The Wildcat in 2009

[dolphinsneu]

How much will the wildcat be integrated into the offense in 2009?

What was amazing was, it continued to be effective throughout the entire season. Only one team, the Ravens, effectively shut it down. Even in the final regular season game, it should have worked for two big plays (One on the pass to Ricky and the again on the pass from Brown to Haynos).

Will any more quirks be added? How about Ted Ginn taking the snaps? This is something he did in college at Ohio State. Or maybe, even better, putting him in motion to take the reverse, the way Ricky did this year. His speed could make that even more effective. And his presence could be vital in drawing defenders away from Ronnie's running lanes.

So how do you think Miami will utilize the wildcat next year?

 

[GoonBoss]

Hardly any, if at all.

 

[Stratman Tigers]

Really, Goon? Sporano said he'd barely scratched the surface with what was possible with the Wildcat

 

[ryanENGLISH0]

i think your gonna see teams use it who draft wildcat type players. (Pat White, Derrick Williams, etc.,) But, i think there may be a strong chance that the wildcat will find its kryptonite defense

 

[GoonBoss]

Really, Goon? Sporano said he'd barely scratched the surface with what was possible with the Wildcat

Just my belief. If we do have to use the Wildcat, that tells me we're not good enough to beat thiers with ours. As far as what Sparano says, I've learned not to put too much stock in what coaches and FO people actually say until it happens.

 

[FinHopeful]

The wildcat was mandated because our weak interior line play. I am expecting better interior line play, so I think it will be used rarely.

 

[FinAtic8480]

I think we will find out more on who they draft. Pat White could go a little high, but a guy you should all remember and research on is James Casey TE Rice. Go to youtube and type his name and do the research. This kid played TE, but what scheduled to be the QB this upcoming season for rice. He lined up at TE, QB, RB, WR, and PR. He also lined up at the QB position in the singlewing several times.

Miami has worked out Casey and he is suppose to go anywhere from the late second to the early 4th.

I think Miami keeps the Wildcat Sparano said he had just scratched the surface. Guys wheather you like to admit it or no, the Wildcat is no gimmick. The Singlewing is a Formation and we continue in the NFL. This year you will see alot more of it and wait to Tebow declares.

 

[FinAtic8480]

i think your gonna see teams use it who draft wildcat type players. (Pat White, Derrick Williams, etc.,) But, i think there may be a strong chance that the wildcat will find its kryptonite defense

The WIldcat is here to stay. As teams go more and more to 3-4 defenses the Wildcat will become more effective. This year you have the Chiefs, Broncos and Packers all switching to 3-4 .

 

[Myles Fynch]

The Wildcat isn't going away, much like a two-minute offense isn't going away. But GoonBoss and FinHopeful are right, we did it because we had no push up the middle and were desperate, resorting to a little slight of hand to move the ball on the ground.

Jimmy Johnson, love him or hate him, knows what he's talking about. He made a disparaging remark about the Cardinals depending on the draw for their running game early in the season, and noted their improvement later on came when they focussed more on developing a traditional "real running game" and were successful with that.

If you can't generate a push up the middle when your opponent knows you're going to do it, then you're being whipped in the trenches. That weakness will be exposed by the better teams you face, like in the playoffs. I don't think anybody "hates" the Wildcat, but I hate the idea that we're dependent on it to be successful running the football.

 

[dlockz]

The Wildcat isn't going away, much like a two-minute offense isn't going away. But GoonBoss and FinHopeful are right, we did it because we had no push up the middle and were desperate, resorting to a little slight of hand to move the ball on the ground.

Jimmy Johnson, love him or hate him, knows what he's talking about. He made a disparaging remark about the Cardinals depending on the draw for their running game early in the season, and noted their improvement later on came when they focussed more on developing a traditional "real running game" and were successful with that.

If you can't generate a push up the middle when your opponent knows you're going to do it, then you're being whipped in the trenches. That weakness will be exposed by the better teams you face, like in the playoffs. I don't think anybody "hates" the Wildcat, but I hate the idea that we're dependent on it to be successful running the football.

To compare the wildcat to the 2 minute offense I think is way off but I respect your opinion. People can prepare to blast away. I hate the wildcat, I dont like any offense that makes your qb virtually useless. Personally if i am a d coordinator I would love to face a wildcat focused team since you dont have to play anything other than singleman coverage. I would smack the qb at the oline and play singleman. Funny how everyone hates Michael Vick but this an offense that he would run better than anyone else. We were successful with the wildcat because it was new. THe more teams run it the less effective it will be. Those are not just my words but the words of the coach that actually brought it to the forefront in college. I have no problem with a pay here and there to keep it honest but seriously people wanting to draft players just for a few plays truly make me wonder.

I also found it funny that Jerry Jones wants to draft for the wildcat yet he already has a perfect qb for that formation in Isiah Stanback(what an idiot). I truly hope more teams run this formation so it can run its course and we can actually get better as a football team.

