The Pistol

[Delhommey]

Ok, so now do you guys believe me that it can work in the NFL?

Watch the 9ers carefully as I think this will be an important tweak to make to the zone option plays we run next year. It gives the runner the ability to run downhill rather than starting from a standing position.

Also an interesting twist is how San Fran will sometimes send a lead blocker at the outside defender and have the QB run it regardless. We did some variations on that, but the 9ers run it to perfection.

[IamSoClutch]

I think Cam could run it better than Colin if we had the o line

[Gucci Mane]

Yea colin has better tools in terms of blocking

[Delhommey]

http://www.nytimes.com/2013/01/20/sports/football/nfc-49ers-colin-kaepernick-takes-nevada-offense-to-big-stage.html?pagewanted=all&_r=2&

A good article on it.

[Argus Plexus]

Veeeeeery interesting

[Guild]

Who said it wouldn't work? Seemed genius to me two or three years ago.

[Delhommey]

Who said it wouldn't work? Seemed genius to me two or three years ago.

[Delhommey]

Another good article:

http://www.sbnation.com/longform/2012/12/27/3792740/pistol-offense-nfl-redskins-rg3

[Guild]

Ha I was the second post. I think most people at that time still had no idea what it was. Only a few huddlers had even seen it at that point.

[FootballMaestro]

Every one with eyes knows, the way the Panthers runs their RO they shouldn't run it much at all, cause it gives away to the defenders what their gonna do (plus the delay, the non motion of the RB's, along with the change of alignment etc.).

The way Frisco and especially Wash runs the pistol and misdirection, there's just so much deception involved.

Of course, you need a great running attack and/or Off line as well. But if the Panthers do it. Do it well, or don't do it at all.

[Bwood]

I wish we would mix the Pistol offense in with our scheme more.

Does anyone know if Shula has experience running the Pistol?

[Tarheels23]

The Redskins run the Pistol to profection. I always hated that Chud wouldn't do more with this formation. He'd only get in it like one or two times a game, like it was some type of secret formation that he wanted to keep in his back pocket or some poo.

[joemac]

I highly doubt Shula has any experience with the pistol outside of what hes seen with it here. The last time he was an OC was a decade ago, and i dont think the pistol existed then.

[KendrickPanther]

What the 49ers do isn't even technically "option football" sometimes is play action on the dive the run a QB sweep. There is no read involved, no hesitation for the offense, and the lead blockers know where the ball is going. It's an intelligent evolution beyond the read option. The defense never knows if its a true read option or a play action so they have to hesitate.