Around this time of year, we get a ton of questions from youth football coaches going into playoff/championship games. We’re going to feature some of the best coaches questions here with responses from Coach Jeff. Keep the questions coming in!
Question:
I am playing a very well coached team this week , they run single or empty back field very fast, very big. thinking about playing a 4×4 this week, any thoughts (they were pegged as winning our super bowl at the beggining of the season).
-Thanks, Coach P
Coach Jeff says:
When defending the single it is vital that your defensive alignment be proper. It is important that you adjust and shift your defense to match the unbalanced line that the single wing is known to use. Also, it is vital that your defensive linemen hold their gaps and do not get caught up in the motions and backfield deception. Also, you can key their offensive linemen, they will usually pull to playside.
Question:
This year we went 6-3 and lost last week in second round of the playoffs. Next year I will be coaching 4th graders (9-10 year olds). I ran a version of the wing t this year but I feel our offense was to predictable. I came across your youth football playbook for running the wing t and purchased it last week. I had a meeting with my coaches today and we all agree we are going to install your offense. However, I have a couple of question for you. Most defenses in our league line up in the gaps mainly the A gap and try to shoot the gap. I have been reading a lot about line splits so my question is will those 2 foot splints be to wide for 4th graders with someone lined up in the gaps? Also we are looking to run a no huddle and have our linemen in a two point stance. What are the negatives of them being in a two point stance?
-Coach S.
Coach Jeff says:
Question:
Double Wing or Wing T? -Coach Sammy
Coach Jeff says:
I use wing t rocket series, every play is off of rocket motion. Why I like it is because rocket sweep is a great play to attack the defense out in space with. Make the defense tackle your athletes in space. Also, the motion is used to deceive the defense. Once the defense starts over playing the motion we hit them inside. The wing t also does a better job of spreading the defense out horizontally. Plus, the wing t is 100% more deceptive. In the double wing you have all 11 players crammed in with zero line splits. This is going to allow the defense to put everyone in the box. You will have to block 10-11 man fronts every down. Power toss and sweep series never really give us a problem, we just squeeze down and have tough players in 7 techniques-this will spill the play outside and where their pulling blockers aren’t. The double wing is very key friendly-linemen pull to the side they are running too, not many key breakers.
Although, the wedge play and play action passing from the double wing is lights out. Wedge is a nightmare and you can have some false pulls (key breakers) to suck some defenders up and then hit them with play action. I feel the wing t is an overall better series of plays-it offers- speed, power and deception. The implementation of the wing t jet and rocket motions series really takes the wing t to a new level. Double wing is a power offense to the fullest extent. It just tries to get more blockers at the point of attack then the defense. Follow keys cross keys for outside linebackers, defensive linemen squeeze down, cut down double teams, and spill the play outside to your contain players, that is the way to defend it. Defensive line penetration is key!
