1. Strategies for Defending the Wing T with the 3-3
JOHN RICE
HEAD COACH
EISENHOWER HIGH SCHOOL
RIALTO, CA
(951)
Coach John Rice

2. CONCEPTS AND PRINCIPLES IN DEFENDING THE WING T
*IT IS A FOUR BACK OFFENSE 2 3 1 4
Coach John Rice

3. CONCEPTS AND PRINCIPLES IN DEFENDING THE WING T
*IT IS SERIES ORIENTED; EACH SERIES HAS:
OUTSIDE PLAY
OFF TACKLE PLAY
INSIDE PLAY or COUNTER PLAY
PLAY ACTION PASS (TO FLOW, AWAY FROM FLOW)
Jet Sweep
Jet Smash Pass
Jet Belly (zone)
Jet Counter XX
Coach John Rice

4. CONCEPTS AND PRINCIPLES IN DEFENDING THE WING T
*IT HAS AN ABUNDANCE OF OPTION
Down Option
Arc Option
Speed Option
Coach John Rice

5. CONCEPTS AND PRINCIPLES IN DEFENDING THE WING T
*IT HAS MULTIPLE FORMATIONS; HERE ARE A FEW:
“ FAR RIGHT”
“SLOT RIGHT”
“ FAR RIGHT X TIGHT”
“WING OVER NEAR RIGHT”
Coach John Rice

6. Understanding the Wing T
The Delaware System also places all plays from a similar look into a series.
The best example of this is the Sweep, Trap, and Waggle plays. All these plays belong in the Sweep or Twenty Series. All the plays in a particular series compliment each other in someway, for example the Waggle is the play action pass off of the Sweep. There are nine series used in the Delaware System.
10 Series: Sprint Out Series
20 Series: Sweep Series
30 Series: Power Series
40 Series: Veer Series
50 Series:
Three, Five, Seven Step Pass Drops
60 Series:
Passing Series designed to look like 20 Series.
70 Series: A Drop Back Passing Series
80 Series: Belly Series
90 Series: Lead Option Series
Coach John Rice

7. Play Communication
The Delaware System uses a sequence of three numbers to communicate the play from the coach to the field. The first number is the formation, the second number identifies the series, and the final number directs the point of attack. Additional information concerning a play can be added with either a prefix or suffix.
For Example: Loose 124 Gut
Coach John Rice

8. “Buck Sweep”
121 Sweep
Coach John Rice

9. 124 Trap
Coach John Rice

10. Power
Power
Coach John Rice

11. Counter XX
Counter Criss Cross
Coach John Rice

12. UNDERSTANDING THE WING T
COACHES HAVE TRADITIONALLY USED 4 “KEYS” IN DEFENDING THE WING T
WING OR SLOT MOTION (PLAY TO THE MOTION)
FULLBACK (IF HE IS NOT ON THE MIDLINE, HE USUALLY TAKES YOU TO THE DIRECTION OF THE PLAY)
HALFBACK
OFFENSIVE LINE
Problems occur with these because of false keys!
Coach John Rice

13. KEYING THE WING OR SLOT:
FALSE KEYS UTILIZED
FALSE MOTION BY WING OR SLOT KEY PLAYS (AWAY FROM MOTION BY SLOT OR WING
WAGGLE
POWER OPTION (SPEED OPTION TO TE)
SALLY (WING T SPRINT DRAW ACTION)
COUNTER TREY (TO TE)
DOWN (ON MOTION AWAY)
SHOVEL PASS
TRAP OPTION (ON MOTION AWAY)
Coach John Rice

14. KEYING FULLBACK FALSE KEYS USED BELLY BOOTLEG
SALLY OR BELLY TACKLE TRAP
COUNTER TREY BOOTLEG
Coach John Rice

15. KEYING HALFBACK TRUE KEYS (HB will take you to the ball)
TAKES YOU TO THE BALL IN THE BUCK SERIES?
SWEEP-YES
GUT
WAGGLE SHOVEL PASS
BELLY SERIES
SALLY
COUNTER XX
FALSE KEYS USED
WAGGLE
WAGGLE SHOVEL PASS
BELLY BOOTLEG
BELLY X BLOCK OPTION
BELLY KEEP PASS LOAD
SALLY
COUNTER XX
Coach John Rice

16. STRATEGY FOR PLANNING CHECK FOR FALSE KEYS FROM EACH
OF THE 4 TRADITIONAL KEYS: WING/SLOT, FULLBACK, HALFBACK, LINE (& perhaps slanting to motion)
IF YOU HAVE ONE WITH NO FALSE KEYS (OR VERY FEW), USE THAT PARTICULAR KEY UNTIL THEY MAKE YOU GET OFF IT
Coach John Rice

17. PRE SNAP GUIDELINES TO DEFENDING WING T
ADJUST TO ALL FORMATIONS AND MOTION; DON’T ALLOW YOURSELF TO BE OUTFLANKED
DON’T PUT EVERYONE UP ON THE LINE (ANGLE DOWN-KICK OUT!)
BEWARE OF MAN COVERAGE VS. THE OPTION! (EX: DOWN OPTION)
KNOW YOUR KEY(S)
Coach John Rice

