Defending The Wing T & FlexBone Offenses


By FirstDown PlayBook on Apr 24, 2023
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If there were ever two good examples of offenses that make defensive coaches put in extra work during the off season it would be the defending the Wing T and the FlexBone. Option responsibilities can be a nightmare to teach.

Defensive players who have always relied on their athletic ability to help them make great plays and also get them out of trouble when they mis-read something, suddenly find themselves in a horrible situation. Every time they mis-read a key, this offense makes them pay dearly.

In essence there is no such thing as recovering. Once you make the mistake the option offense and the ball is gone. Too late, next play. Before you know it your defense is frozen as they are scared to make a mistake.

Having been on the defensive side of the ball at the University of North Carolina I experienced this first hand. We lined up against Paul Johnson’s Georgia Tech team and it was a learning experience. Talk about a well oiled machine. If you were not disciplined on defense you were going to pay. I regret to say that we did more than once or twice.

This is why, that even in months of May, June and July you will see defensive coaches working extra on option responsibilities if they have a FlexBone team or defending the Wing T is in their future. The game might not be until October. The extra work will still be put in during spring ball.

Today we want to point out that FirstDown PlayBook provides defensive coaches a great resource when it comes to defensing these two potent offenses. Our guess is that you probably don’t even know its there. Take a look at this video, defensive coaches. You’re going to like it.

Jim Hamilton