How To Stop The Wing T Offense

This is the starting time post in a series virtually defending Wing-T offense. In that location are no absolute definitions in football and the answers to what is a wing-t offense vary. This serial will Non encompass every element of every wing-t scheme everywhere. With that said, this first postal service is near knowing your enemy. To cease the wing-t, it is important to empathize a fly-t offense'southward philosophy.

Much of this post is based on concepts from the book "The Delaware Wing-T: An Guild of Football" past Tubby Raymond and Ted Kempski. Countless football coaches have been influenced by this book. The volume covers the history and evolution of the criminal offence. The chapter on coaching psychology applies to coaches of offense, defense, or special teams. Coach Raymond covers the criminal offense's philosophy, arrangement, communication, naming construction, play calling, position coaching for all positions, installation, didactics progression, practise planning, and of course the plays. Information technology is a comprehensive how to manual for running the Delaware Fly-T criminal offense. Other topics covered include identifying and attacking defenses. The impact of this book is far greater than just the wing-t scheme. Many of the coaching concepts employ to any offensive system. I believe this book is a must read for any football autobus. The book was published in 1986 and is still impacting coaches today, including Gus Malzahn at Auburn. While Coach Malzahn does not run a defended wing-t scheme you lot can see traditional wing-t formations, motions, and plays that are staples in his Tiger crime. For more info on Coach Malzahn's wing-t roots check out a very interesting article from Chris Brown (here).

Basics of the Wing-T

The wing-t is a multiple formation, multiple back, ball control criminal offense. The scheme is focused on running the ball and creates a run/pass residual with mostly play activity passes. While a running criminal offense, the wing-t wants to present 3 or more immediate vertical pass threats. Here are ii common wing-t formations.

Having 3 or more laissez passer threats differentiates the wing-t from traditional three dorsum backfield concepts similar the T or Wishbone which only present two immediate pass threats.

"In spite of its dependence on the running game, it is, paradoxically, initially dependent on the threat of a passing game." - Tubby Raymond

Conceptually this thought process is no unlike from spread offenses. Many spread teams align spread to RUN the ball. Spread teams present the defense with a germination that forces horizontal stretch and threatens vertical pass to create infinite to run the brawl.

Both the wing-t and spread offenses are trying to forbid the defense from loading the box with defenders and playing aggressively to cease the run by aligning immediate pass threats at the line of scrimmage. There by creating run/pass and leverage conflicts for defenders.

Wing-T formations also affect the width of the defensive front'south alignment. If the defence aligns inside, the offense has excellent angles to block down.

Here the defense has aligned the DE inside leverage on the TE. The TE and Wing have excellent angles to down cake and the offense can attack the exterior of the defense.

If the defense force widens to the germination, the criminal offense has space to run within or off-tackle.

Here the defense widened the DE to the Wing. This extra width helps the offense set the kicking out block by the guard on the DE. The Wing tin can step to the the DE and influence the DE to put hands on the immediate block. The Fly then releases to block the second level and the guard pulls to kick out the DE.

In the Wing-T extra blockers are aligned at or about the line of scrimmage. The crime can apply them to block immediately. This allows the law-breaking to threaten out leveraging the defense.

On runs to the tight stop the wing can aid the offense apace secure the edge.

On runs to the split cease the back tin be offset in the backfield or aligned in a wing alignment off of the tackle. In either alignment the the offense has a blocker who again tin can chop-chop secure the edge.

When yous compare the wing-t to common two back run games y'all see a like threat found in H-Dorsum or commencement FB offenses with one major departure.

Here is a standard two dorsum pistol formation using an H dorsum aligned on the hip of the OT. The H back is assigned to boot out the DE on power. The DE has significantly less time to react to the H back's block compared to the same play run from the I germination.

An offset fullback serves the same function every bit an H back.

Here the offense is running exterior zone with an offset FB. The FB is able to attack the edge of the offense much quicker than the same play from an I alignment.

