Quick Screens From Wing-T Offense

Quick Screens from Wing-T Offense

By

Darrin Sheffer

                When most coaches hear Wing-T Offense they usually don’t think about passing, however there are a few ways that a Wing-T coach can utilize his receivers on the edge. 

Delaware Wing-T X-Now Screen

One of the simplest ways to attack the boundary using the Wing-T is to use an X-Now Screen or Quick Screen.  Preferably, unless you have a QB with a rocket for an arm, I would rather use this play when the X receiver is to the boundary.  In the case of using the Right Formation we would like to have the ball on the left hash with the X lined up on or just inside of the numbers, this will give the QB a nice easy pass and the X a bit of room to maneuver.  I would teach my X to use the sideline and get as many yards as possible but you might have a different preference on the Now Screen.

An idea that you could use (I learned this watching an online clinic from Coach Mc from Scott County HS, KY) is to have this play as a check play depending on how the defense is aligning to your X.  You could have it where if the Corner is giving the X some space you could have your QB yell out “easy, easy” which tells your team check to now screen.  This could be an easy way to get your X more involved in your Wing-T offense. 

Wing-T Trips Formation Bubble Screen

                If you like multiple formations, you may like the Wing-T variation on the Trips Formation.  The formation that my HS Coordinator used was one where the TB would be bumped out into the #2 Receiver position and have the WB placed on the opposite side of the TE.  We tended to use this formation to get into some favorable quick passing game situations, one of the most commonly used was a TB Bubble Screen.  The X blocked most dangerous man, the WB would widen out and skate/reach block the first defender lined up outside of him.  The TB’s job was to secure the catch and find an open hole to gain yards.  If there was no apparent hole he was to get to the sideline and get as much yards as possible.  Our OC would not allow the TB to cut back into the field, it was sideline or nothing. 

Shotgun Wing-T

In my opinion, you could run your offense from 2x2, 3x1 or even Empty sets and still be considered a Wing-T attack if you use Wing-T principles.  Our HS used a traditional Wing-T offense but we had 2x2 formations built in to passing downs and 2-minute offensive situations. 

However, I wanted to focus on what many might recognize as the Shotgun Wing-T formation.  With the two receivers split to the weak side of the formation you could run Bubble screens, Now screens or even Tunnel screens if you so choose.  One thing I have seen being done with this is to have a Bubble Screen tagged onto the backside of a Buck Sweep RPO.  The QB reads the backside DE to see if he chases the TB, if he does the QB has the option to throw the bubble or run the Read Option.  I also feel that if the QB sees a numbers or space advantage to the bubble/X screen they could make it a pre snap read as well. 

If you have any questions or comments, please let me know below and remember to Stay Obsessed.