The approach to offense in American and Canadian football has splintered and evolved in the 100 years in which the modern form of the sport has existed. Many philosophies exist about deploying a team's 11 players (12 in Canada).
Smash Mouth
A smash mouth offense is the more traditional style of offense. It often results in a higher time of possession by running the ball heavily. So-called "smash-mouth football" is often run out of the I-formation or wishbone, with tight ends and receivers used as blockers. Though the offense is run-oriented, pass opportunities can develop as defenses play close to the line. Play-action can be very effective for a run-oriented team.
"Three Yards and a Cloud of Dust"
Used to describe the run-heavy offenses such as run by Woody Hayes of Ohio State University in the 1950s and 1960s. A quarterback under Hayes would often throw fewer than 10 passes a game. Hayes is credited as saying "Three things can happen when you pass the ball, and two of them are bad". This is a grind-it-out ball control offense that relies on time of possession and high percentage inside running off of handoffs to advance the ball down the field. Hayes relied primarily on the fullback off-tackle play.
Run-to-Daylight
The basic running philosophy employed by the Green Bay Packers under coach Vince Lombardi. The central two plays in this philosophy are off-tackle run and the so-called "Packer Sweep". In both plays, the offensive line would work to seal off a running lane for the back to use, and the running back would aim for this corridor rather than a specific pre-snap hole. In the off tackle run, the quarterback would hand off (often to the fullback) who started running to the position between the tight end and tackle, but would aim for the best hole that developed. In the sweep, the two guards would pull to form the outside wall of the running lane, while the center and run-side tackle would form the inside wall of the lane. The fullback would lead the path through the lane for the half back, who received a pitch from the quarterback.
Teams
- Jacksonville Jaguars
- Pittsburgh Steelers
- Cleveland Browns
- Baltimore Ravens
- University of Arkansas
- Fresno State Bulldogs
- Tennessee Volunteers
- Iowa Hawkeyes
Wing T Offense
The Wing T offense can be grouped into two major types. The first is the "Delaware," named after the college that first used the offense. This offense generally uses two running backs and the quarterback to move the ball, with a degree of passing. The other type is the "Bay City," also named after the college that first used it. The Bay City uses three running backs and the quarterback. This offense can be used in either power running or run fakes, and passes less than the Delaware offense.
In both types of the Wing T, the key to the offense is the linemen. A large majority of the plays are done by trapping or pulling one or more of the linemen; this includes passing as well as running plays. This offense also carries out extreme fakes. The Bay City will sometimes have the QB and all three RBs carrying out run fakes well past the line of scrimmage. The Delaware, when run properly, will do the same, but only the HB and FB will do the run fakes and the QB typically fakes a pass play. In both offenses, teams are power rushing plays, with the Bay City better suited due to its personnel makeup.
Formation
The typical formation of the Bay City version is the Full House T with two TEs. Variations of this can be used, but all would have three RBs in the backfield carrying out fakes. The Delaware offense typically has a wing back, halfback, and a fullback. The full back will sit behind the QB with the wing back on the strong side of the formation a yard back and next to either the TE or OT. The HB can be located in a number of spots, but typically is either at the same depth as the FB behind the T, or a yard back and next to the TE or OT on the weak side of the formation.
Variations of the Wing T include having the WB move as a WR in a pro set, the WB moved next to a WR on the weak side to create a Trips look, to having two WR and the WB and HB next to the OTs. Any number of formation changes can be done as long as an HB and FB are in the backfield.
Criticisms
The Bay City is typically called a "no-talent offense," since it requires very little from the running backs provide the team has a solid offensive line. The passing game is also limited in the Bay City, as it generally lacks any WRs on the field to open up the offense. Also, the Bay City offense cannot be used in the modern NFL, as the speed of defensive players is too great. This also limits the offense to smaller colleges and to high schools.
The primary weakness of the Delaware offense is its age. Due to its long history, most coaches know how to defend it, and upper-echelon teams can stop it easily. In the high school and small college levels, it is still used, although most teams have added a large amount of passing formations and plays in order to create a more balanced gameplan.
Teams
- University of Delaware (prior to 2002)
- Notre Dame Fighting Irish (during the Parseghian years, they ran the Delaware Wing T)
- Carnegie Mellon University (Chuck Klausing/Rich Lackner Wing-T 1975-Present)
- Grove City College Wolverines (years unknown)
- Olivet College (years unknown)
Option
Popularized in the wishbone offenses of Oklahoma and Alabama, the Option is a timing-based run offense that requires a quick-thinking quarterback and running backs and blockers able to react quickly to defenses. In a typical option play, the quarterback will take the snap and, based on the defenses formation and play, can decide whether to keep the ball himself and run it around the end, or pitch it to a running back following behind him. In contrast to an audible, where the quarterback reads the defense before the snap, an option requires the quarterback to read the defense during play, often while he himself is running with the ball. By making the defense commit to stopping either him or the running back, the quarterback makes the defense show its hand first. Though the wishbone has fallen out of favor, the option offense is still used in conjunction with the flexbone, wing-T, and even spread and shotgun formations. The service academies, especially Air Force and Navy are well-known for heavy use of the wishbone and flexbone formation, to great degrees of success. In high school football it is called Veer and has been used with some success over the years (De La Salle High School of California recorded the nation's longest ever winning streak, 151 games, using the veer). Although a majority of high school players typically lack the skill and talent to run it effectively, most defenses in high school are unable to stop it properly all the time.
Criticisms
While it is a popular maneuver in College Football, it has fallen out of favor as executed traditionally out of the wishbone and I formations. Today, it is seen more as part of a more robust Spread Option offense. Some argue that defensive players become more exposed to it and are supposedly better trained to deal with it, but the that has always been the argument about the option until a team with great talent executes it properly.
The Option is almost never used in the NFL because it exposes expensive and highly skilled quarterbacks to a huge risk of injury as pro defensive players are generally far too large and strong to allow them to run unblocked and hit QBs.
Teams
- Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets - flexbone formation triple option
- Air Force Falcons - multiple option
- Navy Midshipmen - flexbone formation triple option
- Bethune-Cookman Wildcats - flexbone formation triple option
Pro Set
The Pro Set was the default NFL scheme for most of the 1960s to the 2000s. While it is more of a formation, the underlying philosophy of the pro set was based on becoming more successful at passing while still providing 1 or even 2 backs to help protect the QB.
The Pro Set features a TE, 2 WRs, and a Halfback and fullback, often split behind the QB. While QBs can take a snap from the center from the shotgun position, in general the pro set QB takes the ball under center to allow for better play action fakes to the running back.
The Pro Set in the 1970s and earlier was generally a running offense that used play action fakes to setup deep passing attempts when defenses stacked up vs the running game.
The Pro Set enabled NFL teams to run successfully and is structurally a sound set. So much so that even though the Coryell and West Coast Offenses were dramatic changes in view to a pass first philosophy, both have historically been executed out of the pro set formation.
Criticisms
The Pro Set is largely considered too conservative these days. Even teams that use it as their base set usually have a wide variety of 3 and 4 receiver set plays that they use in passing situations.
Teams
- Dallas Cowboys - under former coach Tom Landry
Coryell Offense/ A
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