College Football History: The Wishbone - Part 1

Coach Royal (Texas) used to say, “When ya pass, three thangs kin happen and two of ‘em are bad!” 😂

We ran this during my high school career, 1981-1984. I was the left HB 6'1" 210lbs. My buddy was the right HB 6' 205lbs. Our fullback was a 5'9" 230lb. battering ram. Needless to say, we flat ran over people!

Still my favorite offense to watch, and when performed perfectly, UNSTOPPABLE, especially in short yardage situations.

Texas-Notre Dame in the 1970 cotton bowl, following the 69 season, was the first college football game I ever watched as a child! It was so exciting watching the wishbone!😂

My dad is an old guy, 77 and I’m 32. He constantly talks about running the wishbone, every time I just laugh and call him old. Me never really knowing how bad ass it was, and as a browns fan, I’m starting to agree with my dad, having Chubb and Hunt in the wishbone would be fucking awesome

This series is great. I was 10 years old in 1969 and one of the first college football games I saw on TV as the Texas Arkansas game. I was hooked right there on the wishbone offense.

Man, I am so thankful you took the time to do this. Afghanistan, Iraq, an Embassy assignment, jumped out of an airplane, repelled out of a helicopter... all began as wishbone quarterback in the south. I ended up playing at The Citadel that set a rushing record or two and definitely was smashmouth, option football in the Southern Conference early 90s.. Option football is about life. I said that to Charlie Taffe years ago. Making choices; the unpredictable nature of any and all things. This helps explain. This is well done. Thank you so much.

Air Force used to run this offense back in the 80s and it gave Notre Dame fits when Faust was coach.

Emory Bellard was at Mississippi State in the 1979-85 but every SEC team ran his offense and most college football teams in America. I remember watching Barry Switzer's Oklahoma Sooners run the Wishbone better than anyone else. Julius Caesar Watts and Billy Sims were unbelievable at the Wishbone Option.

Really fun series of videos. “The key to the wishbone, even more than speed, was the amount of time the O-line had to hold their blocks”… Barry Switzer. (It was considerably less than traditional offenses!)

The Wishbone originated as the Houston Veer and was co-opted by the University of Texas that they re-named the "Wishbone".

This is so true about the college football games on Saturday during the late 60s and early 70s. Only the three channels available, ABC, CBS and NBC. Remember vividly every Saturday afternoon my father on his recliner tuning into ABCs Wide World of Sports. Good times.

I believe the wishbone to be a terrific High school offense. Pro set and I formation require require power runners or a skilled quarterback to dominate. The wishbone can be run successfully by teams from smaller schools with limited size and speed. With limited pools of talent, where decent throwing quarterbacks and decent pass blocking lineman in combination is rare, the misdirection and reduced reliance on the passing game can lead to a more successful program using the wishbone.

I was only 7 years old in 1982, but I can still remember my dad and grandpa sitting in front of a wooden console TV with rabbit ears yelling about how Georgia "couldn't stop that wishbone" the other team was running.

I grew up watching Barry Switzer's Oklahoma squad score 60 and 70 points a game with this evil formation Despite being old, with a good throwing QB capable of throwing to the wide outs, this could still work

It can still work with the right personel inside the 5 and on two point conversions.

My high school coach tried to run the wishbone in 1973. I played fullback and had to lineup in that 4 point stance, I HATED IT! It was so hard to move sideways rather than the 3 point stance. So glad he dropped it

OU with Billy Sims, David Overstreet and Kenny King. What a backfield!

In the 70's NBC's only games they showed was the Rose and Orange Bowls, CBS only showed the Sun and Cotton Bowls. ABC was the only network you got a game and maybe three times a year they would have a doubleheader.

During the glory years of the wishbone, Texas, Alabama, and Oklahoma really made it shine. It was a thing of beauty, and exciting to watch. As the narrator notes, the QB is the key, and Street was one of the best. I don't think it was ever attempted in the pros, but I"m not sure about that.