13564370 multiple wingt playbook doc

8/8/2019 13564370 Multiple WingT Playbook Doc

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Multiple Wing-T Offense

Table of Contents

Chapter 1..Offensive Line

Chapter 2..Running Backs

Chapter 3..Split Ends

Chapter 4..Offense Basics

Chapter 5..Formations

Chapter 6..Motions

Chapter 7..20 Series



Chapter 1080 Series

Chapter 11Passing GameChapter 12On Series

Chapter 13I Formation

Chapter 14Split Back Set

Chapter 15Bronco Formation

Chapter 16Cinco

Chapter 17Short Yardage and Goal line

Chapter 182 Minute Offense

Chapter 194 Minute Offense

Chapter 20Screen PassesChapter 21Practice Plan

Chapter 22Conclusion


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Chapter 1

Offensive Line

The most vital and underappreciated part of any football team is the offensive line.

The true meaning of teamwork and sacrifice lies in the play and positions of the offensive

line. They do not get to touch the ball; therefore they do not get a chance to score. Theirnames will not be repeated over the stadium loudspeaker over and over again. In the

newspaper, when a back has a great individual performance, the line gets maybe one or

two lines describing their efforts, but not the gushing praise that the back receives. That

is why this is chapter one in this book. Good, solid offensive lines have made averagebacks look good and great backs even better. Case in point, the NCAAs second all time

leading rusher, R.J. Bowers ran for more yards as a high school junior than he did as a

senior. The reason is because his line as a junior was senior dominated. In 2002, the

University of Louisville Cardinal football team was mediocre because of average lineplay in a season when they were expected to win their conference and bowl game and

finish in the national top 10, they finished 7-6. Emmitt Smith had 5 All Pros on hisoffensive line. Eric Dickerson went to Indianapolis and went from super human to above

average because of a lack of talent on his offensive line. I hope that I have made my

point about the importance of a good offensive line. Ask any coach who has won and he

will tell you I am sure that he had a good group of linemen. High school is no differentthan the NFL in that it all starts up front. Some coaches feel that they need big earth

movers to make their system work, some like small, quick fullback-types, what ever your

preference, it is vital that they are smart and fundamentally sound.In this offense we prefer the smaller quicker types but there are three things that we

look for in any lineman regardless of size. First we want tough players up front. The

bottom line is that you need to have guys who are willing to go nose to nose with anopponent and just be flat out tougher than him. Running backs are trying to run away

from the defense, linemen are looking to hit the defense so they have to be tough.

Second, we want them to be smart. These guys have to be able to make decisions andadjustments within seconds that determine the outcome of every play. In the time that it

takes a quarterback to say Red..Set Go, a lineman has to decide who to block, how, and

where. There are so many decisions that need to be made and made correctly before the

snap of the ball. Third, we want athletes up front. The days of the fattest, slowest kidsbeing able to be effective offensive linemen are essentially over. Footwork, speed, and

eye-hand coordination are vital to offensive line play. These requirements however are

not indicative of smaller linemen either; todays athletes are getting bigger, faster, andstronger

We begin teaching our linemen the basics of a good even stance:

1. Feet shoulder width2. Toes pointed straight ahead

3. Knees should not be bowed in

4. Flat back

5. Head up


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6. Even weight distribution

7. Finger tips on the ground not the palm or knuckles of the hand

8. Rest the off hand on the SIDE of the knee not on top.a. Take the palm of the hand and put it directly on the side of the knee

A coach should be able to slap the down hand away and the body should not teeter in

the least. Also if a player has a hard time with his knees bowing in, then you need tospend a little extra time with this player to help correct this. When a lineman is in a good

stance, he should look even and solid with no indication of his movements at the snap.

When the play is called the center will go out first to set the line. The rest of thelineman will set themselves according to him. These are the alignment techniques:

1. Splits should be at least 3 feet

a. Splits that are closed down also close down the defense

2. The guard, tackle, and tight end should have their ear hole aligned to thecenters hip or belt.

a. This does set the other lineman back a little, but that is necessary to

provide the angles and spacing needed to execute their blocks

b. It is vital to check how deep the seat of a lineman is so we avoid theflying V formation and get called for too many men in the backfield

After we have taught them how to line up, then we can teach them how to move andblock. Our base blocking rule is Fire On Backer. This rule can be applied to almost

every situation and while wing-t purists will no doubt disagree with a one rule system, I

have found that it can work because it basically says the same thing as all of thoseblocking rules, but it puts it in one small package. Here is what the rule means:

1. Fire: The fire part of our rule maintains our theory of angle blocking. Fire

simply means that you are to block down when your rule calls for it. Your firegap, is your inside gap. The fire rule down block is applied on any level one

defender who is aligned from your inside shoulder down the nose of the next

lineman to your inside

2. On: On blocking is done with a right or left shoulder block on any level one

defender who is lined up from shoulder to shoulder on you. I know what your


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saying, that if he is on you inside should shouldnt you down block? Well we

will get into that when we discuss what every lineman needs to know.

3. Backer: This rule means that you block the nearest backer to you and the

point of attack away from the play. This can be a second level reach block,

second level drive block, or a second level down block.

As players understand defenses and their opponents each week, applying these ruleswill become easier. When you begin to teach and install this system, tell your players

that blocking strategies will change because the defense changes. For example blocking

the linebacker in a 52 will be slightly different than blocking the linebacker in a 53, but it

is still the backer rule.These rules will also become easier to apply when you teach your lineman these three

things on each and every play:

1. The point of attack.

a. You must be able to understand the numbering system and how each

play attacks a certain number. This is vital in knowing which way toblock a defender

2. Who is left unblocked?

a. For most of the plays in our offense we will have a man unblocked foreither a trap or an option read.

3. Who is pulling?

a. If the guard beside you is pulling behind you, then you must blockdown for him. This is an application of the fire rule that is automatic,

but there is some clarification needed here. For example if we run 24

guard trap versus a 52 front and the guard is uncovered, but the centeris covered by a nose guard, then there is no block down because there

is no one to block down on. Once again, we will have a better

understanding when we are doing this on the field and describing the

different defenses

Our linemen will have to execute five primary run blocks that run in concurrence with

our blocking rules:

1. Right and Left shoulder Drive Blocks

a. This is a straight ahead type of block where you attempt to get movementoff of the line of scrimmage and then turn the defender away from the

play.

b. If you are executing a right shoulder block, then you step with your left

foot first. The reason for this is that it brings your body in the direction


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needed to get your right shoulder into the defender. The opposite is true

for a left shoulder block.

c. On the second step you should make contact with the defender. It is at thistime when your feet begin moving in shorter faster steps and you begin to

roll your hips into the defender.

d. On your third and remaining steps, you should turn the defender awayfrom the play. On a right shoulder block, you turn the defender to the

right; the opposite is true for the left shoulder.

2. Down blocks

a. These are probably the most fun for any self respecting lineman to

execute. The reason is that you are blindsiding an unsuspecting defenderon the first or second level. The proper steps are determined by what kind

of defender you are facing. Is he an attacker or a reader?i. If he is an attacker then you take the flat, parallel step down the

line of scrimmage attempting to intersect the defender.

ii. If he is a reader then your step is more of a 45 degree step or a

more angular step toward the defenderb. After your first step, the lower part of your body is turned while your

upper body is starting to turn. We complete this turn by throwing our

outside shoulder across our body and punching toward the defender. Thisbrings our outside shoulder around and squares the shoulders with the

hips. Also, it helps to bring your momentum toward your target

c. At or after your second step you should make contact with the defender.The key here is to have your head across the belly of the defender. We

preach that you get your ear hole on the belly button. Keep your head up

and begin to roll the hips through putting the defender on his heels. Keepyour feet moving in short quick steps.

3. Reach Block

a. When run blocking we teach the reach blocking technique as a way to

block linebackers only.b. We execute this block by taking a 6 inch lateral open step to the side that

we are going to reach. We do not change the direction of our toes, thighs,

hips, or shoulders on our first step. The objective is for us to keep our

body parallel to the line of scrimmage. By doing this we can adjust


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quicker if the defender changes his course. On the second step our

opposite foot comes across our body to a point in front of our other foot.

We have now begun to climb to the second level, choosing a point ofintersection.

c. Our third step is with the other foot and it continues the ascent to the next

level by placing itself in front of and offset of the second step foot.d. Once we have made contact with the defender we need to maintain

separation with our hands and swing our tail around to place ourselves in

front of the defender between him and the ball.

