Bear Bryant's secret switch to the wishbone offense

In the summer of 1971, Alabama football coach Paul 'Bear' Bryant had just endured his second 6-5 season. As the pressure mounted to regain success on the football field, Bryant decided to make a bold offensive switch to a new option offense and he would do it in total secret.

[@garywest8705]

In the Astro Bluebonnet Bowl the previous season against Oklahoma, Alabama did run some plays out the Wishbone offense. I remember game announcer Ray Scott sounded surprised when he saw it. The Sooners had started running the Wishbone previously in the season and ended it with a 66-6 blowout of Oklahoma State before facing the Tide in the bowl game. That was the 1970 season.

[@toneloc7910]

When the Wishbone was executed well, it was poetry in motion.

[@johnsmithSongbird]

Yes and it gained yards every carry and you could pass

[@soonerlegendspodcast]

I know what you mean brother. I witnessed the bone from 1971 till coach Switzer resigned at OU

[@davidholcomb9393]

The mark of a great coach is the ability to make adjustments and win in different ways.

[@scottwhaley4585]

David Holcomb the mark of this coach was cheating.ROLL tide!!!

[@tmarsh0307]

David, I wonder if we will look back on Nick Saban's embracing the spread in the same way. The changes were more subtle, since Bama and others use multiple formations. But beginning with Kiffin, there was a big change in Alabama football.

[@blancahernandez2361]

@@tmarsh0307 atimmarsh

[@blancahernandez2361]

@@tmarsh0307 atinmarah

[@garywest8705]

A great coach can adapt to the times and the type of talent on his team.

[@debbiehenson1096]

102 wins and 3 national titles later I think it worked.

[@paullabue7998]

Hey that's my daddy!😃❤️🙏🏼 coach pat dye introduced himself to me at their 40 year reunion for the 71 team. Came up to me and said..you must be one of them LaBue boys. I said yessir I am. He says we'll I'm Pat Dye it's a pleasure to meet you. I will never forget that!

[@paulsmallwood5161]

In case it wasn't mentioned in the comments, you can see the individual to taught with wishbone to Bear in the close up full team picture on the field. His name was Tom Moshimer. Bear said many times, "if you want to know anything about the wishbone, ask Tom". I had the great fortune to play for Coach Moshimer at Plymouth Salem High School in Plymouth Michigan from 80 to 83 after he came to Plymouth from Monroe Michigan. He was a tough, no nonsense coach but we learned and became a good football program for many years. The Class of 1984 was 29-5 through our high school career. Coach Moshimer is gone now, but the memories of what he taught many of us live on. Hopefully, some of us pass on what we learned to those young men we coach and parent.

[@johnsmithSongbird]

When the wishbone is done right it can blow a game apart

[@usmcfutball]

When ESPN put out their mammoth College Football Encyclopedia maybe 15 years ago there was a very nice homage included that praised the 'running' game in general and the Wishbone in particular. But nothing - for good or ill - ever stays the same. I miss the Texas, Texas A&M, Oklahoma, Alabama and Nebraska ground attacks. And don't forget the Southern Cal 'Power I' back in the day. Great video! Thank you.

[@davidwalkerqb]

I ran the wishbone in the mid-70s for Emory Bellard at Texas A&M. John David Crow told me that when Coach Bryant drew up the wishbone on the blackboard for their coaching staff they didn't even have time to create a playbook. They did so well with it Bear decided they'd never create a playbook, perhaps from superstition, and they never did.

[@OMNIBAD]

David Walker......haven’t heard that name in decades. But I never forget a left handed Quarterback! God bless you sir

[@wi54725]

David, I always thought your senior year's team was the best team in the nation by Thanksgiving. Too bad you could not have played Pittsburgh. You were definitely better than Georgia by then. I am also a lefty, but alas, I was not a David Walker. I was a Tony Franklin.