If these plays attack faster with an H back or start FB why run them from the I? The easy reply is the offense can run the play both directions from the I and can only run it one management with an H dorsum or offset FB. This is a claiming ii back running attacks take ever faced . Be able to attack both sides or attack more quickly is a choice that must be fabricated . At the core of the Fly-T criminal offence's philosophy is the ability to accept these quick blocking threats on BOTH edges then the crime can run either direction. Dealing with quick blocking threats on both edges is a major difference between defending Wing-t and defending ii back running schemes.

The formations as well allow the criminal offence to quickly motility and assail with the actress motion role player to the opposite side of the germination.

Here the crime motions the left dorsum and runs buck sweep to the TE side.

Hither the offense motions the right back and runs abdomen option to the SE side.

Most Fly-T offenses use formations with a fullback. The FB presents an immediate running threat to attack the middle of the formation, over both guards, or off either tackle.

Past adjustment the FB backside the center, the criminal offence can use the FB in the run to either side of the formation as a ball carrier or blocker. Omnibus Raymond compares the FB's power to attack either side of the germination to an I germination. The FB in the wing-t tin make full the role of an I formation fullback or I tailback.

The FB is also aligned to get a pass threat to either side of the formation.

Additionally, the FB is aligned with the power to block on counter by replacing pulling offensive linemen.

Here the FB is replacing the pulling OT on a counter play. The FB's block is critical to securing the backside edge of the play.

The FB is a versatile player in a wing-t scheme as are both wingbacks. A fundamental tenant of the wing-t is all three running backs can be used as blockers, brawl carriers, receivers, and decoys.

The wing-t can exist considered a FOUR back criminal offense. Coach Raymond references the law-breaking'southward origin as being a combination of Fritz Crisler's Michigan unmarried wing, Red Blaik'south trap schemes from Army, and Dave Nelson QB bootleg plays fused into 1 cohesive scheme. The QB is the 4 ^th dorsum in the attack and can threaten the edges of the defense on every play. The QB is a threat to run option, homemade, or keep pass.

Simplicity Up Forepart
What makes wing-t offenses multiple yet simple is the limited number of blocking schemes used. The criminal offence uses multiple formations, motions, and backfield actions to create confusion. Meanwhile the OL are blocking only a couple of different concepts. The effect is what looks similar a dandy bargain of complexity while beingness uncomplicated for the OL. Many of the blocking schemes are interrelated. This creates the illusion to the defense that the aforementioned play is beingness run while the offense is running dissimilar backfield actions to attack different areas of the defense force.

Flow, Motion, and Misdirection

The Fly-T is a flow offense. On any snap the offense presents multiple threats to bear the brawl (4 back offense). The flow of the play goes to i side of the formation. Off that flow the criminal offence has plays that attack within, off-tackle, exterior, or abroad from the flow.

Motion is used to add to the menstruum created by the offense. Putting a histrion in motion attracts the eyes of a defence and tin can influence their reactions. Motion likewise increases the speed of the flow. Lastly, motion can change the numbers in the offense's favor at the indicate of attack.

Misdirection is built into the law-breaking to add free plays off of every flow. Motion can cause the defence to speed up and over react to the flow which consequently improves the effectiveness of misdirection plays.

Wing-t schemes are looking to set on in 3 areas:

Inside
Plays that attack within are broken up into two categories: straight shot and counter. This allows the offense to paw the brawl and assail in the inside immediately (direct shot) or set on the inside of the formation opposite the menses (counter).

Off-Tackle
Off-tackle plays tin can be run either to the TE or to the SE side. While these may be the same plays most fly-t offenses take plays they favor to a TE and those they prefer to the SE or open side. The scheme too includes misdirection plays that attack the off-tackle area opposite the flow.

Outside
The runs to the outside are either blocked or optioned. The blocked plays apply the leverage of the immediate blocking threats to secure the border. The pick plays get out players on the border unblocked to be read. The crime has the ability to attack the outside opposite the flow with bootleg plays that create a run/pass option for the QB away from the period. Or the criminal offence tin assail to the flow with the QB on a keep pass to create a run/pass choice to the flow.

Specific plays in the wing-t scheme will be covered in a later postal service. What is important is the fact the wing-t is a system. Within that arrangement plays are grouped together that attack different areas.

