XFL Offensive Style

[Andibald]

I wonder what style of offenses the XFL teams will be using?

The AAF looks to be using NFL style offenses and seem to be headed to NFL minor league status so that will likely not change. NFL teams are already struggling to find quality QBs to run their offenses which doesn't leave many available to the AAF and XFL. With that in mind, maybe the XFL will turn to more of a college spread style offense. There are a lot of dual threat QBs that don't get a chance to play in the NFL for various reasons that may find a home in the XFL. With a shorter play clock and calling plays at the line (whether via signals or radio), XFL offenses may have to be simplified to work (quality of the play) and that may mean one or two read plays from the spread and give the QB an option to take off. They could also use the college hash marks (or at least a bit wider) to open up the field a bit as well. I wouldn't expect every team to run this style but it seems like there would be more quality QBs available than if using traditional drop back offenses.

[MikeMitchell]

I wonder what style of offenses the XFL teams will be using?

The AAF looks to be using NFL style offenses and seem to be headed to NFL minor league status so that will likely not change. NFL teams are already struggling to find quality QBs to run their offenses which doesn't leave many available to the AAF and XFL. With that in mind, maybe the XFL will turn to more of a college spread style offense. There are a lot of dual threat QBs that don't get a chance to play in the NFL for various reasons that may find a home in the XFL. With a shorter play clock and calling plays at the line (whether via signals or radio), XFL offenses may have to be simplified to work (quality of the play) and that may mean one or two read plays from the spread and give the QB an option to take off. They could also use the college hash marks (or at least a bit wider) to open up the field a bit as well. I wouldn't expect every team to run this style but it seems like there would be more quality QBs available than if using traditional drop back offenses.

Good post. Some food for thought.

The AAF..... From a rules standpoint. Teams are not allowed to send more than 5 rushers and they are also not allowed to blitz two players from the same side. Debatable as to how close their game is to pro style offenses. Spurrier, Neuheisel and Riley run a form of college style offenses from a decade ago. The closest coach to a modern day style is Mike Martz, and he hasn’t coached in the NFL since 2012. His style of offense dates back to the deeper routes of The Air Coryell era. Hard to label Atlanta’s offense, which is in it’s 3rd Coordinator. They are about as vanilla as it gets.

The XFL.... Depends on the coaches really. Zorn is as old school as it gets, teaching west coast principles. Pep Hamilton ran a version of the west coast offense at Stanford, Michigan and at Indy. So he’s a mixture of pro and college. Stoops has defensive roots but his offenses are pretty close to what modern day college offenses have become. Trestman is a wild card. Another west coast offense guy with college experience but his offense excelled in the up tempo CFL style.

I think the league’s rules will dictate the style. Up tempo for sure.... conditioning based.... If a coach is connected to every player’s headset. No need for QBs to relay the call. O-lineman potentially not in 3 point stances?... That would match up with the current wave of college style ball. I think the league wants to be an evolved version of modern day NFL/College and The Canadian game. So I think it’s going to be a hybrid type league with an eye on the future. Oliver Luck wants scoring. He’s mentioned it in interviews where he wants the 35-30 type game.

[Tank55]

Martz is not running a modern pro offense. Just count how many times the Fleet line up under center. Childress was going to be that a guy for them.

I totally agree they should cultivate schematic diversity. Like Mike says, the two most watchable teams are Orlando and Arizona, both running college offenses. It's why I pined for Paul Johnson. They should chase someone running a modern Run and Shoot, someone running the pistol, etc. I definitely hope Stoops lands someone to run a pure Air Raid (maybe Mumme!). But the clash of styles is one of the things that makes football interesting, so they should be deliberate in cultivating it.

[Andibald]

I wonder what style of offenses the XFL teams will be using?