[@wildestcowboy2668]

That's a lie

[@701CPD]

I was a walk-on that year on the "Baby Tide" freshman team (#44). I stayed at the Dill's Motor Court motel for the two weeks before the dorms opened for summer two-a-days, and Danny Ford, one of our "Baby Tide" assistant coaches, who as a head coach took Clemson to a National Championship in 1981, would sometimes give me a ride back in the evenings. Ford was a great, stand-up guy who recognized heart and desire. We walk-ons had our names in the programs of the two games (Vanderbilt and Auburn) we got to play in that year, but we weren't included on the freshman roster in that year's Corolla, the University yearbook, which kind of pissed us off as we left a lot of sweat and a little blood on those practice fields. This video has some great still shots of the practice fields and some of the people I remember so well. We saw and heard The Bear every day up in his tower, and up-close and in person a few feet in front of us when we attended varsity film meetings during spring practice in early '72. It was a long time ago, but it was a great experience.

[@johne.powell2463]

The success of Clemson's best football teams can be traced to Alabama roots with Dabo, Ford and Frank Howard. When South Carolina went looking for a coach after Spurrier I was hoping they would see how that Bama connection in many cases meant success. Time will tell with Muschamp but I wanted to see Kirby Smart come to SC for the simple fact he was from Alabama.

[@trent3872]

Danny Ford grew up down the road from me. I'm way younger. I went by my high school coaches house my sophomore year, he played at Bama, some guy was sitting on the porch with him, I didn't know but it was Danny Ford lol!

[@scottwhaley4585]

You say all that. The thing you left out was that he cheated. . So did Danny Ford. Roll Tide!!!

[@scottwhaley4585]

CoyoteTa81 cheater

[@yeildo1492]

I am totally envious of your experience. thanks for the post.

[@lloydkline6946]

❤ bear bryant wishbone offense, greatest coach ever in college football history

[@Britton_Thompson]

Holy shit- Pat Dye was actually lucid and sober in this video!

[@marcelmiller7551]

IKR

[@arrowjsmith153]

Remember when Dye went fishing and was drunk and lost his wallet. 20 years later a Lady found it and returned it to the drunk.

[@blountcountybigfootresearc4500]

Funny considering the bear was a drunk too😂

[@jamesd7495]

Kinda similar to saban switching to the spread offense to catch Alabama up to the times

[@davidwinter6148]

This style of offense still has tremendous potential. It's just that few are using it for some reason You can have both I believe. A little bit of the traditional formations with the wishbone thrown in 20 or so times a game. It keeps folks honest on defense.

[@OMNIBAD]

Freddie Kitchens used the Wishbone in Cleveland with Nick Chubb and Kareem Hunt as they #2s........let’s just say they didn’t make the playoffs and Freddie coaches the Tight ends on another team now

[@sammyvh11]

Option and running is coming back. See Baltimore Ravens.

[@sammiehilton3699]

It will never happen, the option works by capitalizing on defensive mistakes, speed makes up for any mistakes. College and NFL defenses are so fast that even if one player misses an assignment, a player from the backside will make up for it and stop a potential big play. The option was affective when you had football players on the field, now colleges are recruiting athletes.

[@senorstronk]

loved running the wishbone in my small texas town. memories.

[@zumalot]

Sorry to resurrect an old thread, but I was laying here thinking the same thing. I got to run the formation where it was first started at Monnig Jr. High, Fort Worth, Texas. Charles "Spud" Cason created the "Monnig T" in 1952 and ran it until his retirement in the early 70's. It took Coach Bellard and Coach Royal to bring the formation to big time college football in 1968. The Monnig T was officially named the wishbone by a Houston sports writer. There is film dating back to 1963 or 64 to prove who ran the formation first. Monnig also did well, one time running up a 42 game streak without a loss. There was no national TV coverage for a bunch of 9th graders, but still magical times for us kids and we did it without the triple option. Obviously a jr. high football coach doesn't get the ink that college level coaches get, yet history is interesting and should not be ignored. Much respect for Coach Bear Bryant.

[@zumalot]

@Gardner Barnes Thank you. Yes I was QB in 1969. Also Monnig was "breaking" the bone very early on, flanking a back and splitting an end to open up the passing game a little. However, we didn't pass that much either.

