Veer
Encyclopedia
The Veer is an option running play often associated with option offense
s in American football
, made famous at the collegiate level
by the Houston Cougars
. It is currently run primarily on the high school level
, with some usage at the collegiate and (with slight modifications) the professional level with varying degrees of success. The Veer is an effective ball control offense that can help minimize mismatches in a game for a team. However, it can lead to turnovers with pitches and handoff option reads.
, although it was primarily designed to be run out of the split-backed, aptly named veer formation. It has been used out of the I-formation (and its variants, including the Power-I and Maryland I) and the wishbone formation
. It also is used in the shotgun formation
. Some variants of the triple option have now made the jump to the shotgun formation
. The Shotgun has become a popular option formation since Eric Crouch and the University of Nebraska Cornhuskers used the shotgun option during his 2001 Heisman campaign.
The Veer option is generally regarded as a "triple option
". It is designed as a four-back attack with one player taking a dive course, one taking a pitch course and another being a lead blocker on the perimeter of the offensive formation. The QB makes reads on defensive players and then distributes the ball according to the defensive reaction to the offense. A typical play proceeds as follows (we will assume that this is an "inside veer" going to the right side out of the split-back formation): the quarterback
takes the snap. He then does what is called "opening up": the quarterback goes from his two point stance, facing forward, and takes (in this situation) his opposite side, left foot and pivots ninety degrees on his right foot, extending the ball toward the sideline he is facing. The split-back halfback
on the right side, who in this situation is the "dive back", goes forward into the line to where the quarterback is and meets in an area called the "mesh point". This is where the idea of the Veer begins to take shape: the offensive line has left one man unblocked here, most likely a defensive tackle (although it can be a linebacker
).
This man is being Read by the QB. The defender is being forced to choose between tackling the dive back or the quarterback. The dive back explodes forward, puts his arms around the ball that is being extended, but does not take it. The quarterback, in his open stance, is reading the man being veered to determine whether he will "pull" the ball from the dive back, or let the dive back take the ball and go through the hole. This is where the name of the offense, the veer, comes from. This is just one part of the four-part option. If the quarterback keeps the ball, he attempts to cut up the field with the opposite side halfback, who has been running right towards the dive back's original position. He is the pitch man.
He attempts to maintain proper pitch relation to the quarterback, technically a few yards outside the quarterback and moving laterally so that the quarterback may pitch the ball as he goes down the field. This entire action does not take longer than a few seconds. The fourth player in the split-veer would be a wide receiver or tight end. His job, depending on the formation, would be to block the force player who is responsible for the flat to the side they are attacking. The offense relies on the quarterback making the proper reads, and reacting to the read (if he decides to keep the ball), turning up the field and gaining yardage. The dive back must remember to not take the football from the quarterback, rather the quarterback must give it to him. The pitch man must know to maintain proper spacing from the quarterback to ensure that the quarterback can make an effective pitch that can ensure more yardage.
with the invention of the veer formation. Yeoman ran that offense with the University of Houston
Cougars
beginning in the mid-sixties and continuing through his career at UH which concluded in 1986.
The veer relies on precision, execution, and smarts, rather than an advantage in athleticism, to score points. The ability of the QB to identify weakness in defensive alignment is paramount, as the veer can take quick advantage of a defensive misalignment. The veer also can be used with great effect when the offensive line is a strength of the team.
The veer offense was adopted by Jack Lengyel
, the new head coach of Huntington
, West Virginia's
Marshall University
Thundering Herd
prior to the start of the 1971 season after a plane crash decimated the previous team. (Seventy-five people, including most of the team and its coaches, as well as school officials, city and state legislators and supporters died in the November 14, 1970 crash.) Lengyel believed that the veer option offense would be a better offense than the Power I
offense he had used at the College of Wooster. Bobby Bowden
, then the head coach of in-state rivals West Virginia
(although the two teams rarely played each other), offered to tutor Lengyel and his coaches on the intricacies and nuances of the veer option offense. Lengyel installed Reggie Oliver at quarterback. The Young Thundering Herd of Marshall would win two games in 1971: an emotional, last-second win against Xavier
in their first home game after the crash and later in the year, in their homecoming game, against ranked Bowling Green
.
