It’s almost here. The clock is ticking. In a few short weeks toe will meet leather and the high school football season will be underway.

Though I was only here for a short time last season, there was one team I took a particular interest in while covering games.

This year, I look forward to again watching the Keith High School Bears’ wing-T work and the family atmosphere of the fans of a small, rural high school in the bleachers.

I come from a small school, graduating with only 22 in my senior class. And, from the first time I ever put on pads in seventh grade to play competitively, I was playing in some variation of a wing-T offense.

Some people call it a dinosaur. Some say it’s an offense for teams that just don’t have the athletes to run a spread. I say that is hogwash.

Sweet Water and Linden high schools have done pretty well running the dinosaur, and Keith hasn’t been staying home much either lately when the playoffs begin.

Lots of offenses come and go, and usually, once the defensive coaches figure out a way to place an extra man on a blocker, disguise a blitz, or create other mismatches, it’s all over.

In coaching circles, word gets around fast.

But for about 50 years, the wing-T packer sweep and other bits and pieces of the playbook have been going strong. It’s hard to outsmart flawless execution and teamwork.

The staying power of the wing-T is no accident. It’s like every aspect of our lives. Rather than looking for a gimmick or a flash in the pan solution to a problem, why not perfect what you know?

It’s a philosophy that runs parallel with the Black Belt. Our own Kathryn Tucker Windham used to say “We’re not New York City, and we don’t want to be.”

Success comes from a group of people working together toward a common goal to push their team to success.

A wing-T offense comes straight at you, and if anything gets in its way, that object gets knocked down.

If we see a plan that can succeed, push forward. Don’t let anything get in the way. Before you know it, the wins will pile up.