[StrayBullet]

Pretend that I know nothing of this offense...please explain to me why its successful and how its ran...what are the keys for it and can it be successful at the youth level? Any replies are appreciated..

[Strikeout King]

^ i was wondering the same thing

[Bub Lewis]

2 words...Read Guards!
They will take you to the play every time. Buck, Trap, Waggle, Down, XB, Keep Pass, jet...all are wingt plays all guards pull. I think its the main reason the offense is dying.

[Bub Lewis]

Oops I should have read the post a little closer...it was for pros not cons. Sorry.

[Real Badman]

Allen Central ran the Wing-T this year. A fast quick offensive line is a must. It gives your RB's options to run through the holes after the 1st and 2nd back lead block.

[FBALL]

The wing t's deceptiveness is in it's simplicity. Every play looks the same. It looks simple but it takes a high level of execution to run it well. A quick athletic line is a must. It's not a flashy offense and it's not a power offense. But when all the pieces are there it can be very effective at any level.

[Harry Doyle]

2 words...Read Guards!
They will take you to the play every time. Buck, Trap, Waggle, Down, XB, Keep Pass, jet...all are wingt plays all guards pull. I think its the main reason the offense is dying.

As a defense, you can read the guards in any offense and they'll take you to the ball. The Wing-T is just most commonly thought of when it comes to this, because of the guards pulling all over the place.

All it takes to slow down a 3-4 and/or 3-5 team who read the guards is to have your guards influence block. That typically will slow any guard reading defense down to some extent.

As for this of you who think the Wing-T is a dying offense, we had two teams in the state finals this year who ran it (DeSales and John Hardin). Not to mention, two of Georgia's powerhouse programs run the Wing-T (Lowndes County and Cambden County).

[Yogibear]

Some of those KY teams mentioned did not run a whole lot of traditional wing-T stuff in Bowling Green though (Not much Buck, belly series). However, Bellvue Washington runs it and ended De La Salle's unbelievable win streak a few years ago. Georgia is wing T crazy. They have some very good schools running it. There are some very good wing T clinics and camps that take place in Ga.

[Jackson05]

Those two teams in Georgia could run anything they want and be successful. They have players that most other teams simply can't touch.

[Bub Lewis]

Those two teams in Georgia could run anything they want and be successful. They have players that most other teams simply can't touch.

bingo!

[Harry Doyle]

2 words...Read Guards!
They will take you to the play every time. Buck, Trap, Waggle, Down, XB, Keep Pass, jet...all are wingt plays all guards pull. I think its the main reason the offense is dying.

bingo!

No joke. But in a day an age where three back offenses aren't the "cool" thing to do anymore, especially with more athletic teams, these guys are sticking with their guns.

Got another one for you, Division 3 Carnagie-Mellon, runs the Wing T to the max. They are one of the winningest small college teams in the business, and I can promise you that their overall athleticism isn't anything mind blowing.

[bulldog42]

There's a difference in pure WingT and Wings + Things offenses. I'd say LC is more of the later. Reading guards was huge in the old WingT but there is a lot you can do to combat that if you know what you are doing.

[Go Eagles]

I can promise you that their overall athleticism isn't anything mind blowing.

So is the rest of the Division 3 schools they play!

[cj2561]

It is the easy offensive to run. Most of the teams that run it don't have any size on the O-line.
As for the D side of the ball. It is easy for them to know were the ball is going. What ever way the guards is going 9 time out of 10 that is were the ball is going.

[Brother Xavier]

The key to the offense as all offenses is to run the plays to perfection...look at Russell high school...they are a Wing-T team and they have been successful for a long time...they know the plays inside and out.

[Squid]

One advantage of the Wing T (that makes it a popular offense) is that it can work without having a huge line. The misdirection of flow in the backfield can slow down LB's, just long enough to give undersized linemen that needed step to get leverage for a block. The Wing T is capable of utilizing small, quick players (which are far more abundant in high school than large players that have a legitimate shot to play at the D I college level.

On a side note, a rule of thumb on the pulling guards is: one guard pulls, it's a trap - two guards pull, it's a sweep. The trapping is also a key in slowing larger defensive lines from penetrating so deeply in an effort to disrupt the offense. FB trap and the G kicking out a DE are both very good ways to slow down the strong rush upfield.

As Harry Doyle mentioned, the use of influence blocking is growing, as a means of forcing a defense to play honestly. Then again, if the defense is stunting into the hole vacated by the influence block, a disaster can result for the offense on that play.

[StrayBullet]

One play I have become a fan of is having our slot man coming in motion and cracking down and sealing inside a DE or an LB and leaving the Jet Sweep or FB toss wide open to that side...