So if you're like me, you just sort of assumed that the lack of coaching changes in the offseason was an indication that there would be no major tweaks to the offense heading into 2012 ball.
Not so much.
I've already mentioned that offense coaches want to increase the tempo of the offense as a whole, and now I find out that Stiney and O'Cain are developing a pistol formation on the offense.
For those of you unfamiliar with the pistol, it was developed by Nevada head coach Chris Ault as a hybrid of the shotgun and the single back sets. The QB lines up 3-4 yards behind the center, instead of 7 yards like in the shotgun. (Get it? He's not as far back from the line, and a pistol is smaller than a shotgun. Clever.) Instead of lining up beside the QB, the single running back lines up behind the QB, like in the single back formation. The pistol is considered to be a spread offense that is easier to run out of than the shotgun, because the running back receives the handoff while running north/south, instead of east/west like in the shotgun. The handoff comes quicker out of the pistol than the shotgun too, because the ball gets into the QB's hands quicker than with a shotgun snap.
The pistol is considered a spread offense, with the base being three wideouts and a tight end. It can easily accommodate four and five wide receiver sets. In the five wide pistol, the QB is alone in the backfield and is the only running threat.
Nebraska has become a rushing juggernaut under Ault's pistol offense. Since 2007, Nevada's total offense has been ranked no worse than 11th in the nation, and they were one of the top three rushing teams in the nation from 2008-2010. Last year their rushing rank tumbled all the way down to eighth. Expect firechrisault.blogspot.com to go live any day now.
It should be noted that Nevada runs the pistol as an offense, while VT is developing it as a package. Several programs running a multiple offense have a pistol formation they use from time to time, including Alabama, LSU, and the Kansas City Chiefs. It remains to be seen if the pistol will replace one of the other more traditional formations VT uses or if it will just be added to the existing playbook, but the Hokies won't be adopting it as an every down, every distance formation. At least not to start with. I personally feel that the pistol is well suited to the types of players we have at pretty much every position, and as long as the guys can get the basics down I wouldn't be surprised to see more and more pistol creep into our games as the 2012 season wears on. We saw more and more traditional spread elements incorporated into O'Cain's playcalling as LT found his groove in 2011, and I think the pistol is going to suit his game even better.
If nothing else, we should all be excited over the pistol for one reason: it eliminates the sloooooowwwwwww handoff twelve yards behind the line of scrimmage that caused me six ulcers last season. That alone is reason to be pro-pistol.
It remains to be seen if Stiney and O'Cain are planning to use the pistol exclusively with the new hurry up no huddle offense they're developing this spring. As close to the vest as Frank likes to play his cards, my guess is we'll probably have to wait until the Techmo Bowl to find out.
Not so much.
I've already mentioned that offense coaches want to increase the tempo of the offense as a whole, and now I find out that Stiney and O'Cain are developing a pistol formation on the offense.
For those of you unfamiliar with the pistol, it was developed by Nevada head coach Chris Ault as a hybrid of the shotgun and the single back sets. The QB lines up 3-4 yards behind the center, instead of 7 yards like in the shotgun. (Get it? He's not as far back from the line, and a pistol is smaller than a shotgun. Clever.) Instead of lining up beside the QB, the single running back lines up behind the QB, like in the single back formation. The pistol is considered to be a spread offense that is easier to run out of than the shotgun, because the running back receives the handoff while running north/south, instead of east/west like in the shotgun. The handoff comes quicker out of the pistol than the shotgun too, because the ball gets into the QB's hands quicker than with a shotgun snap.
The pistol is considered a spread offense, with the base being three wideouts and a tight end. It can easily accommodate four and five wide receiver sets. In the five wide pistol, the QB is alone in the backfield and is the only running threat.
Nebraska has become a rushing juggernaut under Ault's pistol offense. Since 2007, Nevada's total offense has been ranked no worse than 11th in the nation, and they were one of the top three rushing teams in the nation from 2008-2010. Last year their rushing rank tumbled all the way down to eighth. Expect firechrisault.blogspot.com to go live any day now.
It should be noted that Nevada runs the pistol as an offense, while VT is developing it as a package. Several programs running a multiple offense have a pistol formation they use from time to time, including Alabama, LSU, and the Kansas City Chiefs. It remains to be seen if the pistol will replace one of the other more traditional formations VT uses or if it will just be added to the existing playbook, but the Hokies won't be adopting it as an every down, every distance formation. At least not to start with. I personally feel that the pistol is well suited to the types of players we have at pretty much every position, and as long as the guys can get the basics down I wouldn't be surprised to see more and more pistol creep into our games as the 2012 season wears on. We saw more and more traditional spread elements incorporated into O'Cain's playcalling as LT found his groove in 2011, and I think the pistol is going to suit his game even better.
If nothing else, we should all be excited over the pistol for one reason: it eliminates the sloooooowwwwwww handoff twelve yards behind the line of scrimmage that caused me six ulcers last season. That alone is reason to be pro-pistol.
It remains to be seen if Stiney and O'Cain are planning to use the pistol exclusively with the new hurry up no huddle offense they're developing this spring. As close to the vest as Frank likes to play his cards, my guess is we'll probably have to wait until the Techmo Bowl to find out.
