Dive/Trap
As mentioned previously, the series relies on three backs acting in concert to threaten both edges of the defense as well as the middle. Although the typical youth offensive system revolves around the sweep, I'd like you to focus your attention on the middle of the field for a moment.
Whether you choose to run a dive or to trap block the defense or-- as I'll discuss in a couple of weeks-- to run both schemes, attacking the middle of the defense is critical. Because most youth offenses gain yards predominately outside the tackles, most typical youth defenses are set up in a sort of "V" shape designed to contain the edge. Because of this, you can punch large holes in their middle if you set the play up properly-- particularly if they are flying outside to pursue a sweep they are absolutely, positively sure is coming.
To begin the dive/trap play, I recommend running dives on first sound, and traps on your normal cadence. This is not the key it sounds like to the defense if you have one or two other first sound plays in the similar series (Out of the Wing-T, I like a quick toss to the weak side with the split end cracking the outside linebacker. It's a great 3rd&1 play when the defense is committed to the middle and positive you're about to dive.)
I run both the dive and the trap to the weak side of the formation, as you can see in the diagram. I should note that I use two types of terminology:
1) "Cut" -- A Cut is a trap-action play that attacks in the same direction as the sweep. The fullback takes the hand off and 'cuts' behind the pulling guard, into the hole and underneath the pursuit.
2) "Trap" -- A Trap is a trap-action play that attacks in the opposite direction of the pursuit. The full back takes the ball and hits directly into the hole, preferably without slowing down at all.
Both plays have their uses. Against fast-flowing defenses with highly aggressive pursuit, the Cut is a more effective play because it offers cutback opportunities. With less-aggressive pursuit, the Trap is effective and hits a little quicker, generally while the defenders are still trying to spot the ball.
In either case, we will assume a Wing-Right look, so the fullback will be taking the handoff on the left side of the quarterback.
QB:
Begin the cadence in a slightly pigeon-toed stance with your knees held closely together. At the snap, pivot sharply to the left, drawing your left foot back to the 3o'clock position and opening your hips directly towards your own goal line. Put your eyes on the bottom of the fullback's numbers and extend the ball into his pocket with both hands. After he receives the handoff, take a giant step with your left foot directly back towards your goal line, locking your eyes on the crossing halfback's belt buckle. Extend both hands together as if you had the ball and let the halfback wrap his pocket around them, closing as if receiving a handoff.
Your right foot should not have moved yet. Now take a giant step towards your 2o'clock position with your right foot, pulling both hands down to your left hip and pivoting your head sharply around to the right. Lock your eyes on the corner on that side of the field. Take one more giant step with your left foot at the same angle to gain depth, and now head for the sideline as if running a sweep. Make eye contact with any tacklers that approach you, and attempt to dodge them as if you were carrying the ball. Keep your hands locked to your upfield hip and your upper body turned. If you make it to the edge without the defensive end or corner approaching you, signal to your coach that the keep is open. (The signal I use is for the QB to wiggle his facemask.)
The quarterback should practice these steps and actions 20-40 times without any other players present in the drill, until he is perfectly comfortable with the steps necessary.
FB:
Begin the cadence with your elbows on your knees in a comfortable rest position. If the play is on first sound, take your first step without going to a three-point stance. Otherwise, drop to a forward-weighted three-point stance on the quarterback's first sound.
Take your first step directly forward with your right foot, keeping your body low. If the play is the Cut, lock your eyes on the nearest hip of the pulling guard. With your second step (left foot), angle to follow that hip, cutting off the block and up into the hole on your third step (right foot). Look for cutback against the defensive flow after crossing the line of scrimmage.
If the play is a dive or a trap, take your second step (left foot) at 11o'clock into the hole. Stay low and keep your legs driving. Expect to break tackles and protect the ball at all times.
The fullback should get 20-30 reps of these steps before joining the rest of the team.
HB:
Begin the cadence in a comfortable rest position with your weight on the balls of your feet and your elbows resting lightly on your knees. Face directly forward. At the snap, crossover step with your left foot directly across your body to as close to 3o'clock as you can get. The crossover step will pull you slightly forward, which is fine; it brings you closer to the quarterback's second handoff point. Lock your eyes on the defensive end in front of you and receive the quarterback's extended hands on your second step (right foot). Wrap your pocket around the quarterback's hands and grip both sides of your jersey under your armpits until you reach the cut point.
Keep your eyes on that end, and belly slightly back towards your goal line with your third step (left foot). Sprint at full speed directly towards the sideline, cutting up as soon as you make it past the defensive end. Try to make your cut as sharp and close to 90-degrees as possible, getting your shoulders square to the line of scrimmage and gaining as much vertical ground as quickly as you can. Make eye contact with potential tacklers and dodge them as if you were carrying the ball. Make them chase you.
The halfback should get 15-25 reps of these steps by himself before joining the rest of the team.
WB:
Begin the cadence with your left foot splitting the tight end and approximately the same depth in the offensive backfield as the quarterback. Be in a comfortable rest position with your weight on the balls of your feet and your elbows resting lightly on your knees. Face directly forward. If the play is on quarterback's first sound, move from this stance, but if the play is on regular cadence, on the first sound swing your left foot back until your belt buckle is pointing directly at the ball. (Coaching point: Wings tend to rotate too far and end up facing towards the sideline. Stay on them to keep that belt pointing to the ball or they'll be unable to reach block or execute outward breaking steps.)