4. Trapa. This is the most recognized type of Wing-T block

b. Start by dropping the trap side foot to open up the body to the targetc. Aim for a point inside of your target

d. Your path should take you back up into the line and across the line on an

inside out track

e. On contact the lineman should maintain speed, do not catch the defender,roll the hips, and finish the defender

f. If the defender over penetrates, then roll up inside to block another

defender.

5. Log

a. This block is not used too much but we do use it on some options and play

action passesb. Lineman will open up with slightly more depth

c. He gains depth as he travels out and then flattens out to meet the defender

d. On contact, he should aggressively swing his butt and hips around to pinthe defender

e. If the defender is over penetrating, then meet up with him and ride him

back and away from the play


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On most of our running plays we will have a backside reach rule. This means that wewill reach block across the level one defenders face up to the second level. What we

want to accomplish here is just getting a body on the second level defenders to either

make them bubble around or interrupt their path to the play

Our passing game has its own set of rules for each series. Our passing series include:

1. 50s: Roll out2. 60s: 5 step

3. 70s: 3 step

Two of the three series are directional, in that we will be going in a certain direction.The only series that is not is the 60s.

1. 50 series roll out

a. Directional. 51 to the right. 59 to the left.b. Blocking scheme is a full line reach on the first level defenders only

c. Step hard to the play side call and be aware for blitzing and stunting if noone shows initially

d. On the backside we want to prevent backside pursuit so we hinge after we

step

2. 60 series 5 step dropa. This is a non directional series

b. We want to step down to the outside foot of the next offensive lineman

i. Step down with the inside foot and bring the outside foot along

after we step and plant. We should go no more than two stepseach.

ii. After the Tackles step down they will turn out and hinge to block

on the flankc. You want to keep a good wide low base with your butt down and eyes and

hands up.

d. Stay big and keep separation with the defender.e. Our objective is to spill everything over the edge to open up the throwing

lane for the quarterback.

f. If need be we can go to a man blocking assignment and assign each

blocker to a defender to lock up on them man to man


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3. 70 Series, three step drop.

a. This is a directional series: 71 right, 79 left

b. To the play side we will drive block the first level defender. It is vital thatwe not go to the second level and the drive is a controlled drive.

i. Use a right or left shoulder drive block

c. To the back side we will hinge to create a wall against the quarterbacks

back. It is important to spill everything to the outside of the wall.i. We will step back and in with our inside foot all the way to next

man. The outside foot will follow

ii. Maintain a wide low base and keep your arms extended to prevent

from losing ground.

Before the ball is snapped on each play, we may have to make line calls or blocking

calls that slightly change the blocking scheme and increase the chances of not necessarily

having a successful play, but a safe play that does not put us in a negative situation. Wehave a base line call that is called out on each play and we may have an automatic call

that slightly changes the blocking scheme on a particular play.

On each play, a lineman will make one of three calls:

1. ON: If a defender is lined head up on the lineman then he will call this twice

2. INSIDE: If a defender is lined up from your inside eye down to the gap toyour inside then you make this call.

3. OUTSIDE: If a defender is lined up from your outside eye to the gap to your

outside then you make an outside call.


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If a lineman is uncovered then he will not make any call at all. These calls are to be

made on level one defenders only.We also have other calls that each lineman may have to make on any given play to

alter the blocking scheme slightly. These calls should not be made on every play and no

dummy calls should be made either.

1. STAY: This call means that a guard is not pulling. A guard can make this call if

the defense shows blitz or if he is pulling outside and a defender is lined up to his

inside gap.

2. COVER: This call means that more than one defender has aligned in a play sidegap. This call can be made by any lineman who sees that the playside is

overloaded and he needs some help.

3. OMAHA: This call pertains specifically to the point of attack and is related to thecover call but refers exactly to where we are running the ball. This means that

more than one defender has lined up in the point of attack.

*The following calls pertain only to the Cross Block play.

1. OHIO: When running the 83/87 Cross Block against certain defensive fronts we

make an Ohio call that means to block it ON. This is common against the 43defense

2. CLEMSON: When running the 83/87 Cross Block against certain defensivefronts we can make a Clemson call which means to cross it. This can be

commonly used against the 44 or a 50 reduction


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3. FLORIDA: When running the 83/87 Cross Block against certain defensive frontswe can make a FLORIDA call which means to fan block it. This is common

against 50 front defenses with no reduction

When we put together a depth chart we look for certain qualities in specific positions.

In high school football however your first team may be the only team that fits certainqualifications of the positions. After your number ones it can be a crap shoot of where to

place certain offensive lineman. We want to expand upon the qualifications mentioned

before and tell you what you may want to look for in certain lineman.

1. Center:

a. Quick feet and handsb. Must be able to snap the ball to the quarterback quickly and cleanly

c. After the snap, he must have the ability to drive a nose guard, reach a

linebacker, or block down on an aggressive one technique.

d. Should be aggressive and smart. One of your most intense lineman.e. Has to be able to snap the ball in the shotgun

2. Guarda. Solid lateral movement and foot speed

b. Needs to be able to adjust and react on the run

c. Smartest and most athletic lineman

3. Tackle

a. Biggest and best drive blockersb. Flank protectors, must be able to run and pass block effectively on the

flank

4. Tight End (as a blocker)a. Athletic Tackle who can catch

b. Needs to be an aggressive reach and drive blocker to make sure that flank

plays are successful

We understand that these are not rigid requirements for all of these positions listed

here. You may have a guard or guards that are bigger than your tackles. Your tight endmay be a psychotic wide receiver who is a good blocker. It is important to remember that

it is not always what you can see in a player, but the intangibles that matter the most.


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On the next page we have included a chart that lays out the three things that each

lineman must know on every play.

1. Point of attack2. Who is pulling

3. Who is unblocked

This chart could help sort this out for players and coaches

Play Point of Attack Who is Pulling Defender Unblocked

As with anything in our offense this is not set in stone. Sometimes an assignment canchange based on what the defense is doing and what kind of personnel they have.

These 18 plays that are listed in this chart are our base plays that we will put in before

the season and do our best to run each and every week. We have many more plays in the

24/26 Guard Trap

23/27 Halfback Trap

21/29 Power

21/29 Waggle

24/26 Gut

32/38 Toss Blast

31/39 Toss Sweep

31/39 Pitch

36/34 Counter Trap

36/34 Counterboot

42/48 Veer

44/46 Midline

44/46 Midline CTR

44/46 Midline Pass

82/88 Down

82/88 Down Pass

83/87 Cross Block

83/87 Keep Pass

4 or 6 Guard

3 or 7 Outside of Tackle

1 or 9 Outside of Tight

End

1 or 9 Outside of TightEnd

4 or 6 Guard

2 or 8 Inside Leg of

Tight End


End


End

4 or 6 Guard

1 or 9 outside of Tight

End

2 or 8 Inside leg of Tight

End4 or 6 Guard

4 or 6 Guard

Play action

2 or 8 Inside Leg of

Tight End

2 or 8 Play Action



24 = 6 Guard; 26 = 4

Guard

23 = 6 Guard; 27 = 4

Guard

4 and 6 Guard (Left)

4 and 6 Guard (Right)

24 = 6 Guard; 26 = 4Guard

32 = 6 Guard; 38 = 4

Guard

31 = 6 Guard; 39 = 4

Guard

31 = 4 Guard; 39 = 6

Guard

34 = 7 Tackle; 36 = 3Tackle

None

None

None

None

None

2 = 4 Guard; 8 = 6 Guard

None



2i-5 Tech Def.

Tackle

Defensive End

First perimeter

Defender

Depends on Defense

Middle Linebacker

Def. End for

Fullback

OLB or Strong

Safety

OLB or Strong

Safety

2i-5 Tech Def.Tackle

None

DE for QB Read

DT for QB Read

All Drive or DownBlock

Playside = Wall;

Backside = Hinge

DE for Kickout

None

DE for Kickout

DE for Kickout


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back of this book in our play index, but those are plays that are for special situations and

we will only use them if it is absolutely necessary to use practice time to install them.


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Chapter 2

Backs

At the high school level, you can not overstate the importance of having good running

backs. Often times a team can be carried to great heights by the efforts of one player. Atthe high school level great individual players come around once every so often.

