Quick question, how would you describe the offensive concept ran by Riverheads? We are having a little back and forth about it on the other forum. A couple said Riverheads ran a ton of veer vs. Tazwell, but I watched that game and to me, saw zero veer. Super power sweep, counters inside and the criss cross action but I didn't notice any veer stuff like QB reading unblocked guys with the option.
I'm by no means an expert, so maybe I'm wrong. What do you guys call the offense Riverheads usually runs and in particular week 1 v. Tazwell?
Riverheads doesn't run the veer, hasn't ran the veer, and there are no concepts resembling the veer in any of the games I've seen them. Some confuse a formation (before snap) with the play type and unfortunately over the years, the words wishbone and veer have been interchanged with the type of offense and the formation. They aren't the same. The Veer should be thought of as a play, not a formation before snap. The veer (the actual play) can be ran from ANY formation. So, if someone wanted to say " were concepts", they could loosely and incorrectly say ANY offense has veer concepts, but it would be a stretch and inaccurate.
The Veer is a play, ran from several types of formations but there are more common ones, but it's a play that has 3 requirements to be the Veer. First, the QB reads the defensive end or linebacker or defensive tackle,, and makes a decision based on what the defensive player does. Additionally, the second requirement is that there has to be a dive option for the QB to hand off, or to keep it. The third requirement and Most Common for the old Veer was a RB also going around the end with the QB and the RB would Usually (in the 60s with Houston and WVU) serve as a lead blocker for the QB. The triple option ran by the Navy and Paul Johnson's (former) Georgia Tech is/was Also the veer. That third requirement is an option back around the end with the QB, but he runs behind the QB and the QB and that RB are now running what we know as "the option."
The old wishbone was Not the veer because even though there was one back going off tackle for a dive, it was predetermined by the coach as to whether the QB handed the ball off, or kept it around the end before the ball was snapped and in the huddle and then the option by the QB or him keeping it would occur.
Nebraska in the 90s ran the "triple option* which was 100 percent VEER, and they ran it out of wishbone formation. They gave the QB the choice based on what the defensive player did to keep it or hand it to the dive back, or keep it around the end, and then of course, he had the second decision or choice to keep or option to the halfback who was running with and slightly behind him around the end.
The wishbone could be confusing because many teams, like Graham's Glynn Carlock in the 80s and 90s rana wishbone formation, but hardly ever actually ran an option play out of the wishbone formation. So many teams in the 80s had offenses called "the wishbone" because of the formation before snap, and then the option after snap, but again, the Veer and wishbone aren't the same. The Veer requires not just one, but sometimes two decisions by the QB after the ball is snapped.
So essentially, three key requirements for the VEER which should be thought of more as a play than the formation. First requirement is the QB makes a decision, and the second requirement is that their is a dive option for the QBs first decision, and the third requirement is that there is an option back where the QB and RB go around the end and run what is the classic "option," or in 1960s form, that RB going around the end with the QB would serve as his lead blocker and run in front of him.
The zone read. (Rich Rods WV offenses) would be considered a Veer concept as it met two of the three requirements. The QB has to make a decision, and he had a dive option, but requirement three wasn't met as the QB, if he decided to keep it and not hand off to the dive back, did not have an option back to pitch to around the end, nor did he have a lead blocker RB going around the end. He was on his own. Rich Rod at WVU was one of the firsts to actually have the QB to go all on his own around the end of he decided not to hand to the Dive Back. He did it because he could take a back that would go around the end in a veer offense, and put him up on the line of scrimmage to confuse a defense before snap as to whether it's pass or run. Where it gets technical and so common today about the so common QB zone read ran everywhere is when the RB is placed close to the line as if he's going on a pass route, only to serve as that lead blocking RB for the QB. This is definitely a veer concept and some would say the VEER since it meets the three requirements.
I know that was exhaustive, but I love football and could talk about it all the time. But to answer your question, NO is the answer. Riverheads has no veer offense and no veer concepts. There is also zero chance that anyone who remotely knows just a little bit about what they are talking about could form a conclusion that Riverheads runs or has Veer Concepts.
Wing offenses, be it single wing or double wing, wing t, etc move the ball by predetermined (before the ball is snapped) play design by the QBs and backfield. Blocking schemes can very after the snap based on the defensive formation, but largely predetermined unlike the Veer with it's QB zone read concept so common today, but technically not the Veer
