Offensive linemen
Dive/Trap
I've been referring to this as the "Dive/Trap" for a reason. Let's be honest, without some killer offensive linemen, most youth offenses gain precisely squat on the dive play. It typically relies on man-on-man blocking, and without the mechanical advantages to drive physically superior defensive linemen off the ball, your offensive line is at a disadvantage.
However, there are some reasons to run a pure dive with base blocking. This took me a long time to understand, but here's the basic gist of it: when you angle block all the time, defenders learn to expect the assault to hit them from an angle, and set themselves to repel your charge back along that same axis of inertia. Well, if he's going to be kind enough to try to angle himself away from the play, we can help him with a simple explosive base block that stays low and gets into his hips, driving him out even more.
Showing posts with label Wing-T. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Wing-T. Show all posts
Wednesday, October 5, 2011
Wednesday, September 28, 2011
Wednesday, September 21, 2011
A Dissection of a Series (Part Two)
Last week I discussed the basic Buck Sweep action from the Wing-T and how it can be easily incorporated into virtually any offensive system, allowing for a four-play series that simultaneously threatens both perimeters, the center of the offensive formation, and the downfield area. This series has been one of the most successful in the history of football, and today I want to discuss the basic backfield actions.
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.
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.
Wednesday, September 14, 2011
A Dissection of a Series (Part One)
Today I want to begin a series of articles on sequence-based football. The objective behind sequence football (also called "series" football) is to make every play look as closely similar as possible at the snap and for the first few steps into the play. This forces the defenders to commit based on what they think is happening, and a properly constructed series will place a defender in the wrong position most of the time by default; whatever action he has to take to put himself in position to defend play "A" of the series will take him out of position for play "C" of the series, and so on.
At the youth level, the most dangerous play is usually the sweep. There are a lot of reasons for this, but one that sometimes is forgotten is instinct. If you give a player a ball and tell him to run away from the defense, he runs to where he sees open field, usually to either side. Then he turns downfield and heads for the goal line. The sweep in my playbook doesn't work because I'm a great coach, but because of the natural instinct an athlete has to run away from where there are tacklers.
So, if most youth coaches are going to run some sort of sweep, let's look at a series that starts there, and expands in all directions while still staying true to the idea of series-based football.
Perhaps no system is more focused on series football than the venerable and efficient Wing-T. Developed in the early 1940's as an extension of the under-center T-formation, the Wing-T allowed the offensive coach to force the defense to respect both sides of the formation as a run threat, but in different ways.
Shown in the diagram above, the base formation features a "Wing" on one side, with a tight end and a back in close proximity to one another, allowing for double teams on the defensive end, as well as providing a natural rub angle for bunch passing attacks. On the weak side, the end is split 7-10 yards from the tackle, not necessarily to isolate him for the passing game, but to give him an excellent crack angle for a down block that can spring the quick pitch sweep.
In the backfield, a halfback sits approximately four yards deep and with his outside foot splitting the tail of the tackle on his side. A fullback aligns anywhere from four and a half to five yards depth directly behind the quarterback. His depth should depend on his acceleration and allow him to reach almost full speed before striking a hole opening in the center of the formation.
The series I want to talk about here is the "20" series in standard Wing-T nomenclature, or the "Buck Sweep," as it is also known. You can find it in just about any offense, and from almost any formation, but it always features three distinct parts:
1) A fullback play that strikes directly between the guards. Whether this is a "Cut" (playside trap) like the Vallotton Double Wing, or the 124 Guard Trap out of the traditional Wing-T, or an inside zone out of a Split-Back Pro look, or even simply a dive out of the I-Formation, this play forces the inside linebackers to honor it first and foremost before pursuing the sweep that is the horizontal stretch.
2) A halfback sweep action that attacks the perimeter almost immediately at the snap and is executed as close to simultaneously to the dive action as can be timed on the field. This play usually relies on the speed of the halfback to get around the corner, but great gains can be made if the defense overpursues and the back can cut against the grain. You see this play as the traditional "Packer sweep" and also in the pros "end around". (Which is not a reverse, no matter what Joe Theismann says.)