Sometimes a team can have a nice run of players, which can lead to a reliance on the

abilities of one player. In this offense we try to avoid putting the load on one individual,

but rather we want to spread the plays and responsibilities around to many players toforce the defense to play with caution and hesitation. This does not mean however that if

a great individual comes our way that we will not take advantage of his abilities or that

we stop giving the ball to one player once they reach a certain number of carries. The

great thing about the Wing-T offense is that it can take advantage of one great player or 4good players. That is what we try to achieve by putting our 4 best all around athletes in

the backfield and using each and every one of them to make each other better. This waywe avoid NEEDING that one great player to make our offense go

This is a 4 back offense. By that we mean that we will expect each one of our backs

to run, block, and catch with equal ability and enthusiasm. Now, it is understood that the

quarterback is not expected to be a pass receiver on a regular basis but he will replacethat responsibility with carrying out convincing fakes and relaying to the coaches when

the defense is flying too aggressively to a play or player, therefore opening up another

play. Just like the offensive line, a back in this offense has to be a team player andwilling to sacrifice for the good of the team. To be a running back in this offense you not

only have to have the aforementioned requirements of running, blocking, and catching,

but you have to be disciplined enough to carry out good fakes. If a fullback is sloppy onhis fake then the midline or veer play may be rendered useless. If a halfback is careless

then a free safety or a backside linebacker might flow to the point of attack that much

quicker, nullifying a big play. It not only takes a lot of physical discipline, but mentaldiscipline also.

We like to use a many formations and formation tags to give the defense many

different looks. We want to do this with the regular personnel that we have on the field in

our base package. At all costs we want to avoid formation packages that can key adefense to adjust before we even call the play. If we telegraph such tendencies, then the

defense can make calls and determine what we are attempting to do. Again, understand

that there are exceptions to every rule. You may have a kid who is a tremendous runnerand blocker and there is no doubt that he needs to be on the field carrying the football.

However he may be useless as a receiver and when you are looking to spread the defense

maybe he needs to come out, so you take him out. This is an example of how adaptablethis offense is. We do not want to shoe horn players into a system and vice versa.


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A good stance is just one factor of mental discipline that some athletes take for

granted. We do not want a comfortable stance, we want a balanced stance. The stanceshould be one where we can go in any direction with the same amount of ease. When

something as simple as the stance starts to get sloppy, then our play gets sloppy.

1. Quarterback

a. Feet shoulder width

b. Slight knee bend with a slight bend in the waist

c. Wrist deep under center not forearm or bicep deep.

2. Fullback

a. Two point stance with the feet slightly outside of the shoulders

b. Toes straight with the hands resting on top of the thigh padsc. Very little bend in the waist, the runner should be more erect than bent

3. Halfback

a. Same as a fullback

b. When at the wing position, turn your body at a 45 degree angle

Along with the stance we have to maintain our alignments and depths. To make sure

that the timing of the plays is crisp and fluid we have to make sure that we line up at thesame depth and width at all times. This is an offense based on timing, and when a play is

run properly in all facets, and then it is very tough to determine who has the ball. Mesh

points and fakes are vital to the offense and they need to be tight and convincing. Ourbase formation is 100/900 and this is what it looks like:

We also have formations like Red/Blue that put a wing man to the 2 man side of theformation also and they look like this:

Here is a schematic of how deep and wide each player should be:


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The standard depths for each player are as follows:

1. Quarterback

a. Always under center unless he is in the shotgun. At this time he goes to a

depth of 4 yards directly behind the center

2. Fullback

a. 4 yards from the tail of the center

b. 200, 4 yards behind the outside leg of the 4 guardc. 800, 4 yards behind the outside leg of the 6 guard

d. Bronco Right is the same as 200, Bronco Left is the same as 800

e. In the I formation he is at the same depth, but in a 3 point stance

3. Halfbacks

a. Dive back position in 100/900 and Spread Right/Spread Left

i. 4 yards deep from the outside leg of the 3 or 7 Tackleii. 100 and Spread Right, the Left Halfback is the dive back

iii. 900 and Spread Left, the Right Halfback is the dive back

b. 200 the Left Halfback is 4 yards deep from the outside leg of 4

c. 800 the Right Halfback is 4 yards deep from the outside leg of 6


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d. Pro I 100

i. The Left Halfback is 7 yards deep off the ball directly behind thefullback in a 2 point stance

ii. The Right Halfback is split out 12 yards off the line of scrimmage

e. Pro I 900i. The Right Halfback is 7 yards deep off the ball, directly behind the

fullback in a 2 point stance

ii. The Left Halfback is split out 12 yards off the line of scrimmage

f. Trips Right

i. The Left Halfback is the slot receiver, split out 6-8 yards off of theline of scrimmage

ii. The Right Halfback assumes his normal wing back position

g. Trips Lefti. The Right Halfback is the slot receiver, split out 6-8 yards off of

the line of scrimmage

ii. The Left Halfback assumes his normal wingback position

h. When at the wing back position, the halfback aligns 1 x 1 from the endman on the line of scrimmage. Once again he is turned in at a 45 degree

angle. We do this so he can see the defense better.


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We have to have backs that can block almost as effectively as our lineman do.

Surprisingly, first technique that we teach after ball handling is how to block, it is thatimportant.

1. Drive Blocksa. Also known as right and left shoulder blocks

b. Right shoulder, left foot first and left shoulder, right foot first

c. On contact you drive the defender by rolling your hips and taking short

choppy steps, you then begin to turn the defender away from the playd. A key point in teaching this type of block is to stress proper technique

because most of the time this block will be executed when there is some

distance between the two players. Good form and technique are vital in

preventing injury

2. Down Blocks

a. First step is a 6 inch 45 degree at the inside hip of the defender, it isimportant to get your head across the belly of the defender

b. Allow no penetration

c. Crush the defender down inside by rolling your hips into the defender,extending your arms, and taking short choppy steps

d. You may be asked to go under a level one defender down to a level two

defender. If so, then tighten up to the end man on the line of scrimmage,and move fast and aggressively under the level one defender

3. Kick out blocks

a. Take a 45 degree step at your targets inside hipb. Your head must be on the inside of the defender

c. Versus a crashing defender, you must get lower, bull the neck, and meet

the defender full speed. Roll the hips and stand him up. A stalemate is avictory for the defense

d. Versus a wrong arm technique, simply maintain your leg drive


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All blocks must be done at full speed with good technique, it is important that we

attack when blocking.

As we have stated, proper steps are vital to the timing and flow of the offense. Again

this is a timing offense and if one player is sloppy with his steps, then the play will alsobe sloppy. False steps are the bane of any play and it is a habit that many backs develop

without realizing it. Rounding off your path is also another bad habit. Regardless of the

situation, we must maintain straight lines to our landing points

1. Types of Steps for the Fullback and Halfbacks

a. 45 degree step

i. 6 45 degree step with the right or left foot directly at yourlandmark

b. Flat Step

i. 6 open step parallel to the line of scrimmage

c. Straight ahead

i. 6 step perpendicular to the line of scrimmage

d. Crossover

i. The opposite foot crosses over the lead foot first and lands in much

the same way that a flat step does. This step is used to help timeup plays

2. Types of Steps for the Quarterbacksa. Quarterback always reverse pivots except on the 40 series

b. Reverse Midline

i. QB does a 180 degree turn with his foot landing on the midlinec. Reverse 45

i. QB reverses past the midline and stops halfway between the

midline and the line of scrimmaged. Reverse Flat

i. QB reverses out to a turn with his foot landing parallel to the

line of scrimmage


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Chapter 3

Split Ends

The Wing-T is a one split end offense, which means that we only have one true wide

receiver. We dont get fancy and call our receivers X, Y, and Z, there is no need for that.He is a split end and he is generally opposite the tight end unless we tag a play with end

over. Often times the split end position becomes a disregarded dumping ground for

lesser talented players that are thrown there just to fill a position. It is important that we

try to maintain the split ends importance to our offense. We must be able to block, catch,and make convincing fakes on each and every play. We try to find kids at split end that

are threats and force the defense to account for them. We need to have a viable passing

threat to force defenses not to load up the line of scrimmage. While this will undoubtedly

be our shortest position chapter, it is a one man position.

