Are we West Coast Offense?

[sutz]

Thinking about it more, this is a lot like Al Davis and Oakland, stretch offense, we don't throw the bombs as much as Lamonica did but more like a Stabler ran Oakland offense with a tough run game possession with Christenson and then shots down field with Branch and a possession receiver with Biletnikoff.

Except our possession guys are Kearse and Baldwin and stretch guys Lockett right now. Graham to be added to the mix and Richardson to add to the speed factor.

Backs were Mark van Eeghen, Marv Hubbard, Pete Banazak, Clarence Davis These are the years that they were the tough Raiders with a nasty defense, all these backs except Davis were Power backs.

This is why I think we resemble this type of offense, not completely, but in control and then the explosive play with both defense the running game and the stretch play for the home run.

I always thought that was a good comparison, even though I've always hated the Raiders. :laugh: I have to admit, they won a lot of games, and for a lot of the same reasons our guys do.....they never quit.

We are a bit of a throwback offense.

 

[sutz]

One thing not mentioned specifically, but apropos, is how in a true WCO the entire passing game is based on the QB's footwork. All the timing is started with the QB's drop, determining which routes would work with 3-step, 5-step, and 7-step drops. The WRs are trained to make their cuts in rhythm with the QB's dropback, and the timing and routes have to be precise.

We use that in our quick passes, but it's not at the heart of what we do.

All teams use basically the same route trees, it's how they are mixed in with each other and what nomenclature any given team uses. I believe there are nine basic routes that can be run by any given receiver. Add in variations on how many receivers you have, where they are placed, what motion you might use and you have a near infinite variety of "pass plays" you can call. Then, of course you add in the QB's progression of where he looks first, second, third, etc and it gets pretty complex.

 

[IndyHawk]

If I was going to identify our offense, I think it would be identified as a Spread Option Air Coryell offense. We use a lot of spread option formations and the zone blocking schemes for the run game, but a lot of the philosophy behind our passing game is based off the Air Coryell offensive philosophy. An Air Coryell offense runs a lot of the downfield vertical routes, post routes and seam routes by the WRs and TEs with a receiving back that can leak out as an outlet. Air Coryell is also the offense that Walsh morphed into the WCO, so some of the terminology is the same, but they use entirely different philosophies and schemes in the passing game.

While we certainly have elements of Air Coryell, I'd put what Pete runs closer to what Shanahan ran in Denver, because of ZBS and emphasis on run-first. Heck, Pete even brought in Alex Gibbs during our first season...wish he would have stayed.

Thinking about it more, this is a lot like Al Davis and Oakland, stretch offense, we don't throw the bombs as much as Lamonica did but more like a Stabler ran Oakland offense with a tough run game possession with Christenson and then shots down field with Branch and a possession receiver with Biletnikoff.

Except our possession guys are Kearse and Baldwin and stretch guys Lockett right now. Graham to be added to the mix and Richardson to add to the speed factor.

Backs were Mark van Eeghen, Marv Hubbard, Pete Banazak, Clarence Davis These are the years that they were the tough Raiders with a nasty defense, all these backs except Davis were Power backs.

This is why I think we resemble this type of offense, not completely, but in control and then the explosive play with both defense the running game and the stretch play for the home run.

You must have watched the Raiders quite a bit like a few of us before we got the Hawks.To the post,I think we was a use the run to open pass but it is changing with the spread and I can't argue with the results.

 

[mikeak]

When clicking, it is virtually unstoppable, but most defenses know how to counter it in the modern era.

This confuses me. Seems like it contradicts itself

 

[Basis4day]

When clicking, it is virtually unstoppable, but most defenses know how to counter it in the modern era.

This confuses me. Seems like it contradicts itself

Just throw in some past tense.