Single - wing formation In American and Canadian football , a single - wing formation is any offensive formation having exactly one wingback and one tight end aligned together . The single - wing formation , created by Glenn " Pop " Warner , was a precursor to the modern spread or shotgun formation . The term usually connotes formations in which the snap is tossed rather than handed — formations with one wingback and a handed snap are commonly called " wing T " or " winged T " . History . Among coaches , single - wing football denotes a formation using a long snap from center as well as a deceptive scheme that evolved from Glenn " Pop " Warner ' s offensive style . Traditionally , the single - wing was an offensive formation that featured a core of four backs including a tailback , a fullback , a quarterback ( blocking back ) , and a wingback . Linemen were set " unbalanced " , or simply put , there were two linemen on one side and four on the other side of the center . This was done by moving the off - side guard or tackle to the strong side . The single - wing was one of the first formations attempting to trick the defense instead of over - powering it . Pop Warner referred to his new offensive scheme as the Carlisle formation because he formulated most of the offense while coaching the Carlisle Indians . The term single - wing came into widespread use after spectators noticed that the formation gave the appearance of a wing - shape . In 1907 , Warner coached at Carlisle , a school for Native Americans , where his legacy consisted of at least three significant events . The first was the discovery of Jim Thorpe ' s raw athletic ability . The second was the use of an extensive passing game that relied on the spiraled ball . Finally , faking backs who started one way , but abruptly headed the opposite way , kept defenses guessing . Because Jim Thorpe had so much raw talent , Coach Warner more than likely designed much of his single - wing offense around this gifted athlete . Thorpe , the proverbial triple threat , was a good runner , passer , and punter . For much of the history of the single - wing formation , players were expected to play on both sides of the ball . Consequently , offensive players often turned around to play a corresponding location on defense . The offensive backs played defensive backs , just as the offensive linemen played defensive linemen . Unlike teams of today , single - wing teams had few specialists who only played on certain downs . College football playbooks prior to the 1950s were dominated with permutations of the traditional single - wing envisioned by Warner . Two - time All - American Jack Crain ' s handwritten playbook clearly denotes how the University of Texas ran their version of the single - wing circa 1939 - 1940 . University of Texas Coach Dana X . Bible ran a balanced line , which means that there were the same numbers of linemen on each side of the center . Also , the ends were slightly split . Slightly splitting offensive ends , called flexing , was in widespread use by Notre Dame ' s Box variation of the single - wing . Knute Rockne ' s Notre Dame Box offense employed a balanced line , which had 3 linemen on each side of the center . Another Rockne innovation was a shifting backfield that attempted to confuse the defense by moving backs to alternate positions right before the snap . Another variation of the single - wing saw the quarterback move out as a wingback on the weak side . Besides adding different blocking angles for the quarterback , the double - wing formation facilitated the passing game . Stanford had a variation on the double - wing in which the quarterback stayed right behind the strong side guard , while the tailback became the wingback to the weak side . The fullback , being the only deep back left , took all the snaps and directed the plays . The advent of the T formation in the 1940s led to a decline in the use of Single - wing formations . For example , the single - wing coach Dana X . Bible , upon his retirement in 1946 , saw his replacement , Blair Cherry , quickly install the T formation like many other college coaches of the day . However , the single - wing style of football is still practiced by a small group of teams across the country , almost exclusively at the high school and youth level . The Pittsburgh Steelers were the last NFL team to use the single - wing as their standard formation , finally switching to the T formation in 1952 . On September 21 , 2008 , the Miami Dolphins utilized a version of the single - wing offense ( " wildcat " ) against the New England Patriots on six plays , which produced four touchdowns in a 38 - 13 upset victory , and again two weeks later defeating the San Diego Chargers . Single - wing style of play . The direct snap or toss from the center usually went to the tailback or fullback ; however , the quarterback could also take the ball . The tailback was very important to the success of the offense because he had to run , pass , block , and even punt . Unlike today , the quarterback usually blocked at the point of attack . As with his modern day counterpart , a single - wing quarterback might also act as a field general by calling plays . The fullback was chosen for his larger size so that he could " buck " the line . This meant that the fullback would block or carry the ball between the defensive tackles . The wingback could double - team block with an offensive lineman at