Wildcat offense
Encyclopedia
|- style="text-align:center;"
|
|| 
|- style="text-align:center;"
| Base Wildcat || Speed Sweep
|- style="text-align:center;"
|
|| 
|- style="text-align:center;"
| QB Counter || Split Zone
|- style="text-align:center;"
The wildcat formation (or wildcat offense), a variation on the single-wing formation, is an offensive American
and Canadian football
scheme that has been used since the late 1990s at every level of the game including the CFL
, NFL, NCAA, NAIA
, and many high schools across America. It was invented by Billy Ford and Ryan Wilson, originally called the "Dual" formation. The general scheme can be instituted in many different offensive systems, but the distinguishing factor is a direct snap to the running back and an unbalanced offensive line.
The wildcat is an offensive formation
rather than an overall offensive philosophy or offense (for example, a spread option offense might use the wildcat formation to keep the defense guessing, or a West Coast offense
may use the power-I formation
to threaten a powerful run attack). When the wildcat formation is deployed, it uses the same pre-snap motion coming across the formation on every play and every play initially looks like a sweep
behind zone blocking
. However, after the snap several things may happen once a player in motion crosses the position of the player receiving the snap.
", and is widely credited to being first implemented by Coach Tubby Raymond and Delaware Fightin' Blue Hens football team. Tubby Raymond later wrote a book on the innovative formation. The wildcat's similarity to the wing-T is the focus on series football, where the initial movements of every play look similar. For example, the wing-T makes use of motion across the formation as well in order to draw a reaction from the defense, but runs several different plays from the same look.
Another possible precursor to the wildcat is the offense of Six-Man Football
, a form of high school football, played mostly in rural West Texas and Montana, that was developed in 1934. In six-man, the person who receives the snap may not run the ball past the line of scrimmage. To bypass this limitation, teams often hike the ball to a receiver, who then tosses the ball to the potential passer. The passer may then throw the ball to a receiver or run with the ball himself.
The virtue of having a running back
take the snap in the wildcat formation is that the rushing play is 11-on-11, although different variations have the running back hand off or throw the football. In a standard football formation, when the quarterback stands watching, the offense operates 10-on-11 basis. The motion also presents the defense with an immediate threat to the outside that it must respect no matter what the offense decides to do with the football
.
credited Hugh Wyatt, a longtime coach in the Pacific Northwest
, with naming the offense. Wyatt, coaching the La Center (WA)
High School Wildcats, published an article in Scholastic Coach and Athletic Director magazine in 1998, where he explained his version of the offense, which relied on two wing backs and two backfield players directly behind the center alternating who would receive the snap. Many other high school football programs across the United States adopted Wyatt's Wildcat offense.
offensive coordinator Gus Malzahn
, and current Miami Dolphins
quarterback coach David Lee when they were offensive coordinators for the Arkansas Razorbacks
. In 2006, Malzahn was the offensive coordinator for the Razorbacks
. Malzahn introduced the wildcat into the Arkansas
offense. When Malzahn left for Tulsa
in 2007
, Lee became the offensive coordinator for the Razorbacks
. Both Malzahn and Lee ran a variation of the wildcat formation which prominently featured running backs Darren McFadden
and Felix Jones
. The wildcat formation was sometimes called the "wildhog" (in honor of the Razorback
mascot at the University of Arkansas) and subsequently rebranded as the "WildRebel" when Arkansas head coach Houston Nutt
went to Ole Miss as head coach (Ole Miss' mascot being the Rebels), and a variation involving a direct snap to a tight end has also been called the "Wild Turkey" popularized by the Virginia Tech Hokies
.
Previous to the current popularization, versions of what could be termed the wildcat were used by Bill Snyder
, head coach of the Kansas State University Wildcats
with Michael Bishop as quarterback in 1997
and 1998 when they made a run at the top of the national rankings. Although never utilized as heavily as the later incarnations, these first attempts were important in the early use of the formation. In 2001, Mississippi State
ran the formation very sparingly with the QB initially lining up in shotgun then splitting out wide, and WR Ray Ray Bivens taking the shotgun snap.