[@zumalot]

@Gardner Barnes At the time Monnig fed one and then two area high schools and I know the one I attended was power-I and I believe the other was also power-I. "Retiring" from football after Jr High/ middle school, I was fortunate to have a successful high school baseball career with a great group of friends. I suppose these were our Wonder Years. As stated earlier, Monnig continued to run the "Monnig-T" or wishbone until Coach Cason's retirement in the early 70's. I was lucky at Monnig to be a part of the 42 games without a loss time period. There was obvious excitement when UT rolled out the formation in 68 especially considering Monnig had run from that same formation since the early 50's minus the triple option. Coach Bellard still gets a lot of the credit, but UT was not the first with the wishbone formation. The beginnings of the wishbone formation belongs to Coach Cason and Monnig Jr/Middle School. The truth is out there. Thanks for your interest as this brings back fond memories.

[@zumalot]

@Gardner Barnes Wow. 16 year old senior. Starting in high school you really start seeing the bad injuries, especially to the knees. Of course your head, even just bell ringers are bad for one's health. I played T formation in elementary school and even single-wing. I moved to a "safer" sport baseball in HS and dang near had my head taken off. I missed a whole pre-season due to a high impact trauma to the right eye. I just believe in kids getting involved in a team activity. Keeps you out of trouble and you form friendships that can last a lifetime. However if you play sports, nothing is 100% safe. Take care.

[@heathcompton1336]

Great Video!!!

[@TELEthruVOXx]

The wishbone is fun to watch. I think Air Force runs it still

[@tufoinproductions]

TELEthruVOXx they run the flexbone a off shoot of the wishbone. GT Navy Army and air force are a couple of teams who run it

[@trent3872]

@@tufoinproductions I can watch Georgia tech run that offense all day, it's an art form. Paul Johnson is a genius. If they played defense theyd be unstoppable.

[@lloydkline7245]

love watching the old wishbone offense offense legendary coach tom osborne used run it

[@michaeljam9221]

I fell in love with The Wishbone back field as a kid back in '78. That was the best part of any College Football game, to see a Wishbone- ran offensive team in play, it was soo fun to watch !!!

[@69FOSTER]

@@lloydkline7245 tom Osborne ran his version of the "I" formation.

[@johnmanning4097]

to bad Alabama and Oklahoma did not have a battle of the WISHBONES and played each other in the 1970s.

[@Soonerking]

OU would have hung half a hundred on Bear's azz.

[@johnmanning4097]

Dion Sanchez lol I agree

[@montygiles7684]

@@Soonerking bullshit

[@trent3872]

@@Soonerking crack is an awful drug. Get some help.

[@tmarsh0307]

Oklahoma and Nebraska ran up their stats against absolutely awful teams in the old Big 8. Bama-OU would have been competitive, like Bama-Nebraska in 1977-78 seasons. But it would not have been a rout.

[@michaeljam9221]

The Wishbone back field was the best show on turf !!!

[@scottwhaley4585]

Michael Jam no not really. Boring

[@williamhild1793]

I would feel comfortable going to Nick Sabin and saying "Hey, Coach---great game" or "Mr. Sabin, you did a great job today". But I would have been TERRIFIED to even address Bear Bryant. I just have it in my head that he was the most intimidating coach in history! Truth be told, he was probably a really nice guy. :)

[@TheSuey]

he was also uncircumcised

[@johnsmithSongbird]

I heard Bear was indeed a nice man off field but like Woody Hayes he was strict business on the field. Arkansas played Alabama when Frank Broyles and Bear Brant were still coaching. I believe Alabama won that game but the razorbacks did make Bama earn that win

[@stischer47]

@@TheSuey I won't ask how you know.

[@pambarnwell2810]

Loved the wishbone....hard to defend.