. However, Ara Parseghian
and his coaching staff put together the first known strategy for countering the Veer. Although the Veer can either be run on the interior of the line or on the edge, at this point, the veer was primarily run on the inside. The coaching staff implemented the following plan: focus the interior linemen and inside linebackers on stopping the dive back. Focus the outside linebackers and defensive end
on stopping the quarterback as he cuts up the field. Focus the cornerback
s and safeties on stopping the pitch man (although they would have help from any defensive players who flowed to the ball). The strategy limited the Texas offense to 11 points, and Notre Dame won. However, it became clear after such a demonstration that the veer could be an effective weapon if used properly.
In the F.S.U.-Houston game in the Gator Bowl in 1968, the 'Noles brought the safeties up and they ignored the QB, running right by him at times, and crashed into the trailing back, usually Paul Gipson. This took the pitch option away. The Veer wasn't stopped but it was slowed. Florida State won the game 40-20.
in Concord, California
. Head Coach Bob Ladouceur
brought the offense to the school when he originally arrived to bring the infant program its first winning season. He put in the system because of the undersized players he had. After a record 151 game winning streak, he continues to use the offense today. Graduates of De La Salle who have gone to the NFL include Amani Toomer
, and Maurice Jones-Drew
. Another prolific high school program that runs the split back veer offense is John Curtis Christian School in River Ridge, Louisiana
. The Patriots have run the veer since 1970, compiling a 431-36-6 record (through 2006) and winning 21 Louisiana State Championships under head coach J.T. Curtis. College Park High School in The Woodlands, Texas
, which opened in 2005, runs the Veer Triple Option under Head Coach Richard Carson. The College Park Cavaliers who went 9-2 in only their second Varsity season in Class 5A in 2007, featured Josh Parsons at quarterback and Running Backs D'Jeale Lyons and David Crittenden in the Triple Option Offense. Notable Odessa Permian High School "Permian Panthers" of Odessa, Texas
, a long time Wing-T offensive school, adapted to the Veer under Head Coach Scott Smith during the 2003-2004 seasons. They now are a spread option team. Many high school programs use the Veer for several reasons. Many times, the coach of the school played within the system. Other times, the same situation exists as above - lack of speed, size, and athleticism to compete with the teams in their league. However, the Veer has begun to fade as the spread offense and the run and shoot offense permeate the game. The system remains with old school coaches, and it will not cease to exist for a long while.
Other successful teams known to use the veer are the Kemmerer Rangers (Wyoming), which has won two state titles in the last three years; and the Baker County Wildcats (Florida) who went 10-2 and were 30th in the country. Thomas County Central High of Thomasville, Georgia, under head coach Ed Pilcher, won AAA state titles in 5 of 6 seasons ('92, '93, '94, '96, & '97) during the decade of the 1990s running the veer. They were also state title runner-up in 2002, and reached the state semi-finals in 2003 and 2007. The Yellow Jackets went 15-0 in 1997, and finished 9th in the USA Today
national poll. After the departure of Coach Ed Pilcher following the 2007 season, Thomas County Central High promoted long-time offensive coordinator Bill Shaver to the head coaching position, and the Yellow Jackets continue to use the Veer. As of 2011, the 'Jackets have been using the Veer as their basic offensive package for 21 seasons, while enjoying a streak of 20 straight playoff appearances since the implementation of the offense in 1991. Graduates of Thomas County Central who have gone on to the NFL include Joe Burns, Paul Miranda, and more recently, Dontavia Bogan.
squad led by Bill Yeoman. Yeoman's teams racked up thousands of yards on the ground, and won four conference championships and 11 bowl games. His teams finished in the top 10 four times. Other famous Veer teams include University of Nebraska, who won several national titles in their Power-I offense, and the United States Air Force Academy
, NC State under Lou Holtz, and United States Naval Academy
. The above mentioned teams now run the official definition of a veer offense - that is, under center. Currently, the most successful team that runs the veer as their base offense is the Georgia Institute of Technology
, which runs the veer exclusively from the flexbone formation
under former Naval Academy coach Paul Johnson
.