Several other college teams have used the wildcat formation regularly, including the wildcats of Kansas State
, Kentucky
, and Villanova
, as well as the Pitt Panthers
. Pitt had great success with the formation having star running back LeSean McCoy
or running back LaRod Stephens-Howling
take the snap. The Panthers scored numerous times from this formation during those years. Kentucky has successfully run the formation with wide receiver Randall Cobb taking the snaps. This formation is frequently called the "WildCobb" and is often very successful given the fact that Cobb also started numerous games at quarterback for Kentucky during his freshman year. Villanova won the 2009 FCS championship
with a multiple offense that included the wildcat, with wide receiver Matt Szczur
taking the snap. Szczur scored a key touchdown in the Wildcats' semifinal against William & Mary
out of the formation, and made a number of big plays out of the wildcat against Montana
in the final.
UCF also uses a wildcat formation they call the "Wild Knight". It was originally intended to be run by Rob Calabrese, even after he lost the starting job in 2010 to Jeff Godfrey
, but he tore his ACL
using the play to score a rushing touchdown against Marshall
on October 13, 2010. At the time, most agreed that Calabrese was effective at running the Wild Knight formation.
The wildcat formation made an appearance in 1998, when Minnesota Vikings
' offensive coordinator Brian Billick
began employing formations where QB Randall Cunningham
lined-up as a wide receiver and third-down specialist David Palmer
took the direct snap from the center with the option to pass or run.
In the 1998 NFC Championship, with 7:58 to go in the third quarter, on a 2nd and 5 play, the Atlanta Falcons
deployed quarterback Chris Chandler
wide left as a receiver while receiver Tim Dwight
took a direct snap and ran 20 yards for a first down.
In a December 24, 2006 game between the Carolina Panthers
and Atlanta Falcons
, the Panthers, because of a quarterback injury, deployed a formation without a quarterback and snapped the ball directly to running back DeAngelo Williams
. The Panthers ran the ball—mostly in this formation—for the first twelve plays of the opening drive, and ran the ball 52 times, with only 7 passing plays. The offensive coordinator
of the Carolina Panthers at the time, Dan Henning
, later developed this concept into the wildcat as the offensive coordinator for the Miami Dolphins
.
Relying on the experience of quarterbacks coach David Lee who had run the scheme at Arkansas, the 2008 Miami Dolphins
implemented the wildcat offense beginning in the third game of the 2008 season with great success, instigating a wider trend throughout the NFL. The Dolphins started the wildcat trend in the NFL lining up either running back Ronnie Brown
(in most cases) or Ricky Williams
to take a shotgun snap with the option of handing off, running, or throwing. Through eleven games, the wildcat averaged over seven yards per play for the Dolphins. "It could be the single wing, it could be the Delaware split buck business that they used to do," Dolphins offensive coordinator Dan Henning said. "It comes from all of that." On September 21, 2008, the Miami Dolphins used the wildcat offense against the New England Patriots
on six plays, which produced 5 touchdowns (four rushing and one passing - from Ronnie Brown himself) in a 38–13 upset victory.
As the popularity of the wildcat spread during the 2008 NFL season
, several teams began instituting it as a part of their playbook.
Defending plays from the wildcat requires linemen and linebackers to know and execute their own assignments without over-pursuing what may turn into a fake or a reverse. The formation's initial success in 2008 can be attributed in part to surprise—defenses had not practiced their countermeasures against such an unusual offensive strategy. Since then, most teams are well prepared to stop the wildcat; an example came in November 2008 when the Patriots traveled to Miami nine weeks after the Dolphins win in Foxboro
; Bill Belichick
's defense limited the wildcat to just 27 yards and forced the Dolphins to try a conventional passing attack; the game lead changed six times but the Patriots wore out the Dolphins with a 48–28 win.
Though defenses now understood how to stop the wildcat, it does not mean the formation is no longer useful. A defense's practice time is finite. By making an upcoming opponent prepare to stop the wildcat, that opponent, by definition, has less time available to prepare for other offensive approaches. Many teams admit to spending an inordinate amount of time having to prepare for this scheme.
Other teams that use the wildcat formation in the NFL may use different names for their versions. For example, the Carolina Panthers call their version the 'Mountaineer formation', named after the Appalachian State Mountaineers
, the alma mater
of their wildcat quarterback Armanti Edwards
, who played quarterback for the Mountaineers. The Denver Broncos
utilize 'Wild Horses', developed in 2009. It is rumored it is being tooled around 2010 draftee Tim Tebow
for future use. The New York Jets refer to their version as the Tigercat formation in reference to Brad Smith
having attended the University of Missouri. The 2010 Minnesota Vikings referred to their formation as the "Blazer" offense.
