HU P*(010
Oregon State's wishbone offense gives the quarterback (middle) the option of running the ball or dishing
It to the pitch man (left).
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OSU wishbone attack
producing big results
By Steve Mims
When Oregon Stele went look
ing (or a new football coach thfee
years ago. it went for something
different But, after two decades
of losing, who < an blame them?
Following a 1-10 1990 season.
Oregon State football coach Dave
kragthorpn was fired, and with
it ( amt* the end of "Air Express"
in Corvallis. In came a lough
midwesterner named Jerry Pet
tibone. bringing something that
hadn't been seen in the Pacific
10 Conference for while: the
wishbone.
Pettibone had studied the
wishbone long enough to get a
master's degree if possible, under
the tutelage of Barry Switzer at
Oklahoma and Torn Osborne at
Nebraska. Those two programs,
along with Colorado and a few
others, thrived during the decade
of the l‘)8()s by running the hall
all over its opponents.
However, in recent years Okla
homa and Colorado have added
a passing attack to its offense,
leaving the wishbone pretty
much a dinosaur in college fool
ball. Pettibone proved it could
work during his final three sea
sons at Northern Illinois, which
compiled a .667 winning per
centage during those years.
The purpose of the wishbone
is relatively easy to explain, but
difficult to enact or defend. The
offense lines up one fullback and
two halfbac ks behind the quar
terback. giving the signal caller
three options.
1 He can give trie Dali to tnu
fullback up the middle if it looks
like there is room to run across
the line of scrimmage.
2 He can fake the hand off to
the fullback, run right or left and
keep the ball himself.
3. After running either right or
left, the quarterback can pitch the
ball to one running bark while
the other throws a block.
"1 think it is the most positive
yardage offense ever invented."
Petti bone said. "I would run it
wherever 1 was. regardless of tal
ent."
A strong offensive line and tal
ented running backs are very
important to the system, hut the
quarterback is most essential.
The quarterback must not only
have speed so the defense can't
overlook him, but he must also
be able to think quickly and
make the right reads.
The Heavers had Mark Olford
and Ian Shields take control of
the offense the last few years, but
neither were able to move the
team consistently This season
Pettibone has found that he has
two quarterbacks able to run the
team effectively. Don Shanklin
and Raheem Muhammad.
Shanklin, a junior front Texas,
ran for 11“ yards in Oregon
Stale's 30-1A win over bowl
bound Arizona State earlier this
year, before getting hurt How
ever. redshirt freshman Muham
mad stepped in and has run for
more than 100 cards in two
Beaver games tins year
"Raheem Muhammad cam
OUt of now her" 'o lend the team
over the last three or four weeks.
Oregon State offensive coordi
nator Mike Summers said "It has
been a tremendous road for us
this year with the marked
improvement we have made."
Now that Pettibone has found
a quarterback capable of moving
the ball, he is proving that the
OSU RUSHING
omxMi CAmavtuvmc
Wyoming 61 316
Fresno Si 69-352
Woshlnglon SI 42-76
Arizona 47 SO
Arizona St 75 419
Pacific 80 667
USC 56 223
UCLA 58 338
Stanford 65-338
Washington 58 258
system has many advantages.
"One advantage is that not
many teams do it.” Pettibone
said. "So it takes drastic changes
on defense to prepare for it.
Defenses must take on linemen
down field and be ready for
blocks from miming backs. They
must play assignment-oriented
defense and be sure somebody is
covering the fullback, quarter
back and pitch man."
Another advantage is the pos
sibility of trickery by the offense.
There are a lot of fakes and quick
handoffs, making it difficult for
the defense to be aware of where
the ball is.
"Option football is very elu
sive," Pettibone said. "The
defense is not sure who has the
ball and that helps you move the
ball. If you do it right, you don't
even have to block everybody."
Oregon head football coach
Rich Brooks has seen enough of
the option over the past three
yoars. Oregon lost to the Beavers
in 1991, Hawaii in 1992 and Ari
zona this year when facing some
form of the option. After allow
ing nearly 400 yards in a 31-10
loss at Arizona two weeks ago.
his defense must face Oregon
State, currently second in the
nation in rushing, this weekend.
"Usually you don't have a lot
of time to prepare for the option,"
said Brooks Wednesday, repeat
ing one of the advantages Petti
bone spoke about. "We didn't
defend Hawaii well last year, we
did defend Oregon State well but
the (rain) played a part in that
We didn't defend the Arizona
option well, but we didn't pre
pare for it all week. We haven't
played as confident on defense
lately."
Unlike Arizona, who subbed
running back Chuck l.evy into
the game at quarterback in place
of Dan White at gametime, Ore
gon knows what it will lie facing
this Saturday Oregon linebacker
Krnest lones talked about one
defensive option to try to stop
Oregon State
"We may have four down line
men and bring the safeties and
cornerbacks up to the line," Jones
said "Some of the big things we
will lx? looking at are the Arizona
films and the films of Oregon
State last year.”
Oregon safety Chad Cota talked
about the discipline needed to
lace an option offense.
"You have to play disciplined
defense.” Cota said. "If every
body play their gaps and playv
their responsibilities, if you have
the quarterback, you must take
the quarterback If you have the
pitch man, you must take the
pitch man. They like to try and
run it right down your throat, sc
Turn to WISHBONE, Page 8B