The zone read, or shotgun veer play, is now widely used throughout all levels of college football. A running back
is lined up adjacent to the quarterback, and, at the snap, the quarterback opens up facing the running back. He reads the end on the same side as the running back. The running back is performing effectively the same motion as the dive back in a conventional veer, except he runs at the defensive end on the opposite side of the field. If the unblocked end on the running back's side (who, in a sense, is being veered) moves up the field towards the crossing running back, the quarterback pulls the ball from the running back and sprints by the end. If the veered end is waiting at his original position, the quarterback gives the ball to the running back. Many different formations are employed, and as a general rule, the option being employed is the base offense for the team, and not as a wrinkle.
when Michael Vick
was their quarterback. They used a version of the zone read, slightly watered down, to take advantage of their speed. However, they did not use it frequently.
In the 2000s, the Tennessee Titans
used an offensive strategy similar to the veer, in which Vince Young
played the option quarterback utilizing the zone-read, and Chris Johnson
played the dive-back. In 2011, the Denver Broncos
began utilizing a version of the veer in order to best utilize the abilities of Quarterback Tim Tebow
who ran a similar offense at the University of Florida
.
Option offense
The option offense is a generic term that is used to describe a wide variety of offensive systems in American football. Option offenses are characterized as such due to the predominance of option running plays employed in these schemes. Option offenses have traditionally relied heavily upon running...
s in American football
American football
American football is a sport played between two teams of eleven with the objective of scoring points by advancing the ball into the opposing team's end zone. Known in the United States simply as football, it may also be referred to informally as gridiron football. The ball can be advanced by...
, made famous at the collegiate level
College football
College football refers to American football played by teams of student athletes fielded by American universities, colleges, and military academies, or Canadian football played by teams of student athletes fielded by Canadian universities...
by the Houston Cougars
Houston Cougars
Houston Cougars is the name given to the sports teams of the University of Houston. Informally, the Houston Cougars have also been referred to as the Coogs, UH, or simply Houston. Houston's nickname was created by early physical education instructor of the university and former head football...
. It is currently run primarily on the high school level
High school football
High school football, in North America, refers to the game of football as it is played in the United States and Canada. It ranks among the most popular interscholastic sports in both of these nations....
, with some usage at the collegiate and (with slight modifications) the professional level with varying degrees of success. The Veer is an effective ball control offense that can help minimize mismatches in a game for a team. However, it can lead to turnovers with pitches and handoff option reads.
Formations
The Veer can be run out of any variety of formationsFormation (American football)
A formation in American football refers to the position players line up in before the start of a down. There are both offensive and defensive formations and there are many formations in both categories.-Offense:...
, although it was primarily designed to be run out of the split-backed, aptly named veer formation. It has been used out of the I-formation (and its variants, including the Power-I and Maryland I) and the wishbone formation
Wishbone formation
The wishbone formation, also known simply as the ’bone, is an offensive formation in American football. The style of attack to which it gives rise is known as the wishbone offense...
. It also is used in the shotgun formation
Shotgun formation
The shotgun formation is a formation used by the offensive team in American and Canadian football. This formation is used mainly for passing plays, although some teams use it as their base formation. In the shotgun, instead of the quarterback receiving the snap from center at the line of scrimmage,...
. Some variants of the triple option have now made the jump to the shotgun formation
Shotgun formation
The shotgun formation is a formation used by the offensive team in American and Canadian football. This formation is used mainly for passing plays, although some teams use it as their base formation. In the shotgun, instead of the quarterback receiving the snap from center at the line of scrimmage,...