, a technicality in the league rules made the wildcat offense illegal; essentially, the rule stated that a designated quarterback must be in position to take all snaps. This has since been changed.
|
|| |- style="text-align:center;"
| Base Wildcat || Speed Sweep
|- style="text-align:center;"
|
|| |- style="text-align:center;"
| QB Counter || Split Zone
|- style="text-align:center;"
The wildcat formation (or wildcat offense), a variation on the single-wing formation, is an offensive American
American football
American football is a sport played between two teams of eleven with the objective of scoring points by advancing the ball into the opposing team's end zone. Known in the United States simply as football, it may also be referred to informally as gridiron football. The ball can be advanced by...
and Canadian football
Canadian football
Canadian football is a form of gridiron football played exclusively in Canada in which two teams of 12 players each compete for territorial control of a field of play long and wide attempting to advance a pointed prolate spheroid ball into the opposing team's scoring area...
scheme that has been used since the late 1990s at every level of the game including the CFL
Canadian Football League
The Canadian Football League or CFL is a professional sports league located in Canada. The CFL is the highest level of competition in Canadian football, a form of gridiron football closely related to American football....
, NFL, NCAA, NAIA
National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics
The National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics is an athletic association that organizes college and university-level athletic programs. Membership in the NAIA consists of smaller colleges and universities across the United States. The NAIA allows colleges and universities outside the USA...
, and many high schools across America. It was invented by Billy Ford and Ryan Wilson, originally called the "Dual" formation. The general scheme can be instituted in many different offensive systems, but the distinguishing factor is a direct snap to the running back and an unbalanced offensive line.
The wildcat is an offensive formation
Formation (American football)
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.-Offense:...
rather than an overall offensive philosophy or offense (for example, a spread option offense might use the wildcat formation to keep the defense guessing, or a West Coast offense
West Coast offense
In American football, "West Coast Offense" refers to two similar but distinct offensive-strategic-systems of play: the "Air Coryell" system; or more commonly the pass play system popularized by Bill Walsh...
may use the power-I formation
I formation
The I formation is one of the most common offensive formations in American football. The I formation draws its name from the vertical alignment of quarterback, fullback, and running back, particularly when contrasted with the same players' alignments in the T formation.The formation begins with...
to threaten a powerful run attack). When the wildcat formation is deployed, it uses the same pre-snap motion coming across the formation on every play and every play initially looks like a sweep
Sweep (American football)
A sweep is a running play in American football where the 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.- QB sweep :A...
behind zone blocking
Zone blocking
Zone blocking is a technique in American football that is a simple and effective scheme for creating lanes for running plays.In a zone blocking scheme, fleet-footedness and athletic ability trump size as desirable qualities in offensive linemen...
. However, after the snap several things may happen once a player in motion crosses the position of the player receiving the snap.
History
One possible precursor to the wildcat formation was named the "wing-TT formation
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"....
", and is widely credited to being first implemented by Coach Tubby Raymond and Delaware Fightin' Blue Hens football team. Tubby Raymond later wrote a book on the innovative formation. The wildcat's similarity to the wing-T is the focus on series football, where the initial movements of every play look similar. For example, the wing-T makes use of motion across the formation as well in order to draw a reaction from the defense, but runs several different plays from the same look.
Another possible precursor to the wildcat is the offense of Six-Man Football
Six-man football
Six-man football is a variant of American football that is played with six players per team, instead of 11.-History:6-man football was developed in 1934 by Chester High School coach Stephen Epler as an alternative means for small high schools to field a football team during the Great Depression...
, a form of high school football, played mostly in rural West Texas and Montana, that was developed in 1934. In six-man, the person who receives the snap may not run the ball past the line of scrimmage. To bypass this limitation, teams often hike the ball to a receiver, who then tosses the ball to the potential passer. The passer may then throw the ball to a receiver or run with the ball himself.
