wingtmaxpracticetime

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Maximizing PracticeTime for the Wing-TOffensive LineBy Steve Czekalski , Former L ine CoachWest Dept ford (NJ) H igh School

O

ffensive line coaches

can borrow a phrase

from high schoolEnglish teachers as a

giilding principle in the use of allitera-

lion: "Prior Preparation and Planning

Prevents Poor Performance Pain."

If the coach's goal is to maximize

practice time, increase performance,

and avoid the withering glai e of an

angry hea d coach, following are some

steps he can take to avoid "perform-

;ince pain."

DESIGNING THE INDIVIDUAL

PRACTICE SESSION

The Wing-1 offensive lint- coarhmust design and implement drills that

emphasize the techniques used to

execute the plays slated for the prac-

tice session.

Buck Sweep and Waggle mean that

Down Blocks, Sweep Pulls, Waggle

Pulls, and Log Technique are logical

choices. Doub le teams, Escape

Technique, and learning how to trap

are essential for the Guard Trap to go

the distance.

Meaningless drills will now hecome

meaningftil to the players. Linem en

will see the connection between theirperformance during ihe individual

session and their execution oi play in

a team setting.

Don't practice something you inosi

likely won 't do. For instanc e, it makes

absolutely no sense to practice speed

(or jet) sweep pulls if there is no

chance that the play will be run dur-

ing ihe cotusc of the week.

A SAMPLE SCHEDULE

We'll assinnc lliat M) mintiies

have been set aside for the individ-

u.tl position coaches lo instruci iheir

players. A coach who decid es to

wing it" will find that his players wil

he as poorly prepared for the game

;is he was for practice.

The line coach should mix basic

technique drills such as Shoulder Skills

(hills. Stances and Starts, and driving

ihe sled with more specialized or play-

specific drills such as Sweep Pnils.

A good slrategy to follow is U)

break down the time allotted intoapproximately five-minute intervals

and change up every few minules.

The early preseason camp individual

practice session is designt^d:

4 :0 0 : Stance and Starts Through

Chutes.

4:O3: Shoulder Skills on Heavy

Bags from 3-Point Stance

(On. Gap, Do^tti).

4:1 0: Intro Plays of the Day: Guard

Trap & Buck Sweep vs. 5-2, 4-

4, and/o r 4-3.4:15: Post-Lead {Double Team)

DriU.

4: 20 : Tackles/Tight Ends - Escape

Technique, Guards - Pull Trap

Technique.

4 : 2 3 : Tackles/Tight Ends -

Gap/Down Teclmique

Guards - Buck Sweep Pulls.

4 : 2 8 : Run through Plays of the Day

as a Unit vs. Various Fronts.

2 4 2 0 0 7 COACH AND



Maximizing Practice Time for the Wing-T Offensive Line

Obviously, each coach will have to

consider factors such as practice

schedule, number of athletes, coaches

on staff, and equipment and facilities.For example, more than one coach on

hand means more than one pair of

eyes watching for errors and making

corrections.

The ultimate goal in running the

Wing-T offense is to develop a quick,

rhythmic, machine-like tempo. By

maintaining a fast pace and quickly

.switching drills, the coach adds a con-

ditioning element and gives the play-

ers little opportunity- to be bored.

IMMEDIATELY BEFORE

PRACTICE

Anticipate what equipment you

need and either go out early and get it

out yourself or assign your players the

responsibility. Countless minutes of

practice time is wasted each season

with the retrieval and set up of equip-

ment. If you have enough room, set

up your drills in advance.

In addition to chutes, sleds, and

heavy bags, the most vital tools of the

trade for the line coach are spacingstrips and cones.

DURING PRACTICE

1. Explain the d rill and why it is

important.

Drills develop and reinforce prop er

execution of specific techniques.

Excellent technique is the foundation

of all Wing-T line play. The angle

blocks that are typical of the Wing-T

offense are especially advantageoiw

for the undersized linemen playing a

bigger opp one nt. Faulty techniqu eequals failed play.

It is imperative that coaches

explain what is trving to be accom-

plished. Coaches are also teachers

and must always explain in detail what

the drill entails, how to perform the

drill, and why the drill is imp ortant.

2. Coach every rep of every

drii l.

Plavers nt'cd feedback. Poor tech-

nique that goes uncorrected becomes

poor habit and will lead to poor per-

formance in the gam e. As a coach, it is

imperative to always move aro und ,always he active, always he encouraging,

and to coach every rep of every drill.

WTiile our focus may tend to be on

ou r stai ters, we have to keep in mind

that our younger players uill be the

starters of die future. No player should

go through a practice uncoached.

