Before a young football player learns the proper way to carry a football, or fundamental blocking techniques, or how to make a form tackle, he must be taught one basic principle of being a football player.
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No little-leaguer will get on the football field if he doesn't know how to huddle.
And in Oklahoma these days, a fan might have to travel to a Pop Warner field to observe that long-practiced ritual.
At the NCAA Division I level, the state of Oklahoma has become a no-huddle zone.
Tulsa and Oklahoma State have moved to no-huddle offenses for a few years now, and last spring, the Oklahoma Sooners joined the migration.
And the trendy, fast-paced offense is only gaining support at the college level.
OSU coach Mike Gundy could barely control his excitement recently when discussing the new play clock rules in college football.
The rules play perfectly into his fast-break offensive style and give no-huddle teams the opportunity to gain an advantage.
The rule will require officials to spot the ball for play immediately after the previous play ends. In years past, an official would place the ball and then stand over it briefly before starting the play clock.
"(The official) stopped us a lot of times from running a play right away,” Gundy said. "Now, we don't have that. He won't stand over it anymore. As soon as he puts the ball down, you can run another play.”
But the new clock rules are only a facet of the growing trend of the no-huddle offense.
"It attacks the defense instead of being attacked,” said OSU co-offensive coordinator Gunter Brewer. "That's the object of the no-huddle — to put the pressure on the other guy. Then you find ways to exploit where they are weak and force them into fewer defensive calls, because you're moving at a fast pace.
"Offensively, you become the attacker instead of the attackee.”
With prolific offenses around the Big 12 Conference — like Missouri, Texas Tech and Oklahoma State, the league's top three in total offense — and the country finding greater success without huddling, it has lots of coaches thinking, "do we need to huddle?”
"The no-huddle gives us all kinds of options,” said Missouri coach Gary Pinkel, whose offense was fifth nationally in total yards and eighth in scoring last year.
"If we huddled all the time, I don't think we'd be near as productive.”
Before the Fiesta Bowl in January, Oklahoma coach Bob Stoops approached offensive coordinator Kevin Wilson with the idea.
A lot of people are running the no-huddle, Stoops said. Would Wilson want to do it?
That conversation led to the implementation of the no-huddle at OU — the latest team to capitulate to college football's hottest trend.
Stoops felt comfortable with Wilson installing the scheme, since Wilson had coached a no-huddle offense at Northwestern and Miami (Ohio). The time for a change also seemed right with a proven commodity coming back at quarterback in Sam Bradford, not to mention nine other starters.
The reasons for doing so were many.
First, OU was looking for a way to improve its offense, and the no-huddle had a proven track record in the Big 12 — five of the top six offenses in the league ran versions of a no-huddle offense last season.
Second, the hope is that seeing the no-huddle every day in practice will season the Sooner defense, since every other week OU faces teams that don't huddle.
Third, with the change to the play clock, an up-tick in getting the snap off was needed.
"We've been practicing with the clock and getting our kids used to getting back and getting the play,” Wilson said. "The key to getting more snaps is not turning the ball over and converting on third downs.”
But Wilson is quick to point out that OU's offense is not changing. The formations and plays will be the same.
"I don't know if it will be significantly different as far as using the talents of our team,” Wilson said. "The schemes might remain similar because that's the strength of the team. You can only do what your line can do, and you can only do what your quarterback can handle.”
That's where both OSU and OU will be most comfortable. Each has an experienced, successful quarterback returning in Zac Robinson for OSU and Bradford for OU.
Though they are different styles of player, both proved to be adept at guiding their offenses last year. Now, they're just being asked to do it quicker.
"I think that the pace of play with the 40-second clock,” said Stoops, "is going to pick up for everybody.”
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Go Sooners! Go Cowboys! There, was that so hard? Whatever happened to class and sportsmanship? I'm proud to be a native-Okie and I'll root for any Oklahoma-related athletic program. I think fans should save the hate for November, but that's just my opinion. Oh yeah, go Hurricane!
AimForCenterMass, Oklahoma City - Aug 14, 2008 at 4:34 pm
I am a nervous OU fan but I would not go that far AC. You guys remind me of TAMU Aggies...Nothing but Sunshine Pumpers who are trying to act like your schools are reviving the rebound of the glory days. When in all actuality, all you and A&M have in common is a couple of good players (Sanders, Thomas, Nguyen and John David Crow) and many, many, many losing seasons.