The virtue of having a running back
Running back
A running back is a gridiron football position, who is typically lined up in the offensive backfield. The primary roles of a running back are to receive handoffs from the quarterback for a rushing play, to catch passes from out of the backfield, and to block.There are usually one or two running...
take the snap in the wildcat formation is that the rushing play is 11-on-11, although different variations have the running back hand off or throw the football. In a standard football formation, when the quarterback stands watching, the offense operates 10-on-11 basis. The motion also presents the defense with an immediate threat to the outside that it must respect no matter what the offense decides to do with the football
Football (ball)
A football is an inflated ball used to play one of the various sports known as football.The first balls were made of natural materials, such as an inflated pig bladder, sometimes inside a leather cover...
.
High school
The Wall Street JournalThe Wall Street Journal
The Wall Street Journal is an American English-language international daily newspaper. It is published in New York City by Dow Jones & Company, a division of News Corporation, along with the Asian and European editions of the Journal....
credited Hugh Wyatt, a longtime coach in the Pacific Northwest
Pacific Northwest
The Pacific Northwest is a region in northwestern North America, bounded by the Pacific Ocean to the west and, loosely, by the Rocky Mountains on the east. Definitions of the region vary and there is no commonly agreed upon boundary, even among Pacific Northwesterners. A common concept of the...
, with naming the offense. Wyatt, coaching the La Center (WA)
La Center, Washington
La Center is a town in Clark County, Washington, United States. The population was 2,800 at the 2010 census. The city is home to four card rooms / casinos which allow gambling on card games and poker, but not slots...
High School Wildcats, published an article in Scholastic Coach and Athletic Director magazine in 1998, where he explained his version of the offense, which relied on two wing backs and two backfield players directly behind the center alternating who would receive the snap. Many other high school football programs across the United States adopted Wyatt's Wildcat offense.
College
The wildcat was popularized on the college level by current AuburnAuburn Tigers football
Only Mohamed Amin Abughadir set the record with 1,890 yards in 1 season. He was the QB for Auburn in 1998.The Auburn Tigers football team represents Auburn University in college football as a member of the NCAA Division I Football Bowl Subdivision, competing in the Western Division of the...
offensive coordinator Gus Malzahn
Gus Malzahn
Gus Malzahn is the current offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach at Auburn University. Malzahn is a high school coaching legend in the state of Arkansas and the former offensive coordinator at University of Arkansas and the University of Tulsa...
, and current Miami Dolphins
Miami Dolphins
The Miami Dolphins are a Professional football team based in the Miami metropolitan area in Florida. The team is part of the Eastern Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League...
quarterback coach David Lee when they were offensive coordinators for the Arkansas Razorbacks
Arkansas Razorbacks football
The Arkansas Razorbacks football program is a college football team that represents the University of Arkansas. The team is a member of the Southeastern Conference's Western Division, which is in Division I's Football Bowl Subdivision of the National Collegiate Athletic Association...
. In 2006, Malzahn was the offensive coordinator for the Razorbacks
Arkansas Razorbacks football
The Arkansas Razorbacks football program is a college football team that represents the University of Arkansas. The team is a member of the Southeastern Conference's Western Division, which is in Division I's Football Bowl Subdivision of the National Collegiate Athletic Association...
. Malzahn introduced the wildcat into the Arkansas
Arkansas Razorbacks football
The Arkansas Razorbacks football program is a college football team that represents the University of Arkansas. The team is a member of the Southeastern Conference's Western Division, which is in Division I's Football Bowl Subdivision of the National Collegiate Athletic Association...
offense. When Malzahn left for Tulsa
Tulsa Golden Hurricane football
The University of Tulsa's Golden Hurricane football team represents Tulsa in Conference USA. Tulsa is currently coached by first-year head coach Bill Blankenship. The football team was coached by Todd Graham until he accepted the head coaching job at Pittsburgh....
in 2007
2007 NCAA Division I FBS football season
The 2007 NCAA Division I FBS football season, or the college football season, began on August 30, 2007, progressed through the regular season and bowl season, and concluded with the Bowl Championship Series National Championship Game in New Orleans, Louisiana on January 7, 2008, where the top...
, Lee became the offensive coordinator for the Razorbacks
Arkansas Razorbacks football
The Arkansas Razorbacks football program is a college football team that represents the University of Arkansas. The team is a member of the Southeastern Conference's Western Division, which is in Division I's Football Bowl Subdivision of the National Collegiate Athletic Association...
