400 Series - The Option (post 1)

Over the years I have heard many coaches say that they either love the option or they hate the option. For me it is a love/hate relationship. I like to run the option but you have to have the right personnel. That means you have to have a quarterback that can think on his feet. If you try and run the option without the personnel you need than it can be disastrous.

I call my option series the 400 series. The only reason why I call it the 400 series is because when I was in high school the option was called the 40 series. So really no rationale behind it. The option is originally run as part of the veer but I, and several other coaches have adapted it to their offense. The option can be run out of numerous formations.

Out of the option the QB is moving down the line of scrimmage (LOS) and will either Fake or give the ball to the fullback diving through the hole. He will than continue down the line, read the end man on the LOS and decide either to keep the ball or pitch it to a trailing back. This is why the QB needs to be able to think on his feet. He has to make several reads on the same play.

The typical option would like like this:

Right 418 Option

Here is a video of Navy running the option out of a double wing formation

My next post shall be on other plays that I run out of the option series (400)

“Sure, luck means a lot in football. Not having a good quarterback is bad luck.” – Don Shula

The 300 series - the sweep

The 300 series is a lot like the 200 series. The only real change up is instead of pulling both guards, you only pull the backside guard, the fullback will now be the lead kick out block.

I use the 300 series if we see a LB who likes to blitz or a strong penetrating nose or tackle. I would keep the play side guard in for extra protection and have the fullback as the kick out block.

Here is the 338 sweep

This same play can also be run in a power formation and run with the fullback. The QB can open away from the hole and toss or he can open to the hole and hand it off to the fullback.

Power Right 328 sweep

I also run a boot and a throw back in the 300 series. In the boot there is only 1 guard pulling. In the throw back whoever is the ball carrier is they would throw the ball back to the QB. He can than either run with the ball or throw it again. Here are both of those plays.

Pro Right 338 Boot

Right 338 Throw Back

If you can't remember what to do just hit someone - Coach D

My System vs Traditional Wing-t

To try to explain my play calling I thought I would compare it to the traditional Delaware wing-t. That way people may be able to grasp the evolution of why I do things the way that I do.

The traditional wing-t has many different formations. They number the hole from left to right, counting backwards. 9 is to the left and 1 is to the right. Looking like the following:

9 8 7 6 X 4 3 2 1

They way I number the holes are odd and even. 9 is on the left and 8 would be on the right. so my whole would look like this:

9 7 5 3X 2 4 6 8

Their formations would also fall in line with this thinking. 900 would be my left formation and 100 would be my right formation. So if a play is called it would be 121. Which would be a sweep to the left. (right formation, 20 series, to 8 hole)

In my system, I try to simplify things and make it more understandable. I would call right 238 sweep. Essentially saying the same thing. (Right formation, 200 series, 3 back to 8 hole.)

The reason why I do the odd and even holes and saying the formations is because that is what I grew up with in high school and first coaching the wing-t under Bob Timmerman at Dubuque Hempstead. They have been running the wing-t since the school has been in existence in the 1960's. Hempstead has had great success running the wing-t over the years. They have won several state titles and has been a visitor to the playoffs nearly every year.

When I moved away from the Dubque area I became more of a student of the Delaware wing-t. I became a Defensive coordinator at Des Moines Hoover under Joe Kuhn. Joe was just becoming the head coach there and was implementing the traditional wing-t. He brought me in to help the kids learn how to run the offense. When I interviewed for the position however he had already offered the offensive coordinator position to someone else. This first year at Hoover was exciting to watch. We only won one game that year but things were moving in the right direction. There were a couple of problems and to make a story short, Joe left the program and so did I. I really would have to liked to have seen how things would have gone for a second or third year there. (You can see highlights in a previous post)

I than became a head coach myself the following year. I had taken over a program that had not won a football game in 6 straight years. I knew with the wing-t, things could be turned around. Here I was torn between what I learned at Dubuque Hempstead and Des Moines Hoover. Do I want to go with a modified wing-t or do I want to go with the traditional ways. The first year I decided to run the Dubuqe Heampstead modified wing-t. We tied the school record for rushing, and we won our first game that year.

However many of the players and even several of my assistant coaches were confused by the system. When I tried to explain the traditional system to them in the off season they even got more confused. What I did than was modify the Heampstead wing-t and added the back number into the mix. When I did that the confusion problem seemed to be solved. I have also modified some other things since then but the basis is still the same. What I changed was my numbering of some of the series.

The next year I resigned as a head coach because of lack of support from the administration, But that is an entirely differnt and rather ugly story.

Here is how I number my series:

100 - QB run series
200- The buck series (previous posts)
300 - The buck series modified (Lead back block & backside Guard pulling)
400 - Option Series
500 - The lead series (One back leading through the hole)
600 - The Jet/Rocket series
700 - Three step passing
800 - five step passing
900 - Play Action Passing

My plan through out this next several posts is to explain each of these series. I have already explained the 200 series (the Buck series). The next series I shall explain shall be my 300 series.

Coach D

Watch for an update in a couple of days

two - Minute Offense

At one time or another every coach is going to need a two minute offense. We wish we may never have to use it because we would be way a head in a game, but most likely we will be in a situation were we have to use a two minute.

