The West Coast Offense is not a playbook it is an approach to give an offense a handicap.

 Many plays from the West Coast Offense, an offense proven to be legendarily successful, are still being used today by many teams. Many would have you believe that it is a play book designed to supplement a running game with short, high percentage, passing plays. It is often interpreted as a passing system strictly predicated on timing. Although, both are absolutely true, neither diagnosis the philosophical importance of the individual staples of a system that unearthed a dynasty.  

The Offensive Line.

  The West Coast system ran a strictly Zone Blocking scheme. Zone Blocking is difficult to teach, but easier to coach production from mediocre athletes. A true strength in number approach that emphasizes the influence of oline movement to dictate a defensive attack.

The Wide Receivers

  A system that produced Jerry Rice, the most statistically productive WR in the history of the NFL, despite being an above avg. athlete metrically. In the West Coast system the primary emphasis for the WR is to identify the coverage and adjust his route to one of many deviation prescribed in the play. The WR must be a precise route runner and an exceptional student of the game.

The RB, FB, TE.

  Every single back end player must be able to block, catch, and run effective routes. They are consistently assigned with man to man blocking assignments to maintain the respect of a defense in order to keep them off balance.

The philosophy that gives the offense a handicap.

The primary purpose of these many principles of player responsibility and play design fundamentals is to compel a defense to inch closer and closer to the line of scrimmage in their attempt to stifle a precise short attack. The short attack, the line play, the receiver recognition, the versatility of the backs, allows an astute play caller to recognize a defense that has made themselves vulnerable by its proximity to the line of scrimmage. Suddenly all these system principles conveniently coalesce to gash an unbalanced opponent, and the whole tactic starts from scratch again. The system also can maintain unprecedented consistency considering that it’s success is more predicated on teaching and less on player acquisition.

Bill Walsh believed you win on defense with players but you win on offense with a system that must be taught and learned to be effective. 


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