. The Shotgun has become a popular option formation since Eric Crouch and the University of Nebraska Cornhuskers used the shotgun option during his 2001 Heisman campaign.
How it works
Triple Option
The triple option is an American football scheme used to offer multiple ways to progress the football forward in the field of play. The triple option is based on the option run, but uses three players who may run with the ball instead of the two that are used in the standard option run.The triple...
". It is designed as a four-back attack with one player taking a dive course, one taking a pitch course and another being a lead blocker on the perimeter of the offensive formation. The QB makes reads on defensive players and then distributes the ball according to the defensive reaction to the offense. A typical play proceeds as follows (we will assume that this is an "inside veer" going to the right side out of the split-back formation): the quarterback
Quarterback
Quarterback is a position in American and Canadian football. Quarterbacks are members of the offensive team and line up directly behind the offensive line...
takes the snap. He then does what is called "opening up": the quarterback goes from his two point stance, facing forward, and takes (in this situation) his opposite side, left foot and pivots ninety degrees on his right foot, extending the ball toward the sideline he is facing. The split-back halfback
Running back
A running back is a gridiron football position, who is typically lined up in the offensive backfield. The primary roles of a running back are to receive handoffs from the quarterback for a rushing play, to catch passes from out of the backfield, and to block.There are usually one or two running...
on the right side, who in this situation is the "dive back", goes forward into the line to where the quarterback is and meets in an area called the "mesh point". This is where the idea of the Veer begins to take shape: the offensive line has left one man unblocked here, most likely a defensive tackle (although it can be a linebacker
Linebacker
A linebacker is a position in American football that was invented by football coach Fielding H. Yost of the University of Michigan. Linebackers are members of the defensive team, and line up approximately three to five yards behind the line of scrimmage, behind the defensive linemen...
).
This man is being Read by the QB. The defender is being forced to choose between tackling the dive back or the quarterback. The dive back explodes forward, puts his arms around the ball that is being extended, but does not take it. The quarterback, in his open stance, is reading the man being veered to determine whether he will "pull" the ball from the dive back, or let the dive back take the ball and go through the hole. This is where the name of the offense, the veer, comes from. This is just one part of the four-part option. If the quarterback keeps the ball, he attempts to cut up the field with the opposite side halfback, who has been running right towards the dive back's original position. He is the pitch man.
He attempts to maintain proper pitch relation to the quarterback, technically a few yards outside the quarterback and moving laterally so that the quarterback may pitch the ball as he goes down the field. This entire action does not take longer than a few seconds. The fourth player in the split-veer would be a wide receiver or tight end. His job, depending on the formation, would be to block the force player who is responsible for the flat to the side they are attacking. The offense relies on the quarterback making the proper reads, and reacting to the read (if he decides to keep the ball), turning up the field and gaining yardage. The dive back must remember to not take the football from the quarterback, rather the quarterback must give it to him. The pitch man must know to maintain proper spacing from the quarterback to ensure that the quarterback can make an effective pitch that can ensure more yardage.
Origin
The College Football Hall of Fame credits Bill YeomanUniversity of Houston
The University of Houston is a state research university, and is the flagship institution of the University of Houston System. Founded in 1927, it is Texas's third-largest university with nearly 40,000 students. Its campus spans 667 acres in southeast Houston, and was known as University of...
Cougars
Houston Cougars football
The Houston Cougars football program is an NCAA Division I FBS football team that represents the University of Houston. The team is commonly referred to as "Houston" or "UH" . The UH football program is currently a member of the Conference USA intercollegiate athletic conference, and is coached by...
beginning in the mid-sixties and continuing through his career at UH which concluded in 1986.
