Why/when was it decided that lining up in shotgun formation almost permanently is a better solution than under center?

#1
Brave Volunteer

Brave Volunteer

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#1
Just curious, how did we get here with the almost unversal offensive philosophy now that it's better to be in shotgun the whole time? And it seems to be this way now at EVERY level of football, from middle school to pro. What is the advantage?
 
#4
#4
SayUWantAreVOLution said:
Faster edge rushers now and more time for reads. Dropping back takes time away from how fast they have to get rid of it these days.
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Noted. But the concession is on handoffs, your RB has to carry the ball from a still position instead of having any forward momentum when the QB hands the ball off.
 
#8
#8
Roger Staubach planted the seed for it in the mid 70s. Been growing ever since.
 
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#9
#9
It's a couple of things:

* The QB being able to see the pass rush and go through his progressions faster. With all the exotic blitz and coverage packages, an extra split second can make a huge difference.

* RPO's. Keeping the defense guessing until the last second whether it's a handoff, QB run, or a pass. There's so much more versatility out of the gun, and a mobile QB is far more dangerous.

I will say that seeing teams consistently in the gun on 3rd or 4th and less than a yard is infuriating. By the time a slow developing run play gets going, the defense is already in the backfield.

It's the same way I feel about screen plays and bubble screens in the red zone. With the field that compressed, the spacing necessary on those plays is very limited and the defense is coming downhill. Just absurd, yet you constantly see it.
 
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#10
#10
sami said:
It's a couple of things:

* The QB being able to see the pass rush and go through his progressions faster. With all the exotic blitz and coverage packages, an extra split second can make a huge difference.

* RPO's. Keeping the defense guessing until the last second whether it's a handoff, QB run, or a pass. There's so much more versatility out of the gun, and a mobile QB is far more dangerous.

I will say that seeing teams consistently in the gun on 3rd or 4th and less than a yard is infuriating. By the time a slow developing run play gets going, the defense is already in the backfield.

It's the same way I feel about screen plays and bubble screens in the red zone. With the field that compressed, the spacing necessary on those plays is very limited and the defense is coming downhill. Just absurd, yet you constantly see it.
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100% 4th and 1 and you hand the ball off 5 yards behind the line of scrimmage! SMDH.
 
#11
#11
ZZ13 said:
Roger Staubach planted the seed for it in the mid 70s. Been growing ever since.
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I was a big cowboys fan back then when I was a kid. They were the only ones running it then that I recall. Saw Stauback steal several games with it in that 2 minute offense they would run
 
#12
#12
Delmar said:
I’ll never understand it when it’s 4th and 1 on the 1 yard line and they line up in the shotgun.
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It is because Centers and QBs don't know how to do it under center anymore. The changes are at the Junior High and High School level so no one runs it under the center anymore. This makes me ponder that if you brought back a team that did go under center, whether it would change the game.
 
#14
#14
It's always been a copycat sport. Everybody runs whatever is in-style at that moment. Everything runs it's course, however.

An offensive series of plays that I think would still work today, that frequently put the QB under center (but not always), involved the stretch plays that the Colts ran with Manning from about 2003 until 2009. It was at it's best when they had Edggerin James. That play made for some lethal play action passes, but was less effective in the red zone. The Colts ran the Chiefs off the field with it in the 2003 playoffs in KC.





^^^^ This would still work. ^^^^

.... but football coaches are afraid to be different and stand out from the herd. Every team has to look the same.
 
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#15
#15
volbound1700 said:
It is because Centers and QBs don't know how to do it under center anymore. The changes are at the Junior High and High School level so no one runs it under the center anymore. This makes me ponder that if you brought back a team that did go under center, whether it would change the game.
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Teams occasionally run Wildcat plays which is General Neyland style ball and I saw a Wishbone play a few years ago that took me back.

Under center screams "pound the rock" and "3 yards and a cloud of dust" which is hard to win with these days. I don't think being under center would worry anyone.
 
#16
#16
Idk, but there's nothing I hate more than 4th and inches, and they line up in freaking shotgun. Especially on the goal line, someone should be fired for that one 😆
 
#18
#18
Creekcat said:
Explain to me, "they're lined up in the pistol". Looks exactly the same as shotgun.
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Typically (not always), the qb isn’t as far back as the shotgun. Biggest difference is where the RB lines up, which in pistol is directly behind the qb. In shotgun, the RB would line up on either side of the qb.
 
#19
#19
Brave Volunteer said:
Just curious, how did we get here with the almost unversal offensive philosophy now that it's better to be in shotgun the whole time? And it seems to be this way now at EVERY level of football, from middle school to pro. What is the advantage?
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It greatly reduces negative plays from a lineman stepping on the QB's foot.

It also creates more room for RPO play misdirection.
 
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