What is the pro style offense?

What is the Pro Style Offense?

The Pro Style Offense, also known as the modern or contemporary offense, is a type of football philosophy that emphasizes a balanced, versatile, and adaptable play-calling approach. Designed to maximize the use of all 11 players on the field, this approach integrates elements of both the Running Power and West Coast offenses.

Key Characteristics:

• Balance between running and passing: Emphasizes a mix of quick passes, play-action opportunities, and running plays from various formations.
• Variety of formations and shifts: Utilizes shifts, motions, and line stances to create diverse looks and exploit defensive strengths.
• Play-actions and bootlegs: Intentionally fakes drops to exploit defensive aggression.
• Quick passes, screens, and draws: Utilizes short and long passes to create mismatches and gain yards.
• Strong emphasis on receiving and blocking: Receivers are expected to be efficient blockers, while linemen are expected to be adequate receivers.

History

The Pro Style Offense has its roots in the 1970s West Coast Offense, particularly in the work of San Diego Chargers’ coach Sid Gilman and the Oakland/Los Angeles Raiders’ John Madden. This approach also draws from the Running Power Offense, popularized by coaches like Bill Belichick and the New York Giants. The modern understanding of the Pro Style Offense evolved through the incorporation of new concepts, emphasizing flexibility and adaptability within the framework.

Modern Applications

In today’s NFL, the Pro Style Offense is a well-established and widely used formation. Coaches like Jason Garrett (Dallas Cowboys) and Mike Shanahan (Washington Redskins) have brought this approach to the main stage. The Pro Style Offense is particularly influential in the college ranks, with coaches like Urban Meyer (Ohio State) and Nick Saban (University of Alabama) adopting different variations.

Advantages

• Flexibility: The Pro Style Offense allows for adjustments pre-snap, post-snaps, and even by the play itself.
• Defensive confusion: The multiple formations and shifted players create uncertainty, ultimately making it difficult for opposing defenses to anticipate the ensuing play.
• Players’ versatility: The dual-threat nature of the scheme allows for multiple skill player roles, enhancing team playmaking potential.
• Coaching simplicity: Contrary to other complex scheme, the Pro Style offers a more straightforward approach in terms of play-calling and game planning.

Disadvantages**

• Increased complexity with more players involved: Coordination and communication become exponentially more challenging with more roles and responsibilities.
• Potential for inconsistent execution: The complexity of the plan can lead to mistakes at the execution level.
• **Risk of overdependence on a single player (e.g., quarterback)’: The Pro Style Offense relies heavily on the strength of the quarterback, causing issues if they struggle.

Table: Pro-Style Offense vs Other Offenses

Conclusion

In conclusion, the Pro-Style Offense is an adaptable, versatile, and balanced approach that has resonated with coaches and scouts across various levels of professional and collegiate football. Characterized by its emphasis on balance, variety, play-actions, and quickness, this offense has helped teams succeed by creating challenging situations for opposing defenses.

Additional Reading:

• The Proven System by Jason Garrett (Dallas Cowboys)
• The Pro-Style Coach by Mike Shanahan (Washington Redskins)
• The Evolution of Coaches by Urban Meyer (Ohio State)

Further Study:

• Coaches Film Study: Analyze past games, focusing on quarterbacks, receivers, and safeties to better understand opponent tendencies and potential weaknesses
• Player Development Strategies: Study the development methodologies of top coaches, discussing the importance of player-coach relationships and individual specialization