[@DavidWilliams-tr1yx]

The bone was a amazing formation. I’m a big OU fan. But what OU an bama done with the bone was crazy

[@johnsmithSongbird]

The wishbone the I formation and the spilt T was once very effective also the 5 man pass play put points on the board

[@OneBirdAllStoned]

Holy shit!! My dad knew Joe Labue at Alabama! Like hung out with him hahaha

[@dolo3030]

Wishbone goes crazy when you really think about it

[@johnsmithSongbird]

I'm 69 years old guys older than me will remember the wishbone was very effective and still is. So was the I formation. Does anyone recall the T formation sometimes called the split T you would have to brush off the Cobb wedds on that one it used the QB the tailback then a line of fullback with a half back and a flanker back. The flanker back could catch a pass. Then you still had the tight end to catch a pass. This might be the play which gave way to the wishbone. You never hear of the flanker back or halfback today. Texas longhorns made the wishbone very effective and Arkansas did as well the Alabama did so also Texas AM. I also enjoyed the 5 man pass play which Joe Ferguson Razorbacks would drop back and hit a man deep. These old plays fade away and can still open the game. Remember on defense the nose guard and monster man

[@sammiehilton3699]

Wow, I just got a history lesson, I never thought Alabama beating Troy would be a shock.

[@cfluff6716]

City of Troy meaning the USC Trojans

[@tomthrower3245]

USC were the kings of cfb at that time... so much talent... could field a team from Los Angeles alone... listened to that game after our high school game... girlfriend wondered what kind of date she was with...it was a stunning loss

[@wi54725]

I remember watching the incredible 1969 Alabama-Ole Miss game in prime time TV, and I am 100% sure that Alabama lined up in the wishbone on some plays in that game. They ran the HB power drive play with Johnny Musso blasting into the line with two backs leading interference for him. Scott Hunter ran the double option out of a split backfield many times that year.

[@scottm-rm6dd]

You are right: kzbin.info/www/bejne/oH6wc4p-a814j9U At 10:58

[@robotunes]

@wi54725 I remember that too! Bama first lined up in the wishbone in 1969, Johnny Musso's first year with the varsity. Watch videos of 1969 Bama vs. Tennessee, Ole Miss and Auburn. They also ran it in 1970. The difference is they didn't run it on every play in '69 and '70 like they did in '71.

[@tmarsh0307]

The wishbone was great for it's time. However, defenses can run to the football. There are too many fumbles in the wishbone. In 1981, Alabama lost 23 fumbles, and fumbled 42 times. I think the stats were similar in 1982. Watch the Liberty Bowl - Bear's last game - it was very sloppy. It was a great offense for the 1970's. One rule changed things for the option. In 1992, college rules changed so that you could advance fumbles. Prior to that, only fumbles in the air could be advanced. That increased the risk of pitching the ball on an option play. Still, it is fun to watch Army and Navy run versions of the triple option.

[@patricksullivan2261]

Offenses and defenses adapt as time goes on. Army turned the ball over a bit more than once a game last year, but they turned over other people 50% more often. Why? Because they don't pitch very often. The midline read (A quick do I give or keep) wasn't a big thing back in the 70s and now it is what the military academies live on. They still run the real triple option a few times a game to get to the outside though. Meanwhile a lot of shotgun teams run a triple option of some sort because you have more space to read the field and everything isn't happening in a terrible close proximity. College football, far more so than the NFL, is really an arms race where things can change dramatically over night. A modern true Wishbone, with some new concepts, would probably be a real pain in the behind to defend for teams built to stop spread teams.

[@charlesallen4821]

My favorite offense.

[@OMNIBAD]

If done right......with a solid FB and talented RBs and a QB that can sell the play action....it’s tough to beat. But how many teams have 2 good RBs and a good FB with a play action QB in 2020? It’s a different game and players have different skill sets now a days. The only team I can imagine running this formation in 2020 is the Browns (Kareem, Chubb, Janovich, Baker)

[@charlesallen4821]

@@OMNIBAD I think it goes without saying, "if done right."

[@dude999642]

Question: was Barry Switzer at Oklahoma the last to win a national title with the 'bone?

[@thescatman5029]

I grew up watching Walter Lewis run it! But despite the fact that Lewis had an NFL arm, Black QBs like him were relegated to the USFL.....!

[@debbiehenson1096]

He wasnt worth a crap.

