Billy and Mike, would you critique the following and see if I have this right? I was reading up on the single wing, and it occurs to me that the short yardage formation that Ohio uses from the Pistol with 3 tight ends is very nearly a pure single wing formation, albeit with a balanced line. The set I am thinking of has a tight end on either side, and a third tight end in the backfield behind a guard or tackle, on the same side of the quarterback as the running back.
The position names get confusing, though. In the single wing, the deep back, who would be the passer, would called the "tailback", with the "fullback" beside him. In the single wing, the ball could be snapped to the "tailback" who could run the ball in a sweep, or up the middle, or pass it. Alternately it could be snapped to the "fullback", who "bucks" the line with a direct run.
Using single wing names for Ohio's players, and Ohio's formation, think of Vick as the "tailback", AJ as the "fullback", and say, Mangen as the "quarterback or blocking back". From this short yardage formation, we've seen snaps to Vick, who runs a sweep, or snaps to Vick who runs up the middle, or snaps to AJ who runs up the middle. All of these seem to me to be standard single wing plays. Thus, the direct snap to AJ was not a trick play at all, but was simply a core single wing run.
I guess what we need to see added to this short yardage formation would be the buck-lateral series. In that case, the snap would be to AJ, who would head towards the line, and had the option of handing the ball to the "quarterback" (i.e., the third tight end), who would then run an option play to the outside, with the option of pitching to Vick. ;) Then, if they master that, add in a Fullback spinner series, featuring AJ doing a 360. ;)
Last Edited: 5/15/2015 6:58:52 PM by L.C.