macaroni Posted August 31, 2012 Share Posted August 31, 2012 With all this talk about wildcat this and wild cat that I've come to realize that I really don't know the definition of "the wildcat". I had always assumed (I know I know) that the wildcat hiked the ball directly to the runningback who then ran basically an option play to either run with it or pass it ... the beauty of the play was in the initial "confusion" of the defense, and the later indecision of weather the guy with the ball was going to run or pass. Now last year in Denver we had Tebow just a QB scrambling around, but everybody called it the wildcat, instead of a bad QB running around trying to make something happen ... now we have Tebow in N.Y. and everybody talking about their super double secret wildcat that they are going to unleash on the poor NFL. To bring the question closer to home, we have Brad Smith who we bill as a "wildcat QB" (which to my way of thinking is an oxymoron). We only use him in third and 1 or 2 yards, and in my memory (I'm old so maybe my memory is lacking) he has never even hinted at a possible pass. My question is; Is there something fundamentally wrong with my understanding of the wildcat ... is there something I'm missing in the translation? This isn't a thread on the value or lack of value of the wildcat (or the people who run it) I'm just trying to understand what makes a wildcat a wildcat and not just another scrambling QB. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CBD Posted August 31, 2012 Share Posted August 31, 2012 Tebow wasn't running the wildcat last year, he likely will be this year. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
macaroni Posted August 31, 2012 Author Share Posted August 31, 2012 Tebow wasn't running the wildcat last year, he likely will be this year. I quess my question would boil down to ... how can I recognize the difference? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cody Posted August 31, 2012 Share Posted August 31, 2012 (edited) http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KR76aoKghM8 Our current QB coach David Lee explaining the "wildcat" Edited August 31, 2012 by cody Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NoSaint Posted August 31, 2012 Share Posted August 31, 2012 Google "spread option" Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GoBills! Posted August 31, 2012 Share Posted August 31, 2012 so you are saying we need McFadden...I thik we can send Brad smith plus johny white and get this done...lol Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JÂy RÛßeÒ Posted August 31, 2012 Share Posted August 31, 2012 One of the plusses of running out of the "wildcat" is that you don't have a QB (who is basically useless after handing off) on the field. So in essence you have an extra blocker. I always have felt that you have to at least show a willingness to throw out of that formation so that teams don't just put 8 or 9 in the box. If you telegraph run by never throwing from that formation, you really aren't gaining much because that extra blocker has to deal with an extra DB who doesn't have to worry about the pass. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Maybe Someday Posted August 31, 2012 Share Posted August 31, 2012 http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wildcat_formation Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ramius Posted August 31, 2012 Share Posted August 31, 2012 Google "spread option" The spread option is completely different than the wildcat Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NoSaint Posted August 31, 2012 Share Posted August 31, 2012 The spread option is completely different than the wildcat I know, and he wants to know the difference between Denver and the wildcat. Plus, it's not that radically different. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
djp14150 Posted August 31, 2012 Share Posted August 31, 2012 The idea with the wildcat is it opens up the door for confusion if you have a WR or RB who can throw the ball which then makes the lateral/option play more dangerous. Gailey was the OC for Pittsburgh when they had "Slash" . He was a decent receiver/returner who could also run reverses and then option throw on them. The other piece of this is in the short yardage or goalline plays when you have a mobile QB who can run ithe ball himself or hand it off. There is even more confusuion if you have two player who can do this. Imagine this..... 2nd and goal from the 3 Fitz is out...Smith is in at QB...he could line up in a traditional QB role where he can throw/run/hand it off to Jackson. Lets spin this---the defense is focusing on the QB so a direct snap to the RB will confuse the defense because their instincts are to follow the qb not the ball Another wrinkle......you have smith line up in the slot and have Jackson be the only player in the backfield where he is calling the snap. The idea is you get mismatches, defensive confusion missed assignments (player is assigned to follow the QB and RB wherever they go--but which one is the QB which one is the RB). Just like with other gadget plays ---it forces a defense to play honest and not try to cheat on plays or say they will just play 8 or 9 in the box....if they then get beat they know they cant do 8/9 box again. Later when they see the same formation they are guessing the same play so they have to play for that....thus it opens up other areas of the field. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Offside Number 76 Posted August 31, 2012 Share Posted August 31, 2012 "The only reason to run the wildcat is if your offense isn't working." --Joe Namath Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
1B4IDie Posted August 31, 2012 Share Posted August 31, 2012 The "Wildcat" is more sports Hype than reality. We ran a handful of "Wildcat" plays last year. I only remember 1 "Wildcat" play this pre-season. I tend to agree with Broadway Joe on this one. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
macaroni Posted August 31, 2012 Author Share Posted August 31, 2012 The other piece of this is in the short yardage or goalline plays when you have a mobile QB who can run ithe ball himself or hand it off. There is even more confusuion if you have two player who can do this. Imagine this..... 2nd and goal from the 3 Fitz is out...Smith is in at QB...he could line up in a traditional QB role where he can throw/run/hand it off to Jackson. Lets spin this---the defense is focusing on the QB so a direct snap to the RB will confuse the defense because their instincts are to follow the qb not the ball Another wrinkle......you have smith line up in the slot and have Jackson be the only player in the backfield where he is calling the snap. The idea is you get mismatches, defensive confusion missed assignments (player is assigned to follow the QB and RB wherever they go--but which one is the QB which one is the RB). Just like with other gadget plays ---it forces a defense to play honest and not try to cheat on plays or say they will just play 8 or 9 in the box....if they then get beat they know they cant do 8/9 box again. Later when they see the same formation they are guessing the same play so they have to play for that....thus it opens up other areas of the field. In that same second and goal .... leave Fitz in, he can throw a heck of a lot better than Smith, Smith can run better than Fitz (but Fitz can certianly run a little bit), and they both can hand off the ball equally well to Jackson. The big plus to my scenario is we haven't "tipped our hand" telling the defense it's better than a 50/50 chance we are running the ball. In the case of a direct snap to Jackson it really doesn't matter who the QB is .... but I guess we could argue who is the best blocker between Smith and Fitz (If this were the case and we were tipping our hand anyway, I'd pull Fitz and sub in McIntyre). As far as splitting Smith out into the slot ..... I'd just as soon have Nelson there. Maybe I'm old school (or maybe just old) I just don't see the tactacal advantage. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NoSaint Posted August 31, 2012 Share Posted August 31, 2012 (edited) In that same second and goal .... leave Fitz in, he can throw a heck of a lot better than Smith, Smith can run better than Fitz (but Fitz can certianly run a little bit), and they both can hand off the ball equally well to Jackson. The big plus to my scenario is we haven't "tipped our hand" telling the defense it's better than a 50/50 chance we are running the ball. In the case of a direct snap to Jackson it really doesn't matter who the QB is .... but I guess we could argue who is the best blocker between Smith and Fitz (If this were the case and we were tipping our hand anyway, I'd pull Fitz and sub in McIntyre). As far as splitting Smith out into the slot ..... I'd just as soon have Nelson there. Maybe I'm old school (or maybe just old) I just don't see the tactacal advantage. not running your qb prevents him getting injured, which is pretty nice. also, i think you pretty well discounted the jump up in running ability between fitz and a back or WR. Edited August 31, 2012 by NoSaint Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
shoretalk Posted August 31, 2012 Share Posted August 31, 2012 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KR76aoKghM8 Our current QB coach David Lee explaining the "wildcat" Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
1B4IDie Posted August 31, 2012 Share Posted August 31, 2012 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KR76aoKghM8 Our current QB coach David Lee explaining the "wildcat" Its also nice when you have Darren Macfadden, Peyton Hillis, and Felix Jones, and Tashard Choice in your backfield. Wilcat looks real good then Well I guess we have Fred Jackson, CJ Spiller and Tashard Choice . . . Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AxelRipper Posted August 31, 2012 Share Posted August 31, 2012 Its a shame none of them have passed to the split out QB yet as far as I know (see:Jim Kelly) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
macaroni Posted August 31, 2012 Author Share Posted August 31, 2012 Finally left work and was able to watch the video .... I think I now have a better feel for what the wildcat is. My assumption was always that the "trickery" came from the QBs ability to either run or pass. The way I see it now is that the "trickery" is in the versatility of the running options out of the formation (with the possibility of a pass thrown in). I knew you guys and gals could teach an old dog new tricks!!!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Just in Atlanta Posted August 31, 2012 Share Posted August 31, 2012 The Wildcat name is a misnomer. You're right, it is a direct snap to the running back. What we're seeing here is a run-heavy option. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Offside Number 76 Posted September 1, 2012 Share Posted September 1, 2012 In that same second and goal .... leave Fitz in, he can throw a heck of a lot better than Smith, Smith can run better than Fitz (but Fitz can certianly run a little bit), and they both can hand off the ball equally well to Jackson. The big plus to my scenario is we haven't "tipped our hand" telling the defense it's better than a 50/50 chance we are running the ball. In the case of a direct snap to Jackson it really doesn't matter who the QB is .... but I guess we could argue who is the best blocker between Smith and Fitz (If this were the case and we were tipping our hand anyway, I'd pull Fitz and sub in McIntyre). As far as splitting Smith out into the slot ..... I'd just as soon have Nelson there. Maybe I'm old school (or maybe just old) I just don't see the tactacal advantage. Why not just have Jackson next to the QB? Jackson can receive the direct snap, if it's a sneaky run, and, frankly, can pass almost as well as Smith, if it's a pass out of the wildcat, which the Bills have done exactly once in the last 50 years. Come on. Is it really worth it to practice this nonsense? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hondo in seattle Posted September 1, 2012 Share Posted September 1, 2012 One of the plusses of running out of the "wildcat" is that you don't have a QB (who is basically useless after handing off) on the field. So in essence you have an extra blocker. I always have felt that you have to at least show a willingness to throw out of that formation so that teams don't just put 8 or 9 in the box. If you telegraph run by never throwing from that formation, you really aren't gaining much because that extra blocker has to deal with an extra DB who doesn't have to worry about the pass. +1 Good commentary Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pirate Angel Posted September 1, 2012 Share Posted September 1, 2012 Its also nice when you have Darren Macfadden, Peyton Hillis, and Felix Jones, and Tashard Choice in your backfield. Wilcat looks real good then Well I guess we have Fred Jackson, CJ Spiller and Tashard Choice . . . Its even nicer when youre playing college defenses Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
benderbender Posted September 1, 2012 Share Posted September 1, 2012 The spread option is completely different than the wildcat Like how there both offensive strategies? And how they both operate in the shotgun? Completely different? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chris heff Posted September 1, 2012 Share Posted September 1, 2012 The Wildcat name is a misnomer. You're right, it is a direct snap to the running back. What we're seeing here is a run-heavy option. You're right it is a misnomer it is a variation of the single wing. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BillsBiker Posted September 1, 2012 Share Posted September 1, 2012 With all this talk about wildcat this and wild cat that I've come to realize that I really don't know the definition of "the wildcat". I had always assumed (I know I know) that the wildcat hiked the ball directly to the runningback who then ran basically an option play to either run with it or pass it ... the beauty of the play was in the initial "confusion" of the defense, and the later indecision of weather the guy with the ball was going to run or pass. Now last year in Denver we had Tebow just a QB scrambling around, but everybody called it the wildcat, instead of a bad QB running around trying to make something happen ... now we have Tebow in N.Y. and everybody talking about their super double secret wildcat that they are going to unleash on the poor NFL. To bring the question closer to home, we have Brad Smith who we bill as a "wildcat QB" (which to my way of thinking is an oxymoron). We only use him in third and 1 or 2 yards, and in my memory (I'm old so maybe my memory is lacking) he has never even hinted at a possible pass. My question is; Is there something fundamentally wrong with my understanding of the wildcat ... is there something I'm missing in the translation? This isn't a thread on the value or lack of value of the wildcat (or the people who run it) I'm just trying to understand what makes a wildcat a wildcat and not just another scrambling QB. Simple explination.. people dont know what they are talking about... they just hear words and plug them in wrong. Wildcat: when ball is hiked to reciever or RB directly What Tebow did in Denver, Florida: Spread option offence: Where QB can run or pass off. Duces! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Clippers of Nfl Posted September 1, 2012 Share Posted September 1, 2012 When Miami perfected the wildcat offense, it was a real threat. They would pass too. Not only hand off or direct snap. That's where the real threat comes in. If defenses know you will run all the time, they can defend that. I like it if it is used correctly. Running 100% of the time out of that formation is predictable. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NoSaint Posted September 1, 2012 Share Posted September 1, 2012 Simple explination.. people dont know what they are talking about... they just hear words and plug them in wrong. Wildcat: when ball is hiked to reciever or RB directly What Tebow did in Denver, Florida: Spread option offence: Where QB can run or pass off. Duces! And if the back can pass effectively they get even more overlap. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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