Is Rocket Sweep Faster Than Jet?

I would like to introduce you to 4-time state champion and Colorado Hall-of-Famer, Blair Hubbard. Coach Hubbard took his WingT roots and developed his FASTER THAN THE FLY offensive system, which is an up-tempo, no huddle Shotgun formation offense that uses Rocket Motion as its core play. The rest of the offense is based on Rocket Motion.

WHO IS COACH HUBBARD?

Hubbard has coached in 7 state championships, winning 4 of them.

This past season, Broomfield won the Colorado state title with a perfect 14-0 record, which was a 9-game improvement from the year before (second-most in Colorado football history). Broomfield had lost the state championship twice before that, during Hubbard’s first season in 2016 and again in 2019.

Prior to developing his Gun Rocket, No Huddle offense….Hubbard won state titles in 2004 with an under center Jet offense and again in 2006 with a Shotgun Jet Offense.

The Gun Rocket Faster Than the Fly system was finally unveiled in 2009 with Hubbards 3rd state title with a roster of only 55 players.

Several other schools have also had great success running the Faster than the Fly Offense after flying Hubbard in to install the offense.

ELEMENTS OF THE OFFENSE

Since Hubbard began his coaching career as a Don Markham double wing coach in 1999 and then transitioned in 2002 to under center Wing-T, he has kept many of the Wing-T blocking principles to allow smaller linemen to be successful. Obviously the main play is the Rocket Sweep, however, other components of the offense are:

Spread passing principles with a quick passing game
Misdirection with counters, shovel, and screens
Read and Speed Option that read unblocked defenders;
Power and guard trap
Play Action pass off all the run plays

All of these elements force a 15-17 year old defender to think about multiple formations, pulling guards, misdirection, false keys, while going warp speed, no huddle. Throw in option, spread passing, and play action, and it is a lot for a young player to try to learn how to defend with just a few days of practice.

FASTER THAN THE FLY

Coach Hubbard has a unique twist on his wing-t offense. It comes from how the offense begins its attack by stressing the perimeter of the defense faster than other jet or fly sweep teams can.

With the Jet/Fly the ball reaches the perimeter in 1.8 seconds while his gun rocket sweep reaches the perimeter in 1.4 seconds.

That stretch and reaction distorts the defense in a way that it opens up other things inside as well. Getting to the perimeter that fast forces the defense to pursue which opens up off-tackle plays, counters, and play action passing.

Outside Line Backer (OLB) and Defensive Ends chasing motion opens up off-tackle plays.
Over pursuing Inside Linebackers open up Trap, Gut, and Counter up the middle
Safeties have their shoulders turned to the sideline, which creates cutback lanes.
OLB and Defensive Backs (DBs) eyes on the motion while coming downhill opens up Play Action Passing.

This over pursuit is even more effective on the goal line. And then Hubbard will motion the rocket player from different parts of the formation (wing, slot, FB) and also from Trips sets.

Create Conflict

The first area of conflict that the Rocket and Motions is on the edges. While traditional Wing-T and Option teams will only put ONE player in conflict, Hubbards Faster Than the Fly puts the End, the OLB, and the Safety in conflict.

And once teams start to fly to the perimeter to stop the rocket sweep, then we’ll start attacking off tackle with our off tackle schemes…With our off tackle game we’re talking about power, we’re talking about speed options. We’re talking about our tight end shovel read, about our down scheme.

And once teams start to fly to the perimeter to stop the rocket sweep, then Hubbard will start attacking off tackle with his off tackle schemes… power, down, speed option, and tight end shovel read.