Serial Football game

"It may be best described as sequence football. This should not imply that every play is run in social club, simply that the criminal offence is run in series where several points are threatened as the brawl is snapped." - Tubby Raymond

The wing-t philosophy is to group plays into series of plays that compliment ane another. These plays are run from the same backfield actions. Hither is an case of a belly series.

The offense can motion the right wing and attack off tackle with the FB running belly.

Off thesame initial backfield activity the criminal offense can assault inside with a counter to the left wing.

Once again the same initial backfield action with a belly selection attacking the outside.

Finally the offense has a play action pass off the aforementioned initial backfield activeness. The pass attacks the flat defender and creates a run/laissez passer pick for the QB. While the version of wing-t y'all are planning to defend may run different plays and different series, information technology is of import to understand wing-t offense is a serial offense.

"The serial are designed to place every bit many conflicts on the defense force as possible and are directed at men who have dual defensive assignments. The blocking style is designed so that as a defensive man reacts to the blocking in his surface area to finish a detail threat, he will be placing himself in jeopardy for a companion play." - Tubby Raymond

Identifying what serial of plays the offense groups together is disquisitional for the defense. Past identifying the series of plays the law-breaking is probable to run the defense tin can anticipate what plays are coming.

Game Planning a Wing-T Offense past Identifying Series
Afterward breaking downwards the moving picture our side by side step is to create profile of the offense by formation and motion.

The starting point is the base formation. How will we line upwards to the formation? What do they run with no movement?

Next we look at the motion from that formation. Here is fly motion by the wing to the SE side of the formation. The SE side perimeter defenders must exist set up to finish sweep. The TE side defenders must exist set up for hand to hand counter coming dorsum on motility abroad.

On fly move by the wing toward the TE, the DE and LB to the TE must exist ready for G Abdomen. The perimeter support to the TE must be prepare for sweep. Away from the move must be ready for boot. At present we have a starting point for what series of plays the criminal offence like to call based off backfield actions.

Bottom line:
Interior DL set up for trap and wham blocks
DE&LB to TE set for g-belly
DE&LB to SE set for atomic number 82 block by FB
Perimeter to TE gear up for sweep/Motion away ready for manus to paw counter
Perimeter to SE ready for sweep/ Motion abroad ready for boot

By breaking down every formation and motion we tin starting time to build a program. The formation is where we are going to line up. The motions are the indicators of what our defenders need to anticipate volition happen side by side. The formation/motion diagrams is the starting indicate for understanding the offense's series and starting to establish our programme.

Game Day Centre Nautical chart
Understanding a wing-t offense'southward series also informs our game twenty-four hour period coaching procedure. In game every charabanc has an area he is assigned to watch. Four specific areas are assigned:

The coaches on the field spotter the one-half of the germination closest to our sideline. That is the surface area they have the all-time view to meet. One double-decker is assigned to watch the core (Area 1). A 2d coach watches the almost side secondary (Area 2). The far side of the formation is the responsibility of the coaches in the box. Their vantage indicate from the box allows them to run across the area on the far side of the field much amend than the coaches on the field. One coach watches the far core (Expanse 3) and one watches the far side secondary (Expanse 4). Other coaches will exist assigned other things to scout simply the 4 coaches with areas to watch in the eye chart MUST see what happens in those 4 areas. By assigning this eye chart we avert the dreaded "I wasn't watching that..." scenario. Each area passenger vehicle knows what is likely to happen in their area based on scouting report and game plan. If our reaction to the serial is incorrect the area bus watching the area where a mistake occurred should know. If the series isn't what we thought based on scouting report we will know based on what the 4 area coaches are seeing. This allows usa to begin to alter the plan and communicate to the players.

Understanding serial football is disquisitional to our game planning and in game coaching against a wing-t law-breaking. Futurity posts on defending wing-t will wait at mutual fly-t formations, motions, and plays. Strategies for defensive alignment, consignment, keys, run fits, run support, and coverages with be covered also.

Source: http://www.blitzology.com/2016/03/defending-wing-t-offense-part-1.html