The coach should also have consis-

tency of instruction. That m eans that

every repetition gets coached the

same way every tim e. It requires the

coach to teach something the same

way, utilizing the same verbiage andcoaching points with his athletes.

3. Double and triple your reps.

We've all been there : linemen

snaking back into the distance, waiting

for their turn at a drill. Repetition

means that players get enough prac-

tice performing the skills and tech-

. nlques required to become good line-

men and function automatically with a

minimum of though t. Having to think

and then do requires a split-second

longer than automatically doing.That miniscnie difference in lime

translates to missed assignments, lost

opportunities, and fewer yards. The

goal of constant repetition, especially

with the offensive line, is to have the

entire unit respond in machine-like

fashion.

How do you increase the number

or reps? By setting up m ultiple sta-

tions, depending on the number of

players you have. You should have at

least two and possibly as many as four.

Two or three is usually ideal.For exam ple, if we need to practice

double-teams we should have enough

linemen to set up two stations abotit

five yards apai t. A coach should posi-

tion himself in between the stations

and in front so that he can ea.sily

switch his attention from one group to

the other. He'll give a cadence an d

the gro up on th e left will go. He will

then focus to the right and those play-

ers will perform the same te chniq ue.

UTiile the one group is going, the

other group should be getting in its

stance, and someone should be husygetting the bag and holding it in

position.

All of this eliminates the time wast

ed retriexing the fallen bag, putting it

in position, and having players fussing

over getting into th eir stance. Wliile

one group goes, the other group is

getting ready to go. We can get a rep

going every couple of seconds, thus

adding a conditioning element,

increasing reps, and finding the time

to work on other skills.

There are two important points to

keep in min d. First, always simulate

the same ca dence in drills as you d o i

a game ("Set" - "Ready Set" - "Go").

It makes no sense ro use some gen eric

command such as "Go" or "Hit". Yo

want that cadence ingrained in the O-

lines minds, and to vary it as well so

that the line gets used to going on

sound, on one, and on two. That

helps eliminate those aggravating off-

sides penahies.

The o ther im portant po int is that itliere is a major problem with the exe

cution of a technique or if a player ha

a question, don't be afraid to stop and

explain or "coach thing.s np." We

always would rather do one rep right

than a dozen reps wrong.

AFTER PRACTICE:

Just because practice is over doesn't

mean the coaching stops. As you walk

into tlie locker room, make contact

with as many of your players as possible

Maybe someone had a tough prac-tice. Pick them up . Maybe someo ne i

feeling discouraged and wants to know

wh;it they have to do to get be tter. Tel

them what they need to work on.

Maybe you chewed someone out.

Discuss what ha ppen ed in a calm to ne

tell them something that they did well

during practice and give them a pat

on the hack.

It's your jo b to keep them up. to

2 6 COACH AND ATHLETIC DIRECTOP



F%lflNG-T L IN E M A N C RO SS

REFERENCE GU IDE

PLAY

Guard Trap

Buck Sweep

Waggle

TECHNIQUES

Escape

Post-LeadPull Trap

Gap/Down

Pull Kick Out

Pull Wall Off

On

Away

Cut Off

G ap

O n

Pull Log/Kick Out

Away

Pull Escort

Pul! Check

DRILLS

Escape Drill w/ Shield

Double Team vs. Heavy BagPull Trap Drill

iiuikf ilu-ni IVt'l good , lo leave prac tice

wauling to come back the next day.

Wlmt you are doing, in short, is setting

youi"seU up to have a good practice

iht- next day.

GET AN EARLY START:Whether you meet as a staff on the

weekend or are waiting to receive your

cue Irom Uie head Coach or oflFensive

c(X)rdinatoi", you know your own

offense and you should have an idea of

vour opponent's deiensivc tendencies.

Determine whai plays your team

will want tu nm . If the opp one nt runs.1 .Vi knnw lliat hiside Trap. Down,

and Buck Sweep may be big plays

while Belly and Power might be pre-

ferred against a 4-3.

Of course, a lot depends on per-

sonnel match ups as well. By the end

oi the weekend or, at the latest, by

Monday morning, know what the

"plays of the week" will be .

Also study film and familiarize your-

self witli till' opposing personnel and

defensive schem es. Be aware of any

stunis or shifts that may ronfiisc your

linemen and disrupt their a.s.signmenus.

Armed with this infonnalion, start

to think about the assignnu'nLs and

techniques that your linemen will need

to make practice sessions crisp and to

perform effectively on game day. •

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