3) A combination quarterback keep/rollout pass play that occurs almost immediately after the sweep action and forces the defense to react simultaneously across both perimeter points of attack. Since defenses usually structure their pursuit to "roll towards" a sweep, allowing the corners and outside linebackers to force the ball back inside, two perimeter attacks at one time has the effect of drawing the defense apart down the middle, opening the way for the fullback.
3a) With the addition of a couple of slight adjustments to the eligible receivers and their pass routes, a "Waggle" play can be added to the quarterback keep, allowing for a run/pass option that again forces the defense out of position; a corner rolling up to prevent the run has almost no ability to defend a pass thrown over his head. He is entirely dependent on the free safety assistance over the top, and if the free safety is reacting to the perceived dive or sweep on the other side of the field, he will be well out of position to assist on the pass.
What makes this series so effective, especially at the youth level, is the conservation of effort that it allows. By practicing the series without footballs and focusing on the steps each player must take no matter where the ball goes, it is possible to make the entire series look almost identical. This means, for the first few seconds after the snap, the defense has absolutely no clue whatsoever where the ball is or where it is going.
When I have installed this series, whether from out of a Wing-T look, or the I-Formation, or even my beloved Double Wing, I generally rep it with the offensive backfield some 150-200 times without a football. Although this sounds like a lot, it really isn't. I'm using just the backs, and the timing drill we work on every day allows us to get approximately 40 reps every ten minutes during our individual period each day. (Indo usually features a five minute drill of some manner, such as exchanges or ball security or aggressive running, and then 20-25 minutes of timing work where we perfect the backfield actions of each play.)
In most offenses that are not series-focused, each play should receive 150-200 reps of the backfield actions before seeing game day grass. That means the four plays described, if they were broken among a typical grab-bag youth offense, would require 150x4=600 reps to perfect.
With a series-based format, however, the entire series can be repped in the same amount of time. I'm sure you can see the benefits. (Now get tricky: find 4-8 offensive formations that allow you to run the same series without altering any of the responsibilities. Now flip those formations and run the same sets and actions to the other side of the field. To the defense, it looks like you have 400 potential plays, but your offense is only learning one four-play series and eight formations! This is what I mean when I say "simply complex.")
While the backfield is working to perfect their movements, the offensive line divides their time into a) learning the assignments for that day's two plays from the series (generally starting with the trap/dive first and then the sweep second), and b) getting reps of plays previously installed.
During team time (anywhere from 20-45 minutes, depending on the time of year and how much of the offense is installed), we focus on running the specific plays called on to rehearse during that day's practice against a myriad of defensive fronts (Gap-8, 7-1, 6-2, 5-3, 4-4, etc) in the preseason, and against our next opponent's most likely defense in the regular season. During this period, we teach the line to make any necessary calls against a defensive front, how to react to blitzing linebackers, and we can even "front load" the next day's offensive line responsibilities. The backs should focus during this period on faking correctly; series-based systems fail miserably when they don't fool the defense.
It's with no small amount of pleasure that I see the Wing-T sliding downward in popularity against the "sexier" Spread-based offenses that have been the craze since about 2004. This means that the most popular and effective offense in history is becoming less and less well known to defensive coordinators, increasing your chances of success with it.
Don't forget that this one series is just a tiny, tiny fraction of what the Wing-T has to offer you, should you choose to run it, and equally important is the knowledge that you can run the Buck Sweep series as part of virtually any offensive system, from the West Coast to the Run and Shoot, if you keep to the simply principles I've outlined and force the defense to honor a dive/trap, sweep, and keep/pass all at the same time!
It works.
Next week I'll talk more about the responsibilities of the offensive backfield in this series.
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.
