College Football History: The Wishbone - Part 6

[@toomuchdrivetothrive]

The Switzer, Aikman, Johnson triangle is fascinating. Aikman breaks his leg playing for Switzer against Johnson, Hollieway becomes the starter, and so Aikman has to transfer to UCLA, where he can run a pro-style offense and then get drafted by Johnson and make history in Dallas, and then win a Super Bowl for Switzer, running a Jimmy Johnson offense.

[@Bigfishfun333]

I smell some Jerry Jones in there somewhere.

[@drewraff4436]

One of the coolest things about the Stoop era for Oklahoma starting in 1999 was in his first game he had the offense line up in the wishbone then audible to a shot gun formation to pay homage to Switzer as well as letting the fans know a new era has begun

[@manmadeaids]

Boomer!

[@twc9000]

@@manmadeaids Sooner!

[@TT-rt2kh]

I remember that, but I think Stoops did that in his first spring game

[@DudeEggs]

Stoops got my Gators a Natty in '96 after replacing Zoom as D coordinator. For that reason I loosely pull for Oklahoma when not playing the Gators. Oklahoma fears only God! Texas fears Oklahoma. What a badass line.

[@toddm9501]

Sooner!

[@owenlawson8660]

I grew up with the Wishbone… this was a phenomenal history. I had no idea how good this “Rabbit hole” would be but I must award 5 Helmet Stickers for this KZbin education. It really helped provide context, pretext and build my understanding of the legacy of this formation! I miss the Wishbone and the infamous “tear-away” jerseys. Thanks for curating this series tho’. I’m wiser for having viewed it.

[@floridapmi]

28:35 That TD against Washington in the Orange Bowl with Watts pitching as he's going down is the greatest option EVER!

[@bluesmoke2]

That was against Florida State not Washington

[@troyjgrice]

Holieway was incredible. Great series.

[@LoydKline-uw4no]

Jamie hollieway was a 🎩 magician with the football &wishbone offense as quarterback

[@mikewilliams-jw8jd]

Wow that was a sick series. They still use zone read and rpo in the nfl which uses some principles from the wishbone. Still can’t believe when that Texas hc was dominating everyone that he would basically give his offensive scheme to another teams hc and his biggest rival no less just to get stomped by them from that point on.

[@rtosborne3]

Excellent series. I miss those days. Real football when running the ball was the norm and the bone was king. Now it's like flag football with all the rule changes and mostly passing.

[@williamford9564]

This was an absolutely fantastic series!

[@tracesutton5905]

Wow - amazing series! I, and other option old times, definitely appreciate the countless hours it took you to prepare this. Thank you.

[@markkness7990]

Well done! The Oklahoma wishbone offense was a thing to behold in the Seventies and Eighties.

[@LoydKline-uw4no]

Barry switcher & wishbone offense, Joe Washington, Billy Sims, Jamie hollieway, Elvis peacock, Kenny King etc etc Thomas lott

[@adelakinagbonbioka2696]

Excellent, excellent series. I would love to see you do a piece on the iconic Osborne i.

[@LoydKline-uw4no]

They won national championship with wishbone offense in the 1990s

[@JB-bc9nm]

Me too. Tom was awesome. I met with him in his office, asking him if I could play football after I'd left track but he said that I was a year too late.

[@MichaelElias-q2z]

Miami Hurricanes defensive speed exposed the limitations of the triple option offenses.

[@andrew9913]

28:00 ! What brought me to your wishbone series! Mike Leach’s fascination with the Wish Bone peaked my interest in learning more about its history, it’s advantages, and, as covered in this video, use as an equalizer for undersized teams. Loved your series and will patiently wait for your next one. Cheers!

[@marksanchez8055]

Great series, mid 70s hs graduate, this was a great era for collegiate football,

[@hrosemd]

I still remember that 86 OSU/Miami game like it was yesterday. So much hype. What a great Saturday.

[@jbtibbits]

Just a great series. Well done.

[@dcapitan7]

This is an excellent series. Thank you for putting this together. I enjoyed it. One thing I would like to add is that Notre Dame in the late 80s and early 90s ran a wishbone. Tony Rice was the QB. They weren't solely a wishbone team but it was a large part of their offensive package. The Irish won a national championship in 1989.

