Since it’s incorporation into the Flexbone Offense, the Toss or Rocket Toss depending on the nomenclature you use, has become one of the staple plays of the offense. One that is essential to any Flexbone attack. Initially it’s imperative that we explain what the Toss is and why it’s used. A future series of articles will cover the variety of ways you can fix your Rocket Toss once it’s production starts to falter.
According to Flexbone coaches at the Division-One level, Rocket Toss should be run when the widest playside inside linebacker blitzes. Statistically speaking the playside linebacker is the player most likely to make the tackle against the Flexbone Offense. The primary reason Rocket Toss doesn’t work is that the playside inside linebacker makes the tackle from his initial alignment. Toss takes advantage of the predicament the defense finds itself in when this linebacker cannot scrape over the top to make the play. Although I haven’t examined the statistics from this season; previous seasons have indicated that Navy and Georgia Tech utilize Rocket Toss about 10% of the time.
The second most vital reason to run Rocket Toss is when the Offensive Tackle is collided with on Triple Option, in an attempt to prevent the Offensive Tackle from getting to the second level. This can occur against the 9-tech in the double eagle, or the 9-tech in 5-2/3-4 defenses. It can also occur against teams that stunt heavily and attempt to collision the playside tackle in the process. The defensive look this is most prevalent against are 4-3 teams (usually with tight rather than wide outside linebackers). In these cases the defense loses force and the ball should be pitched to the unforced area. A colliding force player is not as common against defenses with an overhang defender outside the A-Back such as a 3-3 or 4-4 defense.
These two scenarios are the two preeminent reasons to run Rocket Toss. Nonetheless there are several tertiary reasons to run Toss. If the defense is aligned tightly in the box (4-3); you can out leverage the defense either out of the base spread alignment or out of another formation; your execution of the play is spectacular either by execution or by the sheer ability of your players; or the defense’s failure to react to Rocket motion. These are all reasons to run Toss, although not the two dominant reasons.
Rocket Toss Rules
QB – Open to 4/8 o’clock, toss the ball to the A-Back outside the playside A-Back, carry out fake.
B – Go opposite the call and wall off the 1st threat outside the backside tackle.
PSA – Stalk/Switch vs Cover 2
PSWR – Stalk/Switch vs. Cover 2
BSA – Toss Route
BSWR – Cutoff
PST – Open, run flat to the sideline, get outside the first defender to your outside then turn upfield toward the goal line. Block first threat
PSG – Open, run flat to the sideline, get outside the first defender to your outside then turn upfield toward the goal line. Block first threat
C – Scoop
BSG – Scoop
BST – Scoop
Rocket Toss vs. 4-4
Rocket Toss to the Weakside of Heavy
Rocket Toss to Heavy
Rocket Toss vs. 4-3
Photo: Nick Wass/AP
Flexbone Association 
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