I’m going to do another list. They’re easy to write and kind of fun, and I think this one could spark a little discussion. I’m going to talk about 3 Offenses that I do not like to see.

Defensive Coordinators tend to talk big whenever you present an offensive scheme to them. “Our defense is designed to stop anything!” But you’ve got to be good at something, and that’s going to leave you vulnerable in other places. After all, we’re not playing Madden. Your guys can’t run every front, every coverage, and every blitz without ever having a mistake.

These are offenses that I don’t want to see, regardless of scheme. They’re offenses that, when I become a head coach, I’ll be considering running. And they are offenses that have probably hung a couple of TD’s on my teams in the past (there aren’t many offenses that haven’t).

So here they are – and yes, they are in order – three offenses that I just do not want to see when we get the next opponent’s exchange film…

3. Wing-T: A really well run Wing-T. Lining up in 100/900 or Red and Blue formations does not make it a Wing-T. Being able to drive your players nuts because, no matter what they do, they’re going to be wrong in 3 plays, that makes them a Wing-T.

Wing-T is the basis of a lot of other offenses, and is centered on the idea of putting at least one of your players in conflict. If he’s crashing hard, they’ll get outside of him – if he’s staying outside, they’re going to kick him out.

The Buck Sweep series in itself can totally destroy a defense. While keeping things incredibly simple for their kids, the offense is running at you inside, off tackle, and outside. They’re running a play-action pass (Waggle) when you fall asleep on the pass. Throw in a good Belly series, the Jet Sweep, a dive option – whatever, just a couple of other wrinkles and you’re facing a very complete offense.

Is it unstoppable? No. Do I tremble when I see it? No, I love the Wing-T. I’ve studied it, but I’ve never been on a staff that runs it. So I get pumped up drawing the scout cards. But it is tough, when it’s run right.

2. Air Raid – The principles are the same as the Wing-T, but the spacing is a little different. Put players in conflict, but do it in space. And do it with short passing game, rather than hand-offs. Easier on the Offensive Line, not nearly as physical. But just as demoralizing on a long drive down the field.

Whether it is Tony Franklin, Chris Hatcher, or Mike Leach, the offense is tough. A Linebacker, a Safety or a Corner is going to be put in conflict, and he’s going to be wrong. If the QB can read it fast enough, someone comes open.

I love the Mesh Route, where the Y and Z cross in the middle. If you’re sitting in zone, the receivers will sit down in the hole. And if you’re running man, they’ll just keep running. And pick up 5 yards. Its a good example of an Air Raid play. There’s notes on Chris Hatcher’s videos in the Clinic Notes page, so you can check that out for more on the offense.

This offense combined with a well-developed screen game is devastating. Add in a draw, and you have the entire running game. I remember Hatcher once saying in a clinic talk that his dream game involved having a 100% Pass tendency. But the passes are like long hand-offs in this scheme.

Its another one that I love. It doesn’t fit my personality, but if I had the athletes I might consider running it. There’s lots of different “Spread” offenses, but this one scares me more than anything.

1. If you know anything about this past season for me, you could probably guess… Dive Option out of the Flex Bone. Throw in Pistol and call it the Muskee-GUN and I’ll have a meltdown, but that’s beside the point.

This is nothing new. Its just good Triple Option football, and when its run correctly, it is very hard to stop. Your guys have to be extremely disciplined in their jobs, and they have to defeat a block. You’ll spend the entire week working on that one play. Chances are, the offense runs it a majority of their plays. They just run a few other little wrinkles to get you looking somewhere else and keep you honest.

The wings go in motion and you’re going to want to roll your defense to that motion. But they probably have something to attack you when you do that. There’s going to be some inside running game, like a trap play. There’ll be some misdirection, and a sweep play.

Here’s your problem. You can force the QB to keep it, so that the big bruising fullback doesn’t carry the ball. You can even force the QB to pitch it – and maybe you have the hope of a fumble. But when that pitch guy gets it, he’s out in space, and he’s fast. There’s going to need to be an open field tackle. If both wing backs are equally talented, the play can go anywhere.

Again, with a well-developed passing game and a few effective screens, this is a really tough offense to stop. The best teams are the ones that, even if you stop the Dive Option, they can find other ways to defeat you. But the Dive Option out of a Flex Bone look is the offense that I do not want to see again – unless my own guys are running it.

Some Keys to Remember

A few thoughts on preparing for these offenses – and any offense.

1. Be true to your own identity. As a defensive coach, you’ve got to have an identity. You can be bend but don’t break, you can be a wild blitzing maniac, whatever. But don’t change for your opponent (maybe change the wild blitzing maniac part… but hey, if it works for you!).

2. No gimmicks. If it doesn’t fit your basic rules, don’t do it. This goes along with sticking to your identity.

3. Get your guys confident. Show them how you’re going to stop this juggernaut. Find some video of it being stopped, either from your exchange tape or from previous seasons, or from another source. Make sure they believe this offense can be stopped. Get everyone to buy into your game plan.

What are your thoughts? Do you have an offense that wasn’t mentioned that you’d just hate to see? Or do you run something that just can’t be stopped?

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