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American football strategy is the strategic deployment of players and assignment of tasks to offensive and defensive players of American football.
When first played, American football employed a rudimentary strategy consisting of simple offensive plays and defensive coverages. As the game evolved into its present form, strategies got progressively more complex, resulting in increasingly specialized roles for each offensive and defensive position.
Articles on the subject of American football strategy.
A formation in American football refers to the position players line up in before the start of a down. There are both offensive and defensive formations and there are many formations in both categories.
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#redirect Glossary of American football
Football Outsiders (FO) is a website started in 2003 which focuses on advanced statistical analysis of the NFL. The site is run by a staff of regular writers, who produce a series of weekly columns using both the site's in-house statistics and their personal analyses of NFL games.
In 2005 and 2006, the site partnered with FOXSports.com to cross-publish many of the Outsiders' regular features, including power rankings based on a "weighted" version of the DVOA statistic. In 2007, Football Outsiders content appeared on FOXSports.com (in a reduced capacity) along with AOL Sports and ESPN.com. In 2008, the site will partner exclusively with ESPN.
A trick play, also known as a gadget play or gimmick play, is a play in American football that uses deception and unorthodox strategies to fool the opposing team. A trick play is often risky, offering the potential for a large gain or a touchdown if it is successful, but with the chance of a significant loss of yards or a turnover if not.
Trick plays take advantage of the fact that nearly all American football plays are either a pass from the quarterback or a run by the halfback. As a result, defenses will think pass when the quarterback has the ball and run when the running back has it. Trick plays depart from these expectations, and therefore tend only to work if they are unanticipated.
The shotgun formation is a formation used by the offensive team in American and Canadian football. This formation is used by many teams in obvious passing situations, although other teams do use this as their base formation. In the shotgun, instead of the quarterback receiving the snap from center at the line of scrimmage, he stands at least 5 yards back. Sometimes the quarterback will have a back on one or both sides before the snap, while other times he will be the lone player in the backfield with everyone spread out as receivers. One of the advantages of the shotgun formation is that the passer has more time to set up in the pocket which gives him a second or two to locate open receivers. Another advantage is that standing further back from the line before the snap gives the quarterback a better "look" at the defensive alignment. The disadvantages are that the defense knows a pass is more than likely coming up (although some running plays can be run effectively from the shotgun) and there is a higher risk of a botched snap than in a simple center/quarterback exchange.
The formation was named by the man who actually devised it, San Francisco 49ers coach Red Hickey, in 1960. John Brodie was the first NFL shotgun quarterback, beating out former starter Y. A. Tittle largely because he was mobile enough to effectively run the formation.
Combining elements of the short punt and spread formations ("spread" in that it had receivers spread widely instead of close to or behind the interior line players), it was said to be like a "shotgun" in spraying receivers around the field. (The alignment of the players also suggests the shape of an actual shotgun). Formations similar or identical to the shotgun used decades previously would be called names such as "spread double wing". Short punt formations (so called because the distance between the snapper and the ostensible punter is shorter than in long punt formation) do not usually have as much emphasis on wide receivers.
The shotgun was used by the New York Jets as they employed the formation during the latter part of the Joe Namath era, to give the bad-kneed, and often immobile quarterback more time to set up plays by placing him deeper in the backfield.
Starting with the 1975 season, the Dallas Cowboys used the shotgun frequently with Roger Staubach at quarterback. No other NFL teams used this formation during this time and it is assumed this formation was devised by Tom Landry; it became a "signature" formation for the Cowboys, especially during third down situations. Landry re-introduced the shotgun to give Staubach more time to pass as the Cowboys had a relatively young and inexperienced team that year - 12 rookies were on that 1975 team.
The Cowboy shotgun differed from the 49er shotgun as Staubach generally had a back next to him in the backfield (making runs possible) where Brodie was normally alone in the backfield. The shotgun was seldom used by teams during the 1980s, but became part of almost every team's offense in the pass-happy 1990s.
In recent years, fewer and fewer teams use the shotgun since the two-deep (or Tampa 2) zones allow effective defense against offenses that don't or can't run the ball. Most NFL teams only use the shotgun on obvious passing downs or when they are behind and need to pass almost every down to catch up. Many college quarterbacks, such as Vince Young (now with the Tennessee Titans) who almost exclusively used the shotgun at Texas, have difficulty adapting to NFL offenses where most snaps are taken under center.