[@CJCochran0201]

Outstanding series - gobs of good info on one of my favorite offenses ! … love it when a team passes well from a full-house backfield, and runs the ball well from the Spread … just shows that you can feature any system if it’s practiced and executed well with the right plays against a given defense … 👍

[@RobJaskula]

Iowa played Georgia Tech in the Orange bowl that year and everyone who was a Hawkeye fan KNEW we were going to crush their option offense. A month to prepare for it running a pro scheme with a MEAN defense, there was no doubt about it. Tech managed 155 total yards and a touchdown, and that flattered them.

[@hazmathauler4536]

The last time Iowa was relevant. You know want Iowa stands for don’t ya..?? Idiots Out Wandering Around.

[@toddm9501]

Thank you to the gal who decided that brian ferentz wont be back. Suprised they let him finish. But, cut and dry otherwise.

[@mgizzle70]

I ABSOLUTELY LOVED all six segments!!! I'm such a huge fan of the wishbone!!! Thank you for this. The Wishbone is STILL the best offense in ALL of football!!! Take that to the bank!!!

[@eddiejohnson8582]

Might be the most BEAUTIFUL Offense ever!!!!

[@fleem5]

Only found this series today. Fantastic! Only wished you'd have mentioned my alma mater in this vid. As a young lad in the late 70s through early 80s, I was enamored with this offense. To the point where I'd spend my free time as an undergraduate in the library reading books on this. Concurrently, my alma mater, switched from a "pro-set" (read "I" and split back formations) offense to the flexbone when Dick Tomey left to take the Arizona job after the '86 season. New HC (Tomey's DC), Bob Wagner, wanting to shake things up offensively; lured Paul Johnson away from Georgia Southern to be his OC. This was at the University of Hawaii at the start of the 1987 season. This drastic offensive philosophy change lead to a first bowl game for Hawaii ('89 Aloha Bowl vs. Michigan State) and an eventual WAC championship and Holiday Bowl win over Illinois in 1992. Current San Jose State and former long time Navy HC, Ken Niumatalolo, was a QB at Hawaii during this time period. He would end up back with Johnson when Johnson left Hawaii for the OC job at Navy...

[@BigfoxN-A-chiccenhouse]

Yo. I watched the entire series. Well done. Best play in all of football is the triple option.

[@yeildo1492]

Another great video. Fantastic conclusion to your series! Two things I heard over the years about the Bone: The other defense will get better as the game goes on. It is just so hard to replicate the Bone in practice. And the great Bear Bryant always said the Bone was virtually untapped as a passing offense. Because of the great play action and the straight man cover in the secondary. I've really enjoyed these. Thank you very much!

[@mwright_boomer]

Thanks I appreciate the kind words!

[@yeildo1492]

@@mwright_boomer And I appreciate the great videos👍👍👍

[@LaunchpadGamingGuy]

When I was in high school, there was a season, we couldn’t win a game to save our lives. So coach decided one week called us into the field house and said boys we’re running the bone from here on out. We ended up winning 4 of our last five games that season. Being from Oklahoma it is one of the greatest times of my life running the Switzer offense. Nothing like the triple option!

[@jmg999]

As somewhat of a wishbone aficionado myself, this was quite an impressive documentary that you created.

[@mwright_boomer]

@@jmg999 I appreciate that. I love the bone

[@richardhasting6046]

What a great series of videos. Thanks! I miss the wishbone...

[@JB-bc9nm]

Great series. As a Nebraska fan I've seen plenty of the wishbone offense! Thank you.

[@colebettam337]

This series has been awesome thank you!

[@mwright_boomer]

Glad you enjoyed it!

[@6thmichcav262]

I really enjoyed this series, and the applicable footage was icing on the cake.

[@alvermeil5884]

What a great series on the Wishbone. I ran the triple option has a freshman coach at Casa Roble high school in 1970 out of the power I basically the same thing as the has the bone. At that time that this freshman team was the most successful Football team, the school had

[@mwright_boomer]

I ran the wishbone as a HS freshman as well in 2001. We did it simply because we couldn’t pass, but I always loved it.

