49ers OC Greg Roman Discusses Play-Action With Brian Billick

by David Fucillo on Jan 4, 2012 4:00 PM PST in San Francisco 49ers Game Recap, Review 2011

The 49ers have worked their way to 13-3 without revealing a whole lot of strategy in chatting with the media. Coach Harbaugh is turning non-answers into an art form and the rest of the staff follows suit for the most part. DC Vic Fangio and OC Greg Roman will sometimes provide a little more detail in their weekly press conferences, but for the most part they are all strong believers in the old adage, "Loose lips sink ships."

That makes this latest video all the more interesting. Former head coach and current FOX analyst Brian Billick has a recurring video called "Coach Speak" in which he chats with coaches about their teams and things they do. It involves some play breakdown, which can be really interesting to follow.

In his most recent addition, Billick spoke with Greg Roman and had Roman break down a play-action pass the 49ers have run this season (h/t to @49erspr). It involves five specific parts. You can check out the video after the jump, but here are the five parts:

1. TE lines up on right side of the line and goes in motion to the left side, lining up on the hip of the left tackle.
2. At the snap, the left guard pulls to the far right.
3. The running back runs a counter towards the right side with a hard sell from the quarterback
4. The Z receiver wide right runs a deep post pattern
5. The other receiver (I believe X) runs a short crossing pattern at the 18-22 yard mark.

The 49ers used a variation on this play with a 52-yard touchdown pass to Michael Crabtree to take a 16-0 lead on the Rams back in Week 13 and we actually did our own breakdown of the play. The tight end started on the left side, but otherwise there were a lot of similarities to what Roman describes after the jump.

We haven't gotten a lot of in-depth discussion from the coaching staff. Although this is only one play, it is still interesting to get some perspective from Coach Roman.

Greg Roman and Brian Billick

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Look for Roman to go "missing person"

He actually talked about X’s and O’s. Harbaugh can’t be happy, and when Harbaugh gets unhappy, people end up on milk cartons.

"Football combines the two worst things about America: It is violence punctuated by committee meetings" -George Will

by lottwasgangsta on Jan 4, 2012 4:06 PM PST reply actions

Given Roman's interview at Penn State.

The whole milk carton thing… creepy.

by Mindless on Jan 4, 2012 4:39 PM PST up reply actions

whoops

hadn’t meant it that way at all, but I see what you mean. I didn’t intend that sort of implication.

I DO, however, think Roman might be in for a remedial session with Harbaugh on how to frown at the media from the podium, furrow your eyebrows, and repeat the question before answering it. I think Harbs has a PhD in that.

"Football combines the two worst things about America: It is violence punctuated by committee meetings" -George Will

by lottwasgangsta on Jan 4, 2012 5:00 PM PST up reply actions

Harbaugh at Stanford

Ha! I used to love watching Harbaugh in his first year at Stanford do that stupid obligatory halftime sideline interview as he’s coming off the field. No coach loves to do that interview but nobody seethed at having to do it more than Harbaugh. Great entertainment!

by DieHard68 on Jan 5, 2012 12:41 PM PST up reply actions

He didn't reveal anything that's not on film.

Plus the Niners actually run counters off that same exact scheme. Which is what makes it effective and causes the potential for both run and pass to be successful. It’s the execution of selling the run that’s most critical on any play-action, obviously. Still interesting to see all that’s involved on a play that is normally happening to fast and with a limited camera view for all fans to absorb.

by whatsURdeal on Jan 4, 2012 4:49 PM PST up reply actions

Oh, I know

I was just being absurd. I think “snitches get stitches” probably came a distant second to “who’s got it better than us” as a team motto.

Plus, I like the idea of Harbs disappearing people.

"Football combines the two worst things about America: It is violence punctuated by committee meetings" -George Will

by lottwasgangsta on Jan 4, 2012 4:58 PM PST up reply actions 1 recs

Snitch Roman?