Use
When an offensive system is devised for a team, the coach must take into account his players, so the veer can be applied to several situations. It can be used for undersized players so that double teams and angles can be used to block defenders. It can be used to isolate defenders and create predictable responses to the offenses actions. If a team is very disciplined it can take advantage of an undisciplined defense that does not want to execute their responsibilities precisely on each snap of the game.The veer relies on precision, execution, and smarts, rather than an advantage in athleticism, to score points. The ability of the QB to identify weakness in defensive alignment is paramount, as the veer can take quick advantage of a defensive misalignment. The veer also can be used with great effect when the offensive line is a strength of the team.
The veer offense was adopted by Jack Lengyel
Jack Lengyel
Jack Lengyel is a software executive and former American football coach, lacrosse coach, and college athletics administrator. He served as the head football coach at the College of Wooster from 1966 to 1970 and at Marshall University from 1971 until 1974, compiling a career college football...
, the new head coach of Huntington
Huntington, West Virginia
Huntington is a city in Cabell and Wayne counties in the U.S. state of West Virginia, along the Ohio River. Most of the city is in Cabell County, for which it is the county seat. A small portion of the city, mainly the neighborhood of Westmoreland, is in Wayne County. Its population was 49,138 at...
, West Virginia's
West Virginia
West Virginia is a state in the Appalachian and Southeastern regions of the United States, bordered by Virginia to the southeast, Kentucky to the southwest, Ohio to the northwest, Pennsylvania to the northeast and Maryland to the east...
Marshall University
Marshall University
Marshall University is a coeducational public research university in Huntington, West Virginia, United States founded in 1837, and named after John Marshall, the fourth Chief Justice of the United States....
Thundering Herd
Marshall Thundering Herd football
The Marshall Thundering Herd football team is an intercollegiate varsity sports program of Marshall University. The team represents the university as a member of the Conference USA Eastern division of the National Collegiate Athletic Association, playing at the Division 1 Bowl Subdivision...
prior to the start of the 1971 season after a plane crash decimated the previous team. (Seventy-five people, including most of the team and its coaches, as well as school officials, city and state legislators and supporters died in the November 14, 1970 crash.) Lengyel believed that the veer option offense would be a better offense than the Power I
I formation
The I formation is one of the most common offensive formations in American football. The I formation draws its name from the vertical alignment of quarterback, fullback, and running back, particularly when contrasted with the same players' alignments in the T formation.The formation begins with...
offense he had used at the College of Wooster. Bobby Bowden
Bobby Bowden
Robert Cleckler "Bobby" Bowden is a retired college football coach. He coached the Florida State Seminoles football team from the 1976 to 2009 seasons...
, then the head coach of in-state rivals West Virginia
West Virginia Mountaineers football
The West Virginia Mountaineers football team represents West Virginia University in the NCAA FBS division of college football. Dana Holgorsen is the team's 33rd head coach. He has held the position since he was promoted in June 2011 after the resignation of Bill Stewart. The Mountaineers play their...
(although the two teams rarely played each other), offered to tutor Lengyel and his coaches on the intricacies and nuances of the veer option offense. Lengyel installed Reggie Oliver at quarterback. The Young Thundering Herd of Marshall would win two games in 1971: an emotional, last-second win against Xavier
Xavier University (Cincinnati)
Xavier University is a co-educational Jesuit university in the United States located in Cincinnati, Ohio. The University is the sixth-oldest Catholic university in the nation and has an undergraduate enrollment of about 4,000 students and graduate enrollment of 2,600 students. Xavier is primarily...
in their first home game after the crash and later in the year, in their homecoming game, against ranked Bowling Green
Bowling Green Falcons football
The Bowling Green Falcons football team is the interscholastic football team at Bowling Green State University. Bowling Green competes as a member of the Mid-American Conference in the East Division. The Falcons have won ten conference championships....
.
Counterplays
After the 1970 regular season, Texas looked well on its way to winning its 31st consecutive game and third consecutive national title in the Cotton Bowl Classic game versus the Notre Dame Fighting IrishNotre Dame Fighting Irish
Notre Dame's nickname is inherited from Irish immigrant soldiers who fought in the Civil War with the Union's Irish Brigade, , recollected among other places in the poetry of Joyce Kilmer who served with one of the Irish Brigade regiments during World War I...