1. The split end is aligned 12 yards out from the end man on the line of scrimmage,on the line. He should have his inside leg back looking in at the football arms

hanging freely at your side

There are three things that all splits ends must be able to do very well at all times

1. Blockers

a. Stalk blocking is an underappreciated technique, but often times it is thedifference between a big play and a loss

i. They need to stay square in front of the defender

ii. Mirror and work the defender until the whistleiii. Stay low, keep their feet square, and their arms extended

iv. When approaching the defender, you must keep him in conflict as

to what your intentions are at the snap

2. Route Running

a. A good split end does not get sloppy on his routes

i. Keeps the defender guessingii. Has nice sharp cuts

iii. Gives a full effort on every play

iv. Gives an all out effort when trying to catch the ballv. Very aggressive when running all routes, this keeps the defender

from getting his hands on you

3. Fakes


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a. On a running play away from the split end, it could very easy to take a

play off. A good defender attacks the corner, making him work on every

play.i. If he takes the play off and the back cuts back, it could be his block

that spoils the effort

ii. He establishes a mind set, an intense champions mind set, with inthe defender that you take everything very seriously


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Chapter 4

Offense Basics

One may wonder why we put the basics of the offense on chapter 4 behind the

position descriptions. Well its simple; we feel that you have to know how to get in a

stance before you get into a huddle or a formation. In this chapter you will learn aboutgetting into a huddle, the cadence, making checks at the line, and finally our play calling

system. I have always firmly believed in discipline right down to the minutest detail.

Have you ever looked out at a team that is getting beat (whether its yours or youropponents) and you start to notice how the huddle looks like a field of grazing cattle.

People just wondering everywhere, no one paying attention, listening, or caring. The

play is called and the team slowly stumbles up to the line. It is a frustrating sight because

you know that you taught them different and the worst thing is that they have a lowmorale. I know from watching films of yourself and of your opponents, that at some

point in time you eventually say, My god, they cant even get into a huddle! Attention

to detail, even in the most trying times will show that you have not given up and you are

maintaining good character.We want to maintain a good tight huddle, this way we ensure fluid and effective

communication.

1. The center sets the huddle ten yards from the ball, with his back to the ball.

a. Tight end is on his right and the split end is on his left

2. The next line is the two guards and two tackles.

a. With their backs to the defense, they stand left to right in order of 3, 4, 6,

and 7.b. Hands on their knees so they can stay out of the center, tight end, and split

ends way

3. The Halfbacks flank the tackles

a. Right Halfback flanks the 3 tackle

b. Left Halfback flanks the 7 tackle

4. The Fullback faces the defense

a. Perpendicular to the Left Halfback


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5. The Quarterback receives the play and stands between the Fullback and Right

Halfback announcing the play to the team

a. The first time the Quarterback calls the play he will say center out Thissends the center, tight end, and split end will leave the huddle.

i. They leave and sprint to the line to establish the frame of the

formationb. After this, the offensive lineman stand erect to listen to the second play

call

c. After the second play call, the team gives the ready break huddle calland turns and SPRINTS to the line of scrimmage immediately getting into

a stance.

6. When the Quarterback comes to the line, he checks both sides to make sure thatthe offense is set properly

Our cadence is a short, quick cadence that forces the offense and the defense to beready immediately. Long drawn out cadences are good for communicating at the line, but

we like to get to the line and go. We do not want to the defense to adjust or stem, againwe want to dictate the defense not they dictate us.

1. The Cadence

a. Red.Setgoi. Red is short and sharp

ii. Any motions that are previously built into the play or tagged to the

play, will take place on the pause between Red and Setiii. Set and go are to separate words pronounced as one and they are

pronounced quickly

We like to run the play that is called from the sideline and avoid giving the

Quarterback too much freedom at the line. It is for this reason that we only do checks

when the defense is giving us a key that we can exploit. Also this is a series offense thatallows seeing if the defense is shutting down one play then another has to be open. When

it may be necessary to call a different play at the line of scrimmage, then the Quarterback

will look off of a preset number of plays on a wrist band and make the check off at the

line. If we want to audible to another play, we will have the defensive description alongwith a play. The play will be accompanied by a code word that the quarterback will call

at the line of scrimmage before he gets under center. The code words may be the

opposite teams school, mascot, colors, or the name of one of their players names.Sometimes and we will do this more than calling an audible, we can send the play in

with the tag check with me instead of its number. This means that we want to run the

play, but we want the Quarterback to check the defense and call the play to the best side.Again this will be practiced and preset.


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1. Guard Trap Check With Me

a. Quarterback makes his decision and calls out:

i. Check, Check. 24, 24ii. He does this to both sides of the line calling the play two times to

each side

We believe that our numbering system makes it very easy for us to check at the line

because we are not an even right odd left numbering system.

When we call the plays we send in a 3 number play call or a two number preceded by a

formation call.

1. 3 part play calling system

a. First Number is the formation

i. This can be replaced by a formation that is not a number and

therefore reduces the call to two numbersb. The second number is the series

i. The series number is a key to tell our backs the action of thebackfield. Who is the ball carrier, who is blocking, and who is

faking

c. The third number is the point of attack

i. This is where we want to run the ballii. This is the only number that the linemen need to know. As a coach

you should stress this because you may want to run 129 Waggle, or

138 Toss Blast and if you call it, I promise you the first time youdo it, the most confused members of the offense will be the

linemen

d. 124 Guard Trapi. 1 = Formation

ii. 2 = Series

iii. 4 = Point of Attackiv. Guard Trap = play name

2. Any tags to the play will be called before the formation.

a. Loose Pro Rip Red 24 Guard Trapi. Loose = Tight End splits out

ii. Pro = Right Halfback moves out to a flanker

iii. Rip = Left Halfback motion across behind the Quarterbackiv. Red = Formation

v. 2 = Series

vi. 4 = Point of Attackvii. Guard Trap = Play Name


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Chapter 5

Formations

Formations only change the look of a particular play, not the actual mechanics of a

play. That is why I have always liked to use many formations. Formations are usuallythe first thing that most defensive coordinators begin to study when they scout you. They

want to look at how you line up and what you do out of those alignments. Several years

ago I scouted a team that used 22 different formations. Some formations had their ownset of plays and while others meant strictly pass or run. This past year, we scouted a team

that used 4-5 slightly different formations and the tight end was always on the right.

Some particular formations immediately keyed one or two plays. This made things

appear way too easy for the defense and we lost 21-7. Our opponent ran up over 300yards rushing, and the tight end was always on the right! A former coach at a local high

school used the theory of a few plays out of many crazy formations. This was also

effective because of all the time that you had to spend in practice readying for the

onslaught of looks. What ever one you use, remember two things: First, while the lookof the play may change, the core remains the same. A guard trap is the same play out of a

one back 4 wide receiver set as it is out of a two tight power I set. Second, its aformation not a new scheme or system. When we tell people that we use the I in our

Wing-T package, they often say, Well youre not an I team? We are not running an I

formation based package, but running the I formation as a component of our package.

How many times have you been watching film and saw a team line up in a two wing lookand bet your last dollar that at some point in time, another coach will say, I did not know

they were Wing- T? The truth of the matter is, is that they are not Wing-T, but using a

formation. The Wing-T is a system not a formation. Just like the Run n Shoot, you canlook like a spread Run n Shoot team, but you are not because you are not using that

system. This is where coaches hand cuff themselves because they say, we cant run that

look because we are a Wing-T team or were an I team. I learned long ago that I will dowhat ever I have to do to put my team in the best position possible to win. Most of the

time we will look like the old Delaware Blue Hens themselves, but we can also show you

looks like Oklahoma and Hawaii too. One of the neatest things that I was ever able toaccomplish was running 21/29 Power out of a 5 wide, no back set. It looked entirely

different, but it only required subtle changes.

When we start learning all of our formations and their tags, we obviously start with the

base formations in our system. We start with 3 base formations and learn all of the tagsoff of them.

100/900

Red/Blue


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Spread Right/Spread Left

After we have mastered properly aligning in these formations, we then learn all of the

formation tags:

1. Loosea. The tight end splits out 12 yards, on the line of scrimmage

2. Pro

a. The Halfback to the Tight End side splits out 12 yards off the line of

scrimmage

3. Slota. The Halfback to the Split End Side splits out 6 yards off the line of

scrimmage

4. Split

a. The Split End moves in to 3 to 6 yards out on the line of scrimmage


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5. End Over

a. The split end moves over on the same side as the tight end, 12 yards out

on the line of scrimmage

Note that this tag makes the tight end an ineligible receiver

We try not to get too exotic when using the formation tags, but we can use more than

one in a given play. An example of this is when we started to use a look called End Over,

Slot to execute our 60 series passing attack. This is how it looked:

You better have a smart tight end; he cannot go out as an eligible receiver in this

look.

After we have mastered these base formations and tags do we then move on to our

other formations

1. 200/800

2. Pro I 100/900

a. Pro is still a tag here, but we most commonly run the I with the Pro tag.

3. Black/White

4. Trips Right/Left


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5. East/West

6. Bronco Right/Left

7. Cinco Right/Left

Some of our other formation adjustments include moving from a preset formation toanother formation prior to the snap of the ball.

1. Shift To

a. We start in a two tight full T backfield.b. The Quarterback comes to the line and yells Shift

c. After the command we move to the formation called in the huddle

d. Example: Shift To 988 Down

2. Jump To

a. We start in the opposite formation of the one called in the huddle.

b. The Quarterback comes to the line and yells Jumpc. The offense then trades formations and the play is run

d. Example: Jump To 988 Down


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Chapter 6

Motions

One thing that is always associated with a Wing-T style of offense is the use of

motion. The one most recognized is three step motion where the wing back comes in

motion toward the dive back position. What most outside of the Wing-T dont know isthat this motion is built in and taught as a necessary component on some plays. We can

shut off this motion by saying No Mo. This tells the Halfback not to motion With the

advent of the Jet Sweep into most Wing-T offenses, the Jet type of motion is becominganother example of built in or implied motion. It is important to note that Jet type motion

is a timed motion that climaxes with a mesh between the Quarterback and motioning

Halfback (whether there is a hand off or not depends on the play). We have a type of

motion that looks like Jet motion and that is Rip and Liz motion. They are like Jet in thatthey are horizontal behind the Quarterback, but the object of this motion is to get the

Halfback past the Quarterback, there is no mesh, and it is not implied.

Motions, whether implied or not, should be carefully monitored when game planning

and during the game. Some teams have automatic stunt calls to certain motions and somewill change their coverage based on a type of motion. In other words, since some

defenses key your motion, you should too.Since we have three designated running backs, we have a variety of ways to put them

in motion. But again, we do not get exotic or carried away with how many motions we

include in our playbook and game plan. This is a short chapter, but a vital one because

you need to understand how to use motion and what kind of situation it can put you in.

1. Things you need to look for when you motion

a. What kind of coverage are they in and are they staying in the same onewhen you motion

b. Do they slant to or stunt to your motion

c. Are they shifting the front when you motiond. Are they attempting to determine that you are running a particular play

when you motion.

i. Listen to the defense are they announcing certain plays or pointingout certain players when you motion

e. Is a particular defender more aggressive or passive when you motion to or

away from him

i. When you motion away is the outside linebacker walking up orbacking off

ii. When you motion to is a linebacker or end crashing more

aggressively

These are some of the things that motioning by your offense can tell you about your

opponents defensive game plan. From there you make your own connections andadjustments

On the next page we have listed and described all type of motion that we will use in

our scheme.


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1. 3 Step

a. This motion is never called, it is already built into the play

b. It can be shut off by calling No Mo.c. When the Halfback is at the wing position, he comes in motion at the

pause between Red and Set in the cadence.

d. The motion takes him back to his dive back position at the snap of the ball

2. Ripa. Left Halfback coming in motion to the right

b. Left Halfback comes in motion behind the Quarterback at the pause

between Red and Set in the Cadence

c. Halfback should past the midline on the snap

3. Liz

a. Right Halfback coming in motion to the left

b. Right Halfback comes in motion behind the Quarterback at the pausebetween Red and Set in the Cadence

c. Halfback should be past the midline on the snap

It is important to note that we will run a play called Wham. In this play we use

timed Rip and Liz motion by the Halfback to kick out the defensive end. It is vital that

this is timed up perfectly so our Halfback does not break stride. This could tip off thedefense.


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4. Ram

a. Fullback motions out of the backfield to the right.

b. He takes one step forward, one step at an angle and then flattens out toparallel to the line of scrimmage.

c. We want to get the fullback past the end man on the line of scrimmage on

the snapd. He leaves on the pause between Red and Set

5. Liona. Fullback motions out of the backfield to the left

b. He takes the same steps as Ram motion

c. He must get past the end man on the line of scrimmage

d. Leaves on the pause

6. Z

a. When at the dive back position, the Halfback comes in 3 step style motionto the tailback position

b. Exact same steps are 3 step but from the dive back spot

c. Leaves at the same time as regular 3 step motion

7. Crack a. The Split End comes in motion back toward the tackle

b. His objective is to crack block

c. This can also be used on passing plays

d. Leaves on the pause between red and set


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Chapter 7

20 Series

Now we are going to get into what makes the Wing-T what it is, series football. When

it comes to execution of this offense, it is only efficiently executed when those not

running the football carry out good fakes and block effectively. In chapters 7 through 10we will review each and every series, and the plays involved. It is vital to note that we

are not a pure Delaware system. We have borrowed from other systems, changed the

blocking rules, changed a couple of tags, and added a couple of formations. If we werepure Delaware, you would see plays like Sally, F Sweep, and Down Option but you dont.

In the past I have run these plays with success, but we simply trimmed the fat off the play

book to make it more learnable and simplified. We will however run Down Option Load

at some time in the season, but only when Down and Down Pass are stopped.The twenty series in my opinion is the signature Wing-T series. It is the one that is

most identified with this style of offense. Even though most teams run the 3 core plays

that make up the series, they are not run in the same manner. The Guard Trap, Power,

and Waggle are the three core plays and are all staples of other systems; it is howeverhow the three of them, along with the Halfback Trap are intertwined. You may also hear

this series being called the Buck Sweep series. To be honest, I do not know the origin ofcalling it the Buck Sweep, to me it has always been the 20 series and the sweep has been

called Power.

When a team runs this series effectively with some degree of consistency, it is very

tough to defend. The reason is because you are giving the illusion that you are attacking3 different points of the defense. Because of this, the defense, especially the linebackers

and safeties cant over commit to what they may think is flow. You must read your keys

and be patient; this in turn can slow down a defense. When you install this series it isvital to the success of the play that you stress tight mesh points, convincing fakes, and

carrying out fakes. If you do this, it can appear like you are playing a hidden ball game.

Along with the 3 core plays we have added two other plays to the base package of the20 series. The 23/27 Halfback Trap and the 24/26 Gut are two plays that were adapted to

this series to give us a little more diversity. The Halfback Trap was adapted from my

high school coach who used to run a play called Guard Trap to the Half. It is essentiallythe same play but with less wording. The Gut was borrowed from an I formation team

and can be further adapted to be called Gut Influence. The Gut attacks the center of the

defense and is very successful against 43 teams. The reason that these plays were put in

the 20 series is because of the Fullback action up the middle and the waggle action by theQuarterback.

If you want to tell right away if a defense is keying guards or backs, start the game

with 21/29 Power. If the linebackers flow with the play then they are keying Guards. IFthe inside backers crash and attack the Fullback, then they are keying backs.


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Next we will review the five base plays along with one add on play for this series.

The play diagram will be in the back of the book in the playbook index.

1. 24/26 Guard Trap

a. The Fullback carries the ball at 4 or 6i. The Fullback actually dives to the opposite leg of 5 and looks to

make a slight cut through the alley made by the blocking once he

gets past the line of scrimmage

ii. Fullback should be very aggressive on thisb. The Quarterback and Fullback should brush shoulders on their mesh

i. The Quarterback slides the ball into the stomach of the Fullbackii. Quarterback stays bent low over the ball, hiding it from the defense

c. The Quarterback and the Halfback mesh at a perpendicular angle behind

the play.

i. The Halfback fakes to the Quarterback and continues on his Powerfake

ii. The Quarterback looks the Halfback past and then fakes the

waggled. The play side Halfback influence block on the outside linebacker

2. 21/29 Power

a. Fullback greatly exaggerates the fake up the middlei. Fullback must be very aggressive when faking

b. Quarterback and Halfback mesh with the quarterback sliding the ball into

the Halfbacks bellyi. The Quarterback looks him past and fakes the waggle

c. The Halfback carrying the ball runs parallel to the line of scrimmage

i. He is looking for the first available lane where he can cut and runto day light

d. The play side Halfback must crush the play side defensive end down

inside.


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i. The Tight End will block down which will force the defensive end

to squeeze him to the inside.

ii. Tighten up to the tight end and get into the defensive end asaggressively as you can

iii. This is the vital block, it must be made

3. 21/29 Waggle

a. Waggle means opposite

i. If it is 21 the Quarterback is rolling left

ii. 29 means that he is going rightb. The Fullback widens his path and gets out to the 5 yard flat

i. His aiming point should go from the leg of 5 to the outside leg of6.

ii. If he gets tackled it is no big deal, we still have other options

c. The Halfback on the Power fake makes a convincing fake and looks to

pick up the backside pursuitd. The back side Halfback does a skinny post

i. You should keep an eye on this route, at some point in time of

every game, it comes open.e. The Split End has a called route

i. We used to just run him on a 9 or a corner route, but we can

manufacture a big play calling a route for himii. The best ones are the 1,3,5,7, and 9

f. The Tight End has a 10 to 12 yard backside crossing route

i. He must be aggressive in getting off of the lineii. He should read the linebackers and get behind them on is route

iii. If it is a zone team, then you have the option of telling the tight end

to sit down in a hole in the zone

g. The Quarterback no longer worries about a fake to the fullbacki. He still must keep his patience however when faking to the

Halfback.

ii. This is important because it will pull the defense with the Halfbackiii. He must get 6 yards deep

iv. He has the ball up and attacks the line of scrimmage using every

square inch between himself and the line of scrimmage if neededv. His rule is RUN, FLAT, CROSSING

1. He is looking to run all the way

2. If he does, he is to tell the guards to GO leading him

down field


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3. We will tell him when to look deep

4. He MUST attack the line

4. 23/27 Halfback Trap

a. The Fullback makes an exaggerated fake up the middle

i. He fakes to the Quarterback

b. The Quarterback and Halfback (ball carrier) mesh at a perpendicularangle.

i. The Quarterback slides the ball into the belly and runs his waggle

fake

c. The Halfback takes the ball and immediately dives for the inside leg of thetackle (3 or 7)

i. He is looking to follow the kick out block of the guardd. The play side Halfback executes the same kind of influence block that he

does on Guard Trap.

e. This play is run when you see the strong safety or outside linebacker

reacting to down blocks by coming up on the outside to support.f. Great play out of the I

5. 24/26 Guta. Best if run out of the I or with Z motion, but it will work out of any look

b. The Fullback disregards his fake and dives for the leg of 5.

i. He is looking to block the middle or inside linebacker

c. The backside Guard will gut around the Center and basically go shoulderto shoulder with the Fullback up on the middle or inside linebacker

d. From what ever position, the ball carrying Halfback is looking to follow

the Guard and Fullback right up the Centers taile. The play side Guard will block out versus a 40 and block down versus a

50 ( on the nose guard )

f. The Quarterback may widen a little bit to open up the midline for theHalfback

i. He hands off and carries out his waggle fake.

g. The blocking Halfback executes an influence block


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Chapter 8

Thirty Series

The thirty series is a Halfback oriented series that uses a block down, kick out scheme

up front. In the original Delaware system, these plays are called F Sweep and Blast,

however we call them Toss Sweep and Toss Blast. The change in the plays occurredwhen we did not have any bootleg coming off of the F Sweep and regular Blast plays.

Faced with a decision as to whether or not create a bootleg play or add the Quarterback as

a blocker was a no brainer. The bootleg play that we considered adding was a very lowpercentage play because it put the Quarterback on the flank with no protection and he had

one of two very low percentage passes to complete: One to the Tight End on a drag route,

and the other to the Split End on a called pattern. Plus all new blocking and protection

schemes just made very little sense to use the practice time to put in. By changing oneposition, the Quarterback, we felt that we made the play better in a more efficient manner.

Some will argue the merits of putting your Quarterback in a position such as this because

of the risk of injury, but we flat out tell our Quarterbacks that they are football players too

and if their involvement in a particular play makes the play that much better, then theywill be asked to perform the duty. The Quarterback now instead of handing the ball off

will now toss it and become a lead blocker up through the hole. He also becomes a targetfor the ball carrier as one of the coaching points for putting this play in is that the

Halfback catches the toss and tries to get his hand on the Quarterbacks back. This does

two things: First it gets the ball carrier in the hole instead of bouncing outside, second it

gets the ball carrier going forward instead of lateral.Another important coaching point is that each of the three lead blockers, the

Quarterback, Fullback, and Guard, has a responsibility on the play. They are not to go

running up in the hole like a rugby scrum; instead they have a person or an area to block.The Fullback is required to kick out and open up the running lane, the Guard is required

to roll up in the hole and seal off the backside pursuit; the Quarterback then becomes a

ram rod of sorts opening up the hole by blocking the first threat that shows. The trickiestpart of teaching these plays is teaching the Quarterback to pivot, toss and lead without

getting in the way.

The 34/36 Counter Trap and Counter Boot plays are Delaware plays that we havetweaked to fit in with the Toss action plays. While we dont show counter action on the

Toss plays, we can hit a team with one of these two plays if they are over committing to

the Toss action. When running the Counter, the Quarterback and the Halfback need to be

a little bit patient, the Quarterback with handing off and the Halfback with flowing alongthe line behind the Tackle. The Quarterbacks reads are only slightly different from the

Waggle: The rule now is Run, Flat, Corner.

The final base play in the 30 series is the 31/39 Pitch. This is a play designed to getour Halfback on the perimeter at full speed behind the lead block of the front side Guard.

The Fullback will fill the tunnel as it is called, shutting off any inside out pursuit. This

is another play borrowed from an I formation team and we have adapted to fit ouroffensive scheme.

We tend to rely on the 32/38 Toss Blast play quite a bit. It can become one of those

plays that can wear down a defense because it constantly pounds on them. While the


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Fullback does not carry the ball in this series, he is still valuable as a blocker and a

receiver.

1. 32/38 Toss Blast

a. The Quarterback reverse pivots out from Center and tosses the ball as he

turns to the Half backb. The Quarterback is responsible for blocking a safety or a linebacker out of

the hole.

c. The Fullback must remove the defensive end. If he does not, then the playwill be tough to run

d. When the Guard pulls from the backside, he must roll up in the hole as

soon as he sees the double team (which will depend on what kind of

defense we are facing).e. Halfback must take the toss and follow his blockers into the hole. Try to

get your hand on the Quarterbacks back

f. Halfback not carrying the ball will influence block on the strong safety or

outside linebacker

2. 31/39 Toss Sweepa. This is the same scheme but one hole wider.

i. We do not want to stretch this play if we dont have to.

ii. Still try to follow your blockersb. Halfback and Tight End must get a solid double team on the defensive end

i. This opens up the play

c. The Fullback will look to kick out the first perimeter defender who shows.i. Most strong safetys and outside linebackers are taught to step up

when they see a down block so one of these two will be your target

ii. It wont be a kick out block like on Toss Blast, so the Fullback will

have to turn up field a little once he clears the double team by theTight end and Halfback

d. The Quarterback will now look for a cornerback to block, but with the

same techniquee. The backside Guard has a longer path, but still must roll up inside and seal

off


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3. 34/36 Counter Trap

a. The tackle pulls instead of the Guard

i. He looks to trap the first threat past 5 ( Center )b. The Quarterback will give an exaggerated Toss fake to the Halfback.

i. He swings his arms way up and shows the ball.

ii. He must get off the line to clear the way for the Tackle and theHalfback

iii. He must also bring the ball back down quickly to give it to the

Halfbackiv. His final responsibility is to carry out a Toss Blast fake

c. The ball carrying Halfback takes one step forward with his outside foot

i. This step is forward from his angled stance, so he is actually

stepping directly at the Tight Ends outside hip.ii. The second step is with his inside foot and it is a flat step parallel

to the line of scrimmage.

iii. He continues on this path, getting the ball under the Quarterback

following the Tackleiv. Hug the double team between the Guard and Center when you cut

up into the holed. The fullback adjusts his path to fill for the pulling Tackle

i. He must be quick and aggressive because there may be a stunting

defender attacking the hole

e. The faking Halfback carries out the Toss Blast fake

4. 34/36 Counter Boot

a. This play can be run to either side but it may work best going to the twoman side because the Split End can run a called pattern

b. Quarterback has two fakes. One to the Toss Halfback and the other to the

Counter Trap Halfback

i. The Toss Halfback should seal the endii. The Counter Trap Halfback should block backside or get tackled

c. The Fullback runs a 5 yard out just like on Waggle.

