Friday Night Football

Friday Night Football
High School State Champions Taking Advantage of the Single-Wing’s Power, Deception and Misdirection


The latest tend in college football is for teams to put in a old-style Single-Wing package -- Urban Meyers in Florida with Tim Tebow, Rich Rodriguez in West Virginia with Pat White and Steve Slaton and Houston Nutt in Arkansas with Darren McFadden. A resurgence of Pop Warner's old School, snapping directly to your best athlete and pound 'em with power and mesmerize 'em with mis-direction

Well this rebirth started in high schools. The Single Wing Offense is seeing a renaissance under the Friday Night Lights. Don't believe me? Just look to the state of Virginia for the proof. You see, last year (2006), three Single-Wing teams played for 3 different State Titles. There are only 6 different classifications in the state. Two of those single-wing teams emerged as State Champions, Giles and Osborne. Or you can look to the great state of Michigan. Notice Menominee High, they won its second State Title in 7 years using the Single-Wing. Please note, along the way to an undefeated season, Menominee easily defeated the defending State Champions in the largest class in Minnesota. How about Colton High in California --they finished in the USA Today Top 20? Guess what? – They run the Single Wing Offense.

Why are so many high school teams going to the single-wing? Read what coach Tommy Franklin had to say “A good coach look for something different, something the opposing team has to waste valuable practice time trying to prepare for. Something that will give his team an identity, a sense of pride. And the great thing about the Single-Wing, it has help all teams get better. It has helped slower teams complete with the speed of its opponent by allowing them to pound the ball and control the clock. The Single-Wing has helped average teams to finally make it to the play-offs, and turned good teams into Champions.”

Franklin went onto say, “The Single-Wing isn’t a cure all. Winning football has always taken four things: One -- hard work from the coaches and player. Two – Dedication, this includes being dedicated to each other. These means the parents being dedicated to the kids, by standing by them, not undermining them by talking down the team, the coach or other players. The third thing is commitment. Commitment to the system and the team even during the leaning curve, when there will be rough spots. The forth thing, support from the parents, fans and administration. Support during the good times and bad times. Support especially during the start-up or first phases of program”

Sounds like great advice, see you under the Friday Night Lights!

-- Robert Miles – NewsportNewsNights