In a two minute we are forced to try and move the ball down the field as quick as we can. This means that we will have to pass quickly without the clock stopping. That means that the only time we can take use a huddle would be on the stop of the clock for and incomplete pass or getting out of bounds. (preferably the latter)


We have to be able to call our plays from the sideline and have the QB relay the play in on the go. For that reason I use one formation with two different types of motion. I call them Cub and Bear. I only use this because I am a Chicago Cub and Bear fan. When I was a head coach I would tweak the names to go along with the name of the school mascot or school colors or something like that.


Here are Cub and Bear in both Left and Right.

After we have worked on the formations and the motions I than will add in play sets. All I do is call the 1,2, or 3. The kids must learn what the patterns are for each. I would than call in the plays from the side line as Bear right/left and the number.


Hear are Bear 1,2,and 3






As you can see there are little subtleties with each play.



Cub plays also have little subtitles also


Part of our practices would focus on just practicing the two minute offense. First I would work with just the receivers and QBs making sure they know their routes. I would even have them take a written test making sure that they know the routes of both Cub and Bear. I would make sure they know all of the position routes because you never know what position they may have to be thrown into.


I would than make sure we practiced moving up and down the field with the entire unit, including linemen. This would show how this come together. First do this against dirt and then add a defense. Make sure you use a play clock and some sort of down markers. This will help simulate the necessity of game situations.


How do you run your Two minute Offense?


- Coach D

Is anyone Reading This Blog?

I have been looking back on my blog over my spring break trying to figure out what I should write about next. I have been a little preoccupied the last few days. We had an ultrasound done and found out that we will be having a baby girl in august.

While looking at my blog, I have begun to ponder and ask myself three questions. The first was I wonder if anyone is reading my blog? I look at my counter at the bottom of the page and it tells me that I have been having quite a few hits. That than lead me into my second question. Is the content of my blog worthwhile? Is what I am writing helping people out or are the visitors coming to my blog by mistake or is the information just boring and people are moving on?

I guess I would like to know if anyone is reading this blog and finds it worth while. Please someone respond to one of my posts and give me some kind of feedback. positive or negative, i don't really care. i just want to know if I am reaching people and if people are interested in my blog. I know that for people who are pretty proficcient in the wing-t that what i am blogging about is fairly basic information. But am I helping anyone out so far? Or even helping people ponder things?

That finally lead me to my last question. Why am i writing this blog. I am writing this as a way for me to try to assess my coaching and hone my skills. I know that may sound kind of ridiculous, but it helps me think things through for when I become a head coach again.

I know that this post may sound petty and self centered but I just want to know some other people's opinions. What do other people think about my blog? Do they like the setup? Do they like the topic? What do people think?

Passing in the Wing-T

The passing game in the Wing-T is pretty much like the passing game in any other system. I say this because you are able to do the three and five step straight drop back pass just as you can in any other system.

I believe the key to the passing game in the wing-t is to make sure you are throwing out of several different formations. It is a little more restricting throwing out of a left or right formation (100/900). I would throw more out of a pro formation, or a slot formation. Don't get me wrong though I would still boot out of left and right or I would motion the wing out from the left or right. Heck I would even send him in a jet motion and have him run a pass pattern out of it.


Just about every coach you talk to will tell you a different way on how they name their pass routes. Some coaches use the passing tree. (image below) Other coaches have everything as complementary routes. They would call it something like slice, etc. and backside would have a complementary route. I personally like to give a different name to my routes and take each player from left to right. example: Pro right 922 WFO. (900 is my play action series, 2 back to 2 hole) Whip Flag OUT (Back field motion just like a 222 Trap)


The play would look like the following:

Pro Right 922 WFO

If I am to run straight drop back passing I would either run 3 step (700 series) or 5 step (800 series). Most of the time I would either do play action or 3 step passing (shorter routes)

In the straight drop back passing I would call the series (700) and tell which back to run a banana route. It also tells the linemen which way to step. If I call pro right 728 POP I would be saying the following:

Pro right formation, Full back banana to the 8 hole, Line men step to the 8 hole, back side step and hinge. receivers would run routes from left to right: Post, Out, Post

The play would look like the following:

Pro Right 728 POP

The Passing tree

I am always interested in how other coaches do their passing game. so let me know how you do things where you are!!

- Coach D

The Buck Series - The Boot

The boot (waggle) is a great play action pass out of the buck series. The backfield motion is the same for the sweep and the trap. There is a fake to the running back and the QB will then boot out the opposite direction of the sweep. This can also set up a throw back/screen to the running back.

When the QB boots out he will be protected by the pulling guards. The Play side guard looks for outside for a pass rush. The backside guard Will also look toward the end of the LOS but if no one comes he will then look to backside protection. The pocket is essentially moving outside. It is important that the QB throws down hill. This will give him that little extra velocity on the ball.

I have changed my passing routes for my receivers. In the traditional wing-t waggle a receiver in down field on the opposite side of the field. This makes it really hard for a QB to throw across his body down field on the opposite side of the field. This can be difficult for professional and college level QB's to do, let alone a high school QB.

I will draw up what the boot (waggle) looks like, the way I run the play. It will be run to the 9 hole out of both right and left formations. The way I assign the receivers their routes is the same for every formation. The receivers are assigned routes from left to right. The following are their routes:


Play side #1: Post corner Play side #2: Whip


Backside #1: Post Backside #2: Drag

238 Boot

249 boot

I am also adding two videos this time. The first is the boot. The second shows a QB drill and how to throw down hill.

Enjoy - Coach D