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Monday, September 1, 2008
How to Call an Audible
Greater Louisville, KY
By: Clint Stoerner
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Photo(s) By: Kyle Danztler/MyActionPortraits.com
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Football is the single most complicated game to play, coach or officiate, and yet while so few of us know how difficult it is to game plan and succeed inside the lines, we all feel free to question the coach’s philosophy, decisions, and play calling week in and week out.
From the outside looking in, the game looks simple when in reality we are watching a chess match played by the best coaches alive and with the best 18- to 20-year-old athletes walking. Oh and by the way, the athletes are 200-plus pounds and running 4.4 forties, not sitting on a checkerboard.
The one thing outside of talent that can help a coach is a QB who can call a play in the huddle, recognize it’s a bad play at the line of scrimmage and get the team into a better play all before the play clock expires. This is better known in the football world as the ability “call an audible.”
The first step to calling an audible is to have an offensive system in place that will allow the quarterback to change the play and communicate the change to the other 10 players on the field. This must all be done within a normal cadence and a series of hand signals. Most teams cadence consists of color # color # Hut. For example the quarterback will call the play, break the huddle, and as he approaches the line of scrimmage he starts his cadence, Black 80 Black 80 Hut and the play called in the huddle is run.
There will be a color designated in training camp as the hot color which alerts the team the quarterback is changing the play and the number that follows will be the new call.
Let’s say the hot color is green and we have a running play called in the huddle. As the quarterback breaks the huddle and approaches the line of scrimmage he realizes the defense has 9 guys in the box (9 defenders within 5 yards of the ball) and has the obvious advantage against the run.
The only option at this point is for the quarterback to audible and put the team in a better position to win. Next, the quarterback uses the hot color and yells Green 20 Green 20 letting the offensive line and running backs know the new play. He also signals to the wide receivers, telling them which route he wants run to beat the coverage. Now the team and the coach are in a better situation to succeed on this play and overall have a better chance to win.
The next step is to know when to audible and when to run the play called in the huddle. Never audible when your offense is backed up inside your own 5-yard line or when you’re on the road in a loud, hostile environment and noise is a problem. The strengths of your team may also alter your decision to audible at times. If a running play is called and you have two great running backs, I would urge the quarterback to run the play called unless there is an obvious advantage in throwing the football. The ultimate goal is to put the team in the best position to win and the quarterback’s ability to audible is a huge advantage, not to mention a luxury for a coach.
Now comes the most difficult part of the equation: finding a quarterback with the smarts to recognize a bad situation, the communication skills to change the play, the ability to execute the play and the guts to take credit if it doesn’t work. Find an athlete with these skills and you’ve got a poised quarterback and an advantage before you ever step on the field. Now you know how to audible so you should always have the advantage on the competition.
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