Numbers, Angles and Grass. This is how I view the game of football. It is a progression and structure the allows the players to have optimal chance for success when the ball is snapped.
Base ‘NAG’ Definition
Numbers – The count of players on each side of the ball. If a player is in a line with the ball, then that player, like the QB or center, counts as a half. So in a balanced offensive set there would be 5.5 players on each side of the ball.
Angles – The direction a player will move to block, run with the ball or run a route. There are angles that make a player’s responsibility easier and there are angles that make a player’s chance of success more difficult.
Grass – You want to be running or receiving in the place with the least amount of defenders. So if ‘Numbers’ and ‘Angles’ are equal and you are on a hash, then you would normally run to the wide side of the field. If defensive backs are pressing with man-to-man coverage, then throw over the top or on your crossing routes to the spot with the most ‘Grass’.
Each of the parts of NAG has multiple layers, but before we get into that I would like to share the people from whom I learned this thought process.
I remember reading from Chris Brown, one of my favorite football bloggers, in September 2010 about Leverage, Numbers and Grass: Breaking down Boise: How the Broncos use leverage, numbers and grass to gash the opposition
All of the key concepts are explained in that blog post so that might have been my first introduction to it. I do have notes from a coaching clinic in Benson, MN that I did with the Concordia College football staff in early 2012 which I specifically talked about “Numbers, Angles and Grass” and also used the NAG acronym. I started coaching at Concordia in 2011 and I know I brought this saying with me because I would tell quarterbacks in the program that I am going to ‘NAG’ you until you get this.
I have also seen video of Rich Rodriguez explaining Numbers, Angles and Grass here in a You Tube video uploaded on May 16, 2013: Rich Rodriguez: Fast Tempo No Huddle Offense. I would love to know when Rich first started using this phrase or from whom he learned it.
Here is also a blog from Coach Vint on May, 2013: Leverage, Numbers, and Green Grass, which is very similar.
Here is a blog post that fully uses the acronym NAG in January 2015: Flexbone – The Base Play, The Triple Option
If you have more information about where this phrase came from please let me know and I will add to the history here. I have learned from so many along the way, and I want to share the credit for a philosophy that I keep coming back to.
Now for a some modern day examples!
Example where Numbers are most important:
Here is the Army vs Navy game in 2020. This is such a special game that I look forward to each year. Navy ends up not scoring on this play as the QBs knee was down but the play call and the theory behind it was solid.
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Let’s start with Angles. Army is running its 5×2 defense and is playing a 3 to the short side and a 4 to the field. Navy has shifted both of its wing backs to the short side to draw the safeties with them. Army does a nice job not having their OLB be too tight so he could get pinned. There are always decent plays with these Angles but nothing that stands out.
Let’s look at Grass. Army is balanced with their numbers on defense and has a 4 technique and and outside linebacker to the wide side to protect that Grass. On the short side the outside linebacker is playing what I would call an 8 technique head up on the wide receiver so he does not get pinned. The place to run is inside and to the right.
Let’s finish with Numbers, which I believe were created very nicely by this formation. While the numbers are balanced, Navy simply moved its two wing backs over to the short side to have the safeties follow them. They have effectively blocked those safeties simply by alignment. That is a very common pattern with option teams that will go unbalanced to one side simply to bring the extra defender over and then to run the other way where there are now less blocks that have to be executed effectively. Army does slant its nose to the short side, which was not the best choice since the play ended up going to the wide side, but it ended up saving the day I think. The reason why is that the player who ends up making the play is the back-side inside linebacker. When the nose slanted away the center was able to clear and then worked up to the safety who was 3 yards deep in the end zone instead of getting the back-side linebacker. I think if the nose had stayed put, the backside guard would have climbed to that back-side linebacker and the QB would have scored easily.
So how could the defense have stopped this play?
- In the end, they did stop it, but I believe it was because of a wrong block rather than a better scheme.
- I think if the defense would have looked at the wide receiver lining up so far to the wide side (so much so that he is not even in the screen), that it should give an indication that the play is going to the wide side.
- Down at the goal line I typically see a 5×2 defense play two tight 3 techniques and have the nose guard not slant but try to push back the center. Army and Navy love to run their QBs in B to C gaps to score inside the 5 yard line or else they are running toss. The interior 3 defensive lineman need to push back the center and two guards.
Example where Angles are most important:
Here is the Georgia Southern vs Army game in 2020. I love option football so this is a favorite game for me. First just watch it through a few times.