At the youth level, the most dangerous play is usually the sweep. There are a lot of reasons for this, but one that sometimes is forgotten is instinct. If you give a player a ball and tell him to run away from the defense, he runs to where he sees open field, usually to either side. Then he turns downfield and heads for the goal line. The sweep in my playbook doesn't work because I'm a great coach, but because of the natural instinct an athlete has to run away from where there are tacklers.
So, if most youth coaches are going to run some sort of sweep, let's look at a series that starts there, and expands in all directions while still staying true to the idea of series-based football.
Perhaps no system is more focused on series football than the venerable and efficient Wing-T. Developed in the early 1940's as an extension of the under-center T-formation, the Wing-T allowed the offensive coach to force the defense to respect both sides of the formation as a run threat, but in different ways.
Shown in the diagram above, the base formation features a "Wing" on one side, with a tight end and a back in close proximity to one another, allowing for double teams on the defensive end, as well as providing a natural rub angle for bunch passing attacks. On the weak side, the end is split 7-10 yards from the tackle, not necessarily to isolate him for the passing game, but to give him an excellent crack angle for a down block that can spring the quick pitch sweep.
In the backfield, a halfback sits approximately four yards deep and with his outside foot splitting the tail of the tackle on his side. A fullback aligns anywhere from four and a half to five yards depth directly behind the quarterback. His depth should depend on his acceleration and allow him to reach almost full speed before striking a hole opening in the center of the formation.
The series I want to talk about here is the "20" series in standard Wing-T nomenclature, or the "Buck Sweep," as it is also known. You can find it in just about any offense, and from almost any formation, but it always features three distinct parts:
1) A fullback play that strikes directly between the guards. Whether this is a "Cut" (playside trap) like the Vallotton Double Wing, or the 124 Guard Trap out of the traditional Wing-T, or an inside zone out of a Split-Back Pro look, or even simply a dive out of the I-Formation, this play forces the inside linebackers to honor it first and foremost before pursuing the sweep that is the horizontal stretch.
2) A halfback sweep action that attacks the perimeter almost immediately at the snap and is executed as close to simultaneously to the dive action as can be timed on the field. This play usually relies on the speed of the halfback to get around the corner, but great gains can be made if the defense overpursues and the back can cut against the grain. You see this play as the traditional "Packer sweep" and also in the pros "end around". (Which is not a reverse, no matter what Joe Theismann says.)
3) A combination quarterback keep/rollout pass play that occurs almost immediately after the sweep action and forces the defense to react simultaneously across both perimeter points of attack. Since defenses usually structure their pursuit to "roll towards" a sweep, allowing the corners and outside linebackers to force the ball back inside, two perimeter attacks at one time has the effect of drawing the defense apart down the middle, opening the way for the fullback.
3a) With the addition of a couple of slight adjustments to the eligible receivers and their pass routes, a "Waggle" play can be added to the quarterback keep, allowing for a run/pass option that again forces the defense out of position; a corner rolling up to prevent the run has almost no ability to defend a pass thrown over his head. He is entirely dependent on the free safety assistance over the top, and if the free safety is reacting to the perceived dive or sweep on the other side of the field, he will be well out of position to assist on the pass.
What makes this series so effective, especially at the youth level, is the conservation of effort that it allows. By practicing the series without footballs and focusing on the steps each player must take no matter where the ball goes, it is possible to make the entire series look almost identical. This means, for the first few seconds after the snap, the defense has absolutely no clue whatsoever where the ball is or where it is going.
When I have installed this series, whether from out of a Wing-T look, or the I-Formation, or even my beloved Double Wing, I generally rep it with the offensive backfield some 150-200 times without a football. Although this sounds like a lot, it really isn't. I'm using just the backs, and the timing drill we work on every day allows us to get approximately 40 reps every ten minutes during our individual period each day. (Indo usually features a five minute drill of some manner, such as exchanges or ball security or aggressive running, and then 20-25 minutes of timing work where we perfect the backfield actions of each play.)
