Understanding
the Double Wing Offense
TOSS
The
Toss play is simple in its invention, but overwhelming in its application. If
you don't stack the odds in your favor, you will be run over. Double Wing teams
run up huge scores against opponents, who either have no idea at what they are
facing or too PROUD to realize their own weaknesses against it. The Toss's
objective is like Coach Vince Lombardi's famous Green Bay Sweep. They want to
create a wall by the Fullback sealing the outside, the Tight End Tackle's double
team sealing the inside and the Offside Tackle, Guard and Quarterback wedge
through the hole, giving the Wing back an alley to run through. Most times this
alley is so big; "you could drive a
truck through it"
The
Toss works like this, both Wings line up on the line of scrimmage. The
Quarterback reads the defensive set and bends down under center. At this point
the Wings take their place. One Wing sets up as an Unbalanced second Tight End.
At the same time the second Wing sets up as a Wingback. He takes a quick motion
back 5 yards behind the Guard. The
Quarterback snaps the ball and pitches a dead, none spinning ball chest to face
high at the motioning wing. He then pulls through the point of attack and seal
outside, blocking the Cornerback. The
Offensive line has foot-to-foot splits to prevent stunting. The play side Tight
End and Tackle double team at the point of attack. They are taught to act like
Siamese twins joined at the hip. Even though there are no gaps or running lanes
they create them with their double team. The
unbalanced Wing steps outside at the Cornerback and blocks down to seal off the
Linebacker. The offside Tackle and
Guard pull to the point of attack. The Guard's responsibility is to seal inside.
The Offside Tackle is to seal up any penetration and help the Guard seal inside.
The backside Tight End's job is to seal off backside penetration by
cutting any defensive linemen in the B gap out.
The Fullback's job is to kick out the man responsible for Force. He takes
a banana route, keeping an inside relationship to the Force man. Because of this
banana technique he can't effectively kick out and never have to read the Force
and worry about logging him in. This technique allows him to concentrate fully
on kicking out the force and creating the seam for the Wing to run in.
The Wing back takes the pitch and reads his pulling Guard and Tackle,
many times pushing him through the hole. This adds deception to power of the
play. Many times people are there to defend but cannot see the ball carrier as
he hides behind the pulling lineman. The Wing back has many options as he runs
through the holes he can stay on path, kick it outside, or the most dangerous
cut back across the grain. This is devastating because most of the pursuit is
coming at the point of attack and do not properly defend the cut back.
Buck
Sweep
The
Buck Sweep is an Outside play that is complementary to the Toss play.
Taken from the Wing T offense the Double wing team uses it to be more of
an outside stretch play then a power off tackle play that the wing t uses it
for. Defensive teams get caught up
in stopping the Toss that they compact their defense to the Toss, leaving them
vulnerable to the outside. This is
where the Buck Sweep play comes in to take advantage of the defense's
compaction. The double wing team gets both guards leading the ball carrier
outside.
The
Reverse works like this. The wing goes in motion like he does on the Toss play.
The Quarter back turns and hands off the ball to the wing.
The Full back dives the same way as the motioning wing.
It looks like the quarter back has faked to the Fullback as he turns the
same way as they full back is diving. This
cross buck look gives the play the deception it needs to spring the wing
outside. The front side Tight end
and wing reach block anyone near the line of scrimmage.
The center blocks play side to cover for the front side guard who is
pulling outside for the corner back. The full back dive and the backside tackle
seal block inside cover for the backside guard who is pulling and leading the
wing on the sweep. The backside
tight end is faking a corner route, while the quarter back is faking the
bootleg. This backside bootleg fake
should keep some of the defense at home to cover them.
The ball carrier follows his pulling guards outside and stretches the
defense to the sideline before turning up the field.
This buck sweep play is a great change up to the constant pounding inside
of the Toss play.
Reverse
The
Reverse play is a derivative of the Wing T's Criss Cross play. A double hand off
reverse. This play is devastating
to over pursuing defenses. The
double wing team gets all the power of the toss play with a misdirection,
deception based play. The double
wing team gets the tackle, guard and full back leading through the hole.
This play is probably the second biggest gainer for the double wing team
and huge play for them in tight situations.
The
Reverse works like this the wing goes in motion like on the Toss play.
The Quarterback hands him off the ball like the buck sweep and continues
on a bootleg. The quarter back is
trying to get the defensive end and cornerback to follow him or come up field.
