OldBison75
11-18-2008, 11:09 AM
In several other thread on this forum, there has been alot of discussion about the Slot-T. I get the feeling that the Bridgeport fans have to lay awake at night and hear the sheep they are counting say the words "slot-t". Lets just try and describe what the Liberty Hill version of this offense is---since they run it closer to perfection than any other team in the state.
This offense is not rocket science. It is a basic offense geared to the application of brute force disguised by misdirection and illusion. Every play has more than one option for who may have the ball, and every play is capable of turning a simple off tackle carry into a long gain. The offense is very silimar to the old wing-t, in that there is alot of power type plays that include traps, and crossblocks. There is also the power sweeps and inside reverses. The offense of the 80's was the wishbone and veer, and although more quick hitting than the Slot-t, it was very similar in the objective--make a quick read of one or two defenders and have the offensive line to whip someones but for a split second. Once you pass the line of scrimmage, the ability of the running back to cut and slash make yards disappear.
The key to this offense is the initial ability of the offensive line to control the line of scrimmage for a total of about 1.5 seconds. If they hold their block for that amount of time, the running back is in the middle of the defense and then running against linebackers and defensive backs. Most times this equals a minimum 5 yard gain, sometimes it means a 70 yard touchdown.
At Liberty Hill, the coaching staff has the players convinced that if they play this offense with the attitude of gaining four or five yards every play and marching down the field, several times a game, they will break the big play and have a chance to make a big play. This is a very hard concept for most high school players to grasp because like all kids, they want to have it all right now.
Liberty Hill has taken this offense and made it their own. They have a very good blocking scheme and if you watch them real close, they hold that block for the required second or so most times and then release and go find someone else to knock on their buts. The other thing that makes them special is the ability and determination of the backs and wideouts to block downfield. I have seen more great downfield blocking from their "skill people" than in any offense in a long time.
In the spread offense, especially a spread that has good run capability, the big play capability is the key to success. But, somtimes the spread has something that is taken away and the offense sputters because the ability to switch gear and keep a defense on its heels disappears.
In the slot-t, you must take away more than one option to stop it. A great defense that is very disciplined may be able to accomplish this on a regular basis, but we have not seen that in the last couple of years. I have watched several of these type offenses and find the only effective way to control the offense is to get goodpenetration in your rushing lane and tackle with authority. You must disrupt the backfield to have a chance because most of the flow int he offense happens between one and three yards in the backfield.
This is not a statement or thread to say this offense is the best ever, or unstoppable, but I am trying to make some people that may not understand why the Slot-T get so much hype, to see what others have seen. No team has stopped the LH Slot-T in the last 30 something games, so it must be special.
Not every Slot-T is the same and nobody else I've seen runs it like LH. But, there are some pretty darn good teams that run it out there. I hope that the Bridgeport guys on this board will understand that some of us have ebeen there and done that and know that until you see the offense when it clicks, you can't imagine how effective it can be. Llano, Caldwell and Cleveland are a few pretty darn good Slot-T teams. Can they beat Bridgeport, BTSOM (beats the sh-- outta me). But I know from seeing all these offenses that they are capable of controlling so much of the game flow and clock that they make it very difficult for the other team to score enough to win.
This offense is not rocket science. It is a basic offense geared to the application of brute force disguised by misdirection and illusion. Every play has more than one option for who may have the ball, and every play is capable of turning a simple off tackle carry into a long gain. The offense is very silimar to the old wing-t, in that there is alot of power type plays that include traps, and crossblocks. There is also the power sweeps and inside reverses. The offense of the 80's was the wishbone and veer, and although more quick hitting than the Slot-t, it was very similar in the objective--make a quick read of one or two defenders and have the offensive line to whip someones but for a split second. Once you pass the line of scrimmage, the ability of the running back to cut and slash make yards disappear.
The key to this offense is the initial ability of the offensive line to control the line of scrimmage for a total of about 1.5 seconds. If they hold their block for that amount of time, the running back is in the middle of the defense and then running against linebackers and defensive backs. Most times this equals a minimum 5 yard gain, sometimes it means a 70 yard touchdown.
At Liberty Hill, the coaching staff has the players convinced that if they play this offense with the attitude of gaining four or five yards every play and marching down the field, several times a game, they will break the big play and have a chance to make a big play. This is a very hard concept for most high school players to grasp because like all kids, they want to have it all right now.
Liberty Hill has taken this offense and made it their own. They have a very good blocking scheme and if you watch them real close, they hold that block for the required second or so most times and then release and go find someone else to knock on their buts. The other thing that makes them special is the ability and determination of the backs and wideouts to block downfield. I have seen more great downfield blocking from their "skill people" than in any offense in a long time.
In the spread offense, especially a spread that has good run capability, the big play capability is the key to success. But, somtimes the spread has something that is taken away and the offense sputters because the ability to switch gear and keep a defense on its heels disappears.
In the slot-t, you must take away more than one option to stop it. A great defense that is very disciplined may be able to accomplish this on a regular basis, but we have not seen that in the last couple of years. I have watched several of these type offenses and find the only effective way to control the offense is to get goodpenetration in your rushing lane and tackle with authority. You must disrupt the backfield to have a chance because most of the flow int he offense happens between one and three yards in the backfield.
This is not a statement or thread to say this offense is the best ever, or unstoppable, but I am trying to make some people that may not understand why the Slot-T get so much hype, to see what others have seen. No team has stopped the LH Slot-T in the last 30 something games, so it must be special.
Not every Slot-T is the same and nobody else I've seen runs it like LH. But, there are some pretty darn good teams that run it out there. I hope that the Bridgeport guys on this board will understand that some of us have ebeen there and done that and know that until you see the offense when it clicks, you can't imagine how effective it can be. Llano, Caldwell and Cleveland are a few pretty darn good Slot-T teams. Can they beat Bridgeport, BTSOM (beats the sh-- outta me). But I know from seeing all these offenses that they are capable of controlling so much of the game flow and clock that they make it very difficult for the other team to score enough to win.