In most offenses that are not series-focused, each play should receive 150-200 reps of the backfield actions before seeing game day grass. That means the four plays described, if they were broken among a typical grab-bag youth offense, would require 150x4=600 reps to perfect.
With a series-based format, however, the entire series can be repped in the same amount of time. I'm sure you can see the benefits. (Now get tricky: find 4-8 offensive formations that allow you to run the same series without altering any of the responsibilities. Now flip those formations and run the same sets and actions to the other side of the field. To the defense, it looks like you have 400 potential plays, but your offense is only learning one four-play series and eight formations! This is what I mean when I say "simply complex.")
While the backfield is working to perfect their movements, the offensive line divides their time into a) learning the assignments for that day's two plays from the series (generally starting with the trap/dive first and then the sweep second), and b) getting reps of plays previously installed.
During team time (anywhere from 20-45 minutes, depending on the time of year and how much of the offense is installed), we focus on running the specific plays called on to rehearse during that day's practice against a myriad of defensive fronts (Gap-8, 7-1, 6-2, 5-3, 4-4, etc) in the preseason, and against our next opponent's most likely defense in the regular season. During this period, we teach the line to make any necessary calls against a defensive front, how to react to blitzing linebackers, and we can even "front load" the next day's offensive line responsibilities. The backs should focus during this period on faking correctly; series-based systems fail miserably when they don't fool the defense.
It's with no small amount of pleasure that I see the Wing-T sliding downward in popularity against the "sexier" Spread-based offenses that have been the craze since about 2004. This means that the most popular and effective offense in history is becoming less and less well known to defensive coordinators, increasing your chances of success with it.
Don't forget that this one series is just a tiny, tiny fraction of what the Wing-T has to offer you, should you choose to run it, and equally important is the knowledge that you can run the Buck Sweep series as part of virtually any offensive system, from the West Coast to the Run and Shoot, if you keep to the simply principles I've outlined and force the defense to honor a dive/trap, sweep, and keep/pass all at the same time!
It works.
Next week I'll talk more about the responsibilities of the offensive backfield in this series.
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.
Tuesday, June 21, 2011
Blocking Schemes and the Wing-T
(Originally posted on July 16th, 2008)
Lately I have been receiving some very good questions via email, and for some reason there seems to be a resurgence of interest in the Wing-T as an offensive system. Whether it has to do with the mighty Bellevue Wolverines and the hammerings they’ve been doling out or some other factor, I think it’s a good thing.
Most of the questions I’ve been asked tend to revolve around blocking schemes for the system. This is the aspect of offensive football that most youth coaches have trouble with, because it’s the most complex, and also the least covered by network TV analysts and professional camera angles. (Another reason I find NFL football boring, since the offensive line, and not the ball, is the most fun for me to watch.)
I got the following via email, and I think it’s a good question:
Hi Coach Wade.
You have some great articles on your site. I'm an experienced basketball and flag football coach, but have been asked to be the OC for 13-14 year old team this year. Many of our players have played in the wing-T for a few years, and I have a decent laymans understanding of the plays/concepts. That said, my understanding of the blocking rules & techniques is poor. As I try to learn more I see a lot of incomplete or inconsistent info available on blocking rules. Do you have a summary of the blocking rules for the base wing-T series? I have seen the playbook download on the site, but this does not address changing fronts. Any other advice would be great also.
There’s a lot of ground to cover when we’re talking about blocking rules, especially when we’re talking about blocking rules for the Wing-T. At last count there were two dozen potential series available for the basic Wing-T, and coaches are developing new ways to use the common formations to attack the defense all the time.
The Wing-T can be a very complex offense to use, not least because it's so damn versatile. An example is Gene Cox's Multiple Offense (ISBN: 0966967208) from his book by the same name. His 'basic' terminology alone takes up four full pages. Sometimes the same play is blocked three or four ways against the same front, with no real explanation as to why.
