Hi Eric,
You might want to use the same system some coaches use when calling pass routes with a three-receiver offense. This system is based on numbering your pass routes in the passing tree and then calling each pass play with a three digit number [in your case it would be four] working from left to right regardless of who the receiver might be.
This system cuts down on confusion and quickly becomes a simple call in the huddle. It also helps if you ever go to a triple formation with three of your receivers on one side. It also allows you to become more creative in the way you line up your receivers.
Let’s say that in the numbering of your passing trees an “out” route might be a 3 and a “hook” route a 4. An example of this type of call could end up as “3443”. This would put the widest receiver to the left on an “out” route, the slot man on that side [2 from left] on a “hook” route, the slot on the other side [3 from left] on a “hook” route, and finally the widest receiver to the right [4 from the left] on an “out” route.
Another system might be to start to call “left 34 – right 34” where you are always going from the outside inwards on your calls. I hope this helps and gives you a couple of ideas. -Coach Tom Bass.
Topic: Offense - General
Question: Can you please give me your overall impression of using the Single Wing offense for youth football? I am not sure why more youth coaches do not use this offense. The single wing provides a sound offensive scheme that has been proven to be very effective for youth football. Your thoughts?
Hi Coach,
The fact that so few coaches feature a single-wing attack is one of the reasons that it enjoys success. It becomes very challenging to stop an offense that is so new to your players. It is also difficult for a non-single-wing coach to provide a good picture of the offense when he prepares his defense during the week.
As to why it is not used more, the first thing that comes to mind is it is an offense that few coaches have ever been exposed to as either a player or a coach. Coaches, like everyone else, like to feel comfortable in what they are doing so they naturally gravitate to a scheme that they have either played or have studied and coached before and feel comfortable playing.
Obviously if you are having success with the single wing you must have been exposed to it, you must understand it, and you must be able to impart your knowledge to your players in a way that they can understand. -Coach Tom Bass.
Topic: Teaching Fundamentals - Drills
Question: I've heard talk about using a red jersey (or penny, I believe) in practice; particularly for the skill positions, such as quarterback. Can you please share your thoughts on this? Is it appropriate, prudent, accepted, etc.? Thank you in advance.
Hi Coach,
The use of a “red jersey” is primarily to alert opposing players to avoid hitting the player wearing the jersey. This is appropriate for players who have an injury but can do limited practice but need to avoid contact.
Some teams will also have very skilled players wear the jersey so that they are not hit during the practice session. This is usually confined to the QB position where you hope to avoid any player running into the QB as he sets up to throw. I do think that the use of the “red jersey” for any injured player and the QB is appropriate and accepted for the practice field.
When this practice is extended to other positions, you may find some apprehension about its use by some members of the coaching profession.
As a coach it will be up to you to determine if an injury to a certain player will totally destroy your offense or defense, and if so, whether you want to single that player out in practice and protect him more than the other players on the team. It is an area of coaching that does require some discussion as a staff and one that requires understanding on how your team will react to this singling out of certain players in practice.
Limiting the use of the “red jersey” does make the practice carry more weight and makes everyone on the team more alert and fully understand why it is being done. -Coach Tom Bass.
Topic: Pass Defense-- Zone or Man-To-Man
Question: Hey Coach, What type of coverage is more effective: man or zone? Thanks. -Zac.
Hi Zac,
The effectiveness of your coverage will depend on the athletic ability of your players. If your players are extremely fast or at least as fast as your opponents, then man-to-man pass defense can be the best, as it will allow you to put more people on the line to stop the run.
You would want to play a zone defense if your players, especially your defensive backs, are not as fast as your opponents. Zone defense is very good if you have defensive backs who are bigger and stronger and who love to hit.
The success of a team’s pass defense depends on the ability of the coach to put his players in the type of coverage that best suits their physical ability. It is very hard to be successful trying to play both types of pass coverage on an equal basis. You really need to base a majority of your coverage on one or the other.
I have had success and enjoyed coaching teams that featured both styles of pass coverage. -Coach Tom Bass.
Topic: Pass Coverage – Robber Defense
Question: Coach, I am a defensive line coach, but would like to learn more about the concept of ROBBER coverage. Could you please explain this to me? Thank you.-Bob.
Hi Bob,
It is really great that you have a desire to learn every phase of the defense and not just defensive line play.
The “Robber” concept of defensive pass coverage involves showing the QB one look of coverage and then after the snap having one of the safeties move into the center of the field at 10 to 12 yards in position to rob any crossing or deep “in” route that may be run by the offense.
You will often see a defensive team line up with the strong and free safety lined up at 15 yards in a two-deep look. The QB sees the two-deep look and thinks he can throw into the middle of the field.
On the snap, both safeties start back and then one of the players moves up into the center of the field in the “robber” position, keys the QB, and looks to make an interception. At the same time the other safety moves back into the center of the field, both corners drop back deep and the team plays a three-deep zone “robber” coverage.
Some teams will always designate the safety on the side of the two offensive receivers as the designated “robber”, others will use the safety to the wide side of the field and others will simply have the safety with the best hands as the player to be the robber.
There are other more complicated forms of “Robber” defense but I think this will give you a good start. -Coach Tom Bass.