Swinging Gate has caused confusion among Northwood’s football opponents

Northwood’s football team wraps up practice Wednesday in preparation for Friday’s game.

The Swinging Gate play, aimed at confusing the defense when it least expects it, is one of the elements that Northwood’s football team has successfully executed this year a number of times.

Under head coach Pete Mitchell and offensive coordinators Pete Mitchell Jr. and Dan Selway, the Timberwolves have been rolling up the points during a 5-game winning streak.

Northwood (5-1, 1-0) will take on Pacific Coast League favorite Woodbridge (3-3, 1-0) Friday night at 7 at University, and there’s a chance the Swinging Gate could be used by the Timberwolves.

Mitchell, the head coach, said the offense was using back in the 1980s when he was an assistant coach at Huntington Beach High School and it ended up being the team’s base offense. He brought it to Northwood when he became football coach.

The Swinging Gate. which originated in the 1930’s, has the offensive line, with the exception of the center, lining up on one side of the field. That leaves the quarterback and running back on the other.

“The key to is having the trigger guy, the QB that gets the ball originally, which is Seth (Locke) in this case, and he has to be able to think really quickly on his feet and know when to run and when to throw,” Mitchell said. “He has to be a very good athlete. He fits the mold perfectly.”

There is an element of surprise aimed at confusing the defensive line with the goal of allowing a quick screen pass to a wide receiver or a direct run by the quarterback with six blockers leading the way.

“One thing I like about it as a defensive guy I know your causing that defensive practice time (by the other team, so if nothing else, you’re taking a little practice time away from them,” Mitchell said.

“Everybody knows it’s coming, so if you’re a zone team, then you’ve probably got to work on some man to man coverage. You’re behind your line, but you have everybody spread out and you’re kind of wheeling and dealing.”

As part of the offense, the center is lined up at the end of the line and snaps the ball sideways to the quarterback. Adding to the potential chaos, the center is eligible to catch a pass, MItchell said.

“He’s an eligible receiver because he’s at the end of the line,” he said, “Those guys at the end of the line of scrimmage are eligible. It’s crazy.”

Northwood’s offense has been clicking as a whole. Three quarterbacks (Locke, Jaden Piazza and Tanner Buck) have passing yards and eight different players have receiving touchdowns, according to Selway. Four different players have rushing touchdowns.

“There is some solid balance,” Selway said.

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