. Both Malzahn and Lee ran a variation of the wildcat formation which prominently featured running backs Darren McFadden
Darren McFadden
Darren McFadden is an American football running back who currently plays for the Oakland Raiders of the National Football League . He played college football for the University of Arkansas from 2005 to 2007...
and Felix Jones
Felix Jones
Felix Jones is an American football running back for the Dallas Cowboys of the National Football League. After playing college football and majoring in kinesiology at the University of Arkansas, he was drafted by the Cowboys 22nd overall in the 2008 NFL Draft...
. The wildcat formation was sometimes called the "wildhog" (in honor of the Razorback
Razorback
Razorback is an Americanism, loosely applied to any type of feral pig or wild boar in North America. The term has also appeared in Australia, to describe said animals in that country.-Introduction to the Americas:...
mascot at the University of Arkansas) and subsequently rebranded as the "WildRebel" when Arkansas head coach Houston Nutt
Houston Nutt
Houston Dale Nutt, Jr. is an American football coach and former player. Most recently he was the head football coach at the University of Mississippi from 2008 to 2011. Previously, he served as the head coach at Murray State University , Boise State University , and the University of Arkansas...
went to Ole Miss as head coach (Ole Miss' mascot being the Rebels), and a variation involving a direct snap to a tight end has also been called the "Wild Turkey" popularized by the Virginia Tech Hokies
Virginia Tech Hokies
The Virginia Tech Hokies are the athletic teams officially representing Virginia Tech in college sports. The Hokies participate in the NCAA's Division I Atlantic Coast Conference in 19 varsity sports. Virginia Tech's men's sports are football, basketball, baseball, cross country, golf, soccer,...
.
Previous to the current popularization, versions of what could be termed the wildcat were used by Bill Snyder
Bill Snyder
Bill Snyder is the head football coach at Kansas State University. He was rehired to the position on November 24, 2008, making Snyder one of the rare college football head coaches to have non-consecutive tenure at the same school. Snyder previously served as head coach at the school from 1989 to...
, head coach of the Kansas State University Wildcats
Kansas State Wildcats football
The Kansas State Wildcats football program is the intercollegiate football program of the Kansas State University Wildcats. The program is classified in the NCAA's Division I Bowl Subdivision, and the team competes in the Big 12 Conference...
with Michael Bishop as quarterback in 1997
1997 Kansas State Wildcats football team
The 1997 Kansas State Wildcats football team, generally considered the greatest football team in school history, represented Kansas State University in the college football season of 1997. The team's head football coach was Bill Snyder. The Wildcats played their home games in KSU Stadium. 1997...
and 1998 when they made a run at the top of the national rankings. Although never utilized as heavily as the later incarnations, these first attempts were important in the early use of the formation. In 2001, Mississippi State
Mississippi State Bulldogs football
The Mississippi State Bulldogs football program represents Mississippi State University in the NCAA Division I Football Bowl Subdivision, competing as a member of the Western Division of the Southeastern Conference. Mississippi State has produced 38 All-Americans, 171 All-SEC selections, and 124...
ran the formation very sparingly with the QB initially lining up in shotgun then splitting out wide, and WR Ray Ray Bivens taking the shotgun snap.
Several other college teams have used the wildcat formation regularly, including the wildcats of Kansas State
Kansas State Wildcats football
The Kansas State Wildcats football program is the intercollegiate football program of the Kansas State University Wildcats. The program is classified in the NCAA's Division I Bowl Subdivision, and the team competes in the Big 12 Conference...
, Kentucky
Kentucky Wildcats football
The Kentucky Wildcats football team is a college football program that competes in the NCAA Division I Football Bowl Subdivision and the East Division of the Southeastern Conference.-History:Paul "Bear" Bryant Era...
, and Villanova
Villanova Wildcats football
The Villanova Wildcats football program represents Villanova University in the Division I Football Championship Subdivision . The Wildcats play at Villanova Stadium with capacity of 12,500.-History:...
, as well as the Pitt Panthers
Pittsburgh Panthers football
Pittsburgh Panthers football is the intercollegiate football team of the University of Pittsburgh, often referred to as "Pitt", located in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. Traditionally the most popular sport at the university, Pitt football has played at the highest level of American college football...