The AAF looks to be using NFL style offenses and seem to be headed to NFL minor league status so that will likely not change. NFL teams are already struggling to find quality QBs to run their offenses which doesn't leave many available to the AAF and XFL. With that in mind, maybe the XFL will turn to more of a college spread style offense. There are a lot of dual threat QBs that don't get a chance to play in the NFL for various reasons that may find a home in the XFL. With a shorter play clock and calling plays at the line (whether via signals or radio), XFL offenses may have to be simplified to work (quality of the play) and that may mean one or two read plays from the spread and give the QB an option to take off. They could also use the college hash marks (or at least a bit wider) to open up the field a bit as well. I wouldn't expect every team to run this style but it seems like there would be more quality QBs available than if using traditional drop back offenses.

Good post. Some food for thought.

The AAF..... From a rules standpoint. Teams are not allowed to send more than 5 rushers and they are also not allowed to blitz two players from the same side. Debatable as to how close their game is to pro style offenses. Spurrier, Neuheisel and Riley run a form of college style offenses from a decade ago. The closest coach to a modern day style is Mike Martz, and he hasn’t coached in the NFL since 2012. His style of offense dates back to the deeper routes of The Air Coryell era. Hard to label Atlanta’s offense, which is in it’s 3rd Coordinator. They are about as vanilla as it gets.

The XFL.... Depends on the coaches really. Zorn is as old school as it gets, teaching west coast principles. Pep Hamilton ran a version of the west coast offense at Stanford, Michigan and at Indy. So he’s a mixture of pro and college. Stoops has defensive roots but his offenses are pretty close to what modern day college offenses have become. Trestman is a wild card. Another west coast offense guy with college experience but his offense excelled in the up tempo CFL style.

I think the league’s rules will dictate the style. Up tempo for sure.... conditioning based.... If a coach is connected to every player’s headset. No need for QBs to relay the call. O-lineman potentially not in 3 point stances?... That would match up with the current wave of college style ball. I think the league wants to be an evolved version of modern day NFL/College and The Canadian game. So I think it’s going to be a hybrid type league with an eye on the future. Oliver Luck wants scoring. He’s mentioned it in interviews where he wants the 35-30 type game.

Good points and I agree that we will see some hybrid offenses. NDSU is a West Coast offense I believe and they still used the athletic ability of Carson Wentz and Easton Stick.

The AAF "looks" like a traditional pro offense in which the QBs goes through their reads and get rid of the ball or get sacked. In fact, the defensive rules help with that, although it doesn't help the QB in learning how to handle pressure as well. It makes sense for them to do that as they have shown they are interested in becoming a feeder league for the NFL.

Style is probably the wrong word...I think philosophy is better. Is the QB going to be a threat to run in the XFL? Not just scrambling either but a legitimate threat at the snap. Tom Brady can be in the shotgun with 5-wide but he is not a threat to run. His strengths are finding the open receiver and getting him the ball quickly. Lamar Jackson, at least so far, is a legit run threat and has been used that way. looking at this years draft, is the XFL going to be more Kyler Murray or Dwayne Haskins?

Two players people used to speculate about for the XFL, Tim Tebow and Colin Kapernick, would likely fit better into a college philosophy offense, using them as a runner as well as a passer. Both are criticized for not being great passers. It will be interesting to see what the AAF does with Johnny Manziel.

I think there are quite a few QB's that don't get a chance in the NFL because they don't fit the mold. I was a bit surprised that Tommy Armstrong JR (NEB) didn't get drafted by the AAF. That told me that they were looking for a traditional NFL style QB. He may have gotten a look if their philosophy was different.

I remember watching Vikings backup,Joe Webb, play in the playoffs against the Packers. He has great running ability but the Vikings sat him in the pocket all day. I don't know how many times the backside was open (Clay Matthews) after the first or second read. If the coaches adapted the offense to his strength at all, he'd still be running. I would like to see the XFL utilize that kind of QB.