Thanks to a decade or more of coaching experience, much of it under the patient and expert tutelage of Leon Feliciano at Tomales high school, I can now figure out that what these alternative blocking schemes give you is a different way to attack stud players in various positions. A stud defensive tackle, for example, can be charlie blocked. A stud outside linebacker can be kicked out, and the ultimate target is still the same point of the defensive line.
This is way too complex for youth coaches. It's too complex for most high school coaches (but they would never admit it in a million years). I have no idea at all how Gene Cox won 323 games with that system, but he's a better coach than me, that's for sure.
I talk a great deal about the Wing-T, but I choose not to run it myself. There are some very valid reasons for that, in my opinion. I'm a Double Wing guy, through and through. I think the Double Wing is a little further down the evolutionary road from the Wing-T. I would run the Wing-T as an offense by itself for two main reasons: I wanted to throw the ball more than I do (because I had an awesome in-space receiver I wanted to split as an end) or if I wanted to run the option. Other than that, I think the Double Wing answers a lot of the questions that the Wing-T asks, like line splits. What's the most effective distance for my age group? Who knows? The Wing-T can demand specific splits because of the timing of the plays, and finding the exact distance for your age level is as much trial and error as "book learnin'" from the playbook.
The Wing-T is a very precise offense, and tightening the line splits too much can have deleterious effects on certain things. For example, it will help you with the sweep, because the perimeter is closer, but it interferes with the trap because the FB is deeper-- the hole can open and close before he gets there instead of opening AS he gets there. (By the way, I'm not trash-talking the Wing-T. It's my third place offense I would run behind the Double Wing and the Veer. When I say that it's not as 'evolved' as the Double Wing I mean that the Double Wing went in one direction and the Wing-T went in another, and I prefer the angle that the Double Wing takes.)
But we want to talk about specific blocking schemes. Unfortunately, since there are no restrictions on defensive alignment (unless you’re in one of those miserable leagues that mandates a specific defense, in which case I encourage you to find another place to coach as soon as possible), we need to consider schemes whose rules allow for various defensive fronts, or our plays will fail for the worst of all possible reasons: because we failed to teach our players who to block.
When it comes to developing a playbook suitable for changing fronts, you need to start with a good scouting report and then give your players a base set of rules for each play. You can do this yourself if you find a playbook that has stuff left out of it. (Except when I do it, all my blocking schemes look like the Double Wing. I think I'm over trained.)
To keep things simple, I want to talk mostly about the most basic play in any offensive arsenal: the straight-up-the-pipe to the fullback. There are several ways to block this, as you can see from the diagram.
1) Base block - everyone fires out low and hammers the guy in front of them. If no one, continue in a path until you hit someone. This is typical youth blocking and as a result is rarely useful. (It can be, if you call it on occasion and catch the defense unaware, thinking you were going to angle block or something.) It relies on surprise as much as pure power.
2) Counter trap - Backside guard pulls through the center's hips and lays out the defensive tackle. For this you need two sets of basic rules; one has to be for the odd fronts you see, and the other has to be for the evens. You also might need some kind of call from guard to guard. (I use inlaw and outlaw. Inlaw means that the guy on my playside guard is inside, so he's going to be blocked by the playside guard. Outlaw means that the guy on the playside guard is outside him, and is the trap victim.) the basic rule here is: No one outside the trap touches a man on the line, period. EVERYONE goes to second level.
3) Charlie - This looks similar to the trap, except that we're not sending anyone to second level. Everyone base blocks except, in this case, the center and playside guard. Usually the outside man goes first, and he earholes anyone over center. The center delays for a heartbeat (gives him time to snap) and then, when the guard passes in front of him, he whacks the man over the guard. This gives both players inside leverage, but, it sacrifices speed because the punch is delayed. (You can even consider this a short trap. It works well on draw plays, too, BECAUSE of the slight delay.)