The shotgun formation is often run during 2nd-and-long or 3rd-and-long situations to give the quarterback enough time before the receivers run deep routes. However, Peyton Manning of the Indianapolis Colts often audibles to plays that use this formation to take advantage of the fast receivers like Marvin Harrison and Reggie Wayne to gain handsome yardage in a single play. In 2007, the New England Patriots used the shotgun with great effectiveness as a base formation for one of the most potent offenses in the history of the NFL; in fact, they were the first team in NFL history to use it for the majority of their offensive plays.Players must pull together Boston.com Football Notes
Though the shotgun is a pass-dominated formation, a cleverly designed halfback draw play can put defenses off-guard and a fast halfback can get good yardage until the defense recovers from their mistake. A further development of the play is a halfback option pass, with the quarterback being one of the eligible receivers. Roger Staubach's backup and successor, Danny White, once caught such a pass for a touchdown. It was noted at the time that he was only eligible because of the shotgun formation (an NFL quarterback who takes a snap from underneath the center was and still is an ineligible receiver, a rule not found in any amateur level of American football).
At times the formation has been more common in Canadian football, which allows only three downs to move ten yards downfield instead of the American game's four. Canadian teams are therefore more likely to find themselves with long yardage to make on the penultimate down, and therefore more likely to line up in the shotgun to increase their opportunities for a large gain. Teams such as the Saskatchewan Roughriders use the shotgun for a vast majority of their plays.
The Nevada Wolf Pack currently employs a formation called the "pistol," in which the running back, instead of lining up next to the quarterback, lines up behind the quarterback, who in turn has lined up two to three yards behind the center.
Coach Urban Meyer has added elements of the option offense to the shotgun offense he employed as coach at Bowling Green State University, the University of Utah, and University of Florida. This "speed option" or "spread option" offense is also used by the Michigan Wolverines, Missouri Tigers, Texas Longhorns, Ohio State Buckeyes and other college teams with quarterbacks who can run as well as throw effectively.
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The Statue of Liberty is a trick play in American football, occasionally seen in high school football, college football and the NFL.
An offensive coordinator typically refers to the coach on a American football team who is in charge of the offense. Generally, along with his defensive counterpart, he represents the second level of command structure after the head coach. The offensive coordinator is generally in charge of managing all offensive players and assistant coaches, of designing specific offensive plays, of developing a general offensive game plan, and of calling the plays for the offense during the game. An offensive coordinator typically has a number of assistant coaches working under him; usually coaches primarily responsible for the various offensive positions on the team (such offensive line, quarterbacks, or wide receivers).
A flea-flicker is an unorthodox play (often called a trick play) in American football designed to fool the defensive team into thinking that a play is a run instead of a pass. It can be considered an extreme variant of the play action pass and an extension of the halfback option play.
After the snap the quarterback hands off or laterals the football to a running back (or another player on his team), who then runs towards or parallel to the line of scrimmage. Before the running back crosses the line of scrimmage, he laterals the football back to the quarterback, who then looks for an eligible receiver down field to throw a pass to.
If the defensive players think it is just a normal running play, they will leave their defensive positions guarding against the pass to run upfield and cover the running back, leaving the quarterback free from any immediate pass rush, and leaving receivers potentially open to catch a pass.
The flea-flicker is an extremely high-risk play and it often results in a big gain, a turnover, or a big loss. One problem is that it takes a significant amount of time for the play to develop. During that time, the defense might get past the offensive line to tackle the running back before he can make the pitch to the quarterback, or sack the quarterback before he can throw the ball. Then there is also the risk that the running back could fumble if he is hit as he pitches the ball.
Because of these risks the play is rarely used in a game. However, with 32 teams in the NFL, there are usually several instances of the play each season.
Onside kicks (sometimes onsides kick) is a term used in American and Canadian football for types of kick used at a kickoff or other free kick, or scrimmage kick or other kick during play, in which the ball is kicked favorably for the kicking team to avoid giving away the ball. Other benefits of kicking may be sacrificed to that end in an onside kick.
In American football, the fumblerooski is a trick play, most famously used by the University of Nebraska Cornhuskers against the University of Miami Hurricanes in the 1984 Orange Bowl. It is no longer allowed in high school, college, or the NFL. It was invented by John Heisman."John Heisman, the Coach Behind the Trophy", New York Times, December 8, 2006. In the Fumblerooski, the quarterback deliberately places the ball on the ground, technically fumbling it. The backs will run to the right, and the right guard will pick up the ball and run to the left.
:"Spread offense" may also refer to the four corners offense developed by Dean Smith.
The spread offense is an offensive scheme in American football and Canadian football that is used at every level of the game including the NFL, CFL, NCAA, NAIA, CIS, and high schools across America and Canada. The spread offense begins with a no-huddle approach with the quarterback in the shotgun formation much of the time. The fundamental nature of the spread offense involves spreading the field horizontally using 3, 4, and even 5-receiver sets (some implementations of the spread also feature wide splits between the offensive linemen). The object of the spread offense is to open up multiple vertical seams for both the running and passing game to exploit, as the defense is forced to spread itself thin across the field (a "horizontal stretch") to cover everyone.
