive right line backer; 6 and center block the defensive right guard; 9 takes the defensive left tackle; 10 blocks the defensive left line-backer; 11 brushes the defensive left tackle and blocks the left halfback. Two blocks the defensive right end. The ball is passed to 4 who goes outside tackle with 1 leading the play. If the defense does not shift to meet the unbalanced line to the left, the play shown in Diagram 40 is very effective. Eight pulls out to block the defensive left end; 11 and 1 block the left tackle in; 10 takes the defensive left line-backer; 9 and center block the defensive left guard. The ball is passed to 4 who passes to 3 as he sweeps outside tackle.

Snap & Go!
Adam
adam_wesoloski at yahoo.com