The Wishbone offense revolutionized college football. Created by Emery Bellard and perfected by legends like Darrell Royal, Barry Switzer, and Bear Bryant, this triple-option juggernaut dominated the sport in the ’70s and ’80s, delivering national championships and legendary players. But how did the most feared offense in football vanish from the field?
In this episode, we dive deep into:
• The invention of the Wishbone and its Split-T and Veer roots
• Texas’ dynasty under Darrell Royal
• Oklahoma’s explosive Wishbone era under Barry Switzer
• Alabama’s revival with Bear Bryant’s adoption of the scheme
• Fisher DeBerry and the Flexbone evolution
• The rise of defensive schemes and rule changes that spelled the offense’s doom
• Why modern football left the Wishbone behind
We’ll also explore the blocking techniques, including the now-outlawed butt block, and discuss how rule changes around cut blocking, passing protections, and recruiting trends helped make the Wishbone obsolete.
If you remember Billy Sims, James Street, or those PTSD-inducing Sooner Magic games—this one’s for you.
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