scrimmage or even run a pass route . The single - wing formation was designed to place double - team blocks at the point of attack . Gaining this extra blocker was achieved in several ways . First , the unbalanced line placed an extra guard or tackle on one side of the center . Second , a wingback stationed outside end could quickly move to a crucial blocking position . Third , the fullback and especially the quarterback could lead the ball carrier producing interference . Finally , linemen , usually guards , would pull at the snap and block at the specified hole . Line splits were always close except for ends who might move out from the tackle . The single - wing formation depended on a center who was skilled both at blocking and at tossing the ball from between his legs to the receiving back . The center had to direct the ball to any of several moving backs , with extreme accuracy , as the play started . Single - wing plays would not work efficiently if the back had to wait on the snap because quick defensive penetration would overrun the play . The center was taught to direct the ball to give the tailback or fullback receiver a running start in the direction that the play was designed to go . The single - wing formation was a deceptive formation with spectators , referees , and defensive players often losing sight of the ball . A backfield player , called a " spinner " , might turn 360 degrees while faking the ball to the other backs , or even keeping the ball or passing it . Defensive players were often fooled as to which back was carrying the ball . The one play that was unique to the single - wing formation was the buck - lateral series . The terminology for this series of plays associates the word " buck " with the intent of the fullback to plunge into the line . In addition , the short toss , or lateral of the ball , can be made to the quarterback or wingback who may take the ball and do other maneuvers including passing the ball . Consequently , when the fullback takes the ball , he appears to be headed to buck the line . Typically , fullbacks were bigger players who ran plays intended to smash the defensive front . The fullback ' s initial move pulls the defensive players toward the expected point of attack . Next , the fullback tosses the ball to another back causing the defense to change pursuit angles , thus losing a step in their catching the ball carrier . The strong side of the formation , where the extra lineman and wingback lined - up , put pressure on the defensive end . Defenses might move extra players to that side or shift the whole defense to compensate . The cut - back play could succeed regardless of how the defense reacted . The cut - back play started like a strong side sweep with offensive guards and quarterback running interference for the tailback . The fullback would fake a smash over the guard hole to occupy the defensive tackles . The play was designed to make the defensive end overreact and try to stay outside to contain the runner . If the defensive end gave ground to the sideline , the tailback would cut - back inside to let his interference push the defensive end out of the play . If the defensive end came too far inside , then the ball carrier would run around him to the outside . After the cut - back play was used in a game , then the offense might run the wingback reverse since both plays started out the same way . At the outset , the defense tries to pursue the sweeping tailback . However the tailback delivers the ball to the wingback running the opposite way to the weak side . Both the cut - back and the reverse would be set up with quick fullback bucks up the middle , which would cause the defensive line to over - protect their gaps , as opposed to pursuing quickly to the sideline . Single - wing teams used both a standard punting formation and a quick punt , often kicking on second or third downs . The quick punt , or quick kick , saw the tailback - punter quickly backing up 5 yards as the ball was in the air from the center to distance him from rushers . The strategy was to keep defensive halfbacks , expecting a possession play , from dropping back to return the ball . The standard punt formation was often used for either punting as well as running or passing the ball . Most teams had a litany of plays that they might run from a punt formation . Prior to 1930 the shape of the football was a prominent oval shape called a prolate spheroid . Due to the shape of the ball , single - wing backs handled the ball more like a basketball , with short tosses and underhand lobs . Gradually , balls were allowed to be elongated enough to produce streamlined passes with a spiral . The spiraled ball could be thrown farther with more accuracy , thus increasing the potential for offenses to use the forward pass more frequently . The single - wing quarterback played a different role than modern - day quarterbacks . While the quarterback may have called the snap count due to his position close to the center of the formation , he may not have called the actual play in the huddle . For much of the history of football , coaches were not allowed to call plays from the sideline . This responsibility may have gone to the team captain . The quarterback was expected to be an excellent blocker at the point of attack . Some playbooks referred to this player as the blocking back . The quarterback also had to handle the ball by faking , handing off , or optioning to other