CLEAR! The ride is on. It’s football season. Today we’re reminiscing with some PLL players’ glory days clips, discussing “the fullbacks of lacrosse,” and more. Let’s go!

1. Football is back

The NFL returns tonight at 8:20PM ET as the Kansas City Chiefs host the Houston Texans.

I’ll be rooting for Bill Belichick’s Patriots, former Penn State midfielder Chris Hogan (NYJ), once no. 29 ranked recruit Sam Hubbard (CIN), and five-sport (!!!) high school star Ty Montgomery (NO).

And I’m hoping that free agents Alex Collins and Stephen Hauschka find homes soon.

2. Friday Night Lights memories 

Some clips from PLL players’ gridiron glory days:

• Brendan Fowler was a nasty linebacker (who also played football at Duke). The lack of a song in his highlight reel leaves you with the sound of him crunching opposing quarterbacks and anyone who dares to come across the middle. Listen to this hit at 0:29. Ouch!
• Here’s Bryan Costabile throwing 24 touchdowns and rushing for another nine.
• To nobody’s surprise, Joel Tinney’s highlight reel begins with him turning a jet sweep upfield then catching a slant across the middle. Dude does not shy away from dangerous areas.
• I can’t imagine many high school football teams had success with sweeps to Pat Harbeson’s side of the field.
• Deemer Class's deception sets up this screen. Stay for the concentration at 2:30.
• And, of course, here’s eight-plus minutes of Connor Farrell shedding blocks and burying running backs.

It's easy to see how each of those players' lacrosse skill sets influenced their role on the football field, and vice versa.

3. Crease attackmen, the fullbacks of lacrosse

For a few years the NFL was trending toward spread offenses. Three- and four-wide receiver sets dominated. The Los Angeles Rams’ rushing attack out of its 11 personnel (one running back, one tight end) seemed revolutionary. With slot receivers who can block like Cooper Kupp plus head coach Sean McVay’s misdirection, who needs fullbacks to run the ball?

That trend didn't last long. Fullbacks are back.

Per Warren Sharp, the most efficient personnel grouping in the NFL last year was 21 personnel (two running backs, one tight end, two wide receivers).

21 personnel finished first in yards per play, EPA per play, and success rate. Six of the seven teams that deployed 21 personnel most frequently made the postseason. As defenses have substituted size for speed to respond to spread offenses, offenses are now bulking up to play physical.

We’ve seen the same boomerang in lacrosse with crease attackmen. Attack lines with three dodge-to-shoot threats were en vogue, especially at the pro level. Now, the spacing that an inside threat provides has pushed most coaches to swap one dodger out for a finisher.

Looking in the rearview mirror, the turning point for this change came in the 2019 Championship, when the Whipsnakes substituted Jay Carlson for Ryan Drenner, and the Redwoods put Wes Berg on attack to run Jules Heningburg out of the box.

The trend continued in 2020. The Whips inserted Carlson into the lineup full-time. Chrome added Matt Gaudet, whose hands and jaw each have a gravitational pull on two slides. Chaos’ season turned around when Miles Thompson took Connor Fields’ spot. Those three have a knack for both getting open and for getting their teammates open.