. Pitt had great success with the formation having star running back LeSean McCoy
LeSean McCoy
-Philadelphia Eagles:McCoy was drafted by the Philadelphia Eagles in the second round of the 2009 NFL Draft. He signed a four-year contract with the team on June 29, 2009....
or running back LaRod Stephens-Howling
LaRod Stephens-Howling
LaRod Stephens-Howling is an American football running back and kickoff returner for the Arizona Cardinals of the National Football League. He was drafted by the Cardinals in the seventh round of the 2009 NFL Draft...
take the snap. The Panthers scored numerous times from this formation during those years. Kentucky has successfully run the formation with wide receiver Randall Cobb taking the snaps. This formation is frequently called the "WildCobb" and is often very successful given the fact that Cobb also started numerous games at quarterback for Kentucky during his freshman year. Villanova won the 2009 FCS championship
2009 NCAA Division I FCS football season
The 2009 NCAA Division I FCS football season, part of the college football season, began in August 2009 and concluded with the national championship game on December 18, 2009 in Chattanooga, Tennessee, won by Villanova 23–21 over Montana.-Rule changes for 2009:The NCAA football rules committee...
with a multiple offense that included the wildcat, with wide receiver Matt Szczur
Matt Szczur
Matthew Szczur is an American professional baseball center fielder in the Chicago Cubs' farm system. He played college football and baseball at Villanova University prior to signing a professional contract with the Cubs in January 2011..-Early life:...
taking the snap. Szczur scored a key touchdown in the Wildcats' semifinal against William & Mary
2009 William & Mary Tribe football team
The 2009 William & Mary Tribe football team represented the College of William & Mary in National Collegiate Athletic Association Division I Football Championship Subdivision college football during the 2009 season...
out of the formation, and made a number of big plays out of the wildcat against Montana
Montana Grizzlies football
The Montana Grizzlies football program represents the University of Montana in the Division I Football Championship Subdivision of college football. The Grizzlies have competed in the Big Sky Conference, where it is a founding member, since 1963...
in the final.
UCF also uses a wildcat formation they call the "Wild Knight". It was originally intended to be run by Rob Calabrese, even after he lost the starting job in 2010 to Jeff Godfrey
Jeff Godfrey
Jeffrey Godfrey IV, also known as Jeff Godfrey is an American football quarterback currently starting for the University of Central Florida Knights...
, but he tore his ACL
Anterior cruciate ligament
The anterior cruciate ligament is a cruciate ligament which is one of the four major ligaments of the human knee. In the quadruped stifle , based on its anatomical position, it is referred to as the cranial cruciate ligament.The ACL originates from deep within the notch of the distal femur...
using the play to score a rushing touchdown against Marshall
Marshall Thundering Herd
The Marshall Thundering Herd are the intercollegiate athletic teams that collectively represent the Marshall University in Huntington, West Virginia. Thundering Herd athletic teams compete in Conference USA, which are members of the NCAA Division I...
on October 13, 2010. At the time, most agreed that Calabrese was effective at running the Wild Knight formation.
National Football League
Minnesota Vikings
The Minnesota Vikings are a professional American football team based in Minneapolis, Minnesota. The Vikings joined the National Football League as an expansion team in 1960...
' offensive coordinator Brian Billick
Brian Billick
Brian Harold Billick is a National Football League game analyst for Fox, and is also an analyst for the network's Bowl Championship Series coverage. He was previously an NFL coach, most recently with the Baltimore Ravens from January 19, 1999 to December 31, 2007...
began employing formations where QB Randall Cunningham
Randall Cunningham
Randall W. Cunningham is a former American football quarterback.After playing college football at the University of Nevada, Las Vegas, he was selected in the second round of the 1985 NFL Draft by the Philadelphia Eagles, with whom he remained through the 1995 season...
lined-up as a wide receiver and third-down specialist David Palmer
David Palmer (American football)
David Lee Palmer is a retired American football player from Birmingham, Alabama. He played the position of wide receiver in college at the University of Alabama and professionally for seven seasons with the Minnesota Vikings of the National Football League.Palmer was a star quarterback for...
took the direct snap from the center with the option to pass or run.