[Andibald]

They should chase someone running a modern Run and Shoot, someone running the pistol, etc. I definitely hope Stoops lands someone to run a pure Air Raid (maybe Mumme!). But the clash of styles is one of the things that makes football interesting, so they should be deliberate in cultivating it.

Yes!

[Tank55]

The most fun quarterback in the AAF is playing wide receiver -- Greg Ward Jr. It's a travesty.

I agree that the blitz restrictions force a "safe" defense and thus a "safe" offense in response. Poorly thought out and a disservice to the players and coaches. High risk, high reward football is entertaining football. Hopefully the XFL understands that.

[Sounder]

I need something cleared up. I read an article about rule proposals they're looking at......in particular: All players on the offense lined up behind the actual line of scrimmage can be eligible receivers..... does this iinclude guards and tsckles? ........What about the allowing more than one legal forward pass on given plays? Does this mean a reciever can catch a pass.....then turn around and throw another? If that is the case...... I would think on the second forward pass.....there should be some kind of soccer offside rule stating a second reciever can't be beyond the last defender before a pass is thrown. I believe Vince wanted to do that in 01....but the coaches didn't want rule changes midseason.

[Andibald]

I need something cleared up. I read an article about rule proposals they're looking at......in particular: All players on the offense lined up behind the actual line of scrimmage can be eligible receivers..... does this iinclude guards and tsckles? ........What about the allowing more than one legal forward pass on given plays? Does this mean a reciever can catch a pass.....then turn around and throw another? If that is the case...... I would think on the second forward pass.....there should be some kind of soccer offside rule stating a second reciever can't be beyond the last defender before a pass is thrown. I believe Vince wanted to do that in 01....but the coaches didn't want rule changes midseason.

I think the forward pass rule was intended to make it easier to officiate...there is no need to judge if a pass is backwards or forwards. As long as the ball is behind the LOS the defense needs to expect a pass. Your idea adds more judgement for the officials on the back end.

As for alignment , there was a league trying to start up called the A11 (All 11) that had anyone on offense eligible as long as they were legally lined up. They didn't use eligible numbers so in theory a guard lined up behind the line could catch a pass.

Edit:
Players are lined up all over the place...very confusing!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VULYlK6jH9I

[Sounder]

They're bringing back the post td conversion scale that they installed for the playoff in 01...... I hated it. Here's whst i propose...... place the ball on the five and allow either a kick for one... or run a play for two. If the team lines up to run a play.....they can still opt for a quick kick....
but it would score one. If they line up to kick...... they can run a fake for two. In the NFL..... they gotta commit one way or the other it seems...... no guessing......no potential trickery. A kick with the ball on the five would be a 24 yard kick......not an absolute sure thing. And are they gonna return the fourth down rule with the "ball being live after 25 yards? I liked that.

[steinerfhc]

I look for as mentioned a hybrid style. Depending on the coach will have different styles of offense. As long as we get entertaining plays and good offense without making the defense looking like there handcuff on what they can or can't do I'm going to enjoy it. While I get the safety of players part which is important, but there has to be strategy involved when calling the right play at the right time.

A lot of this will depends what new rules they will use to make them different makes that final cut. As well as the talent levels. I see more college style because I feel most of the QBs will be just that, undrafted players for other schools. I don't see very many NFL QB coming in and I see the amount of NFL players being in the league. Whole the AAF has 81% of guys who where in the NFL. I see the XFL numbers being a lot less and more going around and finding the more undiscovered talent from smaller schools or those players that where over looked or passed on because of size. The biggest thing they need to make sure they have a long enough camp for these teams to develop chemistry and know the different rules. Learn from the AAF that could be better but not bad. The year only we saw it come together seems rushed. The first XFL was rushed and the on field stuff showed.

They need to learn from it I say while the NFL season is starting, the XFL should be in camp that whole time to make sure every team will be ready to give a good first impression. They need that extra time than a normal NFL training camp/pre season period because new rules for all the players and round up new teams to get working together.