R&D Labwork: Spacing concept out of the Wing-T

This is part 3 of my ongoing series of drop back passing concepts out of the Wing-T. Part 1 was the Stick Route concept and Part 2 was the Slant/Angle Route concept.

When I talk with Wing-T coaches, most of them pass very rarely (15-20% of a game) and use the pass as a home run shot or warning shot to back off the secondary. I feel that there is more that can be done is this facet of the Wing-T offense and can be installed without sacrificing time on the run game.

Part 3 is focusing on the Spacing concept out of Wing-T sets. This is more of a horizontal stretch of the defense and we are looking to quick strike in an open zone. I feel this is a solid option for an offense that is facing a 3rd and 5-6 yards because the defense maybe loading the box for the run, but being very aware of the play action passing due to the intermediate yardage the offense has to gain. This puts a Wing-T offense in a bind because you have a defense who is being alert to the pass just as much as the run. Also, many of the play action passes attack one side of the field, so defenses can prep themselves for any possible play action passes to their side.

With this 3-step drop concept and my other quick game concepts, you can drop back and hit the defense in underneath zones due to the horizontal stretch created by the concepts. Also, the concepts are active on both sides of the field and so the best situation can be attacked if available. So if a defense is aggressive and attacks, there should be an opening somewhere due to a defender being out of position for the pass coverage. If the defense drops due to the QB dropping, now the horizontal stretch of each concept attacks the open zones.

Now, back to the Spacing concept itself. We are looking to run an all stops/hitches concept out of the Wing-T sets. The key with this concept being run from such compressed formation is that you have to train the players to be aware of spacing of the defenders and how to manipulate that space. I have different responsibilities for different receivers based on how many linebackers are in the box. Those route responsibilities are Space and Hunt.

With Space, your responsibility is to attack the OLB's inside or outside shoulder, depending on his align. If he aligned inside of the receiver, the receiver attacks the inside shoulder of the LB and sit down in your route. If he is aligned outside of the receiver, the receiver attacks the outside shoulder of the LB and sit down in your route. The goal of the Space responsibility is to stretch the LB horizontally so it can help give room for another receiver's route. If the LB doesn't adjust to the Space, then the Space receiver should be open.


With Hunt, your responsibility is to find the open zone in the defense and get open. The Space receiver is trying to give you room, so you need to adjust your route off the secondary and the LBs. If the OLB is inside of you, you will be looking to run your stop route either vertically from your alignment or slightly inside of that. If the OLB is outside of you, you will take a slight outside release to set up your route and work back inside.

Here are the route rules for the different positions:

Split End: Stop Route

Tight End: Stop Route; vs 3 LB = Space, vs 2 LB = Hunt

Wingback: Stop Route; vs 3 LB = Hunt, vs 2 LB = Space

Slotback (Wing on SE side, Slot formation): Stop Route; Same rules as TE

Halfback: Stop Route; Same rules as WB except for Bunch formation = Bubble


Here are few variations of the play out of different formations and different defensive alignments:

Hope this has help spur some thought on how the passing game can be adapted to different offensive styles and that this concept could be something you could implement into an already dangerous offense like the Wing-T.

The next part of this passing series is going to start leading us towards the 5-step/sprint out intermediate and deep route concepts. More to come!!!