The Best Offense- Great Scheme Debate

[KT2000]

When people start debating which schemes are best, you'll see the topic answered in many different ways from many different points of view. Inevitably, the arguments finish with talent. It is said the best offense is one that ultimately best suits the available talent.

While true (duh), I find that way of looking at things rather boring.

I'm a system guy, so that's the way I tend to look at this particular debate. Basically, I think the best offenses are ones that afford the most solutions to any problems presented by a defense.

Flexibility is paramount. The system must be mechanically flexible in how it operates, and it must also be flexible in how it adapts to personnel changes.

In this view of tactics, the following systems most completely encompass the above requirements:

Flexbone
Multiple I
Multiple Pistol

Multiple Shotgun*

I hesitate to list Shotgun because of how dependent it can be on dynamic talent at the QB and RB positions. The running game can be extremely limited in every facet depending on personnel and approach. Are you Oregon or Hawaii? The term shotgun is too generic now.

[KT2000]

Of course, you have the ultimate if you can combine a little bit of everything and somehow do it well.

That's why I enjoyed watching Boise State with Kellen Moore so much, and also why Art Briles' Stephenville teams captured my imagination. Pearland's 2010 team was the most similar I'd seen to Briles' Stephenville at the 5A level. I thought they had one of the best offenses I'd ever seen.

[dragonsdaddy]

the best offense is a moving target. when we broke out the wishbone in 69, the pressure it put on defenses which were routinely unbalanced, was unfair. of course as defenses evolved, the option attack did too. while it was dependent on a transcendent player like marcus stiggers, the mid-line option was the scariest offense to defend i've ever seen. it asked the slowest, bulkiest, clumsiest players on the field to instantly react, versus the quickest player. the spread that dodge perfected had its run and was truly transcendent too. anytime the defense overloaded to stop one facet, they left an equally dangerous group of athletes at the ready to slit your throat. was it unstoppable? of course not. at least in the long run. while i love the dedication and teamwork a great running game requires, in high school, a spread passing game is the ticket, using the rules as they are written today.

[Austin109]

Pistoled Flexbone with the wingbacks walked 1-3 yards wider than standard.

Allows "Receiver" (WB) sweeps and speed options like crazy. Fluid transition to a trips formation for overloads, stand alone passing formation, stand alone option set, easy offense for offensive line (basic pass pro or 2-3 run block schemes and let the pitch man determine how they deal with it). Reason I say pistoled is capability to have the WB motion in front of the QB can be a big deal to the DC if the other team is creative in snap counts and play variety.

A 2 step shift dramatically changes the look the defense has to adjust to with no real change in offensive scheme.

Theres so much fluidity and options in that offense that its virtually plug and play. Just play call adjust as needed based off of player type. No viable passer? Option like a mofo. Passer but not a scrambler? Misdirection and spread them. Both? Enjoy your win.

[Austin109]

Im also a fan of a shotgun set with a TE in the slot position to maintain almost a traditional set up while giving a big physical receiver over the middle. Force the safeties to cover big papa and let the regular receivers and RB's run wild on the edge.

Lots of variability if you are willing to dump traditional views on players like TE/FB/RB. I still think the coolest thing I've ever seen was Horn rotate receivers at RB in 2010 and force the defense up close to cover the RB as a pass threat.

Power spreads can be a VERY dangerous offense to defend since most defenses have adjusted for a standard spread. Its a whole new ball game when a 155lb DB is trying to tackle a 240lb TE/FB.

[The King]

When people start debating which schemes are best, you'll see the topic answered in many different ways from many different points of view. Inevitably, the arguments finish with talent. It is said the best offense is one that ultimately best suits the available talent.

While true (duh), I find that way of looking at things rather boring.

I'm a system guy, so that's the way I tend to look at this particular debate. Basically, I think the best offenses are ones that afford the most solutions to any problems presented by a defense.

Flexibility is paramount. The system must be mechanically flexible in how it operates, and it must also be flexible in how it adapts to personnel changes.

In this view of tactics, the following systems most completely encompass the above requirements:

Flexbone
Multiple I
Multiple Pistol

Multiple Shotgun*

I hesitate to list Shotgun because of how dependent it can be on dynamic talent at the QB and RB positions. The running game can be extremely limited in every facet depending on personnel and approach. Are you Oregon or Hawaii? The term shotgun is too generic now.

I totally Agree with the system thing, I think running the I in combination with the flexbone can present some problems especially if you start doing things like lining up in one and going in motion to the other.