Check out Coach Tarp’s full 90 minute video on defending spread offenses here: https://coachtube.com/course/football…
Blitzing The Spread
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Sixman Offense: The Wing T
Coach Porter in 2021 broke down the basics of the Wing T in sixman in this 20 minute video
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Abbott Offense with Coach Crawford
In this conversation, Coach Tarp discusses with Abbott head coach Kyle Crawford what makes the Abbott J-bird offense unique. In doing this, Coach Crawford shares details on the large line splits popularized by the Abbott Panthers, as well as a overview of the “big 3” of the J-bird offense: hammer, weak sweep, and quick dive. Coach Tarp and Coach Crawford finish up their conversation with an explanation of the Abbott audibling system.
We encourage you to check out Coach Tarp’s YouTube Channel.
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Jaybird Passing Attack with Coach Stanaland
Coach Tarp with The Sixman Spotlight interviews Coach Stanaland of Jayton. The conversation breaks down the Jayton passing attack with a significant amount of time spent on the “option pass”. We encourage you to listen and to subscribe to Coach Tarp’s YouTube channel.
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Moving to 6-man from 11-man
What’s it like going from 11-man football to six-man Texas high school football? We caught up with the head coaches at Springlake-Earth and Van Horn to see how they are adjusting to a new game.
This week I wanted to take a look at two teams making the transition to six-man from 11-man, so I reached out to head coaches Israel DeLeon of Springlake Earth and Brock Tyrell of Van Horn to get their perspective on how the season has unfolded.
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College is not the goal
I am sometimes asked about the proof of sixman football being a “successful” way for their son to “play at the next level”. The question comes in several forms, “Do sixman player get college scholarships?” or “What type of colleges will even look at a sixman player?”
My answer has been I am more concerned with the content of your son’s character then I am with their accomplishments. The world is full of accomplished tyrants and self-centered millionaires. When defining success, I look to Jesus’ definition of success:
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Learner Driven Coaching
I am often asked by officals at the start of a game what do I want to do if we win the coin toss. I let them know that I have no idea and to ask the team captains who will be on the field. They are always shocked to learn that I do not make this decision nor even care to know the answer. My rationale is that this is their game, their team and their season. I am simply along to guide them through Socratic “learner driven” coaching.
What makes learner driven coaching unique is the emphasis on self-directed learning. In creating a team of self-directed learners, it is crucial coaches hold the line on guiding and not teaching. To do this, requires coaches to develop new pathways of communication whereby we listen more and speak less. We should adhere to the old adage that God gave us two ears and one mouth for a reason.
Athletes are the Captains of their own Heroes Journey and as coaches we are along for the ride. We are not to become the “petty tyrants” which rob athletes of the lessons best learned through self discovery. As learner driven coaches, we will hold each other accountable to these foundational points:
Point #1: A promise to each other
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The crucial role of middle school tackle football
In the world of youth sports, few debates spark as much passion as the one surrounding when and how young athletes should transition to tackle football. With the rise of flag football and 7-on-7 leagues, many programs have delayed introducing full-contact play until high school. However, this approach overlooks a fundamental truth: a strong middle school tackle football program is essential for achieving success at the varsity level. Not only does it foster critical skills and safety habits, but it also lays the foundation for program identity and long-term player development. Drawing from years of coaching experience, this article explores why middle school tackle is irreplaceable for teams aiming to compete and win at higher levels.
The Starting Point: Why Middle School Matters
For most young athletes, tackle football doesn’t begin until middle school. Prior to that, options like flag football dominate, offering a low-contact introduction to the game. While flag football serves a valuable purpose in building basic athleticism and enthusiasm for the sport in elementary-aged kids, it falls short as a preparatory tool for serious varsity aspirations. The surge in popularity of flag and 7-on-7 formats has inadvertently reduced the number of tackle teams at younger levels, creating a gap in development that shows up starkly in high school.
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Promise late, Deliver Early
As the crisp November air chills the stands and the stadium lights pierce the twilight, our high school football team steps onto the playoff turf. In the words of the great philosopher Eminem “Palms are sweaty, knees weak, arms are heavy … this opportunity comes once in a lifetime.” But in the heat of competition, where hype can eclipse humility, there’s a timeless principle that can turn underdogs into champions: Promise late and deliver early.
This isn’t some slick business mantra; it’s a biblical blueprint for victory wrapped in wisdom. In a world quick to boast on social media and trash-talk in the huddle, our team has a higher calling. As Proverbs 27:2 reminds us, “Let someone else praise you, and not your own mouth; an outsider, and not your own lips.” By underpromising to the world and overdelivering through God’s strength, we honor Him first—and watch Him exalt us in due time.
