Building an Unstoppable Stretch Package with Answers to Defensive Adjustments

with Bill Pekarek,
St. James Academy (KS), Assistant Football Coach;
2020 & 2021 Kansas 4A State High School Football Champions;
Over 40 years as a football coach, including 30 years as a head coach

As Tom Radke, head football coach at St. James Academy builds his football program toward a goal of sustained success and continued championship aspirations, one of the coaching minds he taps into and relies upon heavily is Bill Pekarek. Coach Pekarek, with over 40 years of coaching under his belt, including 30 years as a head coach, adds a combination of knowledge and first-hand experience to the St. James Academy program.

In this highly valuable instructional coaching video, Coach Pekarek offers a deep-dive look at one of his favorite offensive weapons: the Stretch Package run game, as well as critical information and insight on countering defensive adjustments to keep opposing defenses off-balance and guessing.

Stretch Package Essentials
Providing the insight and detail that only a coach with 40+ years of hands-on experience can offer, Coach Pekarek pulls back the curtain on installing, teaching and executing a dynamic Stretch Package that fits perfectly into the tenets of modern offense and takes advantage of how defenses will try to stop it.

Using a whiteboard presentation to illustrate the Xs and Os of the Stretch Run Game, Pekarek showcases how to build the scheme from the ground up by beginning with an informative breakdown of the O-line including information, regarding stance, hand-placement, steps, execution keys, getting off-the ball on snaps and blocking assignments and player responsibilities for each position.

Coach Pekarek provides details on blocking a variety of defenses and the different looks that defenses may throw at you during the course of a game, including defenders to attack, offensive ‘counters-to-the-counters,’ both on the play-side and backside of each play.

From there, Pekarek provides the answers to handling a variety of blitzes your linemen will inevitably encounter and what opposing defenses may throw at you from a deception standpoint.

Moving to the backfield, Pekarek offers critical insight on the actions, rules and responsibilities for each back position and the keys to successful execution on Stretch Plays.

Dynamic Stretch Game: Using Play-Action, Bootleg Plays
Coach Pekarek sheds light on what makes a Stretch Package dynamic and complimentary to your pass game by explaining how to effectively utilize Stretch Plays versus the 3-4 Defense, a 4-3 Targeting the 1 Technique and a 4-3 Targeting the 3 Technique.

Additionally, Pekarek offers must-see information on the blocking rules for the playside WR and backside blocking responsibilities against each of those defenses.

Once you’ve had success running your own stretch package, as opposing defenses begin to key on your runs and creep toward the LOS, it’s time to add ‘stretch play-action game’ into the equation. Pekarek showcases detailed information on his best Stretch Plays, including: play-action blocking (60 protection) versus a 3-4 defense, play-action Stretch Pirate, play-action Stretch-Y Gator and play-action blocking (60 protection) versus a 4-3 that attacks the 3-technique.

No Stretch Package would be complete without an explosive Bootleg Pass that adds to the unexpected nature of countering the defensive adjustments. Coach Pekarek diagrams his tried-and-true, game-tested Bootleg Plays with Boot Pass versus a 3-4 defense, Boot Pass versus a 4-3 defense (targeting the 1-technique’s actions) and using a Boot Pass versus a 4-3 defense that targets the 3-technique’s actions.

In this one video, Coach Pekarek offers a litany of detailed information that coaches at all levels can use to either install an unpredictable Stretch Package into their offense or refine and energize their current Stretch Package.

Tap into Coach Pekarek’s 40+ years of successful coaching experience with the valuable Stretch Package information unveiled in this must-see video!

49 minutes. 2025.