[@thescatman5029]

@debbiehenson1096 Crap enough to play for the USFL, which was also great football.

[@sixsentsoldiers]

Bear would have loved the Zone Read.

[@kyzor-sosay6087]

The zone read is the wish bone.

[@psychojackjack2139]

The wishbone is good if you want to eat up clock. BUT it is dangerous for the QB to get hit a lot and risk injury. With a QB like Tua, you want to make quick TDs through the air and put a lot of points I'm the board.

[@jaylucien669]

It's also the shittiest offense to run if you get down late.

[@montygiles7684]

Don Faurot originated the option offense at Mizzou..Emorry Bellard went from there, and then Darrell Royal and then The Bear. .Those were great days

[@wi54725]

Actually, Faurot originated the double option, and when he debuted his split-t, it wasn't really an option at all. The keep and the pitch were separate plays. The triple option was created by Homer Rice and then borrowed by Bill Yeoman and his Houston Veer and Bellard/Royal at Texas.

[@bobbymarks2259]

@@wi54725 I have Faurot and Bud Wilkinson's books on the split-T. The option play is one of the 5 base plays of the offense. You must be using an uncommon name for one of the base plays.

[@wi54725]

@@bobbymarks2259 Faurot eventually added the regular option to the Split-T, but it was not originally part of his sliding T that he devised after he lost his star player in 1940. The first generation, in the Spring of 1941, was to make a series out of the hand-off, the QB Keep and the Pitch Out plays. The Regular or Double Option came in the second generation of Split-T in the summer of 1941. It was an alteration based on a past pitch play from the short punt formation. Your book was written after the change. I knew the Highlands High School QB that ran the triple option under Homer Rice in 1960. It was originally called the "3-way option." Rice combined the buck dive and regular option to come up with the triple.

[@bencovington1121]

Best offense ever designed. Just don't have tough enough QBs to run it. Everybody wants to play catch nowadays

[@BAMA-2019]

Well been they could play up to 15 games a year now and players on defense are bigger,faster,and stronger and deliver a lot harder hits and thats to much risk to put a qb in for that long of a season..and there not as tough now i agree but coaches have gotten SMARTER to what works for longer periods of time by preserving their qb

[@davidbrothers6043]

Whoever thought that bear bryant would ever be considered alabama's second best coach how close is nick saban to bryant in wins at alabama?

[@putter3643]

His greatness is shown by his willingness to change.

[@reginaldhall6871]

With Twitter & social media you'd never keep this secret

[@antonewilson4310]

Oklahoma was running up 50 and 60 point games. That $#!+ should have been illegal.

[@ftmhome]

Should have mentioned Emory Ballard who invented the Wishbone offense.

[@johnsmithSongbird]

My old highschool team in 1966 had a fullback that would carry the defense across the goalie John Evans what ever happened to him

[@reginaldhall6871]

A stubborn coach resistant to change will soon be unemployed

[@Lucifer.Morningstar.666]

WOW THERE'S AN IDEA

[@malcolmbattle7530]

Dat good ole Wishbone. I run it on NCAA😎

[@wctwctwctwct]

Bryant took the idea from Texas' Darrel Royal. His staff created it. The funny thing is, Oklahoma, Alabama, and several other programs copied the offensive philosophy of Royal & Emory Bellard and went on to win national championships with it. Texas won 3 with it as well. It wasn't a secret....Royal and Bryant were best friends. Royal also had his number, 4-0-1 against the fomer A&M coach.

[@NVRAMboi]

Nothing but facts right there. Coach never did beat Texas (Namath scored, btw) or Notre Dame, but Coach Saban remedied both of those on the biggest stage of all.

[@jaylucien669]

Texas won 2 national titles with the wishbone and one of those was bullshit.

[@palmettohorn]

​@@jaylucien669 If you call BS on Texas' '70 national title (w/loss to ND in Cotton Bowl), then you need to do likewise on Bama's '64 national title, where it lost the Orange Bowl to.... TEXAS.

[@bobbymarks2259]

Bama watched OU run up and down the field against them in the '70 Bluebonnet bowl, watched their game film in preparation leading up to the game. That one night, I've read, convinced the Bama staff to make the change....