In the 1998 NFC Championship, with 7:58 to go in the third quarter, on a 2nd and 5 play, the Atlanta Falcons
Atlanta Falcons
The Atlanta Falcons are a professional American football team based in Atlanta, Georgia. They are a member of the South Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League...
deployed quarterback Chris Chandler
Chris Chandler
Christopher Mark Chandler is a retired American football player, who played as a quarterback in the National Football League for 17 seasons. He is known for leading the Atlanta Falcons to a 14-2 season in 1998, followed up with an appearance in Super Bowl XXXIII.-Early years:Chris Chandler was...
wide left as a receiver while receiver Tim Dwight
Tim Dwight
Timothy Deutch Dwight, Jr. is an American football wide receiver and return specialist who is currently a free agent. He was originally drafted by the Atlanta Falcons in the fourth round of the 1998 NFL Draft...
took a direct snap and ran 20 yards for a first down.
In a December 24, 2006 game between the Carolina Panthers
Carolina Panthers
The Carolina Panthers are a professional American football team based in Charlotte, North Carolina. They are currently members of the South Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League . The Panthers, along with the Jacksonville Jaguars, joined the NFL as expansion...
and Atlanta Falcons
Atlanta Falcons
The Atlanta Falcons are a professional American football team based in Atlanta, Georgia. They are a member of the South Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League...
, the Panthers, because of a quarterback injury, deployed a formation without a quarterback and snapped the ball directly to running back DeAngelo Williams
DeAngelo Williams
DeAngelo Williams is an American football running back for the Carolina Panthers of the National Football League. Williams was drafted by the Panthers 27th overall in the 2006 NFL Draft...
. The Panthers ran the ball—mostly in this formation—for the first twelve plays of the opening drive, and ran the ball 52 times, with only 7 passing plays. The offensive coordinator
Offensive coordinator
An offensive coordinator is a member of the coaching staff of a gridiron 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...
of the Carolina Panthers at the time, Dan Henning
Dan Henning
-External links:...
, later developed this concept into the wildcat as the offensive coordinator for the Miami Dolphins
Miami Dolphins
The Miami Dolphins are a Professional football team based in the Miami metropolitan area in Florida. The team is part of the Eastern Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League...
.
Relying on the experience of quarterbacks coach David Lee who had run the scheme at Arkansas, the 2008 Miami Dolphins
2008 Miami Dolphins season
The 2008 Miami Dolphins season was the organization's 39th season in the National Football League and 43rd overall. During the regular season the Dolphins completed the greatest single-season turnaround in NFL history, going from a 1–15 regular season record in 2007 to an 11–5 record in 2008...
implemented the wildcat offense beginning in the third game of the 2008 season with great success, instigating a wider trend throughout the NFL. The Dolphins started the wildcat trend in the NFL lining up either running back Ronnie Brown
Ronnie Brown
Ronnie G. Brown, Jr. is an American football running back for the Philadelphia Eagles of the National Football League . After graduating from Cartersville High School in Georgia, Brown attended Auburn University to play college football for the Auburn Tigers...
(in most cases) or Ricky Williams
Ricky Williams
Errick Lynne "Ricky" Williams, Jr. is an American football running back for the Baltimore Ravens of the National Football League. He was drafted by the New Orleans Saints fifth overall in the 1999 NFL Draft...
to take a shotgun snap with the option of handing off, running, or throwing. Through eleven games, the wildcat averaged over seven yards per play for the Dolphins. "It could be the single wing, it could be the Delaware split buck business that they used to do," Dolphins offensive coordinator Dan Henning said. "It comes from all of that." On September 21, 2008, the Miami Dolphins used the wildcat offense against the New England Patriots
New England Patriots
The New England Patriots, commonly called the "Pats", are a professional football team based in the Greater Boston area, playing their home games in the town of Foxborough, Massachusetts at Gillette Stadium. The team is part of the East Division of the American Football Conference in the National...
on six plays, which produced 5 touchdowns (four rushing and one passing - from Ronnie Brown himself) in a 38–13 upset victory.
As the popularity of the wildcat spread during the 2008 NFL season
2008 NFL season
The 2008 NFL season was the 89th regular season of the National Football League, themed with the slogan "Believe in Now."Super Bowl XLIII, the league's championship game, was at Raymond James Stadium in Tampa, Florida on February 1, 2009, with the Pittsburgh Steelers coming out victorious over the...
, several teams began instituting it as a part of their playbook.