Touchdown! It must have been obvious to run to the left? Well, let’s look a little deeper…
Let’s start with Numbers. The numbers are basically exactly even with 5.5 offensive and defensive players on each side of the ball, but it does depend on how you count the nose-guard who is tilted towards the field. But as we look at the personnel we see something special about these numbers. Army has flipped their left tackle #55 to the right-side and placed their tight-end #85 on the left. As an offense this gives two good choices… 1) Run some power football off-tackle to the right with the extra tackle 2) Run something wide or a special pass route to the left. So the simple, pure Numbers are not better here to either side, but the personnel makes the Numbers a little better to each side for certain kinds of plays. As we see, Army decides to run their toss play to the left. Note that at 1:29 of this same video Army runs a straight dive play to the side of #85 which shows how good of a power blocker he can be too!
Let’s look at Grass. It is very tough to run toss into the boundary. Almost the only way is works is in this type of tight formation with this type of 5×2 defense. In a normal double slot formation with a wide receiver split out to the left there is just not enough Grass to have a viable play to the left. So here we see this type of tight formation for the wide receiver to pin the end man on the line of scrimmage (EMLOS) and then allow the next two players to pull around the edge. So while the play-side slot #5 cuts the corner, the two pullers get the job done: #85, the tight end who swapped to the left, ends up on the play-side inside linebacker and the left guard #59 ends up on the safety. So the Grass only ended up being good because the edge could be sealed.
Let’s finish with Angles. In the end Angles end up being the most important element of NAG that led to the success of this play. The simple ability to knock down the edge defensive player and have all the room to the left to run toss produced a ton of Grass to run in. Looks like my Wing-T offense in high school running sweep! The Angles produced a tight-end and athletic guard pulling around the edge in lots of Grass with great Numbers. We must also notice that the defensive tackle #0 to the short side is lined up in a 3 technique while the defensive tackle to the field is lined up in a 4i technique. This allows for the pulling guard to get down around the edge.
So how could the defense have stopped this play?
- Communicate the unique formation. There will be no power plays to the short side and no wide plays to the wide side so adjust the defensive alignments. If you run a 5×2 defense and you get a tight formation like this yell out ‘Crack’ so the 5 technique is ready for toss.
- The defensive tackle #0 in the 3 technique on the short side must flow down the line better. Going up-field against an option offense from any defensive line position will not help.
- The play-side linebacker #45 must attack downhill. He sees two pulling people in front of him and a ball being tossed wide. He is also too tight to the center at the start of the play which really hurts him getting to the play. The nose tackle is a two gap player so A gap is protected and there is already a 3 and 5 technique protecting him. When he sees wide flow he must quickly become the D gap player in the alley with the near-side safety.
- The corner must attack more and cannot get cut. He is the edge player who must turn the play in so the inside pursuit can make the play.
Example where Grass is most important:
Here is a game for Troy vs Georgia Southern in 2020. Georgia Southern is going to run a zone read play to the left. It should only have been about a five yard gain as there is a missed tackle and the play-side linebacker filled in the wrong hole, but there is an important element to Grass here.
Let’s start with Numbers. The numbers are balanced with each team having 6 players to the short side and 5 players to the wide side. Troy looks like they are playing 4×2 with the overhang linebacker following the slot/H back. Right now that back has been put into the boundary so the overhang linebacker has followed him and is standing near the 50 yard line marker. I do not see any distinct advantage with pure numbers, but by putting the strength into the boundary and having the defense fully follow that strength some other opportunities will follow.
Next with Angles. Angles look to be balanced to me. It looks like both defensive lineman are in 2 or 2i techniques and the two inside linebackers are playing in the B gap which is typical. Both defensive ends are playing loose 5 techniques and the secondary appears balanced also. I see no advantage for running left or right based on the Angles here.
Finally let’s look at Grass, and it is with Grass that this play gained the most success. I do this same thing against a 4×2 overhang defense. I control where the overhang backer is going to position himself and then I will typically run away from him. There is a natural soft spot opposite this overhang linebacker that can be attacked in a multitude of ways. Plus, in this instance that open spot is to the field. Just look at all the Grass in the triangle between the defensive end, corner and safety to the field. And this is exactly where the play ends up.
So how could the defense have stopped this play?
- When I typically see a 4×2 defense with an overhang I usually see a 3 technique opposite that overhang linebacker. That would have helped a lot in this play as the 3 technique and the loose 5 technique could have really set the edge. But the defensive tackle gets reached and that creates the opening.
- The playside LB must funnel this play to his backside linebacker and safety. If he gets an ISO block at him, he must take it on with his inside shoulder to funnel the play back inside. He gets reached here.
- The safety needs to make the tackle and we have a 5 yard gain. But there is so much Grass that it is hard to make that tackle.
I hope this blog post gives you a good sense what the phrase Numbers, Angles and Grass (NAG) means. Coaches have been using these concepts since the beginning of football, but maybe laying them out in this fashion will allow teams to adjust faster to what is happening on the field.
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