“Let me quiz you.”
I snagged my lower lip between my teeth. “I’m not ready to go without my notes.”
“Use your notes.” He pulled out one of the chairs across the table and picked up the playbook Drew had given me. “Let me look…”
I moved my players into formation.
Fin scrutinized the placement. “What if we’re not inIformation?”
Lifting my face, I met his stare with a furrowed brow. “I hadn’t thought of that.”
“Iformation is the most common. But let me showyou a few others.” He reached for two backs and moved them side by side. “This is the split back.”
“Why would you want a split back formation?”
“It puts the running back and fullback closer to the quarterback. After the snap, the quarterback can easily pass or fake a pass. They both pretend they have the ball and divide the defense.”
A smile curled my lips. “And you can step back and throw down the field.”
“That’s the plan. Line up in split back formation, and I’ll call a play.”
I moved the checkers into the formation he’d just shown me.
“Ready?”
“Ready,” I replied.
“Double right 200 jet dragon.”
I looked down at my notes and back up at Fin.
“Do you?—?”
“Shh.” I left the checkers in split formation but widened the distance between the two backs. The offensive line moved forward, as if ready to block. The running backs both ran aslantwhile the outside receivers ran aninroute. The tight end ran apost. “If he’s open” —I point to the tight end— “he gets the pass. If not, it goes to one of the backs or receivers. That’s your decision.”
“What if they’re all blocked?” he asked.
“It’s hard to say without calculating for the defense.”
Fin reached for the QB checker. “My job is to go through my reads.” He touched each of the eligible receivers. “I move from one to the next, seeing if they’re on the right route and what the defense is doing. If all my targets are covered, I run the ball or ground it. Anything but a sack.”
“Can we do this again?” I asked.
“Sure. Let me show you some other formations.”
Fin explained the twins, ace, trips, empty, and quads formations. With each setup, he explained why it would be called and what likely calls would be used. Each time he read me a call, I checked my notes and moved the checkers.
“We’re pretending this is no-huddle offense,” Fin said. “Huddle calls tend to be longer. You want to try?”
“Yes,” I replied eagerly.
Time got away from us as we moved the checkers over the table.
“Oh my goodness,” I said, looking at my watch. “It’s after seven. Jen didn’t tell me she was leaving.”
“I believe you told her you didn’t want to be disturbed, or that’s what she told me when I arrived.”
My smile lifted my cheeks. “I’m glad you didn’t listen. This” —I motioned to the checkers— “was very helpful.”
