Single wing
 

I'm working a playoff game tonight of a team I worked earlier this season.

They run the single wing, very effectively. They rarely pass, but when they do it's just as likely to be a right handed passer as a left handed passer.

Any thoughts on where I, as the WH, should line up? In the coach's meeting, he told me that his passer was left handed, so I lined up over there and if they threw 10 passes the entire game (probably not) 50% were by a RH passer. Go wide side of the field? Just pick one side and stay there?

Thoughts appreciated.

I rarely notice if a passer is left handed since I rarely run into them. I also feel very uncomfortable on his left side. I know that I need to be on the throwing arm side in order to see if his arm is moving if he gets tackled but it's a case of just having to get on the proper side to do the best you can.

Just a hunch there won't be much passing tonight. If it was me, I'd pick a side and stay.

Being on the throwing arm side is important but not critical. If you're distracted about it, that's likely to diminish your performance more than being on the wrong side.

I'd pick a side, use your customary mechanics, and stay in your comfort zone. A playoff game will have enough other distractions.

You mean like the 33 mph wind we have right now? :D

There are a ton of variables. The throwing arm, the field conditions, tendencies due to the O-line being stronger or D being weaker on one side or another. The majority of all that you won't know until the game is underway, anyway. Find a happy medium that leaves you feeling comfy without making you feel that you're out of position. If you have a great working relationship with your guys, your UMP will know how and where to position himself as he sees you position yourself each play. If your wings have been with you awhile, they should know how you work and how mobile you are.

I haven't worked either team of the teams we have tonight in over two years.

I don't see too much passing either with this wind.....and I'm not too broken up about it either.

Good luck tonight guys.

I'll stay on the right side tonight. All the passes they threw the first time were little dump passes and it didn't matter which side I was on, in retrospect.

The challenge with this team is with the other backs -- making sure their blocking is legal and also making sure the defense isn't doing anything illegal to eliminate blockers. We had a linebacker take one of the blocking backs out below the knees on a play going wide to the right. Great flag by the wing.

I don't anticipate a lot of passing either. It's down to 51 and the wind is up to 36 mph. I'll be happy if it doesn't rain anymore. I'm taking 2 pair of shoes, 2 pairs of socks, 2 shirts, you get the idea. (Make sure you review your scrimmage kick rules tonight as balls are going to be blown all over the place.)

As a former single winger (as opposed to a swinging single) I can tell you that most play run and pass will go to strength. Strength will be determined bu the unbalanced line. Typically the blocking back ( also known as the QB --but never receives the snap) will line up in between the tackle and guard. I would line up on the side that he is on.

Who plays football on Tuesday night? :confused:

Playoffs start on Tuesday in Minnesota. Next game is Saturday. This is because of an annual Educators conference last week that runs Th & Fr and the teachers are off for that.

Wow! So they play two games in one week?

Wisconsin has always had the 10 games in 3 days problem. Teams will play Thursday-Tuesday-Saturday, if they're lucky enough to get to the second round of the playoffs.

Next year that goes away and in its place something even less palatable to the coaches (which means it will probably change again) -- the first varsity games are on August 19 next season with the regular season ending October 14 and the first round of the playoffs October 21-22.

The problem here is that hunting season is apparently sacred and they won't allow the football season to go an extra week or after Thanksgiving for some strange reason. Instead we'll soon have practices in July.

They've always wavered around hunting season (gun deer) here. Less and less as time goes on, as hunting has become less and less of a part of student and family tradition each year than it used to be. I think a big part has to do with the weather almost always turning downright nasty during that last week. Of course, the following weekend is Thanksgiving...and they won't touch that. I think you're right about the changes going forward. We actually had final Varsity games on Wed and Thurs this past week. More teams tried to work a Wednesday game in, rather than the final Thursday (like most had) for more prep and "get healthy" time before the following Tuesday.

A big factor in this scheduling business must be the reeeeediculous number of teams that get into playoffs now. It's true in other sports too, but seems most jarring in football where the regular season has few games.

7 divisions, 32 teams each in Wisconsin. Half the state, give or take.

They've talked about an all-in in the past, which would mean every single crew in the state would be needed Week 1 and they'd have to relax requirements for crews to qualify.

IMO, too many teams get in as it is and there are way too many blowouts in the first round.