Wasn’t that what they carved on the wall at the foster home?

by Bigmouth on Jan 4, 2012 5:14 PM PST up reply actions 1 recs

Vic Fangio did something like this too

they don’t give real info…

And when we win, we want to dominate. We want to take guys out. We want to hurt guys. We want to win. We just want to dominate, hit them in the mouth. - Rathman
Follow @manraj76
Magic number For bye week (1 for Saints) For NFC West division title 0 (NFC WEST CHAMPIONS) worst seed possible (3rd seed)

by manraj7 on Jan 4, 2012 4:58 PM PST up reply actions

Roman describes a deep pass

then you know its fake plays

Follow @FLPReliableCPR

by mcwagner on Jan 4, 2012 5:24 PM PST up reply actions

lol

by manraj7 on Jan 4, 2012 5:36 PM PST up reply actions

I think it's spelled "playz"

by Bigmouth on Jan 4, 2012 7:02 PM PST up reply actions

Brian Billick:

So Earnest Davis goes out, rookie Frank Gore receives the fake handoff from Alan Smith. And the pass is caught by Michael Crabfree the seventh round draft pick.

Follow @FLPReliableCPR

by mcwagner on Jan 4, 2012 4:50 PM PST via mobile reply actions 1 recs

And tackled by #52 Patrick Swazie.. Oh wait, wrong team.... Patrick Swilling. He was # 52, right?

by whatsURdeal on Jan 4, 2012 4:54 PM PST up reply actions 3 recs

lol

Follow @FLPReliableCPR

by mcwagner on Jan 4, 2012 5:04 PM PST up reply actions

I remember in the playoffs last year

Billick was talking about how tall Flacco was, and he said “size is a talent”. Literally

My first thought was: How lazy is that analysis? My second was: That’s what she said!

Ah, maturity. I never knew ye.

"Football combines the two worst things about America: It is violence punctuated by committee meetings" -George Will

by lottwasgangsta on Jan 4, 2012 5:08 PM PST up reply actions 3 recs

missed that

Thickness is a true ability that many do not possess. Notice how Gore can penetrate through the hole and still keep himself up? Its really, really hard to keep pumping through once you are engaged with someone that wants it just as bad as you.
Mr. Billick! Everyone in the room is blushing

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by mcwagner on Jan 4, 2012 5:23 PM PST up reply actions 6 recs

Dammit

I thought mine was funny. Yours was even better. I’ll rec you if vice-versa?

"Football combines the two worst things about America: It is violence punctuated by committee meetings" -George Will

by lottwasgangsta on Jan 4, 2012 5:27 PM PST up reply actions

you should rec me because you love to

just do it. No one will know it was you.

Follow @FLPReliableCPR

by mcwagner on Jan 4, 2012 5:36 PM PST up reply actions

Reminds me

Perfect time to pull this out: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=j8Bc7eRTdWY

Not a troll

by Riding The F Train on Jan 4, 2012 10:09 PM PST up reply actions

I know this isn't top secret or anything

and maybe is is just because I am an armchair quarterback but I love this kind of stuff. How many of us dream about sitting in coaches meetings and hearing them talking strategy. How cool would it be to watch Harbaugh break down film and come up with a game plan.

When I was a kid I wanted to be Joe Montana. Now that I am an adult (a short chubby unathletic one at that) and my sports dreams have vanished now I want to be Jim Harbaugh.

Joe, Jerry, Steve, and....Who is next?

by 16to80fan on Jan 4, 2012 5:31 PM PST reply actions

Umm ya!

by mrb24 on Jan 4, 2012 5:56 PM PST via mobile up reply actions

When I was a kid I really liked Jim Harbaugh the QB. I have no idea why.

go rowand

by lincypoo i wuv u on Jan 4, 2012 11:00 PM PST up reply actions

That's really cool

thanks for posting the link to Coach Speak.

And Roman looks all SF metero in that black giddyup.

by GB9er on Jan 4, 2012 9:26 PM PST reply actions

This play

This is very similar to the TD Flynn threw to Nelson in the Pack-Lions game last week. It’s quite curious, how well this can work when a receiver actually makes an effort to get open and catch the ball…coughdaviscough

by Datafiles on Jan 4, 2012 11:09 PM PST via mobile reply actions