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Thundercat Formation

So, last week I was so bored that I decided to create a new formation. I wanted to somehow merge the wildcat offense with the magic 3(3-TE) offense. I finished a rough sketch of what it would look like and then sent it to Hoosierteacher so that he could tell me how to make it better. His suggestion were great. Many thanks HT! Anyway, you can see the finished Thundercat formation after the jump.

Star-divide

Can you imagine this formation with Moreno and Hillis in the backfield with DG, Sheff and Quinn at TE with Bmarsh as the reciever? You could also put in Eddie as a RB or have him replace Bmarsh. Let me know what you guys think, don't be shy.

Poll
What do you think of the Thundercat?
Love it!
18 votes
It's ok.
20 votes
Hate it!
5 votes
What the heck is in that orange and blue kool-aid!
9 votes
Teletubbies are evil!
23 votes

75 votes | Poll has closed

This is a Fan-Created Comment on MileHighReport.com. The opinion here is not necessarily shared by the editorial staff of MHR

1 recs  |  Comment 48 comments

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I guess it all depends on a few things…

Are the 3 TEs we have worth this kind of formation and putting Royal on the sideline?
Can any of our RBs pull off the role of being a threat at QB?
What types of plays will be a result of this formation?

______
Mile High Mania

by Mile High Mania on Jun 12, 2009 4:25 AM MDT reply actions   0 recs

Royal doesn't have to be on the sideline

you could line up Hillis with the TE’s and Royal with the RB’s. Both Moreno and Hillis have thrown before so that shouldn’t be a problem. I’m still working on the plays but you could run passes or runs.

by broncofan91 on Jun 12, 2009 6:11 PM MDT up reply actions   0 recs

Moreno threw the ball in college and Hillis and Larsen threw in high school. Eddie can throw too just to mix it up!

Those that cant coach, compete!
Failing to plan is planning to fail.
All I want is 53 Rod Smiths. Is that asking too much????

by boydy2669 on Jun 12, 2009 6:26 AM MDT reply actions   0 recs

thundercats was pretty good cartoon

"It means nothing to throw for 4500 yards, 25 touchdowns, and you dont win"-Brandon Marshall

Neckbeard vs The Spleen: How better can this get?!?!

by broncoboy on Jun 12, 2009 6:33 AM MDT reply actions   0 recs

Snarf snarf snarf.

I like this Thundercat formation snarf. It has potential snarf snarf. I’d like to see Eddie snarf throw the ball out of it snarf.

No stairway? ...denied!

by papigrande on Jun 12, 2009 11:54 AM MDT up reply actions   0 recs

Don't mess with Panthro.

Just sayin’.

"Greater is an army of sheep led by a lion, than an army of lions led by a sheep" Defoe

by Steve Nichols on Jun 12, 2009 12:47 PM MDT up reply actions   0 recs

Here you go HT.

Panthro

GO BRONCOS IN 2009 AND BEYOND!!

Lakers lead NBA Finals 3-1

by weazel on Jun 13, 2009 1:01 AM MDT up reply actions   0 recs

Jusf for you papi

snarf

GO BRONCOS IN 2009 AND BEYOND!!

Lakers lead NBA Finals 3-1

by weazel on Jun 13, 2009 1:03 AM MDT up reply actions   0 recs

I knew guys that watched it in college.

Nerdy, but yeah….

"Greater is an army of sheep led by a lion, than an army of lions led by a sheep" Defoe

by Steve Nichols on Jun 14, 2009 5:46 AM MDT up reply actions   0 recs

Sounds creative enough

To experiment in preseason. If it translates, then use it somewhere down the line. It definitely looks like a better idea than some of Reeves trick plays. More of a Gimmick than trickery. Nice thought broncofan.

With the 12th pick, the Broncos select Knowshon Moreno - Roger Goodell
That'll move the chains - Andy Samberg

by KaptainKirk on Jun 12, 2009 7:34 AM MDT reply actions   0 recs

When you have some time

google “notre dame box”

your Thundercat formation is very similar to the formation ND used to dominate college football. Green Bay, under Curly Lambeau, used the formation to win 3 straight NFL titles in the early 30s.

by SlowWhiteGuy on Jun 12, 2009 7:54 AM MDT reply actions   0 recs

this was my thought

I was just reading an article last night about the NDbox and how it could potentially move into the pros soon.

