What is the gun formation?

Asked by: Corey Garcia

In the pistol offense, also commonly referred to as the “pistol formation”, the quarterback lines up four yards behind the center, which is much closer than the seven-yard setback in a traditional shotgun formation.

Why is the formation called shotgun?

Shotgun combines elements of the short punt and spread formations — “spread” in that it has receivers spread widely instead of close to or behind the interior line players. The origins of the term are thought to be that it is like a “shotgun” in spraying receivers around the field.

Whats the difference between shotgun and pistol formation?

In the pistol, the quarterback lines up four or five yards behind the center, and the running back lines up two or three yards behind the quarterback; in the shotgun, the quarterback lines up seven yards behind he center, and the running back lines up to the side of the quarterback.

Who made the shotgun formation famous?

coach Red Hickey

The formation was named by the man who actually devised it, San Francisco 49ers coach Red Hickey, in 1960. John Brodie was the first NFL shotgun quarterback, beating out former starter Y. A. Tittle largely because he was mobile enough to effectively run the formation.

What does the shotgun formation look like?

The shotgun formation is one that has the quarterback lined up 5 to 7 yards behind the center. The center snaps the ball through the air back to the quarterback at the start of the play. Over the last decade, the shotgun formation has been utilized more and more, as teams have become more and more pass focused.

Why does the quarterback raise his leg?

Quarterbacks will lift their legs in the air to signal to their center to snap the football. This is often called a leg cadence, as no verbal words are spoken. This type of cadence is typically used in loud stadiums where verbal cadences can’t be heard.

Why is a flea flicker called a flea flicker?

Flea Flicker
The creation of the play has been credited to former University of Illinois coach Bob Zuppke. In a 1951 letter, he wrote that he had introduced the play while coaching at Oak Park High in 1910. Zuppke stated that the phrase was meant to evoke “the quick flicking action of a dog getting rid of fleas.”

Why is it called pistol formation?

The plays worked; the backfield set was exclusively two back and included a full complement of runs to both the I back and the offset back (aligned next to the quarterback). University of Nevada head coach Chris Ault popularized the single back alignment (and renamed it the “Pistol”) in 2005.

What is taking a snap under center?

To execute a proper snap, place your hands under the rear of the center. Your wrists should be touching with your palms and fingers spread wide. The hand on top should be your throwing hand, either left or right whichever one you throw with, and the palm of that hand should be pointing toward the ground.

What NFL teams run the pistol offense?

It is a hybrid of the traditional shotgun and single back offenses.
The following NFL teams have used some aspect of the pistol offense:

• Buffalo Bills.
• Carolina Panthers.
• Detroit Lions.
• Miami Dolphins.
• Kansas City Chiefs.
• Pittsburgh Steelers.
• San Francisco 49ers.
• Seattle Seahawks.

What NFL team first used the shotgun formation?

San Francisco

San Francisco first used the shotgun on November 27, 1960 in a game against the Baltimore Colts. Hickey knew the Colts had a terrific pass rush, so in preparing for the game he had his quarterbacks practice taking snaps seven yards deep rather than from under center.

What is an I-formation in football?

The I formation is one of the most common offensive formations in American football. The I formation draws its name from the vertical (as viewed from the opposing endzone) alignment of quarterback, fullback, and running back, particularly when contrasted with the same players’ alignments in the T formation.

What does pistol formation look like?

The pistol is similar to the shotgun formation in that the quarterback is lined up a few yards removed from the center, but rather than having a running back beside him, the running back is a few yards behind him. It is a blend of shotgun and traditional under-center formations.

What is a shotgun quarterback?

A shotgun snap in football is a snap to the quarterback in the shotgun formation. The shotgun formation has the quarterback not standing directly behind the center. The quarterback lines up between five and seven yards behind the line of scrimmage and the ball is snapped to them from there.

Where does the QB stand?

The quarterback (commonly abbreviated “QB”), colloquially known as the “signal caller”, is a position in gridiron football. Quarterbacks are members of the offensive platoon and mostly line up directly behind the offensive line.