At the snap, step with your outside (right) foot as close to 3o'clock as possible. Take a second step immediately with the left foot slightly towards the line of scrimmage. Immediately attack the nearest defensive player ON or WITHIN ONE YARD OF the line of scrimmage from your nose outward. Get your head across his body and aim to place your face mask into his outside armpit. Either place your crossed wrists into his near ribs (shoulder block) or your hands together on his near hip (hand block), and run directly through him to the sideline. Do not stop or break contact with the defender until you reach the sideline or hear the whistle.
The wingback should receive 10-15 reps without a defender before a player is placed in the defensive end position. A further 10-25 reps should be gained with this defender moving to various locations: on the line, off the line, head up, inside shade, and outside shade. The wingback must ignore any inside shade defender and execute the reach block aggressively on each rep.
Now here's the best part of series based football: for the remaining plays in the series, if you have properly repped and installed the dive with attention paid to the the correct footwork and the angles, almost everything is already done to install the remaining plays.
Sweep:
QB:
At the snap, pull the ball sharply in to your hips and execute your footwork exactly as in the dive. Do NOT fake a handoff; let the fullback execute an arm-over wrap and enter the line exactly as if he had been handed the ball. On your second step, extend the ball to the halfback and place it securely in his pocket. Execute the remainder of your steps and fakes exactly as you did on the dive!
FB:
At the snap, execute your steps exactly as you do for the dive. As you pass the quarterback, wrap up like you're taking a handoff. Hit the line hard and try to break tackles just as if you were carrying the ball. Fight for ten tough yards and work hard enough to make the defense come to you.
HB:
Align and perform your first step exactly as you do for the dive. Take the handoff from the quarterback on your second step and accelerate to full speed as fast as possible, bellying slightly back from the line of scrimmage. As soon as you get past the defensive end, break downfield, getting as square and as vertical as possible as soon as you can.
WB:
The wingback's assignment does not change for the rest of the running plays in this series, Although it should be noted that a Wingback counter is possible in this series, I generally don't consider it a part of the Buck series, but put it with the Power sequence.
Keep and Waggle
I generally teach the Keep and Pass as one play. My quarterbacks are given the primary instruction to seek a first down on foot first, and only consider throwing the ball when it's wide open. The rule is simple:
"If you can get five yards on first down, a first down, or score without being touched, then tuck the ball and run."
If he is likely to be tackled, he needs to throw the ball, even if he throws it away. I don't like my quarterbacks getting hit, although it doesn't bother me a bit to see them lead blocking, where they control the speed of impact and can protect themselves with their own kinetic energy.
QB:
The quarterback's assignment is identical to the assignment on the dive/trap and sweep plays. He executes both fakes and attacks the perimeter hard. Hopefully, by the time you've called this play in the game, the near defensive end has been set up enough to be abandoning his assignments and crashing down hard rather than keeping a good contain position.
His passing reads are low to high with the backside tight end executing a one step drag across the field, and the backside wing running a short post to cross the nearest safety's face. This should pin that safety in place and prevent him from helping out over the top. The split end is the primary receiver, and should leave the line hard with a three step fade route that brings him between the numbers and the sideline. The ball needs to be thrown over his outside shoulder to prevent the interception.
This is not an easy throw to make. For one thing, the roll out is to the left, and for a right handed quarterback it's difficult. Second, it takes a bit of an arm to make an over the outside shoulder throw. There is one real trick for this:
Practice. The quarterback needs to throw each route at least 75 times before it's called in a game. He needs ample reps at throwing on the run. I have a simple roll out drill that I run each day that I'll detail in a later blog, but for now, understand that he can make the throw, you just have to work it.
FB:
The fullback's assignment does not change for the Keep or Waggle. He needs to hit the line hard, faking as if he has the ball, and run hard enough to draw the defense to him.
HB:
The halfback's assignment does not change for the Keep or Waggle. He needs to attack the perimeter as if he were carrying the football and draw the defense to him by running all out and juking, jiving, and avoiding the tacklers just like he has the ball in his hands.
WB:
The wingback shows reach block with a hard step to the outside with his right foot, and then releases to the inside across the face of any defender aligned outside his nose or over the top of any defender aligned inside him. He runs three steps directly upfield and then angles to run a short post directly in front of the nearest safety. If possible, he should make eye contact and give the safety a friendly nod. This will make any safety plant and immediately attack him. (It's like hypnosis!)
For more information, see:
1. Creehan, Dennis. The Wing-T from A to Z: The Base Plan. [Monterey, Calif.]: Coaches Choice, 1999. Print.
2. Creehan, Dennis. The Wing-T from A to Z: Installing the System. [Monterey, Calif.]: Coaches Choice, 1999. Print.
3. Coverdale, Andrew, and Dan Robinson. The Bunch Attack: Using Compressed, Clustered Formations in the Passing Game. Champaign, IL: Coaches Choice, 1997. Print.
4. Raymond, Harold R., and Ted Kempski. The Delaware Wing-T: the Running Game. Champaign, IL: Coaches Choice, 1998. Print.
5. Gentry, Dan. Football's Mis-direction Wing-T with Multi-points of Attack. Champaign, IL: Coaches Choice, 1997. Print.
6. Cox, Gene. The Multiple Offense. Lake City, FL: Hunter Printing, 1996. Print.
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