There are many forms of the spread system. One of the extremes is the pass-oriented version typified by Mike Leach's Texas Tech Red Raiders, Todd Dodge's North Texas Mean Green, Gary Pinkel's Missouri Tigers, Todd Graham's Tulsa Golden Hurricane, and Hal Mumme's New Mexico State Aggies. This version employs multiple spread sets and is heavily reliant on the quarterback and coaches being able to call the appropriate play at the line of scrimmage based on how the defense sets up. Mike Stoops' Arizona Wildcats (under offensive coordinator Sonny Dykes, who coached under Leach at Texas Tech) also uses a variation of the pass-oriented spread system which makes slightly more use of the tight end and the running backs.
The other extreme version is the Spread Option, which has been used since 1985 by Paul Johnson at Georgia Southern, The Naval Academy, and Georgia Tech, and has been more recently implemented by Rich Rodriguez at West Virginia and now Michigan, Chip Kelly at Oregon and Jerry Moore at Appalachian State. Despite the multi-receiver sets, the spread option is a run-first scheme which requires a quarterback that is comfortable carrying the ball, a mobile offensive line that can pull and trap effectively, and receivers that can hold their blocks. The essence of the spread option is misdirection. Effectively, this is the old triple option except that it utilizes spread sets. In particular, the quarterback must be able to read the defensive end and determine whether he is collapsing down the line or playing upfield contain.
A third, rare version of the spread offense is the Pistol Offense which is used by Chris Ault's Nevada Wolf Pack and some high schools across the nation. The Pistol Offense focuses on using the run with various offensive players, and calls for the quarterback to line up about three yards behind the center and take a short shotgun snap at the start of each play.
The I formation is one of the most common offensive formations in American football. The I formation draws its name from the vertical (as viewed from the opposing endzone) alignment of quarterback, fullback, and running back, particularly when contrasted with the same players' alignments in the T formation.
The formation begins with the usual 5 offensive linemen (2 offensive tackles, 2 guards, and a center), the quarterback under center, and two backs in-line behind the quarterback. The base variant adds a tight end to one side of the line and two wide receivers, one at each end of the line.
The Notre Dame Box was a variation of the single-wing formation used in American football, with great success by Notre Dame in college football and the Green Bay Packers of the 1920s and 1930s in the NFL. Green Bay's coach, Curly Lambeau, learned the Notre Dame Box while playing for Knute Rockne in the late 1910s.
The Notre Dame Box differed from the traditional single-wing in that the line was balanced and the halfback who normally played the "wing" in the single-wing was brought in more tightly, with the option of shifting out to the wing. These two changes made the backs' formation resemble a square (hence the "box") and made the formation less predictable, allowing offenses to run more easily to the "weak" side. Additionally, the halfback became a more viable runner than in the single-wing and the quarterback, normally just a blocking back in the single-wing, could become a passer since the center could snap the ball directly to him. The Notre Dame Box relied on a great deal of deception, caused by backs shifting frequently, rather than the pure power of the single-wing. Teams would often adopt the Notre Dame Box if they lacked a true "triple threat" tailback, necessary for effective single-wing use.
The Packers, using the Notre Dame Box almost exclusively, won three straight NFL titles from 1929-1931. From 1936 through 1945, Green Bay made use of the Notre Dame Box to exploit Don Hutson's receiving ability. Bringing the halfback in tight allowed Hutson to split out from the line, making him an even more potent threat. Hutson, impossible to cover one-on-one by any defensive back of his day, averaged a touchdown every five times he caught the ball, a mark that no receiver has rivaled in NFL history. Green Bay added three more championships employing the Notre Dame Box after 1933 (when official championship games began), beating the Boston Redskins 21-6 in 1936, defeating the New York Giants 27-0 in 1939, and beating the Giants again in 1944 by a score of 14-7. Green Bay tailbacks of those years were among the first NFL passers to post "modern" numbers. Arnie Herber was the first NFL player to pass for over 1000 yards in 1936, throwing for 1239 yards and 11 touchdowns. Of that, 526 yards and 8 TDs were to Hutson. In 1939, Herber and Cecil Isbell combined for 1856 yards passing and 14 touchdowns. In 1941, Isbell broke Herber's single season record with 1470 yards passing and 15 touchdowns; he bettered his own marks in 1942 with 2021 yards passing and 24 TDs. 1942 was also the year Don Hutson shattered his own NFL records with 1211 yards receiving and 17 TDs, all in 11 games.