i. Similar path as Toss Blastd. The Quarterback completes his fakes and attacks the flank at 6 yards depth

i. Rule is: Run, Flat, Corner

e. The Tight End runs a flag routef. The Split End does a backside post

g. The offensive line is in full line reach mode

i. No pulling or second level blocking

h. If the play is run to the Tight End side:


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i. Split End post

ii. Tight End Flag

i. To the Split End sidei. Split End called pattern

ii. Tight End Drag

5. 31/39 Pitch

a. This is a classic I formation play.

b. We changed the wording from Toss to Pitch because the Quarterback is nolonger tossing and leading up through the hole

i. He reverse pivots and pitches to the Halfback

ii. After the Pitch, he bootlegs out away from the play

c. The Fullback fills the tunneli. This is a lane that can provide a linebacker inside out pursuit if it is

left openii. The Fullback fill the B gap versus a 40 defense and the C gap

versus a 50 defense

iii. He looks to block the first threat

d. The Halfback runs to daylighte. The play side Guard pulls and leads around the end.

i. He is looking to block the first defensive threat that shows

ii. Usually this will be a corner or strong safetyf. The Halfback who is blocking is looking to block the outside linebacker or

strong safety

i. He must get a good drive block, this is key to spring this play

The thirty series is a good series when it is time to wear down your opponent. Moving

the ball and taking time off of the clock are easily achieved when you can run this set of

no frills plays efficiently.


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Chapter 9

40 Series

The 40 series is our read option series that we have borrowed and adapted from the

service academies. In this set of plays you have the 42/48 Veer and the 44/46 Midline,

Counter, and Pass. We incorporated this set of plays to give a slightly different look toour offense. The Quarterback will open directly to the hole in all 4 plays and we will not

pull any Guards or Tackles. Two things are very important to make these plays go: First

the Quarterback has got to be a smart and patient player who can make a decision on anoption read very quickly. He can not be indecisive because that is the primary cause of

fumbles with these plays when the Quarterback is indecisive and the exchange between

him and the Fullback goes awry. Second, the Fullback needs to be smart and tough. He

must be able to attack the hole and trust the Quarterback will make a smooth, smartdecision that will not cause him to hesitate and lose the ball or his momentum. In the

case of both plays we are breaking from our theory of hiding the ball by showing it to the

defense. We want the defense to see the ball. When they see the ball in this kind of

action they will do one of two things: First they may all crash to the ball veryaggressively or secondly, they may play assignment football and wait for the play to

come to them. Either way, these are very high percentage plays. Once you get yourreads down, a good Quarterback and Fullback tandem will devastate a defense.

The only slight drawback to running these plays is that if you want to set them up

correctly, you may need to run them over and over again. If you want the midline to

burst open, then it may be necessary to run it many times. The reason for this is that youhave to suck the defense into the Fullback on both the Veer and Midline. Once you pull

the defense in to him then you hit them with the keep and/or pitch option. One of the

reasons that we like to run the midline is that it can fool a defensive tackle into thinkingthat we are running Guard Trap, and he will crash automatically suspecting a trap block.

So by running 24/26 Guard Trap we may be able to set up the midline that way. One key

to running the Veer is that you need to teach your Quarterback and Halfback to haveconfidence in and stay with the pitch. Sometimes a Quarterback will hit the perimeter

after the Fullback fake, tuck the ball and forget about the Halfback trailing. Also the

Halfback has to remember that the ball can be pitched anywhere down the field as long ashe has kept a proper relationship with the Quarterback. The 44/46 Midline Counter is a

good big play call but the Quarterback has got to be tough and patient. He needs to ride

that Fullback through the hole and have enough guts to wait out that split second for the

Halfback to get to him. The Midline Pass requires poise by the Tight End to sell a blockand not get out into his pattern too quickly.

This is a great series that can lead to many big plays, but it must be coached and

executed with a great deal of patience. The Quarterback and Fullback especially willneed time to get the feel of the ball in the belly reads.


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1. 42/48 Veer

a. The defensive end is unblocked and is the Quarterbacks key readb. The Quarterback will start by taking an open step

i. This step will not be parallel to the line of scrimmage but it will be

at a slight angle from the line. This step is an open an depth stepii. Depth step allows the Quarterback time to read the defensive end

iii. The ball is extended out waiting for the Fullback

iv. Quarterbacks eyes are locked on the defensive endv. Quarterback will make his first decision on the second step

1. If the defensive end crashes: Keep

2. If the defensive end sits: Give

vi. If the Quarterback gives then he carries out the option fake downthe line of scrimmage

vii. If the Quarterback keeps then he attacks the flank preparing to

make his second decision

1. If there is no running lane for the Quarterback then helooks to pitch

a. Only pitch if it is wide openb. Do not take any unnecessary risks

c. Take what you got

c. The Fullback dives for the inside leg of 3/7 Tackle

i. His arms immediately form the handoff pocketii. He is looking straight ahead not at the Quarterback

iii. He only closed slightly on the ball, not too tight that the

Quarterback cant pull itiv. He must be ready to accept the football

d. Play side Halfback will drive block the strong safety or outside linebacker

i. His goal is to get a body on the defender and move himii. The Quarterback will make a decision based on the block of the

Halfback

e. The opposite Halfback is the pitch optioni. He must keep a 5 x 2 relationship with the Quarterback

ii. He keeps this relationship until the play is dead or if he can make a

key block

iii. He must be ready for a pitch at all timesf. It is vital that we achieve a good double team at the point of attack.

Everything happens off of this block.

i. The double team takes place on the defensive tackle


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2. 44/46 Midlinea. The defensive tackle is unblocked and is the Quarterbacks key read

b. The Quarterback will step back and away opening up the midline for the

Fullback.i. He must clear the midline

ii. He shows the ball just like on veer

iii. His eyes are immediately locked on the defensive tackle

iv. If the tackle crashes to the Fullback1. Ride the Fullback through the hole

2. Keep your feet planted dont move until the Fullback is

past you

3. Pull the ball and run for the outside leg of the Guardv. If the tackle sits

1. Give the ball to the Fullback2. Step past the Fullback into the defensive tackle

vi. Play side Halfback will gut up inside on the first second level

defender he meets

vii. Back side Halfback drive blocks the first perimeter defender thathe meets

3. 44/46 Midline Counter

a. This is a great play for springing a big one on the defense.

b. The blocking is the same as our one series ( chapter 12 )i. Nobody pulls

ii. Nobody left unblocked

c. The Quarterback and Fullback will do the exact same thing as regular

Midlinei. The Quarterback must ride the Fullback through and take one step

toward the hole

ii. After his first step, he slides the ball to the Halfback who is comingby on his outside.

iii. He carries out the remainder of the play fake

d. The ball carrying Halfbacki. Short motion if on the wing

ii. Jab step outside if at the dive back

iii. The Halfback then dives for the inside leg of the opposite guard


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1. This puts him on a path for a mesh point on the

Quarterbacks outside shoulder

e. The Halfback who is not carrying the balli. Executes a gut block inside to act as a lead blocker at the point of

attack

4. 44/46 Midline Pass

a. The Quarterback will ride fake the fullback through the holei. He then takes an angular 5 step drop

ii. He sets up behind the 3/7 Tackle

iii. This is not a roll out play action, but a set up play action

iv. His rule is flat, flag, crossingb. The play side Halfback will gut up through like on Midline Counter, but

he will continue to bend his path into a 5 yard out.i. He should look to go behind the outside linebacker or strong safety

c. The backside Halfback will also gut up inside, but he will run a backside

crossing route

d. The Split End does a backside post

We have a couple of plays that we can add on as the season goes on. These plays are

42/48 Wham and 42/48 Wham Lead. They combine elements of the 82/88 Down and

42/48 Veer. They are classified into the 40 series primarily because of the steps by theQuarterback. On these plays we want the Quarterback to open directly toward the play.

Lead is a play tag that we will do into greater detail in the I formation chapter (chapter

13).


