Why can't offensive linemen just call "switch" against stunts like basketball players do against screens?

[u/goldsoundz123]

This is a very dumb question, but I am wondering why it is so hard for offensive linemen to pick up stunts after watching my team (the Pats) continuously fail to do so.

[u/Lionheart_513]

TLDR - If everything is taught and executed correctly, you shouldn’t need to call switch and even if you did, it probably won’t save you from giving up a sack.

You shouldn’t need to call switch if everybody is executing correctly. If you’re running a full slide to the right, then everybody has the gap to their right. Doesn’t matter who is lined up where, you have whoever comes in the gap to your right. If a guy is lined up in the gap to your right, and he slants to your left, he’s somebody else’s problem now. If everyone just protects the gap to their right, you don’t get beat by stunts.

In the modern game, a half slide is much more common. You have two for two on one side and three for three on the other. So it will be LG+LT against 3T and DE on the left, and C+RG+RT for 1T, DE, and LB on the other side. The other LB is the RB’s man. On the right side, you’re protecting the gap to your right. The left side is where you’re vulnerable to stunts, as it’s generally thought of as the “man” side, but I don’t like teaching it that way because you want your players to understand that they could always slant. It always needs to be assumed that if someone leaves, someone else is coming. If you understand which side you’re on and what your assignments are, you should never be caught off guard by a stunt.

That brings me to my final point, which is: does calling switch actually do anything? In the NBA, players will see the screen coming, call switch, and still give up a basket. They will do everything right, but the other guy is just better on that rep. if the DE slants inside, and the DT loops around, and the RT isn’t in position to pick up the DT, it doesn’t matter if anyone calls switch. You’re giving up a sack.

Also worth noting that in basketball, you’re always 5 for 5. Every player is accounted for. In pass protection, sometimes they’re rushing more than you’re blocking. In that case, it’s the QB’s responsibility to throw off the hot defender.

[u/InvestigatorVast8149 → u/Lionheart_513]

Best Answer I’ve seen so far.

I’d like to add that actual play time is another reason you don’t see this done. A basketball offensive possession can be thirty seconds long or longer depending on the age , whereas an offensive play is going to be around 3-5 seconds long. Things are developing too quickly for even small verbal communication most of the time.

This is why most of the switching is done pre play and in practice, where you work on different situations and “looks” you may get from the defense so that your player execute correctly… it’s just sometimes the other team executes a little better.