The Chicago Bears's success with the modern T-formation in the 1940s eventually led to the demise of the Notre Dame Box, as well as all single-wing variants. The Packers finally switched to the T-formation, after Don Hutson had retired, in 1947. No major NCAA or NFL team has used this formation since and much of the knowledge (i.e. playbooks) associated with this formation are no longer available.
The wishbone formation, also known simply as the ’bone, is an offensive formation in American football. The style of attack to which it gives rise is known as the wishbone offense. Like the spread offense in the 2000s, the wishbone was considered to be the most productive and innovative offensive scheme in college football during the 1970s and 1980s.<ref name="Bohls2008"></ref>
The Wishbone was designed to be an Option Based Offense. The purpose of an option is to eliminate one defender without blocking him. Ideally, the defender must make a choice to eliminate one of two offensive players. This is a Double Option. This Option offensive scheme forces a defender to choose one of two offensive players who can advance the ball and then allows the other offensive player to carry the ball, making whatever choice the defender made the "wrong" choice. Because of this aspect of the defensive player taking himself out of the play by his choice, the offensive player that would otherwise block that defensive player can now block a different defender, placing severe pressure on the defense to cover the dive, the Quarterback run, the pitch or the Pass to a receiver.
The Triple Option, then, eliminates two defenders without blocking them. This frees two Offensive Linemen to block different defenders, usually Inside Defenders. This isolates the Dive Key and the Pitch Key for the QB to "Read" and should leave only an outside Support Defender (usually a Safety) and the Cornerback to cover the End, who is running a deep pass route. As Pepper Rodgers and Homer Smith stated in "Installing Football's Wishbone T Offense", "To run a Triple Option with a lead blocker is the reason for the Wishbone formation." Installing..., Rodgers and Smith, Parker Publishing, Nyack NY. It is the "Extra Blocker" concept that drives the success of the Wishbone and its derivatives. The Cornerback must cover the Outside Receiver. The support/Safety must support the run defense and (usually) covers the Pitch Back. The Defensive End typically attacks the Quarterback and a Defensive Tackle is assigned the Fullback Dive. These assignments must be made before the play begins and that totals eight defensive players to both sides of the ball.
As stated above, however, the Offense now has linemen that can be released to block other defenders, usually inside. Thus, if there is a Deep Safety, he is not blocked by design. The Offensive Linemen, now free to block inside, can block the First Down Lineman to the Playside and the first Linebacker to the Playside. The great Emory Bellard once said, "If the threat of the Fullback can be applied to the Defense, the Offense is sound." Emory Bellard, "Flexible Triple Option", Coach of the Year Clinic, 1982. Then, the Lead Back Principle takes over. The Lead Back can block the Defensive End or the Safety and there is then a One-on-None possibility for the offensive player with the ball. In order to stop this attack, the defense must defeat blocks or flow defenders to the playside.
This makes the Wishbone a "Complete" Offense. The offense expects to get a One-on-None in the running game and a One-on-One in open space with the passing game. The Safety, who must support the run and also defend against the pass is under tremendous pressure in this attack. The Basic Wishbone Triple Option play accounts for every defender on the field. Every defender is threatened before the Basic Play begins. There is an invitation to overplay or compensate on the Basic Play and overplaying or making a misstep on the Basic Play leaves the Defense open for counters that leave no one to make up for the mistake.
The wishbone has the quarterback taking the snap from under center, with a fullback close behind him, and two halfbacks (sometimes called tailbacks) further back, one slightly to the left, and the other slightly to the right. The alignment of the four backs makes an inverted Y, or “wishbone”, shape. There is typically one wide receiver and one tight end, but sometimes two wide receivers, or two tight ends.
The wishbone was designed to facilitate a running, option offense. It allows the quarterback to easily run the Triple Option to either side of the line. The quarterback first reads the defensive tackle or linebacker who is unblocked. As he reads the tackle/linebacker, he rides the ball in the fullback's stomach. If the defensive tackle/linebacker looks to tackle the fullback the quarterback pulls the ball out and runs down the line to his next option read, usually the defensive end/outside linebacker. If the end/linebacker looks to tackle the quarterback, the ball is pitched to the trailing halfback. The lead halfback is a lead blocker usually looking to block the outside defensive player, a safety or corner. The tight end to the option side 'arc' releases to block the safety.
A defensive coordinator typically refers to a coach on an American football team who is in charge of the defense. Generally, along with his offensive counterpart, he represents the second level of command structure after the head coach. The defensive coordinator is generally in charge of managing all defensive players and assistant coaches, of developing a general defensive game plan, and of calling the plays for the defense during the game. A defensive coordinator typically has a number of assistant coaches working under him; usually coaches primarily responsible for the various defensive positions on the team (such defensive line, linebackers, or defensive backs).
This is a list of head coaches who have coached for a National Football League team since 1920, when the league was founded.
