| FTBL Offensive Adjustments made by The Bear

[Mecklenburg Cock]

First and foremost I want to congratulate you all on a great recruiting season! Saban and his staff did an excellent job.

To my point. We're having a little discussion over in Gamecock Country about Spurrier possibly adding a new wrinkle to his offense this year to include some QB Spread Option plays as evidenced by his words and his recruitment of Aramis Hillary and Stephen Garcia who are both notable dual-threat QBs. Some old-school guys think the only reason a coach would make such an adjustment is to make a last ditched effort to revive his offense. While others of us, myself included, think that the good coaches know how to adapt as the landscape and game of College Football changes. My biggest arguement is that of Bear Bryant. I read that at certain points in his career he adjusted his offense to better fit the face of College Football in that particular era. I was hoping you all would give me a little insight in to when he is remembered to have done this, how and what the results were.

I appreciate it. Again, congrats on your recruiting class. Best of luck this year!

 

[Guest]

One of my favorite topics, and glad to oblige. Bryant and Alabama were dominant in the early and mid sixties led by terrific defense and future NFL quarterbacks Joe Namath, Steve Sloan, Kenny Stabler and Scott Hunter. After disappointing seasins in 69 and 70 Bryant realized he no longer had the personnel to win with an offense featuring drop back passing. In the off season he made the decision to switch to the wishbone and triple option football, annd Bama ran the "bone" the rest of Bryant's career. The result was an amazing run that included NCs in 78 and 79, and being in the hunt for the NC late in the season every year from 71-82 except 75 and 82. Bryant was always an innovator who knew the rules of the game inside out and worked to benefit from them. In the sixties he typically had undersized offensive linemen who made up for lack of size with quickness and conditioning. He had a 190 pound tackle named Jerry Duncan who was a pretty good running back in high school, and he cleverly devised formations where Duncan, wearing an interior lineman's number, was lined up as an eligible receiver. This was so effective that it resulted in a rule being changed so that if an interior lineman was going to line up as an eligible receiver he had to report to an official.

 

[Mecklenburg Cock]

Thanks psychojoe! I've read a few books on The Bear and remember reading about the changes he made to his offense but couldn't remember the details. Thank you very much!

 

[Guest]

You're welcome, and come by any time.

 

[Mecklenburg Cock]

Thank you. I try to get by every once in a while to see what you all are talking about. We made the trip over to Tuscaloosa back in 2000 for the Bama v. USC game. I loved the tradition, campus and town. Actually, I almost ended up doing some continuing education at Alabama so I've always remained appreciative of the opportunties offered to me by your school. Had my situation been different at the time I would have earned a graduate degree there.

 

[FlaBama]

One of the most innovative things I can remember Bear doing offensively happened two or three years after he went to the wishbone. They were playing an Auburn team that had great speed and quickness on defense. They moved to the ball so quick that Bear didn't see a way for the slow wishbone to outrun their pursuit to the outside. So........

Although he ran a few standard wishbone plays to keep them honest, on 80% of the snaps the QB and all three backs would take one step one way, then reverse and run the play to the other side. That single step to the opposite side of the direction the play was actually run to got their quick reacting linebackers running the wrong way, and by the time they stopped and ran the other way the halfback already had the corner.

Innovative - Effective - and a BIG WIN!

 

[TerryP]

One of the most innovative things I can remember Bear doing offensively happened two or three years after he went to the wishbone. They were playing an Auburn team that had great speed and quickness on defense. They moved to the ball so quick that Bear didn't see a way for the slow wishbone to outrun their pursuit to the outside. So........

Although he ran a few standard wishbone plays to keep them honest, on 80% of the snaps the QB and all three backs would take one step one way, then reverse and run the play to the other side. That single step to the opposite side of the direction the play was actually run to got their quick reacting linebackers running the wrong way, and by the time they stopped and ran the other way the halfback already had the corner.

Innovative - Effective - and a BIG WIN!

A concept still ran today and it's still quite effective.

 

[Guest]

By season three he had added another weapon to the "bone". In addition to the slow developing, read and react option plays he added a toss sweep that featured the other halfback and the fullback leading the blocking. This quick striking play often caught the other guys off guard and resulted in a big gain. The most memorable of these plays was an 80 yard TD by Wilbur Jackson versus Tennessee.

He also scripted reverses off the option, and even had an "option reverse where all the backs started one way, but the QB after one step reversed his direction, and the end on the side where the play was originally headed reversed as well. The QB would either keep or pitch to the end.

 

[Guest]

One of the most innovative things I can remember Bear doing offensively happened two or three years after he went to the wishbone. They were playing an Auburn team that had great speed and quickness on defense. They moved to the ball so quick that Bear didn't see a way for the slow wishbone to outrun their pursuit to the outside. So........

Although he ran a few standard wishbone plays to keep them honest, on 80% of the snaps the QB and all three backs would take one step one way, then reverse and run the play to the other side. That single step to the opposite side of the direction the play was actually run to got their quick reacting linebackers running the wrong way, and by the time they stopped and ran the other way the halfback already had the corner.

Innovative - Effective - and a BIG WIN!

A concept still ran today and it's still quite effective.

Simply known as counter plays.