FOOTBALL TAB: Princeton's Wing-T offense requires speed, discipline

By Ben Coley
Published in Sports on August 19, 2016 1:48 PM

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bcoley@newsargus.com

PRINCETON -- In 2015, Princeton head coach Travis Gaster experienced a harsh, forgettable opening schedule to begin his tenure in Bulldog Country.

The team was 0-5 and opponents had outscored them 169-26. While Gaster admits the first few games were against tougher opponents, he refused to remove blame from his team, citing costly turnovers as one of the reasons for the dismal start.

In the bye week following their fifth loss, the coaches put their heads together and decided to transition from the spread offense to the Wing-T -- a formation known for its misdirection and trickery with ball carriers.

The team finished 4-2 -- good enough for a second-place tie -- in the Carolina 1-A Conference and earned a spot in the N.C. High School Athletic Association 1-AA (large-school) state playoffs.

And now with several months spent getting more familiar with the offensive scheme, Gaster is hoping for a better start in 2016.

"The kids are comfortable with (the Wing-T)," Gaster said. "Last year, because it was so quick, they just learned plays. They had no idea why or the concepts. This year, we can tell them, 'If this guy is doing this, this is the play, and here's why.'"

Adding to the torment of counter runs and reverse sweeps will be the speed at which Gaster hopes to run the offense.

During practices in the preseason, the team huddles and immediately darts to the line of scrimmage. It's a test of endurance that Gaster believes will pay off late in games.

"It's difficult, but it's going to be difficult to prepare for," Gaster said. "I want to be quick, until the ball snaps. And then I want to be a technician with their footwork, ball-handling and that sort of thing. But everything up until the snap, I want to be at a sprint."

The second-year head coach said the team's source of energy may come from the offensive line, a crucial puzzle piece to the Wing-T formation. Three starters are returning to protect the Bulldogs' backfield -- seniors Luke Braswell and LeShane White and junior Jordan Stallworth.

"(The offensive line) has to come together," Gaster said. "And obviously, The way I want them to run our offense, it's a struggle for them. It's not hard for the fullback to step out of the huddle and take two steps in a hurry and be set. Those linemen are the ones having to run sprints every play we run.

"But they have the potential to be our biggest strength."

Expected to lead the offensive charge is junior Adam Crocker, who was thrust into the role of starter last season as a young, inexperienced sophomore.

Gaster said that Crocker was intimidated at times while under center, but he always did what he was asked to do on the field.

Now that Crocker is an upperclassmen, the Bulldogs' coach expects his signal caller to elevate his game.

"This year I want him to control the huddle more and be a leader," Gaster said. "I want him to play this year like a senior because he kind of got a free year last year of experience."

Gaster said he prefers to separate the year into three separate seasons -- noncoference, conference and playoffs.

With a stable offense in place and over a year with the current coaching staff, Gaster said the goals for each of those mini-seasons culminate into one ultimate dream.

End the championship drought.

"The last time we won a conference championship was 1983," Gaster said. "And I put that on the back of every one of our shirts. Just because that's important. That's too long ago to win a conference championship."