A reverse (sometimes referred to as an end reverse) is a relatively common trick play in American football that involves one or more abrupt changes in the lateral flow of a rushing play.
In American football, the pro set or splitback formation is a traditional formation, commonly a "base" set used by professional and amateur teams. In pro set formations, the running backs are lined up side-by-side instead of one in front of the other as in traditional I-formation sets. It was an outgrowth of the original, three running back T-formation, with the third back (one of the halfbacks) in the T becoming a permanent flanker, now referred to as a wide receiver.
This formation is particularly popular because teams can both run and pass the football out of it with an equal amount of success. This is important because it keeps defenses guessing on what type of play the offense will run. Because the backs are opposite each other, it takes the defense longer to read the gap the offense will run the ball to. Once the run has been established, it is the most dangerous formation in football. Because of the real threat of a team running out of the pro-set, defenses must respect the play fake and play run. This pulls the safety to the line and opens up the middle of the field deep. Also, with both backs in position to "pick up" an outside blitz, the pro-set gives a quarterback an abundance of time to find an open receiver.
A common variant of this formation removes the tight end and replaces it with a third receiver in the "slot" position. The formation is utilized to remove a defensive player from the tackle box to give the offense a 7-on-6 matchup.
The Tampa 2 is an American football defensive strategy popularized by the Tampa Bay Buccaneers National Football League (NFL) team in the mid 1990s-early 2000s. The term rose to popularity due to the installation and excellent execution of this defensive scheme by then-head coach Tony Dungy and defensive coordinator Monte Kiffin.
The roots of the Tampa 2 system actually are in the Steel Curtain days of Pittsburgh football. Tony Dungy has been quoted to say “My philosophy is really out of the 1975 Pittsburgh Steelers playbook,” said Dungy during media interviews while at Super Bowl XLI. “That is why I have to laugh when I hear 'Tampa 2'. Chuck Noll and Bud Carson — that is where it came from, I changed very little.”Official site of the Pittsburgh Steelers - Article<!-- Bot generated title -->
After Dungy became head coach of the Indianapolis Colts and Lovie Smith (linebackers coach in Tampa from 1996-2000) became head coach to the Chicago Bears, they installed the Tampa 2 in their respective teams. During the 2005 NFL season, the Buccaneers, still under defensive coordinator Kiffin, ranked first in the league in fewest total yards allowed, Smith's Bears ranked number two, and Dungy's Colts ranked eleventh. By 2006, the Buffalo Bills, Minnesota Vikings, Kansas City Chiefs, and Detroit Lions had also adopted the defense. In college football, Gene Chizik is among the coaches that successfully implemented the Tampa 2.
The Tampa 2 typically consists of four linemen, three linebackers, two cornerbacks, and two safeties. The scheme is known for its simple format, speed, and the aggressive mentality of its players. Although it lacks the complexity of other defenses, it instead relies heavily on the attitudes of its players and tremendous team speed. Tampa 2 teams are known as gang tacklers and practice to always run to the ball. It also requires a hard hitting secondary to cause turnovers.
Single set back (also known as the "Lone Setback" or "Ace" formation or "Oneback" or "Solo") is an offensive base formation in American Football which requires only one running back lined up about five yards behind the quarterback. There are many variations on single back formations including two tight ends and two wide receivers, one tight end/three wide receivers, etc. The running back can line up directly behind the quarterback or offset either the weak side (away from the tight end) or the strong side (towards the tight end).
This formation has gained popularity in the NFL as teams have started trading out a fullback, or blocking back, in favor of another wide receiver or tight end who is usually faster and better able to receive the ball, while still helping the run game with down-field blocks. The effectiveness of the formation is further increased if the team has athletic tight ends with good hands, thereby increasing the versatility of the formation. It is, moreover, good for bootlegs and reverses. Many NFL teams will also run the same singleback formations out of the shotgun with the running back standing next to the quarterback.
Single-back offenses have gained popularity due to zone blocking and advanced defenses. There are several combinations of single back formations that are used in Division 1 and NFL football. Speed offenses will use single back because the defense still has to respect the run out of these formations since you can line up many tight ends and still have a down field passing game. Single back offenses create match-up problems in the defense. Linebackers will often have to cover receivers in passing routes while defensive safeties are used more to come up and stop the run on the line of scrimmage. Teams that run a single-back offense typically rely on quick receivers that run great routes, balanced tight ends (blocking/receiving), intelligent, shifty running backs, fast and intelligent offensive lineman, and a quarterback that can read defenses and make safe throws under pressure. Single-back offenses are more common in the NFL than in college or high school.