The Playbook of Humble Hustle
Supporters probe: “Can you take state this year?” The easy trap? Pump up the fan base with bold predictions, fueling egos that flicker like a faulty spotlight. But promise late means holding back the fanfare. Set expectations grounded in reality—acknowledge the tough opponents, the injuries battled that tested resolve. It’s not defeatism; it’s deference to the One who authors outcomes. View Rest of Article @ Coachg.Us
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Bet Big, Test Small
Guys, we’re in the semifinals. This is the stage we have been reminded about since our loss to the same team in the same week last season. But here’s the truth: the bigger the moment, the more temptation there is to play scared. To hesitate. To second-guess. I want to give you a principle that will set you free to play the way you’re capable of playing: Bet big, but test small.
Bet big on the game plan.
We’re not hoping to “just compete.” We’re betting big that the game plan Coaches have poured into for months will work against this team. We’re betting big that the brotherhood we’ve built will hold when the score gets tight. We’re betting big that the God who gave us these bodies and this opportunity will be glorified win or lose.
But test small all week. …..
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Ignore Opinions, Treasure Facts
I have been fortunate to participate in the Senior Game whereby around 40 of the best Seniors in our state practice together for several days and for most of them play one last game. These are the last teammates they will ever line up next to.
This year I will stand before them as the AD of the game (not as a Coach) and watch the clock hit zero, the lights go dark, and for almost every single one of them, the pads come off forever. No more Fridays. No more film on Monday. No more locker-room smell that somehow still feels like home.
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The Tribe Trips
When I first stepped up to speak at that coaches conference back in 2019, we had just wrapped up back-to-back state titles, and folks wanted to hear about the offense we were running. What I shared then came straight from several blog posts I wrote here on www.CoachG.us, breaking down what was essentially an evolution—or maybe a reinvention—of the classic O’Brien offense pioneered by Coach C.H. Underwood back in the 1950s. That original system was built for six-man football’s unique demands, and it gave us a foundation that felt timeless.
Fast forward six years, and a lot has changed on our sideline. Since those early conversations, we’ve added four more state championships to the trophy case and claimed the district title in all but one season. That lone exception came in 2022, Grace Academy’s inaugural year of football—a rebuilding season where we were installing everything from scratch with a brand-new program. In fairness, those growing pains were expected, and we’ve been right back to dominating ever since.
Over time, I’ve put my own stamp on the scheme. Coach Underwood might raise an eyebrow at some of the tweaks—maybe even a few outright modifications he wouldn’t sign off on—so I’ve given my version its own name: Tribe Trips. The label actually came from an opposing coach during my time at Bastrop Tribe. They saw our formation, our motion, our relentless attack from trips sets, and that’s what they called it. It stuck.
At its core, the Tribe Trips is built on a simple but non-negotiable belief: any truly great offense in six-man football has to master seven key elements—and do them all from the same base personnel and alignment. Those elements are:
Dive
Sweep
Counter/Draw
RPO
Drop-back pass
Play-action pass
Screen
Sure, every offense will lean heavier on some than others depending on personnel, but the best ones never abandon any of them entirely. They stay balanced enough to force defenses into impossible choices. In my view, only three schemes in six-man truly deliver that balance: the J-Bird, the Wing T, and the O’Brien family. These are the ones that stretch defenses with four- or five-gap concepts, hit with quick runs to set up the pass, and demand mental discipline from opponents. They punish the undisciplined, wear down the less physical, and create chaos when executed well.
I’m still old-school at heart: the team that can run the football consistently wins more often than not. Even Coach Mike Leach—the greatest Air Raid mind ever—knew that. He built his passing attacks around massive linemen who could move people and run the ball when it mattered. Run game control sets everything else up. Side note: if you have not read the book the book “The Perfect Pass” by S.C. Gwynne then you can’t call yourself a Texas football coach.
In this series, we’ll dive deep into how we coach and scheme the Tribe Trips against the defenses we see most often: the 3-3, 4-2, 5-1 man, and the 2-4. We’ll focus on preparation, adjustments, personnel usage, and the why behind our calls—because beating these fronts isn’t about tricks; it’s about sound fundamentals, smart recognition, and relentless execution.
If you’re looking for the foundational blocking schemes and core concepts that undergird everything, head back to the six-part series I posted here in 2019—it’s all still up and covers the basics in detail.
I will do my best to update this seven part series each week before spring ball starts!
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Latest Posts
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Blitzing The Spreadhttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MTuLDKa6uwsCheck out Coach Tarp's full 90 minute video on defending spread offenses…
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Sixman Offense: The Wing Thttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Qlwjl8asGpECoach Porter in 2021 broke down the basics of the Wing T…
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Abbott Offense with Coach Crawfordhttps://youtu.be/cfSOcVyW8Wk?si=AVbQUyfx7dRXoUmeIn this conversation, Coach Tarp discusses with Abbott head coach Kyle Crawford…
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Jaybird Passing Attack with Coach Stanalandhttps://youtu.be/XmqI33VGuOM?si=RgKYY6V8o7LWh4X4Coach Tarp with The Sixman Spotlight interviews Coach Stanaland of Jayton. The…
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