Michael Gray is an ASU Cronkite School of Journalism student assigned to cover NFL Yet College Prep Academy for AZPreps365.com

PHOENIX –  Maurice “Coach Mo” Streety, head football coach at NFL Yet College Prep, deploys a military-style offense built on discipline, repetition and the run game to help his players thrive. 

The term “military style” originates from the fact that this style of offense is most commonly used by service academies at the college level, such as Army, Navy and Air Force.

This style of offense utilizes misdirection, unusual formations and a diverse run game to confuse defenses. The academies rely on this offense consisting of triple-option plays, physicality and misdirection to maximize effort and discipline over flash and talent.

“We typically run the wishbone where there are a lot of guys on the line,” said offensive and defensive line coach Daniel Sainz. Sainz said they often line up with two tight ends, five offensive linemen and a quarterback under center.

Streety said that there were no football activities taking place from last November to June when he took the head coaching position.

With the abundance of inexperience and lack of grade-A talent that other schools have at their disposal like the service academies, Streety uses the military offense to teach his players to be quick, physical and disciplined. 

The service academies also don't have the pick of the lot of high school talent as traditionally they don't recruit four- or five-star talents to their schools. 

This is because their paths to the NFL would become complicated as they’d need a waiver to defer their military commitment. 

Streety said that there are only about five players with any football experience prior to playing for NFL Yet. Sainz said they “keep it simple” with inside zone and stretch runs. 

“I think it helps maintain the repetition of everything.” Sainz said "So it's pretty much the same thing, you drill it into their head so many times, they're bound to catch it.”

Senior lineman Deshun’je Brown said he had no football experience before this season. He said this offense has helped him and the other linemen learn more about blocking. 

“We're trying to do a lot of run plays,” Brown said. “We are learning to get into gaps, and it's teaching us which side we should block.”

“We've been working together on blocking and learning how to block during certain plays,” said Brown. 

Streety said that they run the ball about 90% of the time. “We have to run the ball,  it's hard for us to throw it,” said Streety.

Streety said their quarterback, Joseph Rodriguez, had been out injured for four weeks, which didn’t help their passing game.

Sophomore wide receiver and defensive back Julyan Segura said this offense gives him confidence despite the lack of passing. 

“We practice our blocking skills a lot, so it makes me feel a little more confident,” said Segura. “I get to see if I'm improving.”

Segura said it helps his strength and physicality, which he uses on the defensive side of the ball as well.