An Out route(or Jet route) is a pattern run by a receiver in American football. On an out route, the receiver will start running a fly pattern, but after a certain number of steps, will cut hard 90 degrees toward the sideline closest to him, away (or outside) from the quarterback. This route generally allows a one-on-one match-up between the receiver and the defensive back who is guarding him, as safeties generally are concerned with helping out on long routes downfield or the center of the field.
This route is used much more frequently near the end of each half, when a team is running their two-minute drill to preserve time on the clock, because as soon as the receiver catches the ball or after a short run after the catch, he should be able to get out of bounds, stopping the clock. Out and in routes are the most difficult routes to cover in man-to-man coverage, but can be dangerous plays to run because if the defender intercepts the pass, he will often have a clear path to the end zone.
A hitch route is a pattern run by a receiver in American football, where the receiver will act as if he is running a pattern down field, taking possibly one or two steps forward before quickly stopping and looking for a quick pass before the defender has a chance to react and try to deflect the pass.
This route can also be used in what is called a screen, where while the receiver is receiving the pass, one or more lineman, tight ends, or running backs will run in the direction of the receiver in order to block the initial pursuing defenders so that the receiver has time and space to be able to run after the catch.
A Curl route is a pattern run by a receiver in American Football, where the receiver appears to be running a Fly pattern but after a set amount of steps or yards will quickly stop and turn around, looking for a pass. This generally works best when the defending corner or safety commits himself to guarding the fly and is unable to stop quickly enough to defend the pass.
The curl is a pattern used frequently by the West Coast offensive scheme, where quick and accurate passes are favored.
A Drag route is a pattern run by a receiver in American Football, where the receiver runs only a couple yards downfield then turns 90° towards the center of the field and runs parallel to the line of scrimmage. This type of route is relatively safe and is thrown to an agile receiver who can make a play after the catch. Alternatively, a Drag route may be used as a second option if the principal receiver on a play is covered.
The use of two crossing drag routes can also be used to try to create an open receiver by using the other receiver to block the path of a defensive back in a man coverage scheme.
Below is a list of active National Football League offensive coordinators.
The Swinging Gate is an unorthodox set-piece play in American football, executed in either the offensive or special-teams sections of play. It is unusual in that the offensive line, with the exception of the center, will line up to one side of the field, leaving the quarterback and running back unprotected on the other. Its goal is to disconcert a defensive front in order to allow a quick screen pass to a wide receiver with six blockers, or to allow a short run by the running back. Surprise is the main goal of the play, and it is not typically run outside of short-yardage situations. It is not often found in the NFL, due to the danger of a quarterback injury. In a Wild Card playoff game on January 6, 2008 against the San Diego Chargers, the Tennessee Titans lined up in the Swinging Gate formation on their first play from scrimmage. Tennessee quarterback Vince Young threw an incomplete pass on the play.
The play, originally formulated in the 1930s, still retains a modicum of popularity on high school and college teams, where the lesser athleticism of the players will allow the play to be performed with a greater degree of success. The play is often referred to as "muddle-huddle" The best-known example of the play can be found in the closing scenes of Adam Sandler's remake of the movie The Longest Yard, where Sandler's team executes the play successfully. The latest execution of the play in a collegiate game was on October 11, 2007, in a Football Championship Subdivision game by Central Connecticut State Blue Devils against the Albany Great Danes. The play resulted in a failed two point conversion as Albany linebacker Justin Brancaccio broke up the pass with 55 seconds left to preserve UAlbany's 24-22 win.2-point try fails, UAlbany prevails <!-- Bot generated title -->
The hook and lateral or hook and ladder is a trick play in American or Canadian football. It starts with the hook, which is where a wide receiver runs a predetermined distance, usually 10 yards down the field, and along the sideline, and "hooks in" towards the center of the field to receive a forward pass from the quarterback. Another offensive player (usually another wide receiver) times a run so that he is at full speed, just behind the player with the ball at the time of the catch. As the defenders close in on the stationary ball carrier, he laterals or hands the ball to the teammate running at full speed in the opposite direction of the original receiver.
If unanticipated, this play puts defenders out of position, running in the wrong direction. If the second receiver catches the lateral in stride, he can be long gone before defenders can react. However, the offense runs a high risk of turning the ball over if it is not handled properly because, unlike a forward pass, a dropped lateral pass results in a live ball.
Zone blocking is a technique in American football that is a simple and effective scheme for giving the quarterback time and protection while simultaneously creating lanes for running plays.
In a zone blocking scheme, fleet-footedness and athletic ability trump size as desirable qualities in offensive linemen. Coordination and technique matter more than muscle in implementing a successful scheme because defensive linemen are often double-teamed at the point of attack. Creating movement on the defensive line is more important than opening a specific hole in the defense.
