Question: What if it were possible to morph into the wildcat (and back out again) from a base offense without substitutions or even a huddle? Would the Wildcat be used more than just a few times a game? Would it be used as often as every other play?

I did a fanpost on six different ways to run the Wildcat using one set of personnel which I will call the Peter-Prisco-Personnel-Package describe in more detail here,

If we create a base offense using that same personnel group, then it is theoretically possible to morph into the Wildcat from that base offense and go back into it without changing personnel and without a huddle. The plays would have to be scripted or game-planned out first, but it would put an enormous burden on the defense to get ready in a short amount of time. I advocate doing it at the beginning of the game, in the last 2 minutes of the first half, coming out at the beginning of the second half, and at the end of the game of a blowout loss either way. The rationale is to give playing time to Chad Henne and Pat White in a somewhat predictable environment while the game still matters and the burden of the offense is squarely on Ronnie and Ricky and not on them.

If you prefer Bess or Camarillo to CH/PW in the formation or you prefer CP10 in the package to CH, then just sub them in. You simply lose the advantage of surprise, rushed defensive play-calling, and the preventing of substitution packages from the defense. You also lose flexibility in what formation you can surprise the defense with.

Anyway, here's a list of three basic base offenses that can be run with the Peter Prisco Personnel Package and a rationale for why that base offense would be a legitimate NFL base offense and not a gimmick offense.

I've also included some fun variations off of the base that also put great pressure on the defense and spread it out while making the base offense more flexible.

SET IB-Base: Chad Henne Triggers the I-Formation

TG_ _ _ _ _ _LT LG C RG RT TE _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _
_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ CH _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ PW
_ __ _  _ _ _ _ _ _ _  RB
_ __ _  _ _ _ _ _ _ _  RW

Option 1: PW possible motion leftt (for eventual end around run/pass option left) AND/OR go downfield (quick slant most dangerous)
Option 2: Henne quick slant to PW or Henne play action handoff to RB or RW
Option 3: Henne handoff on end around for PW (run/pass option) or Henne pass.
Note: Pat White is an inferior receiver to Bess and Camarillo in terms of route running and catching. However, in this base offense, the object is to get the ball in his hands as much as possible via quick slants, screens, reverses, reverse passes, as well as deep fly patterns and let him use his elusiveness, speed, and the threat to pass make him as dangerous as a conventional WR.


SET IIB - Base: Chad Henne Triggers the Double Wing Passing Spread Offense

TG_ _ _ _ _ _LT LG C RG RT _ _ _ __ _ _TE _ _ _ _ _
_ _ _ _ _ _RW _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _  RB_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _PW                                                                 
 _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _CH _  _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

Option 1: CH lateral pass to a retreating PW run/pass option behind TE blocking
Option 2: PW motion left optional handoff, PW run/pass option
Option 3: RW or RB motion back to CH for play action handoff or Henne pass.
Note: Ronnie and Ricky are superior to all NFL wingback/HB/TE’s in running ability and speed and are equal to most WB/HB/TE in terms of blocking and catching. Therefore a base offense based on them playing from the wingback position would be a substantial enough dual threat to be a true base offense.


SET IIIB - Base: Pat White Triggers the Spread-Option Offense

CH_ _ _ _ _ _LT LG C RG RT TE _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _
_ _ _TG                                              
_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ RW PW RB

Option 1: TG motion right (option handoff)
Option 2: RW and RB cross in front of PW, optional handoff either right or left
Option 3: PW pass or run.
Note: Does the spread option have a future in the NFL? At this point is looks like just a variant of the Wildcat with a balanced line and depends a lot on the QB development of Pat White. I include it as a possible base offense since you can pass or run out of it and go either direction equally well. The lack of quality from the QB position is offset by the flexibility to morph into the Wildcat or the spread play by play. You could also view it as one more deadly variant that can be run from your Peter-Prisco-Personnel-Package.

Fun and Creative Variants

SET IIB - Base: Pat White Triggers the Base Double Wing Spread Offense

TG_ _ _ _ _ _LT LG C RG RT _ _ _ __ _ _TE _ _ _ _ _
_ _ _ _ _ _RW _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _  RB_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _CH                                                                 
 _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _PW _  _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

Option 1: RW or RB motion back to PW for play action handoff or PW run/pass.
Option 2: PW lateral pass to CH retreating behind TE  blocking, CH pass

SET IIB-TTV: Chad Henne Triggers the Empty Backfield Under-Center Spread - Tim Tebow Variant

TG_ _ _ _ _ _LT LG C RG RT _ _ _ __ _ _ _TE _ _ _ _ _
_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ CH _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _RW_  RB                                                                 
 _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ __ _ _  _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ PW

Option 1: CH backward-lateral pass to PW run/pass option behind TE  and RW/RB blocking or receiving
Option 2: PW motion left across the field set up in the slot on the left side (5 wide).
Option 3: Henne three-step-drop and quick pass or QB draw/sneak down the middle.

SET IIIB-TTV: Pat White Triggers the Empty Backfield Shotgun Spread - Tim Tebow Variant

TG_ _ _ _ _ _LT LG C RG RT _ _ _ __ _ _ _TE _ _ _ _ _
_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ RW_  RB                                                                 
_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ PW _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _  _CH

Option 1: PW receives the snap, run/pass option
Option 2: PW lateral pass to CH run/pass option behind TE and RW/RB blocking or receiving
Option 3: CH middle screen back to PW

SET IIIB - Base: Pat White Triggers the Quadruple-Option Offense

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

Option 1: Dive option into the middle left or right (RW or RB).
Option 2: QB keeper PW run/pass
Option 3: Pitch outside RW or RB
Option 4: Pitch back to CH for pass

SET IIIB - Base: Ronnie Brown Triggers the Spread-Option Roll Out Pass Offense

TG_ _ _ _ _ _LT LG C RG RT TE _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _
_ _ _RW                                             
_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ CH RB PW

Option 1: RW motion right (option handoff)
Option 2: RB run option
Option 3: PW and CH cross in back of RB, optional pitch either right (CH roll right and pass) or left (PW roll left run/pass)