Comments on: Did the spread really evolve from the single-wing?

By: Mr.Murder

Mr.Murder — Tue, 15 Feb 2011 00:00:30 +0000

Well the Wildcat is more or less a buck series with the keeper read usually being the man to stop after keying one defender. It still uses the directional stuff to see how a defense keys and then operates against those tendencies. Where it has evolved, is on line splits and depth.

Was misspoken about the zone emphasis then, but if you cover every lineman to a side on a zone front it ends up looking about the same. That is where zone converts to man blocking rules on covered down linemen. That is where the wedge did precede the zone, climb on a track and help the player beside you on the way there, their era was tighter splits.

Your statement about being dedicated to the Single Wing reminds me of Huey’s comments regarding the option. You either are an option team, or you are not. If you flirt with the option your share of fumbles occur. You have to hammer it down so everyone knows and tracks along the line and at the mesh, or bad things happen for running teams.

By: Coach Beller

Coach Beller — Mon, 08 Nov 2010 00:33:31 +0000

Ummm… OK. So some of you (including Chris I suspect) have never seen or run a TRUE single-wing attack.

The SW is NOT a zone blocking system. If anything, the flying wedge was the precursor to the ZBS.

The SW is meant to force the defense to “over-defend” the middle-to- strong side, then hit buck laterals and sweeps, reverses, then passes. This especially becomes devastating to a defense when all 11 defenders have flowed hard to the strong side, only to be hit with a quick pass to a very wide-open Short End.

Dont get me started on the Arkansas/Miami Dolphin “Wildcat”, or the several copy-cat bastardizations thereof. The SW is a whole offense, which must be dedicated to by every coach and player; not a lazy man’s “package” that you just throw in there.

If you don’t think the Spread Option came from the single wing, take a look at Auburn this year. Man what I’d give for a “Mini-Me” Cam Newton!

By: Drew

Drew — Mon, 27 Sep 2010 11:37:58 +0000

Actually, you’re completely wrong… Yes, the (original) single wing used an unbalanced line, but it’s purpose WAS NOT to bring overwhelming numbers to one side… Quite the contrary, actually.. The single wing was actually the first offense to employ deception, as opposed to the “wedge” style of play..

The spread option, wildcat, and even the modern day shotgun all evolved from the single wing..

By: Bill Mountjoy

Bill Mountjoy — Sun, 01 Aug 2010 23:45:47 +0000

In my humble opinion, running a true (tight) Single Wing formation (no split ends or flankers), with shoe to shoe O-Line splits, & shoulder blocking (as opposed to the legalized use of the hands) would be like driving a “Model-T” Ford in the 2011 Indy 500!!!

Nostalgia is great, but you are not giving your players a full arsenal of offense seen in TODAY’S football. My good friend, Dr. Ken Keuffel, recognized that fact, & MODERNIZED his Single Wing into a thing of beauty!

By: Mr.Murder

Mr.Murder — Thu, 29 Jul 2010 03:35:09 +0000

There i9s a consideration to perhaps place a sniffer back in our shotgun formation. The line is very light and we cannot risk getting pushed into ma passer’s dropback. So, we will try and go with the gun, start from deeper in the backfield, and use horizontal actions, similar to your Mahlzahn thread.

To prevent runthroughs on the line that cave the pocket we may have to install a sniffer back.

By: Dallas

Dallas — Fri, 09 Jul 2010 16:00:03 +0000

That play at the beginning with the fullback and tailback running what at least looks like an option is quite sexy. Since this clip is of Michigan’s 1947 offense, was that something that they co-opted from the already-existing option offenses (like Faurot’s) or was it something that had been in the single wing playbook before that? Also, whoever made that video had much better music taste than the cut-ups of modern games that you find on YouTube.

By: Keith

Keith — Tue, 29 Jun 2010 11:54:37 +0000

http://www.amazon.com/Spread-Formation-Football-Dutch-Meyer/dp/B0006D7TRI

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By: Mark

Mark — Sun, 27 Jun 2010 01:47:58 +0000

Played in a single wing in the late ’60′s. Basic concept on running plays was block down and the blocking back, situated behind the guard, kicked out the defender in the hole. The spinback (tailback) would usually receive the ball. There were some direct snaps to the fullback and also reverses to the wingback. The tailback was the passer. The blocking back never touched the ball but called plays and hike counts; he was a glorified guard. I can see that the shotgun may have evolved when someone who knew single wing principles realized that if it was apparent to everyone that a pass was coming why force the QB to backpedal with the ball when he could be standing there surveying the field. I think the new thing about the spread is the use of multiple receivers to create more play in space and force the defense to defend more of the field. The “knock em off the ball, knock em off the ball” philosophy still works for some teams (Wisconsin, Nebraska, ?).