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Running the Wedge
By:
Coach Jack Gregory
As Presented at the 1st Annual Double Wing Symposium
Why
Run the Wedge
- The
Wedge is a very simple blocking scheme that can be built into a highly
successful series of plays.
- It
builds offensive line unity.
- It sets
up other plays in the series. When the defense sells out on the wedge
it opens up other plays.
- Lineman
become interchangeable.
- It can
be a power or deception play. It is surprisingly deceptive.
- It can
be used with smaller or weaker players (MPPs).
- It
is demoralizing to the other team.
- It
is always an offensive line and team favorite.
- Weaker
backs can run in the wedge. The backs become interchangeable.
The
Wedge

The
Wedge With Counter Action

Base
Plays
- Wedge
with BB getting the ball.
- WB’s
can either move up field and block second level. QB boots.
- WB’s
can hinge block to stop penetration. QB boots.
- Fake
Super action.
- Fake
Buck action.
- Counter
action (my favorite).
- Jet
Sweep Action.
Complimentary
Plays
Quaterback
Keeper
- BB fakes
fumble while WB’s hinge block.
- Buck
Action with BB leading into hole.
- Super
Action with rest of backfield faking super power action.
- Counter
action with rest of backfield faking counter. QB spinner.
- Jet
Sweep Action with BB kicking out to backside.
Counter
Back Play
- Fake
super action and inside hand off to CB.
- Fake
super action with shovel pass to CB (incomplete pass). Allows the
defense to see QB in space with ball. Really draws the perimeter defense
up field.
Teaching
the Wedge
Progression
Drill
- Formed
Wedge on NT. Shows them how the wedge looks and moves.
- Formed
Wedge Eyes Wide Shut. Center’s eyes are opened. Teaches them
to stay together by feel.
- From
LOS (five or seven man line) – Get into the wedge and freeze.
- From
LOS (5/7) – Full speed on NT. Work for 5 then 10 yards and then
as far as it will go.
- From
LOS (5/7) – Full speed on NT Eye Wide Shut.
Knees
and Feet Up
- Two
blocking bags lined up horizontally on LOS with top at the guards
outside hip and the extending towards tight ends.
- Stress
getting the Legs and Knees up for entire group to include runner when
running full offense.
Key
Points of the Wedge
- Center
must fire out on a NT and drive up field.
- If
there is no man over the center he aims for the endzone. Fires out
and then takes a half step and lets the rest of the line form and
drive him up the field. (we don’t shift our wedge from odd to
even fronts – Center/PSG).
- The
Guards out to the Ends (if you have TE’s) must step inside (slide
inside) and get their inside shoulder into the near rib cage and their
outside hand on the near shoulder pad while the inside hand presses
on the lower back. It might take the tackle and ends two steps to
get fit.
Backfield
- Running
the wedge takes a bit of getting used to, it’s an art of sorts.
It is NOT a dive play; it requires power, patience and acceleration.
We start with the Back getting the snap running right to the back
of the center and actually pushing on his back with the ball side
shoulder with a pretty good shoulder lean. He must STAY IN THE WEDGE
until it breaks up. That means not going around either end or looking
for an off tackle bubble. Stay in the wedge and keep your legs pumping,
knees high, and moving forward, until it breaks up, then sprint to
daylight. Stay inside; don’t run parallel, it either breaks
right up the gut or at a very slight angle. Often the daylight does
not appear until 10-15 yards downfield, stay in the wedge until you
see the daylight, stay patient until then, just staying low and pushing
forward. When feeling pressure, both hands over ball.
- We stress
to our ball carriers, if they do not stay in the wedge, they don’t
carry the ball. Natural inclination is to break it outside or look
for the hole. In the wedge there is no hole, it opens up downfield.
- If you
have a fake, you must carry it out convincingly, if not you don’t
play. We have to threaten the perimeter with the fakes to keep the
ends and linebackers honest as well as the defensive backs. We have
found that carrying out faking actions based on our base defense and
better misdirection plays doubles our yardage gained per play running
the wedge.
- In the
past if we ran the wedge on GO (first sound) we had the WB’s
hinge block so they could make the EMLOS take a deeper path into the
backfield instead of pinching. The rule on the HINGE is he pivots
on his outside foot and gets his inside foot up and allows no one
to get inside they must go around the outside. This allows the runner
to get upfield in the wedge as the perimeter defenders go deep and
around the hinges.
- Now
on GO (first sound) we will fake Buck action to split the defense
into thirds as we do with our Counter action that we run on HIT (Motion).
By forcing the defense to split into thirds it isolates the interior
defense which is better then hinge blocking.
Key
Points of the Wedge
- As soon
as they fit they move up field. It should be one instant movement.
Slide and up field.
- The
ball carrier must get into the pocket of the Guard-Center-Guard and
get his ball shoulder into the center’s back and drive and feel.
As soon as the wedge slows are cracks he must get in a open seam (daylight)
and get up field (explode up field). This is what makes the Wedge
a home run hitter.
- If the
wedge slows or breaks apart all the blockers must target a defender
and block him. Like an explosion of blockers with the runner breaking
through.
What
Can Stop the Wedge
- Wedge
is not forming fast enough or moving to slow allowing the perimeter
defenders to bring down the runner from behind.
- Center
(point of the wedge) is not firing off causing the wedge to falter
and not form. (this is key problem and must be recognized quickly).
- Wedge
is being submarined or cut by a NT or A gap defenders. Wedge must
maintain high knees and run over, stomp, punish the defense for doing
this. You must be patient and diligent and let the wedge wear out
the interior defenders.
- Errant
whistle by the officiating staff. You must let the officiating know
that your running a highly deceptive offense built on misdirection
and to hold their whistle until they know the runner is down.
Be
Prepared
- If the
wedge slows run wedge sweep or QB bootleg as a change up to force
the defense to defend the entire field.
- Pass
the ball with wedge action behind the defense as they suck in to stop
it.
- You
must attack the defense at the perimeter and behind when they stack
up.
Troubleshooting
the Wedge
- You
must stress the little thing for the wedge to be effective.
- Every
blocker except the point (Center) must work to not engage any defender
but instead engage the next man inside and seal the wedge while going
upfield.
- They
must lock their inside shoulder to the outside ribcage to stop penetration
as they form and move up field.
- If the
wedge stops it is dead. It must move forward and when it slows or
breaks up it must explode up field in a burst.
- The
runner must stay small in the wedge and explode up field if day light
shows
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