The Veer is an option running play often associated with option offenses in American football, made famous at the collegiate level. It is currently run primarily on the high school level, with some usage at the collegiate and (with slight modifications) the professional level with varying degrees of success. The Veer is an effective, ball control offense that can help minimize mismatches in a game for a team. However, it can lead to turnovers with pitches and handoff option reads.
The Triple option is an American football formation used to offer multiple ways to progress the football forward in the field of play. The triple option is based around the option run, but uses three players who may run with the ball instead of the two that are used in the standard option run. There are three basic forms of triple option: the wishbone triple option, the veer triple option, and the I formation triple option. These differ in terms of the personnel on the field and their positioning prior to the beginning of the play.
The triple option forces defenses to worry about multiple running options on a single play. For the offense, the decision of who to carry the ball (which option to make) is made during the play by the QB. The QB makes the decision whether to give the ball to the FB or to keep the ball based on what the Defensive End does. If the DE pinches down, the QB pulls the ball. If the DE runs straight up field or directly at the QB then the QB gives the ball to the FB. The triple option can be complemented by fixed running plays which start like the triple option but use traditional blocking, as well as play-action passing.
[Abstract not available for the category]
In American football, a T formation is a formation used by the offensive team in which three running backs line up in a row about five yards behind the quarterback, forming the shape of a "T".
Numerous variations of the T formation have been developed, including the Power-T, where two tight ends are used, the Split-T, which uses one tight end and one wide receiver, or the Wing T, where one of the running backs (or wingback) lines up one step behind and to the side of the tight end.
The flexbone formation is an offensive formation in American football that utilizes a quarterback, five offensive linemen, three running backs, and varying numbers of tight ends and wide receivers. The flexbone formation is a predominant running formation derived from the wishbone formation and it features a quarterback under center with a fullback lined up directly behind the quarterback. There are two smaller running backs called slotbacks aligned behind the line of scrimmage on each side of the offensive line. The slotbacks are sometimes incorrectly referred to as wingbacks. But, in order to be a wingback, there must be a guard, tackle and tight end all on one side of the center on the line of scrimmage and then the wingback off the line of scrimmage (as featured in the unbalanced formation diagram).
Air Force Academy Head Coach Fisher DeBerry was once quoted as saying "we need to be more flexible in the Bone." Hence, the term "Flexbone" was born.
In American football, the A-formation was a variation of the single-wing formation used with great success by the New York Giants of the 1930s and early 1940s. This formation was master-minded by legendary Giants coach Steve Owen and relied heavily upon Hall of Fame center Mel Hein for its success.
The A-formation differed from the traditional single-wing in that the quarterback played further back from the line and closer to the center. It also place the backfield opposite the "strong" side of the unbalanced line, providing more flexibility in the running game (though less power). The wingback is on the opposite side compared to the single-wing and the quarterback is the primary passer, rather than the tailback. The name of the formation was arbitrary, not from its slight resemblance to the letter "A", unlike formations named "I", "T", "V", and "Y" for the shapes formed by the backs' positioning; Owen was planning to label a standard single wing his team's B formation.
One major advantage of the A is the center could snap the ball to any of three players; typically to the fullback or blocking back for runs and the quarterback for passes. It took a great center like Hein to run the formation -- this is why only the Giants used this set-up with any frequency. This gave the Giants an advantage in that teams had to prepare specifically to defend the A whenever they played New York.
Coach Owen experimented with the A from the early 1930s on. Mel Hein joined the Giants in 1931, but Owen didn't use the A full-time until 1937. The Giants, using the A, became the first team to win their second official NFL championship games when they defeated the Green Bay Packers 23-17, adding this 1938 title to their 1934 defeat of Chicago. Green Bay ran the Notre Dame Box, another unique single-wing variant. The 1938 win was the last time the A brought the Giants a title, however, as George Halas' modern T-formation began to dominate professional football after 1940. Mel Hein retired after the 1945 and he proved impossible to replace. The Giants and their A-formation were beaten for the NFL championship by the Chicago Bears and the T in 1941 and 1946. Owen finally installed the T-formation as the Giants' base offense in 1948. No other team used the A formation in the NFL and the offense today is used only by some aficionados at and below high school varsity level. Ted Seay is known to many of them as a coach who decades later developed greater passing possibilities from the nearly forgotten A.
A trips formation is an offensive football formation, initially utilized by Joe Gibbs, in which three receivers line up on the same side of the field. The side is usually specified by the quarterback calling "Trips right" or "Trips left" when he calls the play in the huddle.
There are multiple variables of the trips formation, and it may be combined with other types of formations. For example, the call "Shotgun, trips right, slot left" formation would indicate that the tight end and two wide receivers would line up on the right side of the field, while two receivers would line up on the left side of the field (one "wide", the other slightly off the line of scrimmage in the "slot"). The quarterback would line up at least five yards behind the center.