 

[GoonBoss]

The Wildcat isn't going away, much like a two-minute offense isn't going away. But GoonBoss and FinHopeful are right, we did it because we had no push up the middle and were desperate, resorting to a little slight of hand to move the ball on the ground.

Jimmy Johnson, love him or hate him, knows what he's talking about. He made a disparaging remark about the Cardinals depending on the draw for their running game early in the season, and noted their improvement later on came when they focussed more on developing a traditional "real running game" and were successful with that.

If you can't generate a push up the middle when your opponent knows you're going to do it, then you're being whipped in the trenches. That weakness will be exposed by the better teams you face, like in the playoffs. I don't think anybody "hates" the Wildcat, but I hate the idea that we're dependent on it to be successful running the football.

Exactly right Myles.

I don't hate the Wildcat, but, I do hate that we are dependant upon it to move the ball. Is the Wildcat a trick offense or set? No. Niether was the run and shoot.

Guess what else they have in common?

None of the teams dependent upon those particular offenses/sets have won a Superbowl.

 

[clownfish]

Exactly right Myles.

I don't hate the Wildcat, but, I do hate that we are dependant upon it to move the ball. Is the Wildcat a trick offense or set? No. Niether was the run and shoot.

Guess what else they have in common?

None of the teams dependent upon those particular offenses/sets have won a Superbowl.

Guess what else. The Pats have the spread formation and they've had quite a bit of success.

Well I don't think we will be dependent on it, but I do believe we will continue to use it 5-10 per game. I agree that we started using it to cover up weaknesses, but if those weaknesses become strengths (ie guard and center play) it seems the wildcat formation would produce even more success, just like any formation we run.

And to the guy that said it renders the QB useless, I completely disagree. He just becomes another possible playmaker after the snap. We line up in that formation and the opposing defense thinks Pennington is just playing dummy role. But if we intermittently get it to him on the pitch from Ricky, like in the game against Houston last year, we would have even more options. And if we get a receiver this year in the draft that can throw the ball, wow, the possibilties are endless!!!

I just don't understand how any football fan wouldn't be excited about the potential evolution of this formation and it's effect on the NFL. I think it will continue to grow, especially because most teams could run this with pretty much any NFL-ready roster, unlike the spread offense or the smashmouth ball some of you think we need to run exclusively. Variety is the spice of life, guys. Accept it.

 

[SabanHater]

they'll use it. maybe not as much, but you'll see it. why change something that helped you put points on the board?

 

[dlockz]

Guess what else. The Pats have the spread formation and they've had quite a bit of success.

Well I don't think we will be dependent on it, but I do believe we will continue to use it 5-10 per game. I agree that we started using it to cover up weaknesses, but if those weaknesses become strengths (ie guard and center play) it seems the wildcat formation would produce even more success, just like any formation we run.

And to the guy that said it renders the QB useless, I completely disagree. He just becomes another possible playmaker after the snap. We line up in that formation and the opposing defense thinks Pennington is just playing dummy role. But if we intermittently get it to him on the pitch from Ricky, like in the game against Houston last year, we would have even more options. And if we get a receiver this year in the draft that can throw the ball, wow, the possibilties are endless!!!

I just don't understand how any football fan wouldn't be excited about the potential evolution of this formation and it's effect on the NFL. I think it will continue to grow, especially because most teams could run this with pretty much any NFL-ready roster, unlike the spread offense or the smashmouth ball some of you think we need to run exclusively. Variety is the spice of life, guys. Accept it.

I just dont see it as a long term thing. Its cool now but I see in a year or two it basically dissapearing. Look at college Ark had success but no team really took it and ran with it. As for the qb not being useless well any player can be used in that manner but you still defend it the same way. Hell we could use Ginn like that now. If you want to waste a high draft pick on Pat White fine but I would much rather get a receiver with that pick than a gimmick guy.

Hell Im sure a team could run the triple option effectively in the NFL but not over the long term. The wildcat worked well early on because it was a new wrinkle that had not been seen in a while but longterm it limits your team in my opinion. It should be used like a reverse , sparingly not a staple. We had great success when we first unveiled it and had lesser and lesser results as the year rolled on, just like Houston Nutt said.

 

[clownfish]

I just dont see it as a long term thing. Its cool now but I see in a year or two it basically dissapearing. Look at college Ark had success but no team really took it and ran with it. As for the qb not being useless well any player can be used in that manner but you still defend it the same way. Hell we could use Ginn like that now. If you want to waste a high draft pick on Pat White fine but I would much rather get a receiver with that pick than a gimmick guy.

So if this "gimmick guy" comes in 25 plays a game, 15 as a WR in a traditional formation, 10 in the single wing, an throws in 2-3 of those plays, and gives us 85 yards and 2 TDs, you don't think he is worth having on our team? Shoot, he could even throw out of a reverse in a regular 3 wide formation. If Pat White falls to the 3rd, I feel we will take him because our regime like versatility in their players. Nothing higher than that for him. Definitely worth our 3rd rounder.