Geelong Buccaneers

2026 Vicbowl Squad

Buccaneers

2026

Team room · what are we working on?

Offence

Offensive quiz

Defence Coming soon

Defensive quiz

The defensive playbook is with the coaches being modified. It lands here the day they hand it over.

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How to read a call

The call, word by word

Every call in this book is built the same way, front to back:

1 · formationI Right 2 · motion (optional)Z Close 3 · the play44 Power 4 · tag (optional)Z Reverse

So “I Right Z Close 44 Power Z Reverse” reads: line up in I Right, Z motions in close, run the 44 Power look, ball comes back to Z on the reverse. That’s the longest call in the book — and you just read it.

Step 1 · the formation — where everyone stands

I: F and H stacked in a straight line behind the QB. Right / Left is the strong side.
Open: Tag on I — same backfield, but Y splits off the line instead of staying attached.
Twins: Tag on I — both WRs move to the same side.
Offset: F kicks out to one side instead of stacking behind the QB.
Spread: One back deep. Right / Left tells Y and Z which side they own.
Tight: Tag on Spread — Y stays attached to the tackle like a true tight end instead of flexing out.
Trips: Three receivers to the called side.
Bunch: The trips trio squeezed into a tight cluster.

Step 2 · run numbers — who carries, where it hits

Two digits: first digit is the ball carrier, second is the hole. Every run in this book starts with 4 — that’s H, the deep back.

Even hole = right of centre. Odd = left. Bigger number = wider. 42 ISO hammers just right of the centre. 44 Power hits off the right guard. 48 Stretch races for the right edge. Flip to 41, 43, 47 and it’s the same play mirrored left.

Step 3 · run words — how it’s blocked

Power: Backside guard pulls through the hole, F kicks out the end man, H follows the puller downhill. Two extra bodies at the point of attack.
ISO: Straight lead run. F isolates the linebacker, H reads him and hits inside or outside the playside guard. No pull — just downhill speed.
Stretch: Outside zone. The whole line steps playside and H strings it to the edge, cutting up the moment a lane shows.
Jet Sweep: The jet-motion man takes the hand-off at full sprint around the corner.
Reverse: Tag — after the sweep look, the ball comes back against the grain to the tagged player.

Step 4 · pass words — the concept

Stick: Y hitches (“sticks”) at five yards with a back in the flat underneath him. Quick game — the ball is out in two seconds.
Up: Tag on Stick — the sticker fakes his hitch and takes off deep. The shot play for when they start jumping the stick.
Officer: Both outside WRs push vertical to clear space. Y runs the out with H in the flat under him — a high-low on the flat defender.
Play 35: Flood. Both WRs go deep while Y, F and H layer the same sideline at three different depths.
Swing: Two-back play only. Both backs swing wide out of the backfield — quick look to Z first, then dump it and let them run.

Step 5 · play action — the run is a lie

A run’s name plus one of these words means the run never happens — sell the fake.

Waggle: Fake the named run, QB rolls the other way behind protection. Comeback deep, drag coming underneath late — and the last read is always RUN it yourself.
Naked: Same fake, but the QB boots with nobody in front of him. Ball comes out fast or he wears the hit.
POP: Sell the run so the linebackers bite, then Y pops into the grass behind them. One look, one shot.

Motions — one man moving before the snap

Across: Crosses the whole formation to the other side.
Close: Tucks in to a wing — a yard outside and a yard back from the end man on the line.
Out: Leaves the backfield or tight spot to become a slot receiver.
Jet: Full sprint in front of the QB — a hand-off threat at the snap.
Orbit: Loops behind the QB. Built to smell like a reverse.

“v 3-4”, “v 4-4” — not a new play

Same call, drawn against that defensive front so you can see how the blocking rules change. Learn the base play and the versions come free.

The five-second read

Staring at a diagram in the quiz? Work it in this order:

1 · Backfield: Two backs stacked = I. F kicked wide = Offset. One back deep = Spread or Trips — count receivers per side.
2 · Lines: Routes everywhere = pass. Blocks plus one carry line = run.
3 · If run: Which hole does the carry hit? That’s the number. Guard pulling = Power. F leading straight in = ISO. Chasing the edge = Stretch.
4 · If pass: Find Y. Hitch at five = Stick. Out with H underneath = Officer. QB rolling off a fake = Waggle or Naked. Y popping over the middle = POP.
5 · Motion: Dashed pre-snap line = the motion tag in the call. Jet sprint = sweep threat.

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Assignments

Traced from the 2026 Offence playbook, page . Tap a position to spotlight it. Keys: space play/pause, ← → change play. New to the calls? How to read a call.