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I believe in having a “System” of offense. Whether it’s the Wing T, The Run & Shoot, The Flexbone, The Air Raid or of course The Triple Gun. Systems are always more effective than a goody bag full of non-related or loosely related plays. However systems can go bad if you are not careful. Here are a few maintenance tips to keep your system sharp:

1. Don’t let your system get fat by continuously adding new plays. The fewer the plays, the more reps your players will get. The more reps, the better the execution. Execution wins games. I always say “I’d rather run a lousy play great than a great play lousy” There is a tendency that as you get comfortable with your system, you look to add new concepts that are radically different from your core scheme. This will snowball into more plays & sure disaster. Remember a good system is the solution.
2. Adapt your system to your personnel. Don’t change the menu just feature the part of the menu that showcases your talent. For example, my first year at The University of Charleston, we had a dropback QB who had never run the option. We did not abandon The Triple Gun, we just used more of the passing game and had our QB use a “Pitch unless…” thought process on the option.
3. Your “answer plays” should get the ball to your playmaker. If you are running the triple option & your dive back is your stud, you can NEVER let the defense take him out of the game merely by giving your QB pull reads. Instead use some predetermined Give reads by blocking the HOK with a Slot or Tight End. Also use him as a Pitchman like we do with our Flip Triple. The key is to GET HIM THE BALL. The same is true with a great wide out or slot.
4. Keep techniques to a minimum. Make sure you can use these techniques in as many of your schemes as possible. For example, in the Triple Gun Offense, we use the same techniques on The Gun Triple, Flip Triple, Whirley Triple, Speed Option, & Stud Option. That is a lot of plays with the same techniques. We also use almost the same techniques on QB ISO. When you minimize the amount of techniques to master & maximize their use, your practice time grows more productive.
5. Make as many positions as possible interchangeable. In the Triple Gun, the Slots & the tailback are interchangeable. Up front the entire offensive line spots are interchangeable as well. So if one of our linemen goes down, our 6th best can jump in. It’s the same in the backfield. This really increases the depth of the team & always puts the best players on the field.
6. Always have Clock Control ability. To win games, your offense must be capable of slowing the game down vs a superior team and speeding it up vs a less talented team. Your offense must also have a way of finishing a game when you have the lead & coming from behind when you are trailing. A good System can do both.
7. Create reactions not decisions. Use unless rules to eliminate doubt. As I always say “If you think, you stink” The team that plays fast with more certainty usually wins. Treat the game as martial arts not chess. Choices should be intuitive.

Concluding, a successful system can score 25+ against the best on your schedule without turning the ball over. That’s the real measure of the system.