Double wing offense key to Palo Verde’s success

Stephen Sylvanie / Special to the Sun

Running back Tyrone Blake looks on as Panthers head coach Darwin Rost instructs his quarterback Sean Mears (right) to get the ball down field at Palo Verde High School on Thursday night.

By Case Keefer (contact)

Wednesday, Oct. 7, 2009 | 9:49 p.m.

Just Winging It

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For the past eight years, Palo Verde has been setting the trend and perplexing defenses with its double-wing offense and at 6-0 the Panthers plan on riding it to their second-straight state championship appearance.

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The way Palo Verde High football coach Darwin Rost tells it, it was a classic case of love at first sight.

As soon as Rost saw a California high school team run the double wing offense nearly 10 years ago, he just knew.

“I loved it because all 11 guys had to do something,” Rost said. “You can’t have those little, 150-pound receivers out there waving at mom as they come off of the line.”

Rost credits a Palo Verde defensive assistant for introducing him to the double wing in 2000. Rost said the assistant insisted he Rost accompany him on a trip to Barstow, Calif., to watch Bloomington High take on Barstow.

Don Markham, the creator of the double wing offense, was the coach at Bloomington and known for his team’s outrageously high scores. In 1994, Bloomington set a national record with 880 points en route to a state championship.

That’s all Rost knew about the double wing before the game. After it, he decided that his team had to run it.

Later that year, Rost traveled to California to spend a day with Markham.

“He sat down and drew his whole offense on a piece of paper,” Rost said. “Of course, I took that piece of paper and still have it today.”

That paper detailed the basics of the double wing — the tight formation, the wingbacks on each side of the quarterback, the fullback directly behind the quarterback and the constant misdirection.

But that wasn’t enough for Rost. He invited Markham to visit Palo Verde before the 2001 season to help install the double wing during a two-day camp.

“When he was leaving that year, he said, ‘Coach, you aren’t going to win with these kids,’” Rost said. “We actually won our first region championship with those kids.”

The Panthers never stopped winning. Palo Verde became a Southern Nevada powerhouse, appearing in three state championship games and the last seven state semifinals.

The Panthers are undefeated once again this season at 6-0 heading into Friday’s matchup at Legacy (6-0). Of course, Rost says the double wing is a big part of the success.

“If you look across the valley and look at most of the offenses, they have one top running back,” Rost said. “You shut that one running back down, you shut a lot of their offense down.”

Because of the double wing, that’s not the case at Palo Verde. The Panthers have three running backs — Tyrone Blake, Brandon Wright and Chapelle Thomas — who have rushed for at least 500 yards and eight touchdowns.

Having to account for all three backs and figuring out who has the ball is nearly impossible for opposing defenses.

“They’re never going to figure out how to stop it,” Thomas said.

If they can’t stop it, why not emulate it? Rost said he had noticed at least two teams in Las Vegas running a double wing similar to Palo Verde’s.

“It (ticks) me off that other teams think they can run our offense,” Palo Verde offensive lineman Daniel Godkin said. “They don’t run it very well, either.”

No one can dispute how effectively the Panthers use the double wing. It’s exactly what Rost envisioned when he first saw the offense.

“It’s ball control. It’s smash mouth,” Rost said. “I just fell in love with it.”

Discussion: 3 comments so far…

By fasted1964

10/9/09 at 5:49 a.m.

Suggest removal

Maybe someone should have clued in the young offensive lineman. The story is about how Palo Verde "COPIED" their current offensive scheme from someone else.
By VegasVegas

10/9/09 at 8:34 p.m.

Suggest removal

This gimmick offense would never work in a real football state. The crappiest of 5A teams in teams like California and Texas would make Palo look like a cheerleading team.

I've met parents who had kids in this program and they say it is as corrupt and political as anything they've ever seen. The best kids don't get to play, and the bench never gets any game experience even in a blowout. Sad.

But apparently morons in this town think Rost is some kind of genius. Vegas standards...pathetic.
By dlmartin777

11/8/09 at 11:03 a.m.

Suggest removal

Indeed The NAIA and Las Vegas football has a long way to go as far as being compared to elite football states from Cali,Texas,Fla.Ohio,Penn.But you must be wise to understand some of those states top programs are over 100 years old, some have well over 10 large size Metro cities. so it is as if you compare a Mercedes to a Hyundai.One will get you there in style while the other just gets you there.My point to be made is this Vegas and Reno are beginning to produce quality athletes on a regular basis in both football and B-Ball but the numbers will never compare to the aforementioned programs. Colleges are taking notice of this fact Oklahoma,Utah, Kansas,Byu, Cal,USC,Navy,Washington and a list of many other D1 programs bare this out.The talent is new and improved vastly .I am proud of these kids who will set the tone for the future in sports here,But the coaching is yet to make the same strides.

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