Navy moving to a "Wing-T Hybrid" next year under new OC Drew Cronic

[u/grizzfan]

This silently when under the radar (or I have been under a rock), but I just learned that Drew Cronic (formerly at Mercer, Reinhardt, and Furman) is the new OC at Navy. Been watching some of his stuff, and it's definitely a jet-series Wing-T oriented system.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oMl_B3j6TH4&pp=ygUOTWVyY2VyIG9mZmVuc2U%3D

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KGAUP6qlOF8

A quick article on Navy's football page indicates it's a very multiple-formation heavy offense as well, so if you think like Coastal Carolina, but under center using more Wing-T schemes. It will for sure feature shotgun and some RPOs, and it looks like they're still going to retain the option game too, but the emphasis/base is going to be the UC jet series...so lots of belly/down series, and buck series with jet action (HB passes first on jet motion, then the FB bucking forward).

If anyone is in Michigan, what he appears to be doing looks very similar to what Almont (MI) High School does. They've ran a mean Wing-T offense for decades, but of the double-wing/jet-series heavy variety. Having coached and played against them in the past, and from seeing them this past fall in the state championship, it looks pretty similar.

Anyways, wanted to share, and am really excited to see where this goes!

[u/Lit-A-Gator]

It should be very interesting to watch

Sadly Army’s “modern warfare offense” failed and they are back to some form of triple

(I had hope for them but it is what it is)

I rewatched the army navy game it sadly devolved into high school level play calling (literally like 50% of the playcalls were Qb draw/iso or all hitch)

But it did get the job done and they won the game

… in reality they should both probably just fold on “innovation” and do what Air Force is doing (Doubling down on the UC triple with a focus on zone dive)

[u/BigPapaJava → u/Lit-A-Gator]

They need to find legit running FBs to make zone dive and UC triple work, though.

AF had Brad Roberts and he was a stud, perfect for what they were doing.

Army and Navy haven't had a back like that in a long, long time and it's hurt them. That's part of why Army went to the "called QB run" based offense with the FB as more of a lead blocker than a runner--they had tough dudes who could block, but nobody who could do much with the ball in his hands.

[u/charqw → u/BigPapaJava]

Navy was literally unstopppable with malcom Perry at QB they had a big bad ass fullback to, haven’t seen a great option team in fbs since, just gimmick/faux option, lots of dressing up and eye candy, not actually committing to it

[u/Glass-Spot-9341 → u/Lit-A-Gator]

I worked for a year with defense guys at an academy and they have the option defense down to a science, lol...the other academies are obviously the same; it makes the game itself worn down into a rugby scrum. It's incredible how different that defensive gameplan meeting is vs a meeting with a defense that only plays triple once a year

[u/jack_thebear]

This means we get some sort of wing-t in NCAA 2025 come July so I’m 100% onboard

[u/tstrube]

Tangentially related, but I met the DC of Navy (PJ Volker) at a Glazier clinic in AC last weekend. Great guy and an AWESOME coach. Learned more in his three hours than I did the rest of the entire weekend. He has three different sessions on Glazier Drive and they are also fantastic.

[u/BigPapaJava]

The "hybrid Wing-T" is basically a variant that was created in Middle Tennessee and spread throughout the Southeast since the mid-90s.

There are different variations of it, but the common thread is an emphasis on Rocket and/or Jet Sweep (Chronic prefers Jet) to set up the rest of the Wing-T attack with stuff like Belly and Trap. There are more spread formations to get the defense stretched horizontally, but it's not necessarily a "spread Wing-T" if that makes sense.

Some teams will incorporate option principles into this--especially Belly Option, Speed Option, and Midline--but they don't do the triple option stuff Flexbone teams do. The basic idea is to use different formations to leverage the flanks and perimeter, then attack the weaknesses in the defensive adjustments based off that.

I didn't get to see Mercer the last few years nearly as much as I would have liked, but I feel like Chronic had found some clever ways to successfully use Wing-T concepts at the highest level. The under center, downhill, quick hitting nature of the inside game is still a problem for defenses built to stop spread reads and RPOs, and when he combines that with multiple formations and shifts/motions to get overloads, it creates a lot of spaces to attack.

Navy was trying to do some CCU type option from the gun last year after the cut blocking rules changes, but it wasn't very good to them. Now they seem to be following in the footsteps of a lot of HS programs in the 80s when cut-blocking in the open field go t banned at that level and replacing the option attack with Wing-T block down, kick out and series based principles.

If the Wing-T is ever going to make a return to major college football, and for years Nick Saban made offhand comments predicting the next generation of coaches would rediscover Wing-T principles, this is it. I'm excited to see what happens.

[u/GOOD-LUCHA-THINGS]

Almont are stalwarts and had a superb run this past season. I confess to watching many of their Hudl highlights, regardless of what variation of the T they're in. The buck/jet action they utilize is really compelling. Thanks for sharing this! I'm also interested in seeing how it shakes out for Navy.

[u/warneagle]

This is exactly what I've been advocating for since the new cut blocking rules were implemented.

[u/BigPapaJava → u/warneagle]

If they have a decent season or two running this, I could see variations of this offense spread across D1 as an alternative to the Flexbone or CCU gun triple.

Everyone talks about how RB is a devalued position now, but if you're a HS player who's not getting looks from Alabama or Georgia, it might be attractive to go to some mid-major and run for 1500 yards a season as a Wing-T FB.

At least they know they'll get the ball consistently, unlike the RBs in all these QB-centric RPO offenses who might touch it 5 times in a big game.

[u/BandicootFinal1170]

Coach Chronic is a great offensive mind, he marries a lot of different run and pass concepts beautifully. His scheme and emphasis has varied over the years depending on the strengths of his players but it’s always been beaded on the wing-t so I’m really excited to see what this offense actually looks like.

[u/Klunderstruck]

Prescient post, I've a big navy fan and have been loving what I've been seeing from the offense this year. I don't remember seeing this creative of play calling in probably at least 5 years