Ten-time Alaska state champion head coach Galen Brantley of Soldotna High School puts an emphasis on the run game. Running from a Full House T, Brantley believes their style of offense instills toughness into every other part of the program.

While this offensive formation may seem simple to many, Brantley incorporates attention to detail into every play, especially when it comes to faking without the football. In watching the clips below, the effort and focus on faking is evident. Brantley noted in the Coach and Coordinator Podcast, “Fakes are for your teammates.”

Listen to Brantley talk about faking and everything else here: [PODCAST] Keith Grabowski talks with state champion head coach Galen Brantley about the Full House T, the future of football

For Brantley, all of this starts with his 10 Commandments of Deception which he shared.

10 COMMANDMENTS OF DECEPTION

1. One fake is worth two blocks.
2. There is no difference between running with the ball and running without it.
3. If you don’t fake, you don’t play.
4. Take pride in all fakes.
5. When faking, always accelerate after the mesh.
6. Carry out all fakes until:
   • You are tackled.
     • Keep running after contact — bust a move.
   • The whistle blows.
   • You cross the goal line.
7. When carrying out a fake, make eye contact with one defender and take him with you.
8. Never show the defense the ball. Keep it layered.
9. Never look back at the ball carrier when faking (especially QB’s).
10. No zombie fakes! (running with head down and no eye contact with defenders).

 

The detail does not stop with the commandments. Each player is graded meticulously by the coaching staff on their fakes and is awarded a grade based on his effort and skill in drawing players away from the ball carrier.

Brantley’s deception grading scale is below.

DECEPTION GRADING SCALE

A — You get tackled

B — You take a defender with you

C — You freeze a defender

D — Your fake isn’t bought

F — You don’t fake

In today’s world of read option and RPO’s, players don’t have to fake to make the defense wrong, the play does it for them. Much can be learned from Brantley’s offense and watching these players carry out fakes 50 yards down the field. The coaching the Soldotna staff puts into everything they do is shown by their play execution. The results are 11 state championships, including the last seven in a row.

Watch Soldotna’s toughness and run fake ability on offense in these highlights:

Listen to current UC Davis Coach Mark Speckman talk about fakes in the Fly Offense below: