Every Team Should Use No Huddle

[jwhit34]

With the ability to talk to the QB until 15 seconds are left on the play clock, every team should go no-huddle. This seems like such a big advantage for the offense particularly diagnosing defenses and controlling their ability to substitute on top of dictating tempo. 

 

What are the downsides that I'm missing? 

[SCBills]

We run one personnel grouping for the majority of the game.  

 

For us, it works.  3 WR, 1 TE and 1 RB.  

 

Not every team wants to do that.  If you want to substitute frequently, you can't run up-tempo.

 

 

Edited November 25, 2019 by SCBills

[blacklabel]

39 minutes ago, jwhit34 said:

With the ability to talk to the QB until 15 seconds are left on the play clock, every team should go no-huddle. This seems like such a big advantage for the offense particularly diagnosing defenses and controlling their ability to substitute on top of dictating tempo. 

 

What are the downsides that I'm missing? 

 

In those 15 seconds where the QB/offensive coordinator communication cuts out, defenses can simply change their alignment and give the QB a different look. 

 

Going no huddle can lead to real short offensive possessions if you don't execute and go 3-and-out a lot. This puts your defense back on the field quicker than they'd like. Teams that rely primarily on a hurry-up offense usually don't win the time of possession battle. It asks a lot of your defense. 

 

Relying on the offensive coordinator to help the QB diagnose a defensive look is a detriment to a young QB who's still learning. Ideally, you want your QB to be able to come up to the line and assess what he sees without his OC helping him along, because in most scenarios, the QB isn't going to have the OC in his ear helping him out pre-snap. 

 

It's also unknown just how much info an OC might be providing to a QB in those situations. As an OC, you don't wanna be in your QB's ear as he's surveying the field, trying to determine what the defense is going to do while also making sure all of his guys are in their proper positions, calling for motion if it's part of the play, checking to a different play, etc. etc. There's already enough for a QB to think about and deal with when they line up for a play, having an OC chirping in your ear that he thinks one of the two high safeties is gonna drop into the box as soon as the ball is snapped might be helpful but it's just another thing the QB has to mentally process. 

 

I think the emphasis for Daboll and the offense has been to keep things simple. They run the Erhardt-Perkins system which generally uses a single word to identify a play, which makes it easier for them to call two plays in the huddle (one run, one pass) and allow the QB to either stick with the call or check out of it based on what the defense shows him. I can kinda use a music analogy here. As a guitar player, it's fun and interesting to use all sorts of gadgets and effects pedals, but the more you add to your rig, the more opportunity there is for something to go wrong. I think that's the focus of the Bills offense, especially these last couple of weeks. For most of the season they've been trying really hard to run a bunch of different formations with a bunch of different personnel, which can get hectic with all the subbing in and out that type of game plan calls for. Recently, it seems they're still showing a bunch of different formations but they're mostly keeping the same personnel in there. They scaled back on the constant subs and simplified things a bit and it's been working. It also helps that they've seemed to really find their core plays that they execute well. As they keep saying, they feel like they've found their identity. 

 

So yeah, it can be helpful to go up-tempo and allow your QB some extra time to see how the defense is lining up, but it's something to use in moderation, I believe. 

Edited November 25, 2019 by blacklabel

[PaattMaann]

1 minute ago, blacklabel said:

 

In those 15 seconds where the QB/offensive coordinator communication cuts out, defenses can simply change their alignment and give the QB a different look. 

 

Going no huddle can lead to real short offensive possessions if you don't execute and go 3-and-out a lot. This puts your defense back on the field quicker than they'd like. Teams that rely primarily on a hurry-up offense usually don't win the time of possession battle. It asks a lot of your defense. 

 

Relying on the offensive coordinator to help the QB diagnose a defensive look is a detriment to a young QB who's still learning. Ideally, you want your QB to be able to come up to the line and assess what he sees without his OC helping him along, because in most scenarios, the QB isn't going to have the OC in his ear helping him out pre-snap. 

 

It's also unknown just how much info an OC might be providing to a QB in those situations. As an OC, you don't wanna be in your QB's ear as he's surveying the field, trying to determine what the defense is going to do while also making sure all of his guys are in their proper positions, calling for motion if it's part of the play, checking to a different play, etc. etc. There's already enough for a QB to think about and deal with when they line up for a play, having an OC chirping in your ear that he thinks one of the two high safeties is gonna drop into the box as soon as the ball is snapped might be helpful but it's just another thing the QB has to mentally process. 

 

I think the emphasis for Daboll and the offense has been to keep things simple. They run the Erhardt-Perkins system which generally uses a single word to identify a play, which makes it easier for them to call two plays in the huddle (one run, one pass) and allow the QB to either stick with the call or check out of it based on what the defense shows him. I can kinda use a music analogy here. As a guitar player, it's fun and interesting to use all sorts of gadgets and effects pedals, but the more you add to your rig, the more opportunity there is for something to go wrong. I think that's the focus of the Bills offense, especially these last couple of weeks. For most of the season they've been trying really hard to run a bunch of different formations with a bunch of different personnel, which can get hectic with all the subbing in and out that type of game plan calls for. Recently, it seems they're still showing a bunch of different formations but they're mostly keeping the same personnel in there. 

 

So yeah, it can be helpful to go up-tempo and allow your QB some extra time to see how the defense is lining up, but it's something to use in moderation, I believe. 

 

Good post. A comment about the bold though, hurry up and no huddle arent necessarily the same. 

 

We have done a good job running a no huddle, but still taking close to the full allotted play clock, so it wouldnt HAVE to give quicker change of possessions. 

[JMF2006]

The defence has the same communication ability.

[row_33]

27 minutes ago, jwhit34 said:

With the ability to talk to the QB until 15 seconds are left on the play clock, every team should go no-huddle. This seems like such a big advantage for the offense particularly diagnosing defenses and controlling their ability to substitute on top of dictating tempo. 

 

What are the downsides that I'm missing? 

 

none, all elite QBs get up to the line and read it and make adjustments with plenty of time on the clock.

 

it's a matter of being advanced enough to have a game plan and situational prep, that is lacking in 2/3 of the teams

 

 

[blacklabel]

14 minutes ago, PaattMaann said:

 

Good post. A comment about the bold though, hurry up and no huddle arent necessarily the same. 

 

We have done a good job running a no huddle, but still taking close to the full allotted play clock, so it wouldnt HAVE to give quicker change of possessions. 

 

Yes, right you are on hurry-up and no huddle. They're going no huddle right now and it's giving Josh some extra time to diagnose the defense. 

[row_33]

1 minute ago, blacklabel said:

 

Yes, right you are on hurry-up and no huddle. They're going no huddle right now and it's giving Josh some extra time to diagnose the defense. 

 

he's gonna need it the next two weeks

[Royale with Cheese]

52 minutes ago, jwhit34 said:

With the ability to talk to the QB until 15 seconds are left on the play clock, every team should go no-huddle. This seems like such a big advantage for the offense particularly diagnosing defenses and controlling their ability to substitute on top of dictating tempo. 

 

What are the downsides that I'm missing? 

 

Because if you don't convert first downs...you leave your defense exhausted.  

[Over 29 years of fanhood]

59 minutes ago, jwhit34 said:

With the ability to talk to the QB until 15 seconds are left on the play clock, every team should go no-huddle. This seems like such a big advantage for the offense particularly diagnosing defenses and controlling their ability to substitute on top of dictating tempo. 

 

What are the downsides that I'm missing? 

 

Only sure Downside I see is communication is harder and less secretive and over time simplification may expose tendencies that lead to some level of predictability.

 

also im not sure what the linemen think about being in a stance for so long... 

 

 

Edited November 25, 2019 by Over 29 years of fanhood

[hjnick]

2 hours ago, jwhit34 said:

With the ability to talk to the QB until 15 seconds are left on the play clock, every team should go no-huddle. This seems like such a big advantage for the offense particularly diagnosing defenses and controlling their ability to substitute on top of dictating tempo. 

 

What are the downsides that I'm missing? 

IF you think your best 11 players (whichever offensive set) is better than the 11 they would put up against that set AND your offensive team can communicate efficiently w/o huddling, then YES, having an offense that gets back up to the line and keeps that defense on the field can be a big tactical advantage. 

 

You have to be able to snap the ball if they are trying to substitute.  Then you can start communicating the play to everyone, then after 15 secs ppl move to create the look you want, then execute.  This way it makes it harder for the defense to be optimal for the situation at hand. 

[US Egg]

All I know is Josh Allen is fun to watch.....so far.

[nucci]

and go back to letting the QB call plays

[Formerly Allan in MD]

That's all the Redskins need to do.  Haskins is a rookie quarterback who still hasn't learned the playbook.  Can you imagine?

[row_33]

2 hours ago, Royale with Cheese said:

 

Because if you don't convert first downs...you leave your defense exhausted.  

 

the Bills tried a hurry-up O a few years ago and put the D back on the field in 4 minutes real time for many consecutive series.... 
 

 

[CLTbills]

3 hours ago, blacklabel said:

 

In those 15 seconds where the QB/offensive coordinator communication cuts out, defenses can simply change their alignment and give the QB a different look. 

 

 

The point is, you snap it at 15 seconds in a no-huddle, thus not allowing the defense to do this.

[blacklabel]

11 minutes ago, CLTbills said:

The point is, you snap it at 15 seconds in a no-huddle, thus not allowing the defense to do this.

 

Yurp, I get that. OP asked about the cons of the no huddle, that's one of them. Another poster pointed out how even though the Bills went no huddle, they were still using most of the play clock.