I know, it doesn't matter what O you run as long as it is consistent.

But for years we were the only team running the Single Wing anywhere near us and even with less talent and speed we still put up 7-8 wins a season.  Then last year we went to an I and kind of a multiple set trying to get in line with the high school system and we didn't do as well, neither did the high school.

We are discussing maybe going back to the Single Wing, maybe with a spread, or at least include it in our multiple offense.

Thoughts?

S

Being contrarian does have its advantages IMHO.

It certainly helps but only if you run it well obviously. Our conference has a few sw and dw teams. Contrarian around here would probably be wing t or option.

No one runs it and after some games the other coaches would be like, "what the &#&# kind of O was that?"

It's huge. I find the only coaches that have any idea how to slow down the WT, are old schoolcoaches familiar w/ the WT.

SW is the same deal, tho I'm surprised it's contrarian in your area. I'd def take advantage of that. Nowhere near contrarian where I'm from.

I think having a contrarian type offense is huge. 

About two years ago my team happen to face four double-wing teams that season.  We lost the first game with the score being something like 0-24, but as we faced each team the outcome or point differential started to slide to our favor to where we started producing wins.  I am pretty sure we beat the last team 20-0.

I believe the more you face or an opponent consistently faces the same offense they will get better at the reads and actions of the offense to better defend it.

for years we were the only team running the Single Wing anywhere near us and even with less talent and speed we still put up 7-8 wins a season.

last year we went to an I and kind of a multiple set trying to get in line with the high school system and we didn't do as well

Thoughts?

So you did what youth coaches have been continually warned against doing.  You had a successful system that was independent of what "the high school runs" and then decided to "get in line" with what the high school does.  Why?  To "prepare your kids for high school football?"  To "be more like what the high school runs?" My "thoughts" on the matter are that since you aren't the high school team, don't concern yourself with what the high school team runs.

--Dave

Teaching kids how to block is pretty contrarian.

I think having a contrarian type offense is huge. 

About two years ago my team happen to face four double-wing teams that season.  We lost the first game with the score being something like 0-24, but as we faced each team the outcome or point differential started to slide to our favor to where we started producing wins.  I am pretty sure we beat the last team 20-0.

I believe the more you face or an opponent consistently faces the same offense they will get better at the reads and actions of the offense to better defend it.

This.

As to the original OP, being contrarian is usually good for an extra win per season and not being contrarian is often good for an extra loss. The difference is worthwhile but it's not gigantic. 

My own offense was contrarian four different ways:

1) I had motion every down
2) I had a reduced SE split
3) I had an increased ("nasty") TE split
4) My FB was not trained to run like other backs

In theory, if being contrarian was HUGE I'd have been scoring 60 points a game.  I didn't.  But I probably scored an extra two TD's a game over the non contrarian teams.  But you take what freebies you can get.

IMHO being contrairian can be worth perhaps a TD or less a game. I think however being well coached  is worth 2. No matter what offense(or Defense) you coach, it is imperative that you understand how to coach it & how to fix it when it breaks.

One of the oldest coaching maxims is "Always have an answer", it doesn't have to be the right answer but you need an answer. What this is referring to is knowing beforehand how you will react to any situation.

IF they put 10 in the box.
IF they play soft coverage.
IF they line up in a goal line defense.
IF they line up in the gaps.
IF they are playing 2 gaps across the front.

What ever the situation, we as coaches have to be prepared. IMHO this is something you have to learn for each offense, so being contrairian can work against you if you don't have the answers.

Joe

Whenever you can cause the opponent to spend valuable practice time to defend you, you are ahead of the game.

I think a contrarian offense can give you a significant edge IF you can teach the finer points of the offense. We have always tried to "mimic" what our varsity is running but we do have our quirks that enhance what we do (ex. unbalanced line, more option, different styles of misdirection, etc.) to keep our opponents off-balance.

M O'D

That's my whole point, if you can coach it then great. I always wonder about guys changing offense's like underwear. I know it has always taken me time to have all the answers for an offense. Whenever we changed I always made sure someone on staff had done it before.

Joe