What you need to do is take a find a decent playbook with rules already in place. However if you're looking for some basic stuff to match what your kids already know, look at the series you run and consider this:
1) When attacking outside, there are two main blocking schemes: down block and reach block. Reach blocking only works with proper technique and when the defense has seen enough down blocks that they try to fight hard to the inside to beat that particular block. Then reach them.
2) Apply two points of leverage at every hole: inside and outside. So, for example, if you wanted to run a power with the halfback carrying off tackle, you need to apply leverage to the inside (down block) and to the outside (kickout with the FB) to pry the hole open. This is Hugh Wyatt's Jaws of Life blocking scheme and is employed in almost all Double Wing plays.
3) Trap on misdirection plays. Series are groups of interconnected plays that look similar (preferably identical)at the start of the play and immediately following the snap. A Buck series, for example, uses the dive, sweep, and a QB keep/rollout pass in the opposite direction from the sweep. This is prime time for the trap to the FB (dive) when the defense sees sweep and the lixbnebackers start to chase.
4) Charlie blocking only works when it is quick and the players stay low. If the center pops up, he's going to miss his block and the fullback will get buried.
I hope this helps.
~D.
Lately I have been receiving some very good questions via email, and for some reason there seems to be a resurgence of interest in the Wing-T as an offensive system. Whether it has to do with the mighty Bellevue Wolverines and the hammerings they’ve been doling out or some other factor, I think it’s a good thing.
Most of the questions I’ve been asked tend to revolve around blocking schemes for the system. This is the aspect of offensive football that most youth coaches have trouble with, because it’s the most complex, and also the least covered by network TV analysts and professional camera angles. (Another reason I find NFL football boring, since the offensive line, and not the ball, is the most fun for me to watch.)
I got the following via email, and I think it’s a good question:
Hi Coach Wade.
You have some great articles on your site. I'm an experienced basketball and flag football coach, but have been asked to be the OC for 13-14 year old team this year. Many of our players have played in the wing-T for a few years, and I have a decent laymans understanding of the plays/concepts. That said, my understanding of the blocking rules & techniques is poor. As I try to learn more I see a lot of incomplete or inconsistent info available on blocking rules. Do you have a summary of the blocking rules for the base wing-T series? I have seen the playbook download on the site, but this does not address changing fronts. Any other advice would be great also.
There’s a lot of ground to cover when we’re talking about blocking rules, especially when we’re talking about blocking rules for the Wing-T. At last count there were two dozen potential series available for the basic Wing-T, and coaches are developing new ways to use the common formations to attack the defense all the time.
The Wing-T can be a very complex offense to use, not least because it's so damn versatile. An example is Gene Cox's Multiple Offense (ISBN: 0966967208) from his book by the same name. His 'basic' terminology alone takes up four full pages. Sometimes the same play is blocked three or four ways against the same front, with no real explanation as to why.
Thanks to a decade or more of coaching experience, much of it under the patient and expert tutelage of Leon Feliciano at Tomales high school, I can now figure out that what these alternative blocking schemes give you is a different way to attack stud players in various positions. A stud defensive tackle, for example, can be charlie blocked. A stud outside linebacker can be kicked out, and the ultimate target is still the same point of the defensive line.
This is way too complex for youth coaches. It's too complex for most high school coaches (but they would never admit it in a million years). I have no idea at all how Gene Cox won 323 games with that system, but he's a better coach than me, that's for sure.
I talk a great deal about the Wing-T, but I choose not to run it myself. There are some very valid reasons for that, in my opinion. I'm a Double Wing guy, through and through. I think the Double Wing is a little further down the evolutionary road from the Wing-T. I would run the Wing-T as an offense by itself for two main reasons: I wanted to throw the ball more than I do (because I had an awesome in-space receiver I wanted to split as an end) or if I wanted to run the option. Other than that, I think the Double Wing answers a lot of the questions that the Wing-T asks, like line splits. What's the most effective distance for my age group? Who knows? The Wing-T can demand specific splits because of the timing of the plays, and finding the exact distance for your age level is as much trial and error as "book learnin'" from the playbook.
