A sound offense is one in which each play is designed to gain ground, and if executed perfectly there is a good possibility for a long gain and/or scoring a touchdown. If the offense is going to operate at maximum efficiency, the bad play must be eliminated completely. The bad play is one that does not gain yardage. If the offense is based on the 4-yard per play or short thrust offense, such as Oklahoma has used so successfully in the past under Bud Wilkinson, it is clear to see how a bad play can stymie the offensive attack.
The sound attack also utilizes the best personnel available, such as the best ball carriers carrying the ball, the best blockers for blocking, and so on. If you will analyze your offensive attack, you are likely to learn this does not always occur. The best blocker might be carrying the ball more often than your best ball carrier, who in turn might not be a strong blocker.
We had a fine team at Texas A & M in 1956, but when I look back over the season I now realize I did not utilize my backs to maximum efficiency. Our quarterback, Roddie Osborne, was a very fine football player, and like the great ones he enjoyed running with the football. Roddie did a terrific job of running with the ball, but we had other outstanding backs, such as All-American John Crow, All-American Jack Pardee, and Lloyd Taylor, a great competitor. When the season was over and we tabulated our final statistics, we found Roddie had carried the ball nearly as many times as the combined carries of Crow, Pardee, and Taylor.
In order to maintain maximum results with the offense, it must be presented to the squad so they all have a complete understanding of what you are trying to accomplish and how it is going to be done. Unless the players have a thorough picture and understand the reasoning behind your offensive attack, maximum efficiency is impossible.
I firmly believe that the simpler the offense, the better. The fewer things a boy has to do and remember, the better he will execute the fundamentals you have taught him. If executed well, the player will have more confidence in what he is doing and his own ability. Consequently the greater the chance the offensive attack has of being successful.
OUR OFFENSIVE TERMINOLOGY
To be sure that we are all talking the same “language” and can understand each other readily, we have adopted the following offensive terminology:
Flow—Direction in which most of the backs start.
On-Side—Lineman on side of point of attack.
Off-Side—Lineman on side away from point of attack.