[@jesusrivera743]

Barry Switzer would go to a black athletes living room and sweet talk mama . Barry had keen knack for communicating with Five Star African American recruits He had his pick of the best in Okla and Texas

[@Red45lazer]

Great series. One minor correction for you: Emory Bellard was not fired by Texas A&M in 1978. He resigned mid season.

[@mwright_boomer]

Appreciate it! Actually, I did say that he resigned, but that it was due to pressure from disgruntled alumni. For sure, he wasn’t fired. Edit: upon further review, I DID say that he was fired! Oops! Thanks for the correction.

[@atlcubsfan]

Matthew- This was a great series. I'm suggesting it to other cfb fans of mine.

[@zxmoore1]

I grew up an Oklahoma Sooners fan during the 80s. Both my parents attended OU and were there during the mid to late 70s. I remember asking my family who they thought was the greatest wishbone quarterback. My dad said Steve Davis, my mom said JC Watts, and I said Jamelle Holieway. Truth is…we were right.

[@mrmrsplummer3526]

These are beautiful. I remember these days like yesterday. The wishbone still has elements that would kill in today's game. Btw N was running the Power I way before CU.. Colorado came up copying OU and Nebraska.

[@tonybrown2462]

An amazing series. Thoroughly enjoyed it

[@garyakins5392]

Just found this and wanted to say thank you for putting together such a great series. Well done! I did notice that the illegal blocks in the back during the Johnny Rogers return sealing the NU win haven't gone away. :D

[@mwright_boomer]

No, sadly lol

[@jesusrivera743]

Aahahaha this is one for the ages boomer sooner One of the cleanest high level championship games of all time

[@tylermathis-kx7pu]

I’m a UGA fan and for whatever reason it was a power I school until very recently (the modern offense finally put them over the top). They always preferred pro-style QB’s and pro-style offenses. Therefore, the option always intrigued me as a foreign concept. Makes me wish Dooley had tried it in the 80’s while it was still a viable offense after Walker graduated.

[@soulpatrolhawaii5409]

Excellent series! Well researched with nice footage Thanks for posting!

[@OspreyFlyer]

Great Wishbone Series! Thanks for your hard work and effort!

[@TheLEGODUDE456]

Great series! I Look forward to them. 7:40

[@toddturcotte4742]

A very well done series on the Wishbone!

[@DrJAFox]

I reallly enjoyed the entire series. Thanks and well done!

[@adutton6]

This has been a great series.

[@mwright_boomer]

Thanks very much 🙏🏼

[@wmarsh9796]

Great series of videos. Thanks!

[@boruss_qc3209]

Hell of a video series! Great work! TY!

[@timstreety6391]

Very well done! Excellent watch.

[@whodidit99]

I remember when UCLA ran the wishbone in the 70s. They had the greatest pair of running backs in college football - the Blair Pair - James McAlister and Kermit Johnson, and future actor Mark Harmon running the bone to perfection. Had great success, and were very entertaining. Harmon made great decisions a but wasn't an elite athlete, which limited the offense, but McAlister and Johnson made up for his limitations with great speed and athleticism. McAlister had the worlds best long jump in the world one year.

[@RK-um9tu]

1973 - 27-0 1/2 inches

[@MikeMack1994]

Excellent series!!!

[@vimalmurthy3665]

Tremendous effort, thank you for sharing this with us! A few comments/questions arise for me. While I principally missed the wishbone's origin in the late 60s-mid 70s, I absolutely followed it from the mid 70s-late 80s. 1. If you gave Bill McCartney some "truth serum", does he really think his switch to the I-bone catapulted his team to a national championship? Or could he have stuck with the true wishbone formation, with all the talent they had amassed? 2. While Notre Dame proved to be "kryptonite" for wishbone teams in the early 70s (i.e. 1970's Texas and both 73's/74's Alabama), I think the Oklahoma mid 80s shortcomings were a little different. Specifically, while you correctly identified the `Cane's defensive prowess, what really doomed Switzer was the inability for his DEFENSE to stop the forward pass. OU never saw enough pro-style offenses to prepare against them...that of course was the Faustian bargain he/Osborne made by playing in the run-happy Big8. 3. I wonder if the true triple option could work once again at the college (or even pro) level? After all, any hits on the QB have been completely legislated out of the game = an oncoming DL/LB would be terrified of incurring a late hit/targeting penalty on a QB who has just pitched the ball

[@mwright_boomer]

Good thoughts. I definitely think you’re on to something when it comes to Switzer’s defenses. They were built to stop Nebraska.