The objective of a trips formation is to flood the defense on one side of the field in order to create and exploit holes in zone pass coverage.
In American football, the Sutherland Single-Wing was a variation of the single-wing formation used with great success by Coach Jock Sutherland of the 1930s and 1940s. Note that coach Sutherland mastered many forms of the single-wing, but the formation described here is the one he invented and was named for him.
The Sutherland Single-Wing differs from the traditional single-wing in that the wingback is brought into the backfield as a halfback, flanking the fullback on the other side from the tailback. This allows a more flexible running attack to the weak-side. Both the tailback and halfback are triple threats in this offense. The weakness of this formation is less power than the traditional single-wing and it requires very talented backs to play tailback and halfback effectively.
Sutherland created this formation from the original single-wing he learned from legendary coach Pop Warner at the University of Pittsburgh in the 1910s. Sutherland became the Pitt coach in 1924, where he remained through 1938. Pitt won two national championships under Sutherland, in 1936 and 1937. Sutherland was the avowed master of the single-wing offense while at Pitt. Sutherland brought his coaching skills to the NFL in 1940 as the coach of the Brooklyn Dodgers. At Brooklyn, he took over a team that had never finished better than second and had only one winning record since 1930. He implemented his offensive ideas and the Dodgers finished with a record of 8-3 and finished only a game back from the Washington Redskins. Sutherland's star was Ace Parker, who played tailback and was NFL MVP. The Dodgers also finished in second in 1941, with a 7-4 mark. Later, Sutherland coached the Pittsburgh Steelers in 1946 and 1947. In 1947, Sutherland and his single-wing pushed the Steelers to their first playoff appearance, for the East Conference crown. They were soundly defeated by Greasy Neale's Philadelphia Eagles, running the T-formation, 21-0. Sutherland died suddenly in 1948, but the Steelers continued to use his single-wing until 1953, when they were the last NFL team to switch to the T.
College teams continued to use the single-wing into the 1960s and some high school teams still use Sutherland single-wing formations.
The 46 defense (also known as the "46" or the 46) is an American football defensive formation popularized by Chicago Bears defensive coordinator Buddy Ryan who later became head coach of the Philadelphia Eagles and Arizona Cardinals. The formation comprises four down linemen, three linebackers, and four defensive backs.
The name "46" originally came from the jersey number of Doug Plank, who was a starting safety for the Bears when Ryan originally developed the defense, and typically played in that formation as a surrogate linebacker.Mackall, Dave. Q&A with Doug Plank (October 19, 2006), The Pittsburgh Tribune-Review. Retrieved on February 16, 2008.
Zone coverage, (also referred to as a zone defense) is a defense scheme in American and Canadian football use to protect against the pass.
Zone coverage schemes require the linebackers and defensive backs to work together to cover certain areas of the field, making it difficult for the opposing quarterback to complete passes. Zone defenses will generally require linebackers to cover the short and midrange area in the middle of the field, in front of the safeties. In the case where one or two linebackers blitz, the remaining linebacker(s) expands his zone to cover the zone responsibilities of the vacating linebacker(s). Often, blitzing will leave larger holes in the pass defense, but it is a gamble the defensive coordinator wants to make to pressure the quarterback into a poor decision and hopefully an interception or at least an incompletion.
A Fly Route, also called a Streak route or Go route, is a pattern run by a receiver in American Football, where the receiver runs straight upfield towards the endzone. The goal of the pattern is to outrun any defensive backs and get behind them, catching an undefended pass while running untouched for a touchdown. Generally, the fastest receiver on the team or any receiver faster than the man covering him would be the one to run these routes.
Fly patterns can also be used to clear out space for other receivers. Generally, a fly pattern will draw the attention of both the cornerback assigned to the receiver as well as "over the top" help from a safety. This can create a large gap in coverage, allowing another receiver to run a shorter route, but then gain many yards after the catch because the safety committed to the deep man.
The famed "Hail Mary" play generally involves between three and five receivers all running fly routes in order to have the most chance of one of them catching the ball and scoring or at least gaining significant yardage.
The first Hail Mary was when Dallas Cowboys quarterback Roger Staubach threw the football to wide receiver Drew Pearson in the NFC championship game against the Minnesota Vikings in 1975.
In American and Canadian football, a single-wing formation is any offensive formation having exactly one wingback and one tight end aligned together. However, the term usually connotes formations in which the snap is tossed rather than handed. The single-wing formation, created by Glenn "Pop" Warner, was a precursor to the modern "Spread" or "Shotgun" formation.Scout.com: Chalk Talk: the Single-Wing<!-- Bot generated title --> Formations with one wingback and a handed snap are commonly called "wing T" or "winged T".