The 'Ace' set? That's the only wing t inspired set that I do like. We had some major speed but not as much size in the backfield one year. We ripped the competition a new asshole by sprinkling some ace formation in with our base Pro I.
It can be effective, but I'm not a fan. It's the style of play that I don't like with it. It's the same mindset of why I don't like the spread. What are you going to do when it's piss pouring the rain on a Friday night with the wind blowing like a hurricane.
Run leads, jet sweeps, triple options, speed option (while loading the DE with a wing), isos, counter traps, etc. It's a flexible set.
It's a very flexible offense but without a great athlete for quarterback its limited. I also don't like that it's so dependent on timing. If you mess up the timing, you force turnovers. I'm just going to go linebackers wide, making my front look like a wide tackle 60 front. This keeps me strong up the middle and numbers outside for the sweeps and options.
Thanks guys. I'm not much on formal writing, though. I wouldn't mind to that at some point. I am no genius by any means. I enjoy the strategy talks. The thing I miss most about coaching is trying to get into your opponent's head and try to outwit him. It was common practice for the guys I coached with to get into strategy arguments. Lol. We had a saying about these sessions; " He who has the chalk/marker last, wins." Lol. It's a very true statement....
Two of my favorite plays out of the ace is all vertical routes with both wide outs and both wings. 99.9% of the time at least 1 guy is completely uncovered. It's a thing of beauty. My other favorite is a power sweep with a crack. I go TE over for an unbalanced set and line my wing outside him. The TE takes an inside release to seal the inside backer, I block down on the DE with my wing (he can block in the back if you make sure they are inside the tackle box at the snap. Even if they aren't the officials in the TSSAA are so shitty that they may call it one time out of a thousand. A lot like a receiver running a pick route. I'm a defense guy. It's a damn pick not a 'rub' as you offensive assholes like to call it. ;-) ) I then crack the OLB with the nastiest WR that I have. Resulting in about a 75-80% chance of a decleating hit especially if the corner doesn't call the crack hanging his OLB out to dry. I then bring my FB out to wall off the corner, just get in his way, or simply alter his persuit angle to give the RB an angle. I also free release the backside OT to take a shallow angle to try to cut off the FS. Most of the time he never makes it but occasionally he will. If he does, it's 88 and out the gate. If not you still have a one one situation with the RB on the FS. I expect my RB to be an athlete and win that match up a majority of the time.
If my outside linebacker is coached so shitty, that he doesn't know to fly off the edge when the wing blocks down, I need to get my ass beat.
You are correct. He reads down, he best be getting up field in a damn hurry. But we are talking high school kids. They do crazy stuff. I have a drill we do that taught them this technique or they got smoked. Eventually they got tired of getting earholed and did it right. Another option is to pull playside guard to kick out the OLB and send the WR to wall the FS.
If I'm more talented than you, I can contain the edge. I can fill gaps and play cheerleaders in the middle, but I need football players on the edge.
I coached in the Tri-Cities area as a DC for 15 years, but it was a county school. Health issues forced me out. Heat aggrivates my condition. Switch to HS softball. Much cooler.