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5. 42/48 Wham

a. Wham is a play that we will call with Rip or Liz motion.

b. Everything is the same as veer except the Halfback who was the pitch manfor the veer now goes in Rip or Liz motion

i. He times up his motion so he does not break stride

ii. He is the key block as he kicks out the defensive endc. The other Halfback has the same Veer rule

d. The offensive line also has Veer type blocking

i. The double team is again the key

6. 42/48 Wham Lead

a. Really only works out of the Ii. The Pro tag is not used

ii. A Halfback in Rip/Liz motion is needed to give us the Wham name

iii. Out of the I the Fullback would lead through the hole onto the first

defender he meetsiv. The ball is now given to the Halfback who is at the I back position

v. The Quarterback still opens up to the play, but he now comes back

to a mesh point with the Halfback


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Chapter 10

80 Series

Our final base run package is the 80 series. This set of plays is sometimes referred to

as the Fullback belly series. This set combines the full flow effect of the 30 series with

the Fullback oriented attack of the 40 series. Off of each play we have an option fake,with the possibility to run play action. Our set has no Sally play although it is a staple of

most other Wing-T teams. Sally is a Halfback counter play that has no trap action by the

line. I have used the play in the past with success, but have found it somewhatinconsistent. We are still forcing the defense to play assignment football because they

have to respect the option and play action game to the same side as the Fullback flow.

This is the bread and butter of most teams. When you talk Wing-T football, you find that

many teams are Fullback oriented, and we tend to be no different. While most of whatyou do depends on the talent that you have, it is vital to establish the fullback as your best

runner, receiver, and blocker. The Fullback is essentially running out of a one back set,

with little lead blocking. He is asked to make the key block in the 30 series and will be

needed as a primary receiver in our play action game. This series puts a premium onhaving a good Fullback.

The 82/88 Down is one of the most reliable plays in all of football. The Fullback isrunning down hill behind down/kick out blocking with an option fake behind him. The

83/87 Cross Block is a Fullback draw play that allows a good Fullback to see the hole

and choose where he wants to run. If these plays are run properly, then they are virtually

impossible to stop. A Fullback from Mercer High School once ran for 295 yards on justthese two plays.

The play action passing off of these two plays is quite effective. They are similar to

the Midline Pass, but have their own features that make them unique. If you hit thedefense with these plays early then you can force the secondary and the outside

linebackers to play tentative. If you are running Down and Cross Block and you see the

safeties filling very aggressively, then it is time for Keep Pass and Down Pass or with oneof the option plays

You should work very hard to keep the defense from taking these plays away from

you. Make sure that your personnel can meet any look that the defense gives them andbeat it. If you cant run the down, then it may be a very long night.


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1. 82/88 Down

a. It is called Down because of the line blocking up front.

i. The Tight End and Tackle are down blocking either to the first orsecond level

ii. The front side Guard is pulling and trapping the defensive end

opening up the holeb. The Quarterback will take his reverse flat steps and looking to mesh with

the Fullback on his second step

i. After the mesh and hand off, he fakes the optionc. The play side Halfback does an influence block on the strong safety or

outside linebacker

d. The back side Halfback fakes the option with the Quarterback

e. The Fullback will dive for the outside leg of 3/7 Tackle.i. After he gets through the hole with the ball, he runs to day light

2. 82/88 Down Pass

a. We will not pull the play side Guard

i. The Quarterback needs time to fake and then make his pass readsii. The line blocking is similar to a 50 series pass

b. The Tight End will influence a down block, but then he will run an out

routec. The play side Halfback will influence a down block also and then break it

off to a flag route

d. The Halfback on the option fake continues bending his path around andbecomes a seal blocker on the end

i. We can make an adjustment and send him on a wheel route also

e. The Fullback gives a good fake, and then we hope that he gets tackledi. If he does not, then he waits and picks up any defenders

f. The Quarterback will reverse pivot flat, and allow the Fullback to fake to

him

i. We want the ball to stay hiddenii. He waits for the Fullback to go through and then sets up at an

angular 5 step drop behind 2

iii. He may put the ball behind his hip if is ableiv. His rule is Flat, Flag, Crossing

g. The Split End does a backside crossing


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3. 83/87 Cross Block

a. This is like a Fullback draw play

i. The Fullback takes a pair of shuffle steps parallel to the line ofscrimmage at the snap

ii. He should not go forward one inch

iii. He opens a pocket and waits for the Quarterback to mesh with himiv. After the hand off he runs for the inside leg of 3/7 Tackle

b. The Quarterback will reverse 45 and take an angle of intersection to meet

with the Fullbacki. He slides the ball into the Fullbacks belly and continues on an

option fake

ii. After clearing the Fullback, head down hill

c. The play side Halfback guts up into the hole and is like a lead blockeri. He may have to go around the defensive end if the defense is in the

way

ii. His is the key block

d. The backside Halfback will motion into an option fakei. He can be told not to motion by calling NO MO

e. The offensive line to the play side will have to make one of three callsi. Ohio on block it

ii. Clemson Cross block it with the Tackle blocking down and the

Guard kicking out

iii. Florida Fan block it. Both the guard and the Tackle will blockout on the first defender to their outside

f. The backside of the offensive line reach blocks with the Tight End and

Tackle going on to the third level

4. 83/87 Keep Pass

a. This is a play action pass off of Cross Block action

b. The Quarterback will repeat his steps

i. The Fullback will fake to the Quarterback


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ii. He slides past the Fullback and continues gaining depth and width

to the outside

iii. He should try to get to 6 yards depthiv. His rule is Run, Flat, Crossing

c. The Fullback gives a convincing fake and executes the Cross Block

d. The play side Halfback will run a 5 yard out routei. He can gut inside like on Midline Pass or go straight ahead and

avoid the garbage

e. The backside Halfback has the same responsibility that he has on DownPass

i. Bend the option fake and seal the flank

f. The offensive line should always cross this

i. It is similar to the front side of a Waggleg. The Tight End runs a delay drag

i. He sets up to pass block and then releases

h. The Split End runs a called pattern

There are three plays that we can run as add ons later in the season. Two of them are

option plays: The 82/88 Down Option Load and the 83/87 Belly Option. The other play

is a toss play that you should run if you have a quicker fullback who can make thingshappen it is: 81/89 Flip Power. On this we get the Quarterback lead blocking again

5. 82/88 Down Option Load

a. We change the blocking slightly by having the play side Halfback block

down on the defensive end just like on 21/29 Poweri. The Guard now pulls and traps the first perimeter defender past the

Halfbacks block

b. The Quarterback takes the same Down steps and meshes with the Fullbacki. The Fullback will once again fake to the Quarterback

ii. The Quarterback then attacks the edge looking to run or pitch

c. The backside Halfback is once again the pitch man.i. He keeps a 5 x 2 pitch relationship as long as he can


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6. 83/88 Belly Option

a. We change the name make it easier to communicate

b. The action is off of Cross Blockc. The Quarterback has the same steps and allows the Fullback to fake to him

i. After meshing with the Fullback, the Quarterback looks to the edge

and attacks it making a run/pitch decisiond. The Fullback is once again responsible for making a convincing fake and

not getting sloppy

e. The play side Halfback will block down on the defensive end

f. The backside Halfback is once again the pitch mani. 5 x 2 pitch relationship

g. The line call should always be Clemson for cross

i. We want the Guard out on the flank

7. 81/89 Flip Powera. This is a toss play to the Fullback

i. The Fullback will take similar steps as on the Cross Block, but will

gain some depthii. He takes the pitch and follows his blockers in true sweep form

iii. He must get some width to buy time for the blocking

b. The Quarterback will toss it to the Fullback and get out on the edgei. He will be a lead blocker

c. The play side Halfback will block down on the defensive end

d. The backside Halfback will either cut off the backside or come in Rip orLiz motion

i. If he comes in motion then he must turn and help to seal the flank

e. The front side Guard pulls and looks to kick out the first perimeter

defender that he seesf. This is also always a Clemson call for the offensive line


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Chapter 11

Passing Game

Back in high school I had the pleasure of playing in a pure Wing-T system that was

coached by a man who knew it, understood it, and believed in it. We were highly

successful and put up some impressive numbers running the ball. We did not need topass because of the success of our running game, due to this we had a very vanilla 3 step

attack that had little variation and imagination. When I look back on those seasons, the

only games that we lost were when our opponent could stack the line of scrimmage andput 10 defenders in the box. They took away our vaunted running attack, and dared us to

put the ball in the air. We had the athletes to do it, but we did not need to and thus had

little variatio

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