There is no army so powerful as an idea whose time has come.

by Jeremy Bolander on Jun 12, 2009 10:51 AM MDT up reply actions   0 recs

When presented to me...

…the original “TC” had the receiver against the weakside TE, and the two TEs on the strong side were next to each other (by the RT).

I advocated moving the WR out (to pull a CB as well as to divide the attention of the FS), and pulling the right-most TE behind the line (since wide blitzes are already accounted for with two TEs; to allow an extra lead blocker, and to present an additional screen threat).

I’ve had a few “experimental” formations thrown at me (always from kids I coached), and (not to sound disrespectful) they were always flawed. This “TC” doesn’t look too shabby though, and I think Broncofan91 deserves the praise for coming up with a formation that (modified) seems to come close to the NDBox.

I’ve never heard of the NDbox (BIG hole in my historical reading), but I’m going to look for some more on it.

"Greater is an army of sheep led by a lion, than an army of lions led by a sheep" Defoe

by Steve Nichols on Jun 12, 2009 1:00 PM MDT up reply actions   0 recs

I like lining up the WR tight....

then pre-snap you could motion him out wide, motion across the formation, or drop back into the backfield to create a triple-option threat like UF does.

Also if the defense tries to go heavy you can split the flanking TE out wide and create a pass threat.

If a team were willing to spend a roster spot on one of the good running QBs out of college (like perhaps as a 3rd QB option) they could make this work. Imagine Tenn with VY back there? Imagine if someone put Vick back there?

by SlowWhiteGuy on Jun 13, 2009 10:43 AM MDT up reply actions   0 recs

There are so many things you can do during the pre-snap to confuse the defense

thats why I’m ok with not putting in a QB but it would be more ideal if you happened to have a good running QB on your roster.

by broncofan91 on Jun 13, 2009 2:05 PM MDT up reply actions   0 recs

I once asked Dan Reeves about about ATL using Vick...

…in a single wing look. He explained (and I agreed after thinking about it) that pro defenses might just eat it up.

But in a 3 TE look (a Wild or Thundercat), who knows?

"Greater is an army of sheep led by a lion, than an army of lions led by a sheep" Defoe

by Steve Nichols on Jun 13, 2009 2:07 PM MDT up reply actions   0 recs

Go watch some

Mountaineer football. I think you’ll see some similarities.

by SlowWhiteGuy on Jun 13, 2009 2:31 PM MDT up reply actions   0 recs

Unfortunately the bad thing about wildcat is also the great thing:

As long as you fit the right players in there, it’ll be golden.

God, I feel like John Madden….you know who had a really nice wedding? Brett Favre. Boom!

"It means nothing to throw for 4500 yards, 25 touchdowns, and you dont win" -Brandon Marshall

by Joe Medina on Jun 12, 2009 8:16 AM MDT reply actions   0 recs

good short yardage formation...

But it lacks a passing threat, so the wide out is wasted. If the defense had seen it before, they would react by packing the box.

"Now we have them where we want them"
-Kieth Bishop - On the Denver 2 yard line, Cleveland Ohio, 1987

by AlanC on Jun 12, 2009 8:35 AM MDT reply actions   0 recs

thats the beauty though...

when the defense makes adjustments so does the offense. It’s a team full of football players, i don’t care who is behind center they will be able to send audibles to make the play more effective. Plus lining up with quinn, graham and hillis on the “strong” side would allow for some amazing off tackle or sweeps to the outside. They check to outside runs a lot in the wildcat if the box is packed…

by JALefor on Jun 12, 2009 8:41 AM MDT up reply actions   0 recs

everybody on the ends...

and in the backfield is always a receiving threat. But you have to have someone to throw the ball. Screens don’t work when there are packed boxes and no one spreading the field.

Putting 8 or even 9 in the box doesn’t mean the ends aren’t covered, in fact they are more likely to be coevered bedaucse you can’t put all those people between the tackles.