The Wing-T is a very precise offense, and tightening the line splits too much can have deleterious effects on certain things. For example, it will help you with the sweep, because the perimeter is closer, but it interferes with the trap because the FB is deeper-- the hole can open and close before he gets there instead of opening AS he gets there. (By the way, I'm not trash-talking the Wing-T. It's my third place offense I would run behind the Double Wing and the Veer. When I say that it's not as 'evolved' as the Double Wing I mean that the Double Wing went in one direction and the Wing-T went in another, and I prefer the angle that the Double Wing takes.)
But we want to talk about specific blocking schemes. Unfortunately, since there are no restrictions on defensive alignment (unless you’re in one of those miserable leagues that mandates a specific defense, in which case I encourage you to find another place to coach as soon as possible), we need to consider schemes whose rules allow for various defensive fronts, or our plays will fail for the worst of all possible reasons: because we failed to teach our players who to block.
When it comes to developing a playbook suitable for changing fronts, you need to start with a good scouting report and then give your players a base set of rules for each play. You can do this yourself if you find a playbook that has stuff left out of it. (Except when I do it, all my blocking schemes look like the Double Wing. I think I'm over trained.)
To keep things simple, I want to talk mostly about the most basic play in any offensive arsenal: the straight-up-the-pipe to the fullback. There are several ways to block this, as you can see from the diagram.
1) Base block - everyone fires out low and hammers the guy in front of them. If no one, continue in a path until you hit someone. This is typical youth blocking and as a result is rarely useful. (It can be, if you call it on occasion and catch the defense unaware, thinking you were going to angle block or something.) It relies on surprise as much as pure power.
2) Counter trap - Backside guard pulls through the center's hips and lays out the defensive tackle. For this you need two sets of basic rules; one has to be for the odd fronts you see, and the other has to be for the evens. You also might need some kind of call from guard to guard. (I use inlaw and outlaw. Inlaw means that the guy on my playside guard is inside, so he's going to be blocked by the playside guard. Outlaw means that the guy on the playside guard is outside him, and is the trap victim.) the basic rule here is: No one outside the trap touches a man on the line, period. EVERYONE goes to second level.
3) Charlie - This looks similar to the trap, except that we're not sending anyone to second level. Everyone base blocks except, in this case, the center and playside guard. Usually the outside man goes first, and he earholes anyone over center. The center delays for a heartbeat (gives him time to snap) and then, when the guard passes in front of him, he whacks the man over the guard. This gives both players inside leverage, but, it sacrifices speed because the punch is delayed. (You can even consider this a short trap. It works well on draw plays, too, BECAUSE of the slight delay.)
What you need to do is take a find a decent playbook with rules already in place. However if you're looking for some basic stuff to match what your kids already know, look at the series you run and consider this:
1) When attacking outside, there are two main blocking schemes: down block and reach block. Reach blocking only works with proper technique and when the defense has seen enough down blocks that they try to fight hard to the inside to beat that particular block. Then reach them.
2) Apply two points of leverage at every hole: inside and outside. So, for example, if you wanted to run a power with the halfback carrying off tackle, you need to apply leverage to the inside (down block) and to the outside (kickout with the FB) to pry the hole open. This is Hugh Wyatt's Jaws of Life blocking scheme and is employed in almost all Double Wing plays.
3) Trap on misdirection plays. Series are groups of interconnected plays that look similar (preferably identical)at the start of the play and immediately following the snap. A Buck series, for example, uses the dive, sweep, and a QB keep/rollout pass in the opposite direction from the sweep. This is prime time for the trap to the FB (dive) when the defense sees sweep and the lixbnebackers start to chase.
4) Charlie blocking only works when it is quick and the players stay low. If the center pops up, he's going to miss his block and the fullback will get buried.
I hope this helps.
~D.
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