Defending plays from the wildcat requires linemen and linebackers to know and execute their own assignments without over-pursuing what may turn into a fake or a reverse. The formation's initial success in 2008 can be attributed in part to surprise—defenses had not practiced their countermeasures against such an unusual offensive strategy. Since then, most teams are well prepared to stop the wildcat; an example came in November 2008 when the Patriots traveled to Miami nine weeks after the Dolphins win in Foxboro
Gillette Stadium
Gillette Stadium is a multi-purpose stadium located in Foxborough, Massachusetts, 21 miles southwest of downtown Boston and from downtown Providence, Rhode Island. It serves as the home stadium and administrative offices for the New England Patriots football team and the New England Revolution...
; Bill Belichick
Bill Belichick
William Stephen "Bill" Belichick is an American football head coach for the New England Patriots of the National Football League. After spending his first 15 seasons in the league as an assistant coach, Belichick got his first head coaching job with the Cleveland Browns in 1991...
's defense limited the wildcat to just 27 yards and forced the Dolphins to try a conventional passing attack; the game lead changed six times but the Patriots wore out the Dolphins with a 48–28 win.
Though defenses now understood how to stop the wildcat, it does not mean the formation is no longer useful. A defense's practice time is finite. By making an upcoming opponent prepare to stop the wildcat, that opponent, by definition, has less time available to prepare for other offensive approaches. Many teams admit to spending an inordinate amount of time having to prepare for this scheme.
Other teams that use the wildcat formation in the NFL may use different names for their versions. For example, the Carolina Panthers call their version the 'Mountaineer formation', named after the Appalachian State Mountaineers
Appalachian State Mountaineers football
The Appalachian State Mountaineers football team is the college football team at Appalachian State University in Boone, North Carolina. The Mountaineers have competed in the Southern Conference since 1972, and are currently a Division I Football Championship Subdivision member of the National...
, the alma mater
Alma mater
Alma mater , pronounced ), was used in ancient Rome as a title for various mother goddesses, especially Ceres or Cybele, and in Christianity for the Virgin Mary.-General term:...
of their wildcat quarterback Armanti Edwards
Armanti Edwards
Armanti Fredrico Edwards is an American football player for the Carolina Panthers. He was the starting quarterback for the Appalachian State Mountaineers football team from 2006–09. He was drafted by the Panthers in the third round of the 2010 NFL Draft...
, who played quarterback for the Mountaineers. The Denver Broncos
Denver Broncos
The Denver Broncos are a professional American football team based in Denver, Colorado. They are currently members of the West Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League...
utilize 'Wild Horses', developed in 2009. It is rumored it is being tooled around 2010 draftee Tim Tebow
Tim Tebow
Timothy Richard "Tim" Tebow is an American football player who is currently the starting quarterback for the Denver Broncos of the National Football League . He was drafted by the Broncos as the 25th overall pick in the 2010 NFL Draft...
for future use. The New York Jets refer to their version as the Tigercat formation in reference to Brad Smith
Brad Smith (American football)
Bradley "Brad" Alexander Smith is an American football quarterback, running back, wide receiver and return specialist for the Buffalo Bills of the National Football League. He was drafted in the 4th round of the 2006 NFL Draft by the New York Jets. He played college football at Missouri.-High...
having attended the University of Missouri. The 2010 Minnesota Vikings referred to their formation as the "Blazer" offense.
Canadian Football League
Until the 2009 season2009 CFL season
The 2009 CFL season was the 56th season of modern professional Canadian football. Officially, it was the 52nd season of the Canadian Football League. The Montreal Alouettes won the 97th Grey Cup on November 29 with a last second 28–27 win over the Saskatchewan Roughriders...
, a technicality in the league rules made the wildcat offense illegal; essentially, the rule stated that a designated quarterback must be in position to take all snaps. This has since been changed.
External links
- YouTube video (via CBS Sports) explaining the wildcat offense and its rise in the NFL
- YouTube video of former Arkansas offensive coordinator David Lee diagramming and explaining how a version of the wildcat formation is run
- Article on how to run the wildcat offense in the video game, NCAA Football 2009
- Story on the running of the wildcat offense in the NFL
- Diagram/explanation of how to run a version of the wildcat package from CoachWyatt.com
- 9, 2008-3490998596_x.htm USA Today story on the Miami Dolphins' running of the offense