18. 1.ADJUSTING TO FORMATIONS
½ THIS SIDE 4
½ THIS SIDE
1/2 1
1/2 1 2 3 4 2 3 E
1/2 E N S B 3
1/2 3
1/2 2 2 L M R 1 4
1/2 4 C C 1 F
Coach John Rice
1/2

19. 1.ADJUSTING TO FORMATIONS
½ THIS SIDE
½ THIS SIDE
1/2 1 2
1/2 3 2 3 4 1 4 E
1/2 E B N S 3
1/2 3 C
1/2 2 2 L M R 1 1 4
1/2 4 C F
Coach John Rice
1/2

20. 1. ADJUSTING TO FORMATIONS
½ THIS SIDE
½ THIS SIDE
1/2 1 2 1
1/2 2 3 4 3 4
1/2 E N E S B 3
1/2 3
1/2 2 2 L M R 1 4
1/2 4 C C 1 F
Coach John Rice
1/2

21. ADJUSTING TO FORMATIONS
6 ½ THIS SIDE
4 ½ THIS SIDE
1/2 5 1 1
1/2 2 3 4 3 2
1/2 E N E S B 3
1/2 3 2 2 L M R 1 4 5 4 C C 1 F 6
Coach John Rice

22. Base 3-3 Alignment vs. Wing-T
We see:
Buck-Sweep
Boot Pass
Jet Sweep
Belly M N R L E S B C F
Coach John Rice

23. 3.BEWARE OF MAN COVERAGE VS. THE OPTION! (EX: DOWN OPTION).
*Offense can run off playside defenders with drag routes F C B M L B s
Coach John Rice

24. Strategies that put you at risk:
Wrong arm technique by Spur or Bandit (vs. any load or lead scheme by HB) s c L M R B s c L M R B
Coach John Rice

25. Strategies that put you at risk:
2. Man coverage vs. Jet Sweep
*Offense can get into a compressed formation playside and run off the playside defenders with crossing routes. E N E S B L M R C C F
Coach John Rice

26. Strategy: Corner & FS Key TE & Wing
“Wing-t teams have traditionally had a great deal of difficulty attacking these defensive spacings because they have elected to stay in traditional wing formations with a tight end wingback on one side and a split end diveback on the other side. By doing this, offensive coaches are playing right into the defensive coaches hands. Why? Because the free safety favors the tight end side so that he can cover the tight end when the defense elects to blitz. As soon as the tight end blocks the free safety is in the run support and tile offensive coach has created another linebacker. The corner is also rolled up to the tight end wingback side and he is assigned to cover the wingback when they blitz. When the wingback blocks another additional linebacker has been created. By now the offense is hopelessly outnumbered but many coaches stubbornly continue to try to force the bucksweep and other tight end wingback plays into bad numbers.”-DENNIS CREEHAN
Get your Strong Corner and Free Safety flying up to support the run
when they get down blocks from the wing and tight end!
Coach John Rice

27. Strategy 1 vs. Wing-T Slant weak with Strong End and Nose. E N E S B LM R C C F
Coach John Rice

28. Strategy 2 vs. Wing-T Slant to wing with End and Tackle. E N E S B L MF
Coach John Rice

29. Strategy 3 vs. Wing-T Slant strong with Ends and Nose. E N E S B L M RC C F
Coach John Rice

30. Strategy 4 vs. Wing-T Wrong arm the pullers In Sweep, trap, and tackleB L M R C C F
Coach John Rice

31. Strategy 5 vs. Wing-T (Tackle Trap)
Wrong arm the pullers
In Sweep, trap, and tackle
trap S E N E B L M R C C F
Coach John Rice

32. Strategy 6 vs. Wing-T Belly (Option): Play Base Option RulesQB B
Pitch L M R
Dive
Dive C C
Alley-
QB to Pitch F
Coach John Rice

33. Strategy 7 vs. Wing-T Belly (Option): Pinch Weakside End (swap option responsibilities)
Pitch
Dive L M QB R
Dive C C
Alley-
QB to Pitch F
Coach John Rice

34. Strategy 8 vs. Wing-T Belly (Option): swap option responsibilities between End and BanditM N R L E S B C F
Pitch
Dive QB
Alley-
QB to Pitch
Coach John Rice

35. Strategy 9 vs. Wing-T Runs: FS is Flying up on Run Read off End Man on LOSB C F
Alley-
QB to Pitch S E N L M C F
Coach John Rice

36. Review of Successful Strategies
Review the 4 base keys (fullback, Halfback, Wing, Slot). Check for false keys; If none or very few, utilize that key until they make you get off it.
Check wingback trail motion for tendencies; if valid, use for a key
Avoid man coverage vs. Option schemes
Avoid wrong arm technique vs. Load scheme
Avoid man coverage vs. Jet Sweep
Corner & FS fill hard off run reads from wing and TE
Slant to weak tackle with strong End and Nose
Slant to Wing with strong End and Nose
Slant strong with Ends and Nose
Wrong arm the pullers in Sweep, trap, and tackle trap
Mix up your option responsibilities
Strategy 9 vs. Wing-T Runs: FS is flying up on run Read off end man on LOS
Coach John Rice