Shotgun formation: Difference between revisions
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[[Image:GBNYShotgun.jpg|thumb|right|330px|The [[Green Bay Packers]] (left) in the shotgun in a game against the [[New York Giants]] in [[2007 NFL season|2007]]]] |
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The '''shotgun formation''' is a [[Formation (American football)|formation]] used by the [[offensive team]] in [[American football|American]] and [[Canadian football]]. This formation is used mainly for passing plays, although some teams use it as their base formation. In the shotgun, instead of the [[quarterback]] receiving the [[Snap (football)|snap]] from [[center (American football)|center]] at the [[line of scrimmage]], he stands farther behind the line of scrimmage, often five to seven yards back. Sometimes the quarterback will have a back on one or both sides before the snap, while other times he will be the lone player in the backfield with everyone spread out as receivers. |
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The shotgun formation can offer certain advantages but also has weaknesses. The passer has more time to set up in the [[passing pocket|pocket]] which gives him a second or two to locate open receivers. Standing farther back from the line before the snap gives the quarterback a better "look" at the defensive alignment. A disadvantage is that the defense knows a pass is more than likely coming up (although some running plays can be run effectively from the shotgun) and there is a higher risk of a botched snap than in a simple center/quarterback exchange. |
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Combining elements of the short [[Punt (football)|punt]] and spread formations ("spread" in that it had receivers spread widely instead of close to or behind the interior line players), it was said to be like a "shotgun" in spraying receivers around the field. (The alignment of the players also suggests the shape of an actual shotgun). Formations similar or identical to the shotgun used decades previously would be called names such as "spread double wing". Short punt formations (so called because the distance between the snapper and the ostensible punter is shorter than in long punt formation) do not usually have as much emphasis on wide receivers. |
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[[Image:Shotgun Formation.PNG|thumb|350px|right|A typical Shotgun formation—many variables can be implemented, but this is the basic setup many teams use]] |
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==History== |
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The formation was named by the man who actually devised it, [[San Francisco 49ers]] coach [[Red Hickey]], in 1960. [[John Brodie]] was the first NFL shotgun quarterback, beating out former starter [[Y. A. Tittle]] largely because he was mobile enough to effectively run the formation. |
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The shotgun was used by the [[New York Jets]] as they employed the formation during the latter part of the [[Joe Namath]] era, as documented in the 1971 [[Sporting News]] article "Joe and the Booyah Tribe", to give the bad-kneed, and often immobile quarterback more time to set up plays by placing him deeper in the backfield. |
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Starting with the 1975 season, the [[Dallas Cowboys]] used the shotgun frequently with [[Roger Staubach]] at quarterback. No other NFL teams used this formation during this time and it is assumed this formation was devised by [[Tom Landry]]; it became a "signature" formation for the Cowboys, especially during third down situations. Landry re-introduced the shotgun to give Staubach more time to pass as the Cowboys had a relatively young and inexperienced team that year - 12 rookies were on that 1975 team. |
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The Cowboy shotgun differed from the 49er shotgun as Staubach generally had a back next to him in the backfield (making runs possible) where Brodie was normally alone in the backfield. The shotgun was seldom used by teams during the 1980s, but became part of almost every team's offense in the pass-happy 1990s. |
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==Recent use== |
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In recent years, fewer and fewer teams use the shotgun since the two-deep (or [[Tampa 2]]) zones allow effective defense against offenses that don't or can't run the ball. Most NFL teams only use the shotgun on obvious passing downs or when they are behind and need to pass almost every down to catch up. Many college quarterbacks, such as [[Vince Young]] (now with the Tennessee Titans) who almost exclusively used the shotgun at [[Texas Longhorns football|Texas]], have difficulty adapting to NFL offenses where most snaps are taken under center. |
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The shotgun formation is often run during 2nd-and-long or 3rd-and-long situations to give the quarterback enough time before the receivers run deep routes. However, [[Peyton Manning]] of the [[Indianapolis Colts]] often [[Quarterback#Special_tactics|audibles]] to plays that use this formation to take advantage of the fast receivers like [[Marvin Harrison]] and [[Reggie Wayne]] to gain handsome yardage in a single play. In 2007, the [[New England Patriots]] used the shotgun with great effectiveness as a base formation for one of the most potent offenses in the history of the NFL; in fact, they were the first team in NFL history to use it for the majority of their offensive plays.<ref>[http://www.boston.com/sports/football/articles/2008/08/24/players_must_pull_together/?page=full Players must pull together] Boston.com Football Notes </ref> |
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[[Image:ShotgunFormationAFAvCSU.jpg|thumb|right|330px|Side view of the shotgun formation]] |
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Though the shotgun is a pass-dominated formation, a cleverly designed halfback [[draw play]] can put defenses off-guard and a fast halfback can get good yardage until the defense recovers from their mistake. A further development of the play is a [[halfback option pass]], with the [[quarterback]] being one of the eligible receivers. [[Roger Staubach]]'s backup and successor, [[Danny White]], once caught such a pass for a touchdown. It was noted at the time that he was only eligible because of the shotgun formation (an NFL quarterback who takes a snap from underneath the center was and still is an ineligible receiver, a rule not found in any amateur level of American football). |
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==Related formations== |
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The [[Nevada Wolf Pack football|Nevada Wolf Pack]] currently employs a formation called the "pistol," in which the running back, instead of lining up next to the quarterback, lines up behind the quarterback, who in turn has lined up two to three yards behind the center. |
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Coach [[Urban Meyer]] has added elements of the [[option offense]] to the shotgun offense he employed as coach at [[Bowling Green Falcons football|Bowling Green State University]], the [[Utah Utes football|University of Utah]], and [[Florida Gators football|University of Florida]]. This "[[Spread offensive|spread option]]" offense is also used by the [[Michigan Wolverines football|Michigan Wolverines]], [[Missouri Tigers football|Missouri Tigers]], [[Texas Longhorns football|Texas Longhorns]], [[Ohio State Buckeyes football|Ohio State Buckeyes]] and other college teams with quarterbacks who can run as well as throw effectively. |
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==Use in Canadian football== |
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At times the formation has been more common in [[Canadian football]], which allows only three downs to move ten yards downfield instead of the American game's four. Canadian teams are therefore more likely to find themselves with long yardage to make on the penultimate down, and therefore more likely to line up in the shotgun to increase their opportunities for a large gain. Teams such as the [[Saskatchewan Roughriders]] use the shotgun for a vast majority of their plays. |
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==See also== |
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*[[American football strategy|Football strategy]] |
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*[[Spread offense]] |
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==References== |
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{{Reflist}} |
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{{Refimprove|date=July 2009}} |
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[[Category:American football formations]] |
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[[Category:Canadian football terminology]] |
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[[de:Shotgun (American Football)]] |
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[[es:Formación shotgun]] |
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[[fr:Shotgun (formation)]] |
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Revision as of 22:09, 25 February 2010
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