Tag: gus malzahn

Defending Jet Motion

Don’t take the bait. Don’t get out leveraged.

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The jet motion is a great leveraging tool that offenses use to either move the defense (to counter the opposite way) or cut them off (speed kills). Auburn under Malzahn has utilized the jet motion to create deception and outmaneuver opponents. The speed at which the jet motion attacks, forces the defense to recognize the motion and adjust accordingly. Because the offense is using a fast motion, the defense is forced to plus alignments or spin an extra player down to the side the motion is moving. Many times, an offense uses their best athlete on the jet motion to focus even more attention on the movement.  Offenses can even use the jet motion as a decoy because the defense has to honor the motion. To gain width, or to freeze an OLB/DE, offenses will send a jet motion to one side and run a play going away. This “freezing” of the defense allows an extra lineman to climb to the next level. This focus causes tunnel vision and can lead to exposure away from the direction of the motion.

Offenses use motion as a leverage tool. The Slot-T version of the spread, which Auburn runs, uses the jet motion to move the defense into compromising positions. Every 03-auburndefensive coach knows that when an offense uses motion (especially jet motion), the defense is forced to adjust promptly to the new formation. As stated earlier, the speed of the jet motion can make defenses over rotate to counteract the quick rotation of the offense. For many defensive coordinators, it is easier to rotate safeties (spin) than to bump linebackers because of the tempo at which the WR or slot is running. The introduction of unbalanced formations (X-off) and the utilization of the quarterback in the run game have made it more difficult for defenses to defend jet motion teams. In the picture above, Auburn used an unbalanced set to attack the Alabama defense. Out of the stack set shown, the offense can run a double lead jet stretch, running back counter weak, jet power read with two lead blockers or any QB run they choose. With so many play variations off of one formation and motion, it is no wonder many spread teams are using this type of motion to build whole offenses around. Any time the QB becomes a runner, the defense is stressed even more. The added value that the jet motion gives teams is undeniable. Continue reading “Defending Jet Motion”

Defending the Wing-T

Counteract one of the most difficult offenses to prepare for.

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The spread version of the Wing-T is gaining some steam at the lower levels of football, but the old school version is still around. The most popular of the new age Wing-T teams is Auburn. With the slot-H and the jet motions, Gus Malzahn has transformed the old smash mouth Wing-T into a sleeker version that fits the new age spread model. In the spread version, the passing game has been able to expand and many teams turn to RPOs to challenge the defense even more. With a lot of moving parts, the Wing-T can do some serious damage on a defense’s psyche.

Like the Triple Option, the Wing-T is an offense that is hard to prepare for and rarely seen by many. In some parts of the country, it is still run, but for most, it is seen once a year, if ever. The Wing-T and its pulling guards, buck sweeps, and trap plays are difficult to defend. Overload the strong side, and the offense runs weak. Play in a base Over/Under front and they will trap the defense to death or run midline down the defense’s throat. The key to any Wing-T offense is its guards. The pulling of one, or both in the buck sweep, establish extra gaps to the play side and traps for defensive linemen. It is important for a defense to stay even against any Wing-T formation.

There are several ways defenses attempt to attack the Wing-T outside of the base 3-4/4-3 defenses. The first is the Double Eagle (or 303). Even with the OLBs walked up to make the Double Eagle a 5-2, there is still room for the guards to pull and the Wing-T offense can still Belly Trap the 3 tech. If the Nose shades to one side or another, it makes it easy for the offense to run midline and read the Nose. The second is a 50 front where the Ends align each in a 4 or 5 tech. The problem with the 50 front is again, no one is addressing the guards. To counteract the pulling and trapping of the Wing-T offense, the defense has to eliminate the guards. the Double Eagle is probably the safest of the two five down schemes because someone is at least lined up on the guard, but the outside shade makes it easy for the Wing-T offense to pull the guard outside, trap the 3, or read him in the run game.
Continue reading “Defending the Wing-T”

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