OCTOBER 14, 2008

Innovation In Unlikely Places

“Change” is the word on everyone’s mind these days. What started as a political slogan quickly became the mantra of the American people: only 17% of us agree with the current direction of the country. Both candidates now eagerly seek the mantle of change: new John McCain attack ads flash the words “Change is Coming” at the viewer, while Obama’s original “Change You Can Believe In” continues to resonate with voters.

So in a time when the desire for change is palpable, why should sports be any different? Indeed, we’re seeing innovation in American football at a rapid clip. Strategies and tactics adapted at the high school level years ago have gradually filtered up to the college and pro ranks, resulting in a variety of new ways to play an old game.

One such example is the Miami Dolphins’ “Wildcat” formation, adapted from years of use in high schools around the country. In this formation, Dolphins running back Ronnie Brown receives what’s called a “direct snap”. This means that instead of the ball being hiked to the quarterback, it’s snapped directly to Brown, who can then hand the ball off to another running back, pass the ball, or run it himself. This flummoxes defenses and changes the traditional way that football offenses work, which places great responsibility on the quarterback to either hand the ball off or pass it down the field. It also changes the balance of the offense, which usually pits 10 players against 11 defensive players. The Dolphins add another wrinkle by placing two running backs in the Wildcat, meaning that the snap could possibly go to either one - making it much harder for defenses to predict where the ball will go.

Another novel scheme is the A-11, a high-flying, pass-oriented offense that features two quarterbacks, six wide receivers and two tight ends (most NFL formations have three receivers and one tight end). In this offense, the goal is to spread the field and create mismatches in coverage - for instance, forcing a lumbering linebacker to cover one of the six receivers, who are normally much faster players. And even if all of the receivers are covered, the quarterback usually has ample room to run the ball for a short gain. The scheme, invented only a year ago, has been embraced by many big high school programs, but rule differences make it impossible to use in the NCAA and NFL. Look for those rules to change if the formation becomes more popular in high school.

This kind of innovation stands in very sharp contrast to sports like baseball, which has not seen much tactical innovation since the modern rules of the game were codified early last century. I guess it’s not surprising that in our rapidly-changing society, the most successful sports are the ones that change along with it.