[@wctwctwctwct]

@@jaylucien669 In your opinion, we can say a plethora of national titles were bullshit from any number of schools.

[@wildestcowboy2668]

Bama didn't cheat to win back then I suppose. Steve Spurrier said in 65 they played dirty ball

[@lloydkline1485]

greatest football coach of all time Bear Bryant, Sorry, Lou Saban

[@jimbosc]

You mean Nick Saban?

[@lloydkline7245]

Jim Wichert he was more money towork with its a different program

[@stevenrayallensr750]

Barry switzer

[@STWRITES1]

Trojans were totally caught by surprise.

[@johnsmithSongbird]

I heard once years ago if you played for Bear and you made a mental mistake he might frown at you. BUT if you missed your assignment and failed he would make you eat it

[@auburntigers5172]

7 on the line 4 behind

[@cliffordreynolds8179]

Roll tideRoll

[@davidpatrick9903]

Same then as now, Oklahoma seems to lead with innovation and the other Blue Bloods follow. No doubt OU does more with less than anyone.

[@joe92]

What innovation was that? Sending OU's staff to Austin to learn the Wishbone?

[@JohnBobRoger]

I watched these games as a kid and quickly surmised that "Running the Ball" was the secret to the game. So why does everybody pass now?

[@OMNIBAD]

It’s a different game that requires a different skill set now . For one the FB position is almost extinct and money is moving away from the RB position and into WR,Fs,Cb,Te. Little kids don’t dream of running the rock like Jim Brown anymore.....kids dream of one handed catches and Hail Mary passes in 2020 The wishbone could make a return someday, but I don’t see it happening any time soon

[@JohnBobRoger]

@Gardner Barnes The pass was the secret weapon...I'm a Roger Staubach fan.

[@edlawn5481]

Kind of the same reason there's no more "small ball" in baseball, it's all about the quick score.

[@yeildo1492]

The Wishbone, helped, no doubt. I coached the Bone in high school back in the day. It was a good scheme, but in the end, players win. Recruiting black guys was what brought Bama back to the top.

[@yeildo1492]

@Ty Calvert He did not care. He was hamstrung from recruiting black players by George Wallace. Bryant said: "I won't be the first SEC coach to recruit a black player. And I won't be the last."

[@brianclemons3979]

Auburn with pat dye ran the wishbone

[@mickeywianecki9105]

Thanks to Emory Ballard and Daryl Royal University of Texas. They invited it. Bama perfected it

[@joe92]

OU perfected it

[@Lucifer.Morningstar.666]

If if. In which he should......is run the WISHBONE.....play action pass.

[@Da-Boo33]

Rolltide

[@stephentidwell4893]

Pat dye is the problem at Auburn.

[@scottym3233]

Lol @ "sec schoos". 🤣

[@jerm1ahh]

in a wishbone is there tight ends

[@yeildo1492]

You can run it with a TE (or two) or with two wideouts. Depends on what you want. Teams like Army and Navy run the Flexbone. (It is a total beyotch to defend) It is a version of the Wishbone and they play with and without TEs.

[@soonerlegendspodcast]

Oklahoma ran the wishbone with Keith Jackson as tight end. America seen what Keith did as a wishbone TE

[@kingfish4242]

pound that rock

[@lindagimenez586]

Roll Tide !

[@michaelatkinson6730]

I always consider Brant the best off all time. He won with all white teams and he negotiated hostile pushback from from a segregated state to integrate. After integration he still won. No other ALL TIME GREAT COACH had to deal with that kind of pressure. Bryant just wanted the best players on his team.

[@suckthesebigirishballs5512]

Bruh Tennessee used to run shit

[@charleswilliams8248]

Y’all had to have black football 🏈 players to run it! After USC kicked Alabama’s butt in 1970! 😉🤦🏼‍♂️

[@getbig2501]

You go to Alabama to beat West Carolina and other weak teams so yo can claim a fake championship, Tide would never chance losing to a powerful team like Boise State on the Blue