April 2005: Double Wing 24 Toss
Called by many names, depending on the offensive system, the toss is the number one play in the offensive repertoire of the Double Wing coach. Characterized by pulling backside guard and tackle and double teams on the playside defensive tackle and the nosetackle, the toss, power, or super power is one of the most powerful offensive plays in football.
Line splits are foot-to-foot, allowing the backside tight end to cut block any defensive player aligned on the line of scrimmage between the end and center. The quarterback opens to the left wingback's motion and tosses a soft lob at chest height before continuing around to become a lead blocker through the hole. His primary assignment is the corner.
The fullback begins from an intial "sniffer" position approximately one yard from the quarterback's tail. At the snap he runs a banana-shaped route to the inside shoulder of the defensive end, looking to kick the hapless defender out of the play.
The right wingback chip blocks the defensive end to turn the defender's shoulders and allow the fullback a cleaner angle for the kickout. The left wingback goes in short "orbit motion" around the quarterback. Some coaches prefer to motion the wingback to the heels of the fullback, allowing him to hide behind the pullers. Possibly more effective is to motion the wingback deeper, to approximately I-Formation depth of five to seven yards. This allows him to run downhill, and strike the off-tackle hole with enormous force.
It's important to remember that the toss is an off-tackle. Younger and inexperienced players will tend to try to take the play too wide. There are other plays in the double wing offense for striking the perimeter.
When fitting the toss into a playcalling strategy, it's best to call it until the defense adjusts to stop it. While there are a number of excellent counters and passes that fit into the toss series, abandoning its power to jump into the counter game too soon is generally non-productive.
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