. However, Ara Parseghian
Ara Parseghian
Ara Raoul Parseghian is a former American football player and coach of Armenian descent. He served as the head football coach at Miami University , Northwestern University , and the University of Notre Dame , compiling a career college football record of 170–58–6...
and his coaching staff put together the first known strategy for countering the Veer. Although the Veer can either be run on the interior of the line or on the edge, at this point, the veer was primarily run on the inside. The coaching staff implemented the following plan: focus the interior linemen and inside linebackers on stopping the dive back. Focus the outside linebackers and defensive end
Defensive end
Defensive end is the name of a defensive position in the sport of American and Canadian football.This position has designated the players at each end of the defensive line, but changes in formations have substantially changed how the position is played over the years...
on stopping the quarterback as he cuts up the field. Focus the cornerback
Cornerback
A cornerback is a member of the defensive backfield or secondary in American and Canadian football. Cornerbacks cover receivers, to defend against pass offenses and make tackles. Other members of the defensive backfield include the safeties and occasionally linebackers. The cornerback position...
s and safeties on stopping the pitch man (although they would have help from any defensive players who flowed to the ball). The strategy limited the Texas offense to 11 points, and Notre Dame won. However, it became clear after such a demonstration that the veer could be an effective weapon if used properly.
In the F.S.U.-Houston game in the Gator Bowl in 1968, the 'Noles brought the safeties up and they ignored the QB, running right by him at times, and crashed into the trailing back, usually Paul Gipson. This took the pitch option away. The Veer wasn't stopped but it was slowed. Florida State won the game 40-20.
High school level
The most famous High School program to use the Veer is De La Salle High SchoolDe La Salle High School (Concord, California)
De La Salle High School is a Roman Catholic Private school for boys in Concord, California, United States. Located in the Roman Catholic Diocese of Oakland, the school was founded in 1965 as a Lasallian institution. De La Salle currently enrolls just over 1,000 students, and roughly 99% of each...
in Concord, California
Concord, California
Concord is the largest city in Contra Costa County, California, USA. At the 2010 census, the city had a population of 122,067. Originally founded in 1869 as the community of Todos Santos by Salvio Pacheco, the name was changed to Concord within months...
. Head Coach Bob Ladouceur
Bob Ladouceur
Bob Ladouceur is an American football coach. He began coaching the De La Salle High Spartans in Concord, California in 1979, when he was twenty-five years old. He took over a team that had never enjoyed a winning season since the school's founding in 1965 and turned it into a perennial winner...
brought the offense to the school when he originally arrived to bring the infant program its first winning season. He put in the system because of the undersized players he had. After a record 151 game winning streak, he continues to use the offense today. Graduates of De La Salle who have gone to the NFL include Amani Toomer
Amani Toomer
Amani Toomer is a retired American football wide receiver who played in the National Football League. He was drafted by the New York Giants in the second round of the 1996 NFL Draft. He played college football at Michigan, where he was a fan favorite.Toomer has also been a member of the Kansas...
, and Maurice Jones-Drew
Maurice Jones-Drew
Maurice Christopher Jones-Drew is a professional American football player who currently plays running back for the Jacksonville Jaguars of the National Football League . He was drafted in the second round of the 2006 NFL Draft...
. Another prolific high school program that runs the split back veer offense is John Curtis Christian School in River Ridge, Louisiana
River Ridge, Louisiana
River Ridge is a census-designated place in Jefferson Parish, Louisiana, United States, and a suburb of New Orleans. The population was 14,588 at the 2000 census.- History :...
