Smashmouth offense

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In American football, a smashmouth offense is an offensive system that relies on a strong running game, where most of the plays run by the offense are handoffs to the fullback or tailback. It is a more traditional style of offense that 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 formation, 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.[ citation needed ]

Contents

"Three Yards and a Cloud of Dust"

This term describes run-heavy offenses such as those used by coach Woody Hayes of Ohio State University in the 1950s and 1960s. A grind-it-out ball control offense, it relies on time of possession utilizing a high percentage of inside running plays off of handoffs by the quarterback to advance the ball down the field. Hayes relied primarily on the fullback off-tackle play. 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". [1]

Run to Daylight

The central two plays in this philosophy are off-tackle run and the so-called Packers 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.[ citation needed ]

College teams that used the Smashmouth offense

NFL teams that used the Smashmouth offense

StartEndTeamHead coachOffensive coordinator
19591967 Green Bay Packers Vince Lombardi
19691970 Washington Redskins Vince Lombardi
19771980 Dallas Cowboys Tom Landry Dan Reeves
19811992 Denver Broncos Dan Reeves Rod Dowhower, Mike Shanahan, Chan Gailey, and George Henshaw
19821992 Chicago Bears Mike Ditka Ed Hughes and Greg Landry
19861991 Minnesota Vikings Jerry Burns Bob Schnelker and Tom Moore
19931996 New York Giants Dan Reeves George Henshaw
19972003 Atlanta Falcons Dan Reeves George Sefcik and Pete Mangurian
19971999 New Orleans Saints Mike Ditka Danny Abramowicz
20052006 Jacksonville Jaguars Jack Del Rio Carl Smith
20082011 Miami Dolphins Tony Sparano Dan Henning and Brian Daboll
20092014 New York Jets Rex Ryan Brian Schottenheimer Tony Sparano and Marty Mornhinweg
20152016 Buffalo Bills Rex Ryan Greg Roman [lower-alpha 1] and Anthony Lynn
20162017 Tennessee Titans Mike Mularkey Terry Robiskie [4]
20162019 Dallas Cowboys Jason Garrett Scott Linehan
2019present Baltimore Ravens John Harbaugh Greg Roman [lower-alpha 1]
2019present San Francisco 49ers Kyle Shanahan -

[5]

Notes

  1. 1 2 Roman's offense has also incorporated elements of the Option and Spread offenses, utilizing mobile quarterbacks such as Tyrod Taylor and Lamar Jackson. [2] [3]

Related Research Articles

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A running back (RB) is a member of the offensive backfield in gridiron football. The primary roles of a running back are to receive handoffs from the quarterback to rush the ball, to line up as a receiver to catch the ball, and block. There are usually one or two running backs on the field for a given play, depending on the offensive formation. A running back may be a halfback, a wingback, or a fullback. A running back will sometimes be called a "feature back" if he is the team's key player/more prominent running back.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Wide receiver</span> Offensive position in American and Canadian football

A wide receiver (WR), also referred to as a wideout, and historically known as a split end (SE) or flanker (FL), is an eligible receiver in gridiron football. A key skill position of the offense, WR gets its name from the player being split out "wide", farthest away from the rest of the offensive formation.

Strategy plays a crucial role in American football. Both teams carefully plan various aspects of their gameplay in an effort to win. This includes deciding on formations, selecting players for specific positions, and assigning roles and instructions to each player on offense and defense.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Option offense</span> American football offense style

An option offense is an American football offensive system in which a key player has several "options" of how each play will proceed based upon the actions of the defense. Traditionally, option-based offenses rely on running plays, though most mix in forward passes from an option formation as a change of pace. A successful option-based offense can keep possession of the ball for long periods of time, giving the opposing offense fewer possessions and keeping the option team's defense rested. However, because passing is often not a strength of the system, it can be difficult for option-based offenses to come back from a large deficit or to score quickly when needed.

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. Sometimes, formations are referred to as packages.

