Defending the WR screen.....

As a DW coach I sometimes use a formation we call "loose." The formation has double, wide slots and a single back behind the QB. We can go to a "Roscoe" or "Louie" motion with the FB, to reach an empty set, as you describe. I see your play having great potential from there.

Questions:

1: Is the screen always thrown to the twins side, or can it be run to either twins or trips sides?

2: If run to trips side is it better for the inside receiver to be the screen man or the middle receiver?

3: Can the split end move back into the backfield on the snap and the play still be legal with the linemen downfield? I think the answer is yes since the ball is caught behind the LOS.

4: How far apart are the receivers on the trips side?

Can't wait to try this.

As for defending it, I would have to go to a 3-3-5 variation of the 46 I like to run, and only rush three lineman leaving 2 to three defenders to stop and/or intercept the screen. I'm assuming 3 to 4 of the cover men will have been run off by the vertical routes of the other receivers. Remember North Texas vs. Cincinnati in 2002? They ran the 3-3-5 and decimated Cincinati's passing attack. I have a quick, agressive nose tackle like North Texas did.

I'm not sure it would work or that I would call it at the correct time. But, if you were running shotgun empty set all day, I probably would go to the 3-3- 5 pretty quickly.
Thanks,

Coach V