. The Patriots have run the veer since 1970, compiling a 431-36-6 record (through 2006) and winning 21 Louisiana State Championships under head coach J.T. Curtis. College Park High School in The Woodlands, Texas
The Woodlands, Texas
The Woodlands is a master-planned community and a Census-designated place in the U.S. state of Texas within the metropolitan area. The population of the CDP was 55,649 at the 2000 census—a 90 percent increase over its 1990 population. According to the 2010 census, The Woodlands' population rose...
, which opened in 2005, runs the Veer Triple Option under Head Coach Richard Carson. The College Park Cavaliers who went 9-2 in only their second Varsity season in Class 5A in 2007, featured Josh Parsons at quarterback and Running Backs D'Jeale Lyons and David Crittenden in the Triple Option Offense. Notable Odessa Permian High School "Permian Panthers" of Odessa, Texas
Odessa, Texas
Odessa is a city in and the county seat of Ector County, Texas, United States. It is located primarily in Ector County, although a small portion of the city extends into Midland County. Odessa's population was 99,940 at the 2010 census. It is the principal city of the Odessa, Texas Metropolitan...
, a long time Wing-T offensive school, adapted to the Veer under Head Coach Scott Smith during the 2003-2004 seasons. They now are a spread option team. Many high school programs use the Veer for several reasons. Many times, the coach of the school played within the system. Other times, the same situation exists as above - lack of speed, size, and athleticism to compete with the teams in their league. However, the Veer has begun to fade as the spread offense and the run and shoot offense permeate the game. The system remains with old school coaches, and it will not cease to exist for a long while.
Other successful teams known to use the veer are the Kemmerer Rangers (Wyoming), which has won two state titles in the last three years; and the Baker County Wildcats (Florida) who went 10-2 and were 30th in the country. Thomas County Central High of Thomasville, Georgia, under head coach Ed Pilcher, won AAA state titles in 5 of 6 seasons ('92, '93, '94, '96, & '97) during the decade of the 1990s running the veer. They were also state title runner-up in 2002, and reached the state semi-finals in 2003 and 2007. The Yellow Jackets went 15-0 in 1997, and finished 9th in the USA Today
USA Today
USA Today is a national American daily newspaper published by the Gannett Company. It was founded by Al Neuharth. The newspaper vies with The Wall Street Journal for the position of having the widest circulation of any newspaper in the United States, something it previously held since 2003...
national poll. After the departure of Coach Ed Pilcher following the 2007 season, Thomas County Central High promoted long-time offensive coordinator Bill Shaver to the head coaching position, and the Yellow Jackets continue to use the Veer. As of 2011, the 'Jackets have been using the Veer as their basic offensive package for 21 seasons, while enjoying a streak of 20 straight playoff appearances since the implementation of the offense in 1991. Graduates of Thomas County Central who have gone on to the NFL include Joe Burns, Paul Miranda, and more recently, Dontavia Bogan.
Collegiate level
Because more media attention exists on the collegiate level, the collegiate teams who have run the Veer and its variants are far better known. Beyond the Texas teams of the late 1960s and early 1970s, the most famous and well covered officially "Veer" team was the HoustonUniversity of Houston
The University of Houston is a state research university, and is the flagship institution of the University of Houston System. Founded in 1927, it is Texas's third-largest university with nearly 40,000 students. Its campus spans 667 acres in southeast Houston, and was known as University of...
squad led by Bill Yeoman. Yeoman's teams racked up thousands of yards on the ground, and won four conference championships and 11 bowl games. His teams finished in the top 10 four times. Other famous Veer teams include University of Nebraska, who won several national titles in their Power-I offense, and the United States Air Force Academy
United States Air Force Academy
The United States Air Force Academy is an accredited college for the undergraduate education of officer candidates for the United States Air Force. Its campus is located immediately north of Colorado Springs in El Paso County, Colorado, United States...
, NC State under Lou Holtz, and United States Naval Academy
United States Naval Academy
The United States Naval Academy is a four-year coeducational federal service academy located in Annapolis, Maryland, United States...