In American football, the fumblerooski is a trick play in which the football is intentionally and stealthily placed on the ground (fumbled) by an offensive player, usually the quarterback. The offensive team then attempts to distract and confuse the defense by pretending that a ball carrier is running in one direction while another offensive player retrieves the ball from the turf and runs in a different direction, hoping to gain significant yardage before the defense realizes which player is actually carrying the football.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Sweep (American football)</span> Running play in American Football

A sweep is an outside running play in American football where a running back takes a pitch or handoff from the quarterback and starts running parallel to the line of scrimmage, allowing for the offensive linemen and fullback to get in front of him to block defenders before he turns upfield. The play is run farther outside than an off tackle play. Variants of the sweep involve the quarterback or a wide receiver running with the ball, rather than a running back. When a wide receiver runs with the ball, it is known as a jet sweep.

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Single set back 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 or the strong side.

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">T formation</span> Formation used in American football by the offensive team

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".

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Halfback (American football)</span> Offensive position in American football

A halfback (HB) is an offensive position in American football, whose duties involve lining up in the offensive backfield and carrying the ball on most rushing plays, i.e. a running back. When the principal ball carrier lines up deep in the backfield, and especially when that player is placed behind another player (usually a blocking back), as in the I formation, that player is instead referred to as a tailback (TB).

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The split-T is an offensive formation in American football that was popular in the 1940s and 1950s. Developed by Missouri Tigers head coach Don Faurot as a variation on the T formation, the split-T was first used in the 1941 season and allowed the Tigers to win all but their season-opening match against the Ohio State Buckeyes and the 1942 Sugar Bowl versus Fordham. Jim Tatum and Bud Wilkinson, who coached under Faurot with the Iowa Pre-Flight Seahawks during World War II, brought the split-T to the Oklahoma Sooners in 1946. After Tatum left for Maryland in 1947, Wilkinson became the head coach and went on to win a record-setting 47 straight games and two national titles between 1953 and 1957.

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In American football, a play is a close-to-the-ground plan of action or strategy used to move the ball down the field. A play begins at either the snap from the center or at kickoff. Most commonly, plays occur at the snap during a down. These plays range from basic to very intricate. Football players keep a record of these plays in a playbook.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Fullback (gridiron football)</span> Position in American or Canadian football

A fullback (FB) is a position in the offensive backfield in gridiron football and is one of the two running back positions along with the halfback. Fullbacks are typically larger than halfbacks, and, in most offensive schemes, the fullback's duties are split among power running, pass catching, and blocking for both the quarterback and the other running back.

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">Wildcat formation</span> American football offensive formation

Wildcat formation describes a formation for the offense in football in which the ball is snapped not to the quarterback but directly to a player of another position lined up at the quarterback position. The wildcat features an unbalanced offensive line and looks to the defense like a sweep behind zone blocking. A player moves across the formation prior to the snap. However, once this player crosses the position of the running back who will receive the snap, the play develops unlike the sweep.

The Packers sweep, also known as the Lombardi sweep, is an American football play popularized by Green Bay Packers coach Vince Lombardi. The Packers sweep is based on the sweep, a football play that involves a back taking a handoff and running parallel to the line of scrimmage before turning upfield behind lead blockers. The play became noteworthy due to its extensive use by the Packers in the 1960s, when the team won five National Football League (NFL) Championships, as well as the first two Super Bowls. Lombardi used the play as the foundation on which the rest of the team's offensive game plan was built. The dominance of the play, as well as the sustained success of Lombardi's teams in the 1960s, solidified the Packers sweep's reputation as one of the most famous football plays in history.

References

  1. "Royal took Longhorns from oblivion to No. 1". buckeye extra. 9 September 2006. Retrieved 2006-10-10.
  2. Kasinitz, Aaron (2019-01-12). "Baltimore Ravens OC Greg Roman by the numbers: How he fared in San Francisco, Buffalo". pennlive.com. Archived from the original on 2019-06-22. Retrieved 2019-07-23.
  3. Gillis, Andrew (2019-11-25). "How Greg Roman turned the Ravens' offense into the talk of the NFL". NBC Sports Washington. Retrieved 2020-01-01.
  4. "Titans' exotic smashmouth rated as one of NFL's best offensive schemes". Titans Wire. USA Today Sports. 2017-07-05. Retrieved 2019-07-23.
  5. "Pro Football Statistics and History | Pro-Football-Reference.com".