backs . Modern use . Although the single - wing has lost much of its popularity since World War II , its characteristic features are still prevalent in all levels of modern football . They include pulling guards , double teams , play action passes , laterals , wedge blocking , trap blocking , the sweep , the reverse and the quick kick . Many current offenses , such as the spread option , use single - wing tendencies for running plays , while using wide receivers instead of wingbacks . Once a strong running formation , the single wing has been replaced by formations that facilitate passing , while minimizing the running aspect of the game . Today the single - wing has evolved in what coaches call the spread offense or shotgun , with the emphasis on passing . The most noticeable feature that remains of the powerful Carlisle formation is the long toss from center to the main ball - handler . The main talent and field general has become the quarterback instead of the tailback . The other single - wing backs have moved close to the line of scrimmage and are split farther from the main line . Wide receivers are called split - ends , flex ends , slots , and flankers . Also , linemen spacing has increased in distance . Moving offensive players farther apart serves the purpose of also spreading the defense . The goal is to make defenses cover the whole field on every play . The current incarnation of the Wildcat offense , which has been adopted by many college , NFL , and high school teams uses many elements of the single - wing formation . Successful single - wing teams . The single - wing has had a successful revival at youth leagues , middle schools , high schools , and some colleges . Here are some examples of single - wing high school teams that have had success all across the country . In 2005 , Virginia saw three teams ride the single - wing to the state playoffs . Two of the three teams , Giles High School and Osbourn High School , actually won their division . Giles High School returned to the state championship game in 2006 . In 1998 and 1999 , Park View High School in Sterling , Virginia advanced to consecutive state championships using the single wing offense . When Park View coach Mickey Thompson moved to nearby Stone Bridge High School in 2000 , he took the single wing with him . As a result the Bulldogs have won 9 District titles , 6 Region titles and won the 2007 AAA Division 5 State title game 38 - 0 against Potomac High School . On February 1 , 2010 Stone Bridge Offensive Coordinator Matt " Hate - Dog " Griffis was named Head Coach of nearby Broad Run High School . Griffis announced he will be running the Single Wing as well as his hybrid Single Wing formation dubbed the " Griff - Bone " . Tower Hill School in Wilmington Delaware perfected this formation which led to numerous state championships . Warren County High School in Front Royal , Va . also used the single - wing to moderate success . In Louisa County , Va . , the local high school has had similar success by running the single - wing formation since 2003 . Colton California has been a consistently successful single - wing team by reaching the state playoffs on six consecutive seasons . In 1998 The Menominee Maroons won the Michigan high school class BB football championship , and in 2006 and 2007 won the Michigan High School Class B football championship , winning 28 consecutive games over the last 2 years , and reaching the state playoffs for the last 11 years . In 1971 the Corning High School Cardinals of Corning , California had a 9 - 0 undefeated season utilizing a balanced single - wing offense under coach Tag McFadden . They were the number one rated school Division 4 in the state and Mcfadden was garnered coach of year by Cal - Hi Sports . In 1980 Coach Ted Hern brought the single - wing to Moriarty High School , the " Fighting " Pintos made three state championship appearances winning 2 state titles , one undefeated season and suffering only 3 losses in four seasons . Coach Frank Ortiz was an assistant coach in the later seasons . Since 1985 , Santa Rosa High School has used the single - wing formation under Coach Frank Ortiz . The Lions have made the playoffs every year except three , won their district title 17 times , won the New Mexico AA State Championships in 1993 , 1996 , 1998 , 2007 , 2010 , 2011 , and 2012 and made a total of 11 State Finals appearances . Xavier High School ' s ( NYC ) Head Coach Chris Stevens recently changed the team ' s offense to the single - wing . In 2007 they went 11 - 1 , and averaged 39 points in the New York Catholic High School Football League A Division . They had two 1 , 000 - yard rushers in Seamus Kelly and Jimmy Kowalski , while both also scored 17 TDs . In the championship game trailing by two scores with less than 8 minutes to play , Xavier scored 31 unanswered points to win their first championship in over 10 years . The following week they beat Fordham Prep 20 - 14 in the annual " Turkey Bowl " , a game that dates back to the late 1800s . Running the single - wing for the past two seasons , they have been at the top of league in rushing . This past season they were in the top three rushing and scoring schools in New York . In 2005 St . Mary ' s of Lynn in Massachusetts won the D4A Eastern Mass Title following two consecutive division titles with Ed Melanson running the Single Wing . Prior to Coach Melanson installing the Single Wing there in 2002 , St . Mary ' s had