[@kylefunderburk4194]

The problem is that the term "triple option" is a dirty word on the recruiting trail. If a team looks too much like a traditional triple option offense, they'll lose out on elite offensive players, and even defensive linemen who would refuse to get cut blocked every day in practice. Arizona rejected Jeff Monken for its head coaching job a few years ago because quarterback Khalil Tate refused to play in the option, even though Monken said he wouldn't bring Army's offense to Arizona. I absolutely believe the triple option could work in college (but not the NFL). No one is going to run the wishbone primarily (though I can imagine it being the short-yard formation for a modern option team), but it could absolutely work in the pistol and shotgun with a WR filling the role as the fourth back in the offense after the QB, FB and HB. All it's going to take is the right school hiring the right coach. Georgia Tech, with its academic limits, made it the perfect P5 school to bring the option to, but Paul Johnson wasn't the right coach. He was too rooted in the flexbone and too stubborn to modernize. I look at schools like Vanderbilt, Indiana, Arizona and ask "why not?" These schools already aren't producing a half-dozen NFL players annually. The right coach would have to withstand critics on the recruiting trail, maybe do what Gundy did 2019 and just call out other schools for being wishbone teams in disguise.

[@mkepioneet]

Great series! I know it's out of scope for the video, but ti should be noted Paul Johnson brought the flexbone from Georgia Southern, who has multiple (now) FCS titles in 80s and 90s after the program was resurrected in the early 80s

[@33flights59]

Nice writing. INteresting subject.

[@keithboyd3579]

Most exciting football games were wishbone!

[@lucyw3270]

Great video as usual!

[@bjnt922]

Another thing to consider is no matter how realistic their chances are of making the NFL. College players still want to play in it and last I checked the NFL has never run the bone in its purest form throughout its entire history. Concepts here and there yes but not the whole thing. Majority of incoming high players want to play in the NFL and want to play at a school and in an offense that will get them there. Especially QBs.

[@OspreyFlyer]

Yep, everything is geared to the NFL. CFB is unquestionably the NFL minor league nowadays.

[@timhunter8945]

This is one of the best football documentaries I ever saw perfect should have been on 30 for 30 oh yeah I forgot one team SMU Mustangs with the Pony Express ran the option mcelhinney Dickerson and James

[@mwright_boomer]

Thanks! Yeah, I love watching the pony express running that I Formation

[@outrlmts1879]

Loved the series man! The amount of research you did is very commendable. Basically academic in your methods lol. I especially appreciate how you clearly traced the genealogy of coaches back to what seems to be just a few guys in Texas. I think you could have mentioned Rich Rodriguez and his mid 2000’s era WVU Mountaineers. I realize Rich Rod mostly ran the spread option, which I guess we would consider closer to being a descendant of The Veer. But WVU would run the triple option out of these unique variations of the pistol formation. For example they’d get in a basic shotgun split backs (1 RB on each side of the QB) set up, w/ a pistol back lined up directly behind the QB. They’d also line up in shotgun, w/ a pistol back behind QB, one RB lined up next to the QB on either the left or right, then they would put the 3rd RB on the opposite side except instead of right next to the QB, the 3rd RB is lined up where the flex bone back would be. At this point you can motion that flex back in and out of the slot receiver position, etc. Geez, even describing a good triple option offense is making my co*k stiff lol. I’ll try to find some footage and put it as a reply to my comment lol

[@mwright_boomer]

Thanks for the kind words! Yeah I really liked that WVU offense back in the day. Really fun to watch.

[@JosePerez-vz1qq]

What Jimmy Johnson and defensive coordinator Dave Wannstadt prioritised was position discipline. The defensive end's sole responsibility against the wishbone is the quarterback. The DE takes on and takes out the QB taking the guessing out for defenders.

[@brady3474]

That is how everyone did it. Everyone. Nothing magical about jimmy johnson’s plan. It was JJ’s recruiting and motivation. Everyone used the de to play the qb in the option and flexed and stunted from that base.