. The above mentioned teams now run the official definition of a veer offense - that is, under center. Currently, the most successful team that runs the veer as their base offense is the Georgia Institute of Technology
Georgia Institute of Technology
The Georgia Institute of Technology is a public research university in Atlanta, Georgia, in the United States...
, which runs the veer exclusively from the flexbone formation
Flexbone formation
The flexbone formation is an offensive formation in American football that uses a quarterback, five offensive linemen, three running backs, and varying numbers of tight ends and wide receivers. The flexbone formation is a predominant running formation derived from the wishbone formation and it...
under former Naval Academy coach Paul Johnson
Paul Johnson (American football coach)
Paul Johnson is an American football coach. He is currently the head coach at the Georgia Institute of Technology, a position he has held since the 2008 season. Previously, Johnson served as the head coach at Georgia Southern University from 1997 to 2001 and at the United States Naval Academy...
.
The zone read, or shotgun veer play, is now widely used throughout all levels of college football. A running back
Running back
A running back is a gridiron football position, who is typically lined up in the offensive backfield. The primary roles of a running back are to receive handoffs from the quarterback for a rushing play, to catch passes from out of the backfield, and to block.There are usually one or two running...
is lined up adjacent to the quarterback, and, at the snap, the quarterback opens up facing the running back. He reads the end on the same side as the running back. The running back is performing effectively the same motion as the dive back in a conventional veer, except he runs at the defensive end on the opposite side of the field. If the unblocked end on the running back's side (who, in a sense, is being veered) moves up the field towards the crossing running back, the quarterback pulls the ball from the running back and sprints by the end. If the veered end is waiting at his original position, the quarterback gives the ball to the running back. Many different formations are employed, and as a general rule, the option being employed is the base offense for the team, and not as a wrinkle.
The NFL
No team has ever used the option as a base offensive system in the NFL since the players on defense are simply too athletic and recover too quickly to the misdirection of the offense, and because the veer exposes the quarterback to being hit (and possibly injured) more than most NFL teams find tolerable. However, teams have used it as a wrinkle. A more commonly seen version was used by the Atlanta FalconsAtlanta Falcons
The Atlanta Falcons are a professional American football team based in Atlanta, Georgia. They are a member of the South Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League...
when Michael Vick
Michael Vick
Michael Dwayne Vick is an American football quarterback for the Philadelphia Eagles of the National Football League...
was their quarterback. They used a version of the zone read, slightly watered down, to take advantage of their speed. However, they did not use it frequently.
In the 2000s, the Tennessee Titans
Tennessee Titans
The Tennessee Titans are a professional American football team based in Nashville, Tennessee, United States. They are members of the South Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League . Previously known as the Houston Oilers, the team began play in 1960 as a charter...
used an offensive strategy similar to the veer, in which Vince Young
Vince Young
Vincent Paul Young, Jr. , nicknamed "VY", is an American football quarterback for the Philadelphia Eagles of the National Football League . He spent the first five seasons of his career with the Tennessee Titans. Young was the third overall draft pick in the 2006 NFL Draft. He played college...
played the option quarterback utilizing the zone-read, and Chris Johnson
Chris Johnson (running back)
Christopher Duan Johnson is an American football running back for the Tennessee Titans of the National Football League...
played the dive-back. In 2011, the Denver Broncos
Denver Broncos
The Denver Broncos are a professional American football team based in Denver, Colorado. They are currently members of the West Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League...
began utilizing a version of the veer in order to best utilize the abilities of Quarterback Tim Tebow
Tim Tebow
Timothy Richard "Tim" Tebow is an American football player who is currently the starting quarterback for the Denver Broncos of the National Football League . He was drafted by the Broncos as the 25th overall pick in the 2010 NFL Draft...
who ran a similar offense at the University of Florida
University of Florida
The University of Florida is an American public land-grant, sea-grant, and space-grant research university located on a campus in Gainesville, Florida. The university traces its historical origins to 1853, and has operated continuously on its present Gainesville campus since September 1906...
.