7-on-7's for contrarian offenses

I could clarify myself and say it looks like Cover 2 with corners playing 2 yards outside, 5 yards deep of the tight ends  but they do not drop to a deep 1/4 , they immediately run to the flat

I like it for the defense to see good routes with receivers that run them full speed

7v7 is so valuable for your defense if you use it properly.. Being able to see so many reps in coverage is so beneficial idc if you never throw the ball your defense needs it.

For people who say “how’s it beneficial if you know the other team has to throw it you don’t have to take your read steps blah blah” on friggin Third & 12+ you know a team is going to sling it- or if you’re up 2 scores in the late fourth you know they’re going to throw it.

Our DBs improved drastically from Friday to Saturday. Friday I was pulling my hair out. Saturday things were much better. Not perfect but better.

Also contrarian offenses have passing games too, usually. You can run waggle.

This. As an I formation, run 60-70% of the time, that's why we went to them, for defense.

Coincidentally, the only 3 years we had losing regular season records, we were really good at 7on7. The hear we went 11-1 we might have went .500 in 7on7s.

There is something about teaching the kids how to compete and play as a team that has it's place. It can be useful for creating team chemistry.

I agree with the comments about helping to prepare your defense against what they may see. We used it to teach and evaluate our defensive backs as well.

And yes, injuries concerned us, but the kids could have just as easily gotten hurt playing chose up touch or neighborhood basketball.


We'd have a small package of passes drawn up out of a 2 x 2 and 3 x 1 sets.
I didn't expect to run a precision timed passing offense, more like our kids in space, getting open, or behind defenders. Basic backyard football. It also showed what the QB's strengths were, even though we weren't going to throw a lot during the season.
(We won a State Championship game in 2010, and only threw 3 passes. The sole completion was a halfback pass for a TD).


We showed up at a local 7-7 tournament, back about 2009, and ran in one of our games from our base tight DW formation.
One of our opponents coaches, a younger guy, walked over to me and earnestly asked me why we were running from a punt formation, when there was no kicking in 7-7.

I just kinda smiled.....and watched our kids pick the dog snot out of his defensive backs when he tried to cover us with a tight man-under-2 deep.
He was wrong.
There was kicking in 7-7.
We were kicking his butt.

I hated the all day tournaments. Just burned out the kids and the coaches. And for what? Trophies?

Cover 2 Man and the passes that would normally hit your center in the back of the head. 7on7 phenomenon that just make you shake your head and laugh.

For your defense to reps it’s typically worth it.

The first thing I thought of is I’m not sure how many teams (unless you’re well known for it in your state) would even realize you are wing-t. All the kids would wonder why you are under center. We’ve got a few good ones here in the state but I’d say a large majority of coaches in the state are pretty clueless about the wing-t.

It’s a chance to work a little quick game.

Some of the crap you see in 7 on 7 is a little harder against wing-t sets. The defense that everyone is going to press/bully/maul the offense. With the motion and crossing of WR from what they see as bunch and stack alignment.

We are a little contrarian. Our QB pulled so genuine 7 on 7 stuff on his own this weekend. Kids lose sight of the purpose at times. Especially once teams get a little chippy.

As a few others said, they're invaluable for defense I think. One of the biggest defensive headaches I see year in and out at every program I'm at is defensive backs not communicating or not understanding formations and when to do certain things in pass coverage. These 7 on 7s are a great place to slow down and teach the "how" and "why" behind all the communication that is required of them, and as they improve, they can watch their coverage as a team improve without having to focus on all the other aspects of defense.

The 7s I did this year drove me crazy because they put a play clock on it as part of the competitive set up, but IDGAF about that when I'm trying to teach kids who are struggling with learning. I eventually yelled at the kid to stop counting and either move the ball back or leave me alone because I was going to operate at my pace. Real old man moment for me as I continue to approach 40.

40? Old man moment?

I've got socks that are older than that!

Jokes or socks?

lol

my normal approach would be run draw, and step up for the fist fight thats about to happen.

if your staff isnt down to fight.... idk run waggle and all your play action stuff and get the hell out. 

Ouch, stopping scout to coach fundamentals to the scout team, i think that's going in my catalog of chit to watch out for and dont ever let become a problem...

How did he break a collarbone; did he trip on something or run into the goal post?