[@mikepastor.k6233]

I think the running the bone in major college is summed up with the fact you dont practice against that type of offense so teams can pass on you Also, you notice the military academies are the only ones left that run it and when they face each other it's usually a stale mate of attrition as they pretty much know the plays being run as they face it in oractice every day. There's no suprise any more Plus, it restricts recruiting advantages as teams that run a pro style attack will get the top recruits. No bone in the NFL..

[@markgraham2312]

Great research.

[@franklinbruce7121]

AWESOME SERIES BOOMER SOONER 4 LIFE

[@dexculpepper-py1jr]

When college football was great.

[@mwright_boomer]

Amen

[@andrew9913]

AWESOME

[@williamdiemert9866]

Flexbone is here in College Football now

[@studdruppo]

I would have to say that the 1983 Nebraska team called the scoring explosion was one of the most prolific option I formations. Is there a difference between Colorado's option I bone and coach Tom Osborne's I formation offense?

[@mwright_boomer]

@@studdruppo Yeah I think there was. For one thing, it seems to me like Colorado’s I-Bone involved more motion to try to make the direction they were attacking more unpredictable. It would be interesting to do a deep dive on it and find all the similarities and differences.

[@johnhebert3855]

Great filmmaking without question, but I was hoping for some specific reasons why the wishbone has largely been abandoned.

[@mwright_boomer]

@@johnhebert3855 Appreciate the feedback!

[@twistedmonkey17]

I want to run the wishbone again at OU with JFA

[@TheBeefSlayer]

The snooter Sooners….. No wonder they were so fast. 😂

[@mwright_boomer]

@@TheBeefSlayer lol!

[@Bigfishfun333]

Matthew Wright is the Jamelle Holieway of making football videos.

[@DudeEggs]

If Bama, Clemson, LSU and the like ran the wishbone it would still be dominant. The supreme talent advantage would be clear as day. It would look far different from what the academies do.

[@okiesoonernews4645]

Grew up watching sooner ball in the seventies and eighties I never understrood why didn't everybody run the wishbone?

[@hrosemd]

I miss the wishbone.

[@JosePerez-vz1qq]

17:01 Miami's defense broke the 'Bone

[@LoydKline-uw4no]

❤️ to Barry Switzer & health Troy Aikman as quarterback against Jimmy Johnson &1980s Miami hurricane 🌀, Barry Switzer & Oklahoma, blow away Jimmy Johnson & 1980s Miami hurricane,, or 1975 Oklahoma team or Barry Switzer & Billy Sims, Kenny King, thomas Lott against Jimmy Johnson & 1980s Miami hurricane 🌀, Barry Switzer & Billy Sims blow away Jimmy Johnson & Miami 🌀 hurricane 1980s 🏈

[@nygiants3564]

What was Tommie Frazier Nebraska and Josh Nesbit Georgia Tech running?

[@mwright_boomer]

Frazier ran the I and Nesbitt ran the Flexbone

[@brainspin7518]

@ 9:40 lmao😂

[@vanessajazp6341]

Jimmy Johnson didn't just "see the wishbone at Oklahoma State", he was at OU under Barry Switzer when they implemented the wishbone. He knew exactly how to stop it, because it was partly his design. Oklahoma lost because Barry Switzer was too proud to admit he needed a different game plan.

[@jesusrivera743]

What a coaching staff Switzer Johnson, Lacewell, Galen Hall man some staff

[@vanessajazp6341]

@@jesusrivera743 That's why they had 4 National Titles during that time :)

[@jesusrivera743]

@@vanessajazp6341 They also had several game changing recruits that arguably were illegally recruited

[@brady3474]

Wasn’t Miami undefeated that year? Why aren’t all you geniuses talking about the other 11 r 12 teams Miami beat that year to change the offense that gott them to that fame! Switzer needed a bew game plan??? Your a moron. Oklahoma got beat by a better team. It’s called playing the game!

[@MeIn321]

How many of those wishbone teams were on NCAA probation?

[@mwright_boomer]

As far as I know of, just OU in 73-75 and Kentucky for a couple years, but possibly more

[@jamesbingham1007]

How bout' SMU?