The wing, after taking the hand off, runs toward the other wing and gives
him an inside handoff. The other
wing on the snap delays and runs toward the motioning wing and takes the inside
hand off and follows the pulling tackle and guard.
The play side tight end and tackle double team at the point of attack.
The guard blocks his inside gap and the center covers for the pulling
guard. The off side guard pulls and
kicks out the defensive end. The pulling tackle leads and seals inside.
The full back step like he is running toss and bends around the
quarterback and leads through the whole and seals outside. This play works great
against over pursuing defenses
Spin
The
Spin is another reverse play off the Toss. The main aspect of the Spin in
comparison to the Reverse is the Quarterback handles the ball unlike the reverse
where there is a double handoff. Another
key element to the deception is the full back blocks like he does on the toss
giving the linebackers a false read key. This
play can also be ran to the tight end.
The
Spin works like this the wing goes in motion and fakes the Toss. The play side
tight end and tackle double team at the point of attack.
The guard blocks his inside gap and the center covers for the pulling
guard. The off side guard pulls and
kicks out the defensive end. The pulling tackle leads and seals inside just like
on the reverse play. The full back
blocks the area right off the pulling tackle.
The tight end blocks down to protect the inside gap. The quarterback
takes the snap and fakes the Toss pitch and Spins around and hands off to the
wing going underneath him. The other wing on the snap delays and runs toward the
motioning wing and takes the inside hand off from the quarterback and follows
the pulling tackle and guard.
Trap
The
Trap is the Full backs main run. The
Double Wing Trap is more of a delay trap than the quick hitting Wing T trap
play. The Full back trap is a hugely successful for the double wing team because
of the effectiveness of the toss play. Most
defense's tend to over pursue the to the Toss play and forget about the
Fullback. The close alignment of the Fullback to the quarterback, the Toss fake
and delay action of the fullback adds to the deception.
The
Trap works like this the wing goes in motion and fakes the Toss. The front side
wing blocks the corner back. The play side tight end, tackle and guard block the
Linebackers inside. They create a wall cutting off the backside of the defense.
If there is a Nose guard the play side guard blocks his inside gap and the
center covers for the trapping guard. The
trapping guard traps the first defensive linemen past the center.
The fullback stays in his stance and delays.
He tries to hide behind the line of scrimmage.
The quarterback turns and fakes the toss play and hands off to the
fullback. The quarterback either fakes a bootleg or a quick pass. The fullback
takes the ball and follows the guard. Some
teams pull both the tackle and the guard on this play.
In this blocking scheme the guard traps and the tackle leads up through
the hole. Most schemes have the
backside tackle and tight end block downfield, looking for secondary defenders.
Play
Action
The
Play Action Pass comes off the Toss Play. The
Play Action Pass is most effective when the Toss play is gaining big yards and
the defensive backs have to step up and stop the play.
There are many route combinations but most tend to be a high/low read
between the Wing and Tight End. Usually
it is a two-man route but sometimes it is run as a four-man route.
The Quarterback usually has plenty of time because of the run fake.
The linemen perform an aggressive block so they do not have to pass
block. Many Double Wing teams
"lull you to sleep" with a constant, pounding run game and then
hit you with a Play Action Pass. They
try to catch your defensive backs "sleeping" and pass for big
yardage.
The
Play Action pass works like this the wing goes in motion like the Toss play.
The Quarterback spins, fakes a pitch to the wing and drops back five
steps. The wing fakes receiving the
pitch and runs into the line of scrimmage and pass blocks.
The Fullback kicks out the defensive end.
Some teams have the fullback run a flat route.
The play side tackle, guard and center block their inside gaps
aggressively. The weak side tackle and guard set up and perform an aggressive
pass block. The front side Tight
end runs a corner route, trying to get behind the defensive back. Some double wing teams have the tight end block or delay
before releasing down field. The
front side wing blocks and runs a flat route.
Some double wing teams have the wing and tight end switch routes to get a
picking action or they feel they have a better athlete at wing then at the tight
end position.
The
back side tight end either stays home and blocks or runs a Post route to draw
the defensive backs away from the corner route. Some double wing teams have the backside tight end run a dig
or drag route. There are many
passing combination but most come off the Play Action of the Toss play.
Other
Plays
The
Double Wing has unlimited potential in its play usage.
Many Double Wing teams have other plays in their arsenal like: