The Flea Flicker in NCAA Football: A Deceptive Weapon
In the dynamic landscape of NCAA football, where strength and athleticism often dictate the game, the element of surprise can be a game-changer. While power plays and well-coached athletes form the foundation of many successful teams, sometimes a touch of deception is needed to gain an edge. This is where trick plays come into play, designed to create confusion and exploit defensive vulnerabilities. Among these, the flea flicker stands out as a classic and often thrilling play.
What is a Flea Flicker?
The flea flicker is a trick play designed to deceive the defense into thinking it's a run play. The quarterback takes the snap and hands it off to the running back, who then laterals the ball back to the quarterback. The quarterback then throws a pass downfield, ideally to a receiver who has been left open due to the defensive misdirection.
The flea flicker is credited to Illinois coach Bob Zuppke, who brought the play to life in a college football game against Penn in 1925. The inventor of the play, Coach Bob Zuppke, described the play as 'the quick flicking action of a dog getting rid of fleas'.
The Purpose of Deception
Like most trick plays, the flea flicker aims to create confusion and chaos within the defense. A typical football defense is very aggressive to the run, and the flea flicker uses that against them. The play is designed to draw the defense into defending against a run and away from defending a pass, leaving the quarterback free from any immediate pass rush, and leaving receivers potentially open to catch a pass as their covering defenders may have moved off the pass looking to tackle a ball carrier. The intention is to capitalize on the momentary lapse in focus as defenders react to what appears to be a running play. The quarterback has to try his best to make the defense believe that he is going to throw the direction he is facing in order to create a clear running lane for the ball-carrier who is going the opposite direction.
In this diagram, when the football gets tossed back to the quarterback the defense will be out of position and set up to defend a run. When the quarterback gets the football back in his hands, the dynamic of the play shifts back to a pass play, and he will start to scan the field for an open receiver. If any of the defensive backs or safeties have reacted to what they believed was a run play, there's a good chance there'll be a wide receiver open downfield. This play is designed to test the discipline of those defenders, making it extremely difficult to defend. As the play is designed to look like a run, the wide receivers and tight ends will come off the line of scrimmage as blockers.
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Variations on the Theme
The basic flea flicker concept has spawned several variations, each with its own unique twist:
- Fake Flea Flicker: This play adds another layer of deception. It's most effective when a team has successfully executed a flea flicker earlier in the game or season, leading the defense to anticipate another one. Purdue pulls off the fake flea-flicker!
- Reverse Flea Flicker (Double Reverse Flea Flicker): This play, often seen in spread offenses, combines the flea flicker with a reverse. The quarterback hands off to a player, who then laterals the ball to a receiver. The throwback flea flicker draws the defense to the outside rather than to the inside as most flea flickers do. The play typically begins with the quarterback pitching the ball to a running back, who runs outside as if the play were a sweep.
- Flea Flicker/Reverse Combination: This play starts as a reverse, with the quarterback handing the ball off to one side. The defense flows in that direction as they recognize the run. However, the player running the reverse then tosses the ball back to the quarterback. The receiver, who initially appears to be blocking, becomes a receiving option. This is a beautiful play design and one that is near impossible for the defense to cover.
Risks and Rewards
Like most trick plays, the flea flicker carries a degree of risk. The handoff and lateral exchange can be fumbled, resulting in a turnover. The biggest risk here is that it takes a precious few seconds to develop, giving the defensive line time to apply pressure when the quarterback gets the ball back. This makes it a sort of all-or-nothing play. However, the potential reward is a big play, often a long touchdown pass, that can shift the momentum of the game.
Examples in Action
The flea flicker has been used in numerous memorable moments in football history:
- Super Bowl XXI: The New York Giants successfully ran a flea flicker play against the Denver Broncos: quarterback Phil Simms passed the ball to receiver Phil McConkey, who ran all the way to the Broncos' 1-yard line before being tackled for a 44-yard gain.
- 2009 NFC Wild Card Round: Kurt Warner successfully completed a flea flicker against the Atlanta Falcons with running back Edgerrin James and wide receiver Larry Fitzgerald. Warner and the Arizona Cardinals were finding early success running the ball in the first quarter of the game, so Warner handed the ball off to James, who ran about two yards towards the line of scrimmage and then turned and pitched the football back five yards to Warner. The pitch was almost unseen as the safeties and linebackers had their views blocked by the defensive line, which was collapsing on the running play.
- 2017 AFC Championship Game: The New England Patriots ran a flea flicker against the Pittsburgh Steelers. Tom Brady handed the ball to running back Dion Lewis, who pitched it back to Brady. Brady then found Chris Hogan for a 34-yard touchdown.
- Alabama vs. Wisconsin: Sophomore receiver Ryan Williams was the star of the moment, turning a flea-flicker into a 75-yard touchdown - Alabama’s longest play from scrimmage so far. Quarterback Ty Simpson handed the ball off before it was pitched back twice - first to Germie Bernard, then back to Simpson. From there, Simpson fired to his left on a screen pass to Williams, who did the rest.
Is Intentional Grounding Possible?
Yes. Some believe that because the football has already changed hands twice by the time the quarterback gets it back, that intentional grounding should be impossible on a flea flicker play. It is not a question of being outside or inside the "tackle box", instead it's about the multiple changes of possession during the play.
Other Trick Plays
The flea flicker is just one example of the many trick plays that coaches use to try to outsmart their opponents. Some other common trick plays include:
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- Hook and Lateral: A receiver runs down along the sideline before hooking toward the center of the field, where he receives the pass. The goal is to have the ball carrier running full speed while the defenders are getting their feet back under them after changing direction. Boise State executed the play flawlessly in the 2007 Fiesta Bowl against Oklahoma.
- Swinging Gate: In one of the most bizarre offensive visuals, the entire offensive line except for the center, as well as all the receivers, line up on one side. This is a play that is run when very short yardage is needed. The idea is to surprise the defense at the unusual formation, as well as the advantages from having so many blockers in order to pick up a few yards.
- Unexpected Snap: The quarterback appears to not be ready for the snap to happen, as he is either calling out audibles or talking to the coaches or another player. Therefore, when the snap happens unexpectedly, it will often not be in the best defensive position. Clemson did just that, with an end-around leading to a pass to a wide-open Tajh Boyd in the end zone.
- Fake Punt: The team lines up in a punt formation but chooses to go for a first down or score rather than actually punt it away. A successful attempt can be very deflating for the defense that thought it was going to get off the field. This one by Texas Tech was done perfectly, with the punter selling it well enough to get the defense to lay off him and then some great downfield blocking allowing him to score untouched.
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