When June Jones joined the Hamilton Tiger-Cats, there was discussion of his history as a pioneer of the run and shoot offence. Coach Jones has served as a player with the Atlanta Falcons and Toronto Argonauts, and as a coach for numerous football programs including the Houston Gamblers (USFL), Ottawa Rough Riders, Atlanta Falcons, University of Hawaii Rainbow Warriors, SMU Mustangs, and now the Hamilton Tiger-Cats. Throughout it all, he has proudly waved the run and shoot flag. But what exactly is the run and shoot offence?
According to Coach Jones, “Basically the run and shoot is more reliant on the receivers to read the coverage for the quarterback, and then more of a progression for the quarterback.”
Let’s break down what that means.
In the 1950’s, a man by the name of Glenn ‘Tiger’ Ellison founded the run and shoot offence. As the story goes, Coach Ellison was in the midst of a losing season when he drove past a group of children playing pick-up football in a park. He noticed that the children were running improvised routes with the sole intention of getting open. That moment inspired Coach Ellison to develop what he called the ‘Lonesome Polecat’ and thus, the run and shoot offence was born.
The original run and shoot involved a fluid view of the offence, in which the passing and rushing offence were indistinguishable, the huddle was eliminated, and the receivers were responsible for just two things: run to an area, and get open.
Coach Ellison operated the run and shoot with success for a time, but the system gradually declined in popularity, likely due to the heavy demands placed on the quarterback. With receivers modifying their routes on the fly, the quarterback was tasked with adjusting to the receivers as the routes developed. No easy task.
The run and shoot was not destined to be forgotten so easily. Darrell ‘Mouse’ Davis was the next coach to turn his attention to the run and shoot. As a coach at Portland State University, Coach Davis found great success running a modified version of Coach Ellison’s system. Despite the changes to the run and shoot, the system still required an intelligent and accurate quarterback. Fortunately, Coach Davis had an abundance of those with the Portland State Vikings, including none other than June Jones himself.
Working with then-quarterback, June Jones, in Portland, Coach Davis developed a handful of receiver routes, many of which persist today. The switch route is a good example of a run and shoot coach’s way of thinking. Against a zone defence, the receivers run vertical routes until the defence drops into zone, and the routes are then converted to exploit a hole in coverage. Against man defence, the receivers either run deep if they can beat their man, or convert the route to drop short when the defender overruns deep. It is a good example of how receivers in run and shoot offences can improvise their routes on the fly.
Unlike other offensive systems, the run and shoot begins with just one or two pre-snap formations. For the purposes of this article, all formations will be translated from their American football origins to their equivalent representations in the Canadian game.
The run and shoot was traditionally executed with five offensive lineman and no ends. There were five receivers (two wide receivers and three slot backs) with three receivers lining up to the wide side of the field. There was a single running back in the back field that was heavily relied upon to aid in pass protection. The quarterback lined up under center, and employed a half roll drop back following the snap of the ball. The half roll drop back involved the quarterback executing a five or seven step drop and rolling away from center but remaining in the pocket. It provided the quarterback some advantages such as allowing the quarterback to avoid inside pressure, moving the quarterback closer to the intended receiver, and overcoming a shifted defensive alignment.
We’ve already discussed the receiver’s responsibilities in this alignment, but the running back also plays an integral role on passing downs. The running back was responsible for blocking the sixth man against a blitzing defence, or releasing into the flat and receiving a screen pass from the quarterback.
For years, run and shoot teams possessed the most potent offences in professional football.
Despite early success, the run and shoot no longer exists in its original form. As Coach Jones says, “I remember Bill Walsh telling me, if you’re not tweaking 17-20% of your offence every year, they’re catching up to you.”
The run and shoot was forced to evolve as opposing teams learned how to defend it.
Some evolutions of the run and shoot offence are attributed to Coach Jones himself.
In his storied tenure at the University of Hawaii, Coach Jones implemented the shot gun formation and an offset running back into the run and shoot.
The shotgun formation is when the quarterback receives the snap around five yards behind the center. There are a number of advantages to the shotgun formation including: a better view of the secondary for the quarterback, a better position for the quarterback to avoid the pass rush, and more time for the quarterback to throw the ball. These advantages are particularly important in a run and shoot offence, as one of the drawbacks of the offence is that quarterback protection is sacrificed.
Colt Brennan, University of Hawaii quarterback from 2005-2007, was the beneficiary of the shotgun adjustment. Playing in Coach Jones’ system, Brennan passed for 58 touchdowns in 2006, setting the NCAA Division I record for most touchdown passes in a single season. Brennan would go on to be drafted by the NFL’s Washington Redskins (later spending a brief stint on the Saskatchewan Roughriders practice roster), but was never able to replicate the success he found under Coach Jones.
Numerous adjustments to the run and shoot have led to the widespread adaptation of its concepts. Although the run and shoot is no longer used in its original form, as designed by Ellison many years ago, its core concepts persist.
“I watch New England play now, and they’re running a combination of Bill Walsh, Ted Marchibroda, and run and shoot, and that’s why they’re having success,” says Coach Jones. “Over the years, I’ve stolen from everybody and everybody has kind of stolen from me.”
As Coach Jones reminds us, run and shoot concepts have passed through many hands, and the complexion of the offence has changed with each great football mind that touches it.
“I stole Mouse Davis’ run and shoot concepts which I think the people here would remember. Way back, Mouse came up here and took the 2-14 Toronto Argonauts to the Grey Cup. And the next year, they won the Grey Cup. The concepts work,” says Coach Jones.
Certain personnel have to be in place for run and shoot offensive concepts to be used effectively. Coach Jones believes that it all starts with the quarterback, and passing accuracy is a vital requirement. Beyond that, speed is paramount.
“If I was going to sacrifice anything, I’d sacrifice for speed,” says Coach Jones. “You know, maybe a guy is 5’10’’, that runs a 4.4 forty [short but fast], instead of a guy that’s 6’4’’ that runs a 4.6 forty [tall but less fast]. I side a little bit more with the fast guy.”
Coach Jones also believes in the importance of a strong running back.
“Always have a guy next to the quarterback that can block like a lineman, and run like a little guy. My perfect guy for that was Craig ‘Ironhead’ Hayward before he passed away,” says Coach Jones.
The historical success of the run and shoot offence stands as a testament to the effectiveness of its concepts. When Coach Jones brings those concepts to the Hamilton Tiger-Cats, he hopes he can execute a turn-around akin to what the legendary Mouse Davis did with the Toronto Argonauts.
According to Coach Jones, it isn’t the system alone that will determine the Tiger-Cats’ success.
Because as Coach Jones says: “So much of it comes down to belief in what you’re doing and the players’ belief that they can’t be stopped.”