This commenting reeks of nervous OU fans. The more animosity I read about from OSU haters on articles like this, the more I realize your fear of the OSU uprising. You know, you could actually talk about the article, but most of these comments are about OSU. This is clearly, indicative of your fear. Sure, its not like we'll storm the championship this years, but everybody knows the train can't be stopped. It's just a matter of time before all of the changes occurring at OSU really kick in and results are achieved.
Do you think the no-huddle is the knack that OU has been needing to spark a bowl win. I wonder if it will really make a difference against USC in the BCS game...being that USC is the only probable shoe-in to go to the BCS other than OU and maybe Ohio State. With USC running at peak levels and also running with and against a no huddle, we better have another trick up our sleeve. I see the 2003 season and 2004 Orange Bowl happening all over again.
Corey First of all its A BCS game not "an" but since you are allegedly a student its okay for you to make a mistake....as far as offensive power...we finished in the top 10 back to back years...offense had nothing to do with blowing a 30 point lead the last two years....defense is a seperate unit of players...study up on your football some before you spew your gooner crap on here.....by the way OCCC is NOT an affiliate of the UofO so dont confuse the two!
I have lived in Oklahoma for 15 years and the past five or six years I have heard in the preseason how good OSU's offense is going to be. Every year they have gone to crappy bowl games. I'm an OU student and I hate that we lose in the BCS games but we are now a staple in the BCS OSU will NEVER make it to an BCS game!!!!!! The Big 12 South is too good for them. The past three years Texas has spotted you like 30 points in each game only to flush it away accept your second fiddle status to THE UNIVERSITY OF OKLAHOMA SOONERS!!!!!!!
OU is doing this because it is effective. It has been effective for every team that uses it. Why cant we (OU fans) just admit that OSU has a good offense? Just to be fair to the O-line; WVU used a lot of nice corner and linebacker blitzes out of that 3-3-5. Not making excuses, they should have been more prepared, but it seems unfair to expect them to match the speed of these players.
Jonathon, you actually think OSU can not only beat OU at home but beat Missouri, Texas and Texas Tech on the road? That panhandle drought must be getting to you.
Baylor - 2008 Big XII Football Champions..... 8/11/08
OSU - 2008 Big XII Football Champions..... 8/11/08
Missouri - 2008 Big XII Football Champions...8/11/08
etc... etc.... etc....
OU - 2008 Big XII Football Champions.... 12/7/08! Threepeat Baby!
Bud Wilkinson was the king of the no-huddle offense. Back then, everyone said Oklahoma looked like a machine moving down the field. One game in particular, shown on T.V. at the time, the refs and defense were all milling around after a play, while Oklahoma was running down the field for a score. They were relentless with the no-huddle.
Until somoe of John Blakes recruits come in there is not going to be another National Champ much less a BCS Bowl victory. The level of play has certainly gone down since 99-00. FSU wasnt even the best team in the State of Florida that year. Miami proved that the next two years. lol
Loumar, that sounds great for Stoops, however we would like to trade Venables to you for Mike. Mike is the better coach by far, and our defense has shown it since he left OU.
I'm a University of Arizona Wildcat and after watching Saturday's scrimmage, I say thank you Sooners for Mike Stoops. Finally after 4 years recruiting against USC, UCLA and CAL, Mike Stoops got his defensive recruits bigger, faster and educated in his defensive system.
While OU is making its run at the national title, Arizona will be in contention for the Pac-10 title. The UofA offense returns 10 starters including senior QB Willie Tuitama who led the conference in TD passes and "Money Mike Thomas" who led the Pac-10 in TD receptions. Arizona is taking down USC and arizona state.
Jason, I am wanting some of that stuff that you are smokikng if you think OSwhoo is going to be Big 12 champs of anything this year. Maybe they will be the champs of cleaning out horse stalls, but thats doubtful.
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OSU - 2008 Big XII Football Champions..... 8/11/08
Missouri - 2008 Big XII Football Champions...8/11/08
etc... etc.... etc....
OU - 2008 Big XII Football Champions.... 12/7/08! Threepeat Baby!
While OU is making its run at the national title, Arizona will be in contention for the Pac-10 title. The UofA offense returns 10 starters including senior QB Willie Tuitama who led the conference in TD passes and "Money Mike Thomas" who led the Pac-10 in TD receptions. Arizona is taking down USC and arizona state.