not had a winning season since 1977 . In Nebraska Dave Cisar ' s Screaming Eagle youth football teams have been running the Single Wing offense for 8 seasons . During that time period those teams have gone 78 - 5 and averaged over 35 points per contest and won two State Titles . He did this with 6 totally different teams in 4 different leagues in various age groups . His teams even used the famous " fullback full spinner series " along with the other traditional Single Wing plays . Coach Cisar published a book " Winning Youth Football a Step by Step Plan " in 2006 to help youth coaches install this " old school " offense . In Colorado , Brian Christensen ' s Akron Rams ( Class 1A ) high school football team has made running the Single Wing offense a local tradition . Akron won back - to - back undefeated state championships in 2001 and 2002 . They also took home State titles in 2006 , 2007 , and 2008 . Christensen ' s teams have made the playoffs every year since 1996 and have made it to at least the semi - finals of the state playoffs all but 4 times within that span . The Akron Rams are renowned for their " exceptional prowess executing the single - wing offense , " . One coach characterized Akron ' s single - wing attack as , " A Chinese fire - drill in the backfield every single play . You have to play mistake - free defense or Akron ' s single - wing attack will burn you , " . Christensen took over the Akron program in 1996 , his overall record at Akron is : 163 - 31 ( . 841 winning percentage ) . In Iowa , Bob Howard , the coach of the Sigourney - Keota Savage Cobras ( 2A ) , has led the Cobras to three state championships ( 1995 , 2001 , 2005 ) , using the single - wing offense . He used the offense when he first started coaching at Sigourney in the 1970s , before Sigourney and Keota conjoined teams . In 2005 the vaulted Cobra single - wing offense set a new state record for points in a season with 696 , 537 of which coming in the nine regular season games , and in 2007 the Cobras set a new state rushing record racking up 718 yards in a single game . Howard left Sigourney - Keota after the 2006 season to become the new head coach at Webster City High School and was charged with rebuilding a once - proud program that hadn ' t won over six games or made the Class 3A playoffs since 1996 . Installing his vaunted single - wing offense , in 2007 the Lynx led District 2 in rushing by gaining over 2 , 200 yards on the ground despite their overall record of 3 - 6 . However , in 2008 , the Lynx not only made the playoffs for the first time in 12 years , but also finished the season with a final record of 7 - 4 . Tailback John Hill rushed for 1 , 420 yards — the sixth highest total in school history . On September 21 , 2008 , the Miami Dolphins used a version of the single - wing offense ( specifically the Wildcat offense ) against the New England Patriots on six plays , which produced five touchdowns ( four rushing and one passing ) in a 38 - 13 upset victory , after its successful adoption on the college and high school level by several teams . The 1957 Cass Township , exclusively used single - wing offense . The Cass ( Schuylkill County ) PA Condors rolled through a season unbeaten , untied , and unscored upon over 50 years ago , going 9 - 0 in the regular season before defeating Shamokin 2 - 0 in a special playoff for the Eastern Conference Southern Division title for a season of 10 - 0 . They are the only high school football team in Pennsylvania that can lay claim to that feat . The late Coach Pat Droskinis , listed in the PA Sports Hall of Fame , coached them and led by a strong 4 - 5 - 2 defense that featured All - State ends in 6 - foot - 3 Russ Frantz and 6 - 2 Harry Butsko , the Cass Twp Condors blanked Minersville , Nescopeck , West Mahanoy Township , Schuylkill Haven , Ashland , Blythe Township , Mahanoy Township , Lansford and Saint Clair , and then Shamokin in the playoff game ( 2 - 0 ) . In Pittsburgh , Coach Pete Dimperio ran the single wing at Westinghouse High School from 1946 to this retirement in 1966 . Westinghouse played in the City League championship game every one of those 21 years and they won 17 times . Coach Dimperio ' s league play record was a phenomenal 118 - 5 - 1 and ( 158 - 26 - 1 overall ) . His Bulldog teams ran the single - wing formation with mostly buck - lateral and fullback spinner plays . He did not use a multitude of plays , rather he won because his players were so well - schooled and disciplined they were all but unstoppable . When Coach Dimperio started at Westinghouse the student body was mostly the children of Italian immigrants , but by the late 1950s it was almost 100 % African American . It didn ' t matter to Coach Dimperio ; he and his single wing won nonetheless . Being from a relatively poor inner city school , Westinghouse usually had no assistant coaches and rarely suited up more than 40 players . Yet , in exhibition games against some of the biggest suburban schools , Westinghouse usually won . Once in an exhibition game against South Hills Catholic which suited up 90 players and had five coaches , Coach Dimperio ' s deceptive single wing made mincemeat of the heavier and slow opponent to the point where one of the South Hills Catholic coaches remarked , " they ( the Westinghouse backs ) ran down the field so many times it looked like track practice . " Coach Dimperio was inducted into the Pennsylvania Sports Hall of Fame in 1964 .