[@JosePerez-vz1qq]

20:23 broke it

[@jesusrivera743]

If Monty Kiffin while DC at Nebraska couldn’t stop it not to many had success Need more than a week to prepare for the wishbone and elite athletes on defense with serious speed and quickness A great coach like Lou Holtz at Arkansas doesn’t hurt either

[@JAMESGANG-f5u]

15:30 5th down??????? Refs making that side money 🦓💰🤫🤑

[@mwright_boomer]

@@JAMESGANG-f5u lol right??

[@TheBeefSlayer]

I want to see someone like the Philadelphia Eagles in the NFL run the bone and see how it goes in the NFL. If you have equal player talent…. Why wouldn’t the offense dominate???? Plus you can’t hit the QB in the NFL anymore! It be perfect! Especially if you have a real QB that can pass. I think the Seahawks would be a great team to do this with too in 2024. That QB from WV they got, can’t remember his name right now, would be a great option qb I bet. Geno Smith! Yeah…. He’d be good I bet. I would say let the ravens do it but they so good they ain’t bout to do it. Plus they don’t want to get Russel murdered running the qb dive.

[@nathanstruble2177]

Wait wait wait, did he say one players name was Major Ovalteen??

[@mwright_boomer]

Lol I wish! Major Ogilvie (pronounced Ogle-vee)

[@Nazz1952]

wishbone qb's excellent ball fakes

[@hughguidi5570]

Wishbone = Mildren

[@armandchargois5733]

And once again,for those that did not know it already, TEXAS was the first college team to implement the wishbone….everyone else did what they could to copy it…okla. got their help from Daryl Royal head coach at UT who went to okla.and played football there from ‘46-49…Sooners just got help from their #1 adversary they play by one of their former players…of course Okla.’s Barry Switzer ,then the OC at Okla. said after studying film of TEXAS running the wishbone he was to have “talked the head coach”(Chuck Fairbanks) into trying the same approach by watching film,yeah,ok Barry….now,Okla. just tries and still does have over 30% of it’s players from TEXAS…. Instead of hating Texas as they say they do, they should be very glad that there’s a place called Texas, or Oklahoma couldn’t field a football team. These are not my opinions,but factual data!

[@mwright_boomer]

And Texas should be very thankful to Oklahoma for DKR! Without an Oklahoman, no wishbone for Texas

[@armandchargois5733]

@@mwright_boomer why would someone coaching an adversary want to “help them out”? and no one ever comments on the Oklahoma team being loaded with Texas talent. In fact, this year Oklahoma has 34 Texas players on her team which comprises of 28% of their team…how many starters are from Texas? you have to admit, as I stated they wouldn’t be able to field a good 6A football team here in the state of Texas without the Texas players and you know that! Again, I am not being mean-spirited here, just truthful, but I can’t get anyone from Oklahoma to agree on their team being loaded with TEXAS talent…they may even meet again at the end of the season…we shall see…

[@davidfrost801]

@@mwright_boomer Don't forget Mack Brown, he was one yr at Oklahoma before finally ended up at Texas...

[@sammychapman1730]

Ok let's get into population. Look at the size of Oklahoma compared to Texas. Then also look at the chance of playing on a really great team or even a national championship team. How many players from Texas can the Longhorns actually give scholarships to. Now look at Switzer's recruiting skills and how much better the campus at Norman looks. Oklahoma has many great players from the state of Oklahoma. There are many states that recruit from Texas. Why? Because Texas has a great highschool football program. Then there's this. Oklahoma recruits great players from all over the United States. Maybe it's a great place to play for a really good football program.

[@sammychapman1730]

Also why does Texas hate Oklahoma when they play each other. It's called competition, lol.

[@danduke7339]

You could have condensed the six videos into one 25 minute video. You repeat yourself far too much.

[@sammychapman1730]

Then don't watch. You are not too damn bright are you?

[@dennismcconaghy5515]

Wishbone offense was an abomination. An insult to football based on the forward pass. the NFL proved that wishbone offence had no place in real football.

[@johnanderson7076]

I think the Cowboys or some team ran some Wishbone during the scab Season.

[@HeWhoIsNamedPatrick]

Nebraska’s mid 90s I-bone was the most dominant ever!

[@hazmathauler4536]

That’s the last time the Cornjerkers were relevant! Boomer Sooner!

[@jesusrivera743]

Superior Off.linemen QB and running backs

[@jesusrivera743]

Tommy Frazier Lawrence Phillips Ahman Green Schlesinger…..