Why do you think Miami wants a runnin QB for their wioldcat formation? Defenses were stopping it cold at the end of the year with no credible passing threat.

Like I said, this is a short yardage, goal line formation that could be excellent to the point of attack. But its not good for much more than that, in my opinion. Hope that clarifies. Interesting post though.

by AlanC on Jun 12, 2009 7:07 PM MDT up reply actions   0 recs

Oooo

so your problem isn’t that there aren’t any recieving threats, it’s that there’s no one to get them the ball?

by broncofan91 on Jun 12, 2009 8:41 PM MDT up reply actions   0 recs

Well like I said above,

it doesn’t have to be a RB. If there is a good running QB on the roster then by all means put him in.

by broncofan91 on Jun 13, 2009 2:11 PM MDT up reply actions   0 recs

Are you ready for some football?!??!?!??!

I think you, like me, can’t wait until football season starts. It’s really unfair and cruel that the NFL doesn’t throw us a bone between the draft and the start of training camp. How dare they?

But who will guard the guards themselves?

by Agent Jerry Fletcher on Jun 12, 2009 9:06 AM MDT reply actions   0 recs

HoF game not enough? lol

I’m just teasin, it’s never enough.

"It means nothing to throw for 4500 yards, 25 touchdowns, and you dont win" -Brandon Marshall

by Joe Medina on Jun 12, 2009 2:14 PM MDT up reply actions   0 recs

Hey

after 6 months without football, I’ll take it!

by broncofan91 on Jun 12, 2009 6:31 PM MDT up reply actions   0 recs

It's nice to know I'm not the only that's having withdrawals.

Funny true story: Last Sunday, I got up at around 9 am, and my immediate reaction was to put my BMarsh jersey on and watch football. It was totally random, and I actually had to catch myself in the middle of it…I felt both betrayed and stupid at the same time.

"It means nothing to throw for 4500 yards, 25 touchdowns, and you dont win" -Brandon Marshall

by Joe Medina on Jun 13, 2009 4:27 AM MDT up reply actions   0 recs

what about lining up bmarsh as a TE and keeping royal at WR

http://www.davusx.net/assets/db/la_la_land.gif

"We should have kept Seattle and dumped San Diego from the Division"

Davis and Sharpe to the Hall!

by Jon Tollerud on Jun 12, 2009 9:15 AM MDT reply actions   0 recs

I'm not sure I'd want my #1 WR tangling with DTs and LBs on most plays.

The guy can’t even put up a good fight with a hotel TV for cryin’ out loud.

: )

"Greater is an army of sheep led by a lion, than an army of lions led by a sheep" Defoe

by Steve Nichols on Jun 12, 2009 1:02 PM MDT up reply actions   0 recs

I agree

on both points.

by broncofan91 on Jun 12, 2009 6:32 PM MDT up reply actions   0 recs

dont you still need a QB out there?

i thought in the wildcat the QB was still on the field, he was just lined up wide. once you see the QB leave the huddle to run to the sidelines the defense will instantly know what the play is and be able to get the appropriate players out onto the field.

if the QB is still on the field, he just lines up outside like what i believe he does in the wildcat, then the defense wont know the play until the huddle is already broken. too late to sub in players

by purplesocks on Jun 12, 2009 3:45 PM MDT reply actions   0 recs

The Wildcat does have a QB out wide

but I don’t like the risk that it involves. Also, the defense might know the formation but that doesn’t mean that they know the play.

by broncofan91 on Jun 12, 2009 6:43 PM MDT up reply actions   0 recs

The QB in the Wildcat is a decoy

since OBrien is in the huddle the defense doesn’t know that it’s a Wildcat until they actually line up. That keeps the defense from substituting a special counter package.

The defense has to send a CB out wide to cover the QB, taking him out the play. If they don’t cover the QB he is a threat as a receiver and as the relay in a flea-flicker play.

by SlowWhiteGuy on Jun 13, 2009 10:47 AM MDT up reply actions   0 recs

The wideout in this formation

would also take out a CB and a safety.

by broncofan91 on Jun 13, 2009 2:21 PM MDT up reply actions   0 recs

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