Real gone with the wind: tactics and strategies of playing football in the wind.

Tactics and Strategies of Playing Football in the Wind

On my 26 years of coaching in the wind-swept plains of Fargo, North Dakota, Northern Minnesota, The U. of Chicago [off Lake Michigan), and on top of a hill at U. of Dubuque (IA), I have had to learn how to deal with the wind factor.

The accompanying tactical guidelines can, I believe, increase your chances of winning in capricious wind conditions. The overall philosophy is predicated upon shortening the game when playing into a strong wind and lengthening the game when playing with the wind. The actual management of the wind has two golden rules.

Golden Rule #1: Never give the opponent both the ball and the wind to start a half.

OPENING COIN FLIP

If you win the toss, always choose to receive. Rationale: The other team will most likely choose the wind. That will give you at least four downs - approximately two minutes - to eat up time against the wind, enabling you to shorten the quarter against the wind to 10 minutes.

Since the first couple of series are often a feeling-out process for the offense, why not eat up time against the wind while doing it?

If you lose the toss and the opponents choose the wind, you should choose the ball for the same reasons used when winning the toss.

If the opponents choose the ball, you should choose the wind. A kickoff will be 30-40 yards longer with the wind than into the wind, which means that the opponents will have to spend valuable time making up the yardage. You must do all you can to maintain the resulting field position and the advantage of having the wind at your back.

SECOND-HALF CHOICE

Choose the ball for the same reasons given for the first half.

If the opponents have the choice and choose to receive, you should choose the wind. Many coaches elect to play against the wind in the third quarter in order to have the wind at their backs in the fourth quarter. They should remember that a TD or field goal is worth the same number of points in the third quarter as in the fourth quarter. It is a distinct psychological advantage to have the opponents play against the wind throughout the middle two quarters.

You must, in addition, consider the kind of field position you will have when you get the ball in the fourth quarter. If you are against the wind in the third quarter, chances are that you will get the ball deep in your own territory to start the fourth quarter, meaning that the defense can play you loose.

If the opponent chooses the wind, you must again choose the ball.

Golden Rule #2: Use all your timeouts when you are with the wind.

Implications: Make no exceptions to this rule. Even though things are going well, call your time-outs immediately after a run. Don't let the quarter run out before using your time outs.

Although the effects of this procedure may not seem obvious at first, it will pay off when it comes time to punt or kick off with the wind at your back late in a quarter.

Suggestion: When time is running out at the end of a quarter and you have an extremely strong wind at your back, you can punt on third or even second down. That will enable you to reap the full benefit of the wind while you have it. The 25 yards (or more) you gain on the kick will more than compensate for the extra down or two you would have had to move the ball.

TACTICS AGAINST THE WIND

1. Establish the run and call draws, screens, and options on passing downs to keep the clock moving.

2. Establish the use of long snap counts and/or motion to use up your allotted huddle time.

3. Ball-carriers should stay in bounds.

4. Use your more exotic runs and screens against the wind. A well-executed reverse, for example, can get you a first down and take off two more minutes against the wind.

5. Extend your four-down territory. For example, when directly up against a 20-35 mph wind, you might consider four-down territory to be any first and 10 across the 50-yard-line. Whereas a punt might net you 15-25 yards against the wind, a successful play might enable you to run two more minutes off the clock.

6. Focus on returning punts instead of blocking them. A strong punt return is more likely against a long kick.

TACTICS WITH THE WIND

1. Pass the ball more often than you would against the wind. The clock stoppage on incomplete passes will give you more total plays than you would ordinarily have. Moving the secondary back may have a carryover effect into the next quarter when the wind is against you.

2. Try to block all punts and fair catch the ball. Since you probably won't be able to get a return on a short punt anyway, why not try to block it?

3. Consider a planned on-side kick against the wind. The risk of losing only 15-20 yards vs. retaining advantage of the ball against the wind my be well worth it, depending on the strength of the wind and the relative strength of the teams.

4. To preserve as much time as possible, the ball-carriers should get out of bounds. Players should unpile quickly and get into the huddle. Coach should send in plays quickly.

COACHING TACTICS IN A STRONG CROSS WIND

1. Call your passing routes, especially "out" routes, with a cross-wind. The wind will help the ball get to its destination quickly.

2. Call your running plays right or left against the wind to get to the hash, then pass with the wind to the wide side of the field.

3. Kick off from the hash to catch the cross-wind. The wind will help the kicker gain distance and/or hang time, thus aiding your coverage.

PREPARING TO PLAY IN THE WIND

Pre-game warm-ups should be done with the wind in mind.

1. Quarterbacks and receivers must see what effect the wind will have on the ball on long passes. The passer should throw his "out" routes just the way he will be doing it in the game.

2. Defensively, the cornerbacks should be made aware that they can play very close to the line, since the passes thrown over their heads will be held up by the wind, enabling the corners to get back in time.

3. Punt returners should practice fair catching with the wind, then catching and returning balls that are punted with the wind.

4. Take advantage of a windy practice day. Work on the same things mentioned in the pre-game warm-ups. Cover game situations to make players aware of the clock and wind. The same tactics used to run the clock out or save time in a regular game can be applied to windy conditions.

It is hoped that these tactics and strategies will help you win a game here and there. Caution: We're not saying that you should play differently in the wind; just play smart. Every first down you get against the wind means two minutes less playing against the wind.

Myron E. Smith, Ed.D., Off. Coordinator, Winona State U. (MN)