Prelude to a play

Sporting News, The, Sept 7, 1998 by Terry Frei

After the huddle breaks, there's a whirlwind of activity on the field. And that's before the ball is even snapped.

As Ohio State quarterback Joe Germaine calls the play, his back is to the line of scrimmage and his teammates are facing him. The Buckeyes' linemen are in front, the running backs and receivers behind them, and all are straining to hear. Or see. "I'm standing on my tippy-toes,' says tailback Michael Wiley, the 6-footer behind the behemoths.

This Ohio State play might be about to unfold on Saturday, when the Buckeyes open the season at West Virginia Yet it could be any game, even the November 21 showdown against Michigan at Ohio Stadium. In the 15-or-so seconds between the break of the huddle and the snap, the offensive players must do much more than simply meander to the line of scrimmage, get in their stance and wait for the snap. The Buckeyes must look. Think. Interpret. Listen. Communicate. Nothing "happens," but these moments between the huddle and the snap are a critical prelude to every play, involving one of the most underrated--and misunderstood--elements of the game.

Because this sort of scenario also takes place between the Sanford Stadium hedges at the University of Georgia, on the tradition-drenched grass at the Los Angeles Coliseum, even on the field at the Yale Bowl, this experience can be extrapolated to just about any college team. As were about to get inside the Buckeyes' heads for the moments between the huddle and snap, discussing a generic play and many variations, keep in mind that the timetable can be altered. It can be compressed by quick snap counts or the urgency of the play clock, or it can be extended by audibles. But 15 seconds is about the average.

Like other good quarterbacks, Germaine can exude confidence with his voice and exhort with sweeping glances through the huddle, and that's what he is doing now as he. calls the play. After sharing the job with the run-oriented Stanley Jackson the past two seasons, Germaine has taken over as the undisputed No. 1 for '98 and has the veteran's; voice of authority in the huddle and the cadence.

Now, Germaine is setting the snap count. It could be on the "first sound"--Germaine's first utterance at the line of scrimmage--or on any specified "hut." If this is the typical play, Germaine will have made a specific call; but on many occasions, he calls two plays in the huddle as a "check-with-me" scenario. "We have talked over base rules about all of this," Germaine says, "and if we have a `check-with-me,' it might be a run to the left arid a run to the right called. If they're trying to take away one side, I'll go with the other play." That audible-like call during his cadence will specify which play the Buckeyes will run.

This time, he has called one play to run against the Mountaineers. Just one. "On two."

"As soon as I hear the play," center Kurt Murphy says, "the first thing I'm thinking about is what side of the formation is our strength."

The hands clap, some of them muffled by gloves, and the huddle breaks. Flanker Dee Miller and tight end John Lumpkin head to one side of the formation, split end David Boston the other way. They might even have to politely cross paths coming out of the huddle. The linemen peel around Germaine.

In the stands, play-calling is being debated, plans are formulated for after the game, requests are made for another soda (or whatever). The uproar is largely unrelenting, yet generally indecipherable.

"First thing I look at when I break the huddle is the play dock, to see how much time we have to get the ball snapped," Germaine says. This is either a function of how fast the offensive messenger arrived or the signals were deciphered from the sideline. The Buckeyes get the play to Germaine both ways, and the signaling system will be the most common this season. On this play, there is a lot of time.

Miller, a standout senior, often at this point is a thespian, "If they've called a pass play, `Yeah!' "he says. "I'm thinking about making a big and taking it for the distance, or making the big catch. But you have to play it cool. You cant break the huddle and head up there with a whole new burst of energy because the defensive back will be thinking, `He's going to be trying to go by me.'"

If it's a running play, the ball most likely will go to Wiley. "As we're breaking the huddle," Wiley says, "my rust key is to look at the guard or tackle I'm going to be going off of. But the main thing not giving it away."

Boston and Miller, who have more ground to cover to get in pre-snap position, are hurrying. The linemen are doing something between a walk and a jog. The backs, Wiley and fullback Matt Keller, aren't in a hurry; because they are nearly where they will align in the I-formation or as split backs.

Kurt Murphy and senior left guard Rob Murphy are not related, except in body type and similar demeanors. Rob would have been a consensus All-American last season if a knee injury hadn't hampered him. The two Murphys are approaching the line of scrimmage, side-by-side, like two huge Irish brothers serving as bodyguards for Sinead O'Connor after a concert.