Introducing The Peter Prisco “When We’re Finished With You, You’re Gonna Hate the Wildcat Also” Playbook

Peter Prisco penned that he hated the Wildcat Offense. So I thought of all of the Wildcat plays
I could think of and put them together in a playbook that I named in his honor.

My philosophy for running Wildcat plays would be similar to what some offensive coordinators do.
They script the first 20-24 plays and then see how the defense reacts to the plays.
The advantage is that the team can practice these plays over and over again and fine-tune the execution.

My thought is, “Why not use the Wildcat AT THE BEGINNING of the game from a pre-prepared script of plays using the same personnel in a NO HUDDLE offense?”
There would be some disadvantages (for example, Chad Henne split out wide on some plays),
but the advantages of
surprise,
preventing substitution and reorganization of the defense in a huddle,
taking away the aggressiveness of the defensive game plan,
and the added improved execution from additional practice would outweigh the disadvantages.
 It would also probably force the defense to burn some timeouts to get the right personnel on the field or to stop a blatant mismatch or confusion in lining up.

I have six different SETS for the Wildcat below.
I envision the coaching staff would just call out (or pass the word along) which set they wanted and a row of people on the sidelines could hold up cards with roman numerals on it to inform/remind the players on the field (remember it is scripted).
The route combinations for the receivers would be based on distance, not on down.
So the route combinations would be pre-set and be the same for 6 possible combinations:
A] 1 yard or less to go
B] 2-4 yards to go
C] 5-7 yards to go
D] 8-10 yards to go
E] 11-14 yards to go
F] 15 or more yards to go

If you are a receiver, just look at the down and distance and based on where you line up in the formation, you will know what route to run.
It eventually can be made more complicated by having different route combinations based on distance for each set, but at the beginning to minimize confusion, they can keep it simple.

I see the other teams defense would be so shocked and awed by the no-huddle option attack that they would be demoralized even when the Dolphins were not running it anymore.

Without further ado, here’s the Peter Prisco Playbook:

 

SET I: Chad Henne Triggers the Wildcat

_ _ _ _ _ _TE LG C RG RT LT _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ TG
RW
PW _ _ _ _ _ _ _ CH RB

Option 1: Either RW or PW motion right (option handoff)
Option 2: Henne optional handoff to RB counter left
Option 3: Henne pass or run (hopefully pass)
Alternate 1: No motion right. Quick lateral screen to PW behind RW blocking, PW run or pass.
Alternate 2: No motion right. Fake screen to PW, optional handoff to RB, Henne pass.
Alternate 3: RB motion left. RW or PW optional reverse to the right (possible double reverse TG) or Henne pass.


SET II: Chad Henne Triggers the Wildcat

_ _ _ _ _ _TE LG C RG RT LT _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ PW
TG                                                                  
_ _ _ _ _ _ _ RW CH RB

Option 1: TG motion right (option handoff), possible double reverse to PW
Option 2: RW and RB cross in front of CH, optional handoff either right or left
Option 3: Henne pass.


SET III: Pat White Triggers the Wildcat

_ _ _ _ _ _TE LG C RG RT LT _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ CH
TG                                               
_ _ _ _ _ _ _ RW PW RB

Option 1: TG motion right (option handoff), possible double reverse to CH for pass
Option 2: RW and RB cross in front of PW, optional handoff either right or left
Option 3: PW pass or run.


SET IV: Pat White Triggers the Wildcat

_ _ _ _ _ _TE LG C RG RT LT _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ TG
RW _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _  RB
_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _  PW_CH

Option 1: RW motion right (option handoff)
Option 2: PW run or pass or possible handoff to RB reverse left
Option 3: PW or RB toss back to CH for pass


SET V: Ronnie Brown Triggers the Wildcat  

_ _ _ _ _ _TE LG C RG RT LT _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ TG
RW                                                                                        
PW _ _ _ _ _ _ _ RB CH

Option 1: Either RW or PW motion right (option handoff) possible double reverse TG
Option 2: RB run or pass (hopefully run)
Option 3: RB toss back to Henne pass
Alternate 1: No motion right. Quick lateral screen to PW behind RW blocking, PW run or pass option.
Alternate 2: No motion right. Fake screen to PW, RB run or pass (hopefully run)
Alternate 3: RB takes snap, option handoff to CH running right, CH pass or optional handoff to RW or PW to the right


SET VI: Ronnie Brown Triggers the Wildcat

 _ _ _ _ _ _TE LG C RG RT LT _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ CH
 RW                                                                 
 TG_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _RB PW

Option 1: Either RW or TG motion right (option handoff) possible double reverse pass for CH
Option 2: RB run or pass (hopefully run)
Option 3: RB toss back to PW run or pass
Alternate 1: No motion right. Quick lateral screen to TG behind RW blocking, TG run or pass.
Alternate 2: No motion right. Fake screen to TG, RB runs right option handoff to PW running left for run or pass
Alternate 3: PW motion left. RW or TG optional reverse to the right (possible double reverse pass CH) or RB run or pass (hopefully run)

Poll

This idea would work...

0%

in preseason only and only against Area-League scrubs

0 votes

0%

first game only, but then would be obsolete once studied

0 votes

17%

first four games or less, then obsolete

4 votes

17%

half the season and a few times later on

4 votes

43%

all season long baby!

10 votes

21%

this is a bad idea

5 votes

23 votes | Poll has closed