2025 Wide Zone Research and Development: Case 1 – The “Y Lead Variation”

Defensive Fronts Lagging on Your Wide Zone? “Secure the Stretch” with the Y Lead Build-In

By Mike Kuchar
Senior Researcher/Co-Founder
X&O Labs
@MikeKKuchar

Those who follow FCS football know that the University of Albany had two studs at defensive ends in 2023 with Anton Juncan (6-3, 273 lbs.) and AJ Simon (6-1, 267 lbs.). The Danes were among the top defensive units at that level and Juncan with Simon (who unfortunately has since passed) was wreaking havoc on opposing offenses. It was going to be an issue for a William and Mary offense that built its entire run menu on the wide zone concept.

Quite simply, the Tribe’s tight ends didn’t stand a chance at securing the edge in one-on-one situations with those mammoths. So, tight end Coach Jack Armstrong- who had been studying San Francisco 49er film- noticed that George Kittle and Kyle Juszczyk would be sent in motion (or on the snap) to help with securing the edge play side in the wide zone runs. At first glance, Armstrong assumed they were wrapping for support, but after studying the tape he realized that the tight ends were part of the combination block with the end man on the line of scrimmage.

So, the “flying combination” block was born. It works off the same three-step timing that uncovered linemen use in the wide zone scheme. It’s termed with a tag that’s added onto the play call. So, if “Seattle’ is your wide zone run, “Seattle Smash” would tell the tight end to help play side with either the Tackle on two-man surface runs or tight end on three-man surface runs. It’s offered added protection to seal the edge vs. lagging defenders.

Why it Works:

The base premise is to “secure the stretch” by making sure the gap widens for the back to puncture. You never want to get beat inside on a wide zone run play, and this build-in helps prevent that. “We want to make the defensive end think he is going to get reached,” Coach Armstrong told me. “We want to widen the hole so much that you give the running back space to run in case he misses it.” Aside from this advantage, it creates another gap for the defense to defend by adding a blocker to the box. And at the very least, generating continual hits on star pass rushers in the run game helps to slow down their pass rush. “You can never hit those guys enough,” Coach Armstrong told me. “You can beat them up with this scheme.”

Since implementing the Y-lead build-in, the Tribe averaged 6.5 yards per carry running the scheme. It generated a 29% explosive play percentage (10 yards or more) for a program that led the country in explosive run percentage this season where 24% of all runs were 10 yards or more.

Visual Evidence:

The tutorial below will give you a better understanding of the Y-Lead build-in.

Editor’s Note: In this report, Mike reveals the details on how this works, best practices, and, he identifies who else is using it. And, as always, Mike includes a lot of video and diagrams—as well as shares where to find more game film in X&O Labs’ Film Room. Login below to unlock the full report (and if you’re not a member, click the ‘Join’ button in the upper right hand corner of this page).