1234:
134:(a dive play), the keep and the pitch play. The handoff was a fast play, with a halfback driving directly into the line, and the quarterback handing off within one yard of the line of scrimmage. Faurot judged this play to be the most dangerous in his offensive system, as the handoff occurred close to the line of scrimmage, close to potential interference by the defensive team.
166:
The split-T helped revolutionize college football, and some of its principles, such as the wishbone and veer formations, are in vogue today. However, when Don Faurot and his
Missouri team unveiled it for the first time ever against Ohio State in my first game as head coach, it gave me some of the
127:. With the defense spread out, the offense would, in general, leave one defensive player on the play side unblocked. The blocking schemes were simple, with very little of the pulling or trapping of the more traditional power-running offenses.
99:
would form a fairly tight group in front of the backs. In the split-T, the offensive line was spread out over almost twice as much ground. This prompted the defensive front to widen as well, which created gaps for the offense to exploit.
188:. He combined this new formation with the athletes he had at running back and quarterback and created an offensive juggernaut. The Tigers finished the season 8-1, with the sole loss in the season opening out of conference game at #10
103:
The original split-T was a full house backfield. Later, Faurot would set up a flanker on one sideline. This was done after experience with nine man lines showed the flanker to create issues for the defense. The use of a
211:
Before the 1945 season, the rules committee abolished the rule that the quarterback must be at least 5 yards behind the line of scrimmage when throwing the ball, thus benefitting the formation. In 1946,
141:
had not been called, then the quarterback kept the ball. The quarterback would run toward a spot just inside the unblocked defensive player. If that player closed on him, he would
76:
273:
met on the field for the first time. Both teams used the split-T as their base offense. Other top football programs used the split-T during this period as well, including
327:
229:
228:
during World War II. In his first year, he turned around
Oklahoma's losing record and delivered a Big Six Conference championship. In 1947, Tatum left Oklahoma for
145:
the ball back to the outside trailing halfback, aiming for a spot outside that outside defensive player. When executed correctly, this resembled the two-on-one
544:
432:
537:
189:
1258:
266:
39:, the split-T was first used in the 1941 season and allowed the Tigers to win all but their season-opening match against the
1237:
530:
270:
154:
239:
153:, from which Faurot originally derived the concept (Faurot also lettered in basketball, as a student, and coached the
1113:
1010:
970:
939:
881:
286:
225:
60:
201:
871:
220:
head coach. He installed the split-T offense that he had learned as an assistant coach under Don Faurot at the
274:
108:
to aid the passing game was optional, and was not an integral feature of either the split-T or the tight-T.
282:
243:
185:
40:
157:
basketball team to a conference championship prior to his tenure as the head football coach at
Missouri).
1183:
811:
453:
72:
238:, also a Faurot assistant at Iowa Pre-Flight, was the next Sooners head coach. In 1953, after losing to
232:, where he saw even more success with the split-T, including a consensus national championship in 1953.
856:
553:
75:
in 1947, Wilkinson became the head coach and went on to win a record-setting 47 straight games and two
991:
680:
217:
68:
1203:
278:
247:
181:
138:
131:
28:
254:
record that stands to this day. Notre Dame book-ended the streak when they again beat
Oklahoma in
1136:
996:
588:
408:"The Cost of Conservatism: The University of Minnesota's Lofted Ideals and Fallen Football Teams"
861:
470:
1178:
1148:
1131:
1078:
1038:
960:
655:
48:
1219:
1043:
886:
866:
429:
8:
618:
577:
1068:
1063:
934:
670:
660:
572:
567:
221:
193:
116:
1121:
1088:
1048:
851:
763:
650:
24:
986:
902:
791:
628:
623:
613:
443:, University of Oklahoma Foundation, Inc., Spring 2008, retrieved 17 December 2008.
305:
262:
255:
1198:
1173:
1168:
1163:
1153:
1143:
1126:
1098:
1083:
1058:
965:
821:
638:
436:
205:
1193:
1103:
1073:
907:
836:
698:
665:
633:
124:
112:
96:
1252:
643:
522:
407:
235:
56:
184:, developed the split-T and unleashed it onto the college football world in
1188:
876:
846:
841:
816:
758:
693:
603:
142:
88:
64:
1033:
1028:
1018:
801:
773:
768:
753:
743:
688:
608:
92:
36:
1158:
1093:
831:
806:
783:
748:
738:
728:
713:
708:
703:
172:
150:
146:
44:
32:
826:
796:
733:
723:
718:
250:, 19–14, and went on to win their next 46 games in a row, setting an
213:
111:
Faurot used the new formation to create what may have been the first
105:
52:
1053:
944:
197:
331:
251:
120:
27:
that was popular in the 1940s and 1950s. Developed by
518:
Forty-Seven
Straight: The Wilkinson Years at Oklahoma
430:The Forgotten Man of Oklahoma Football: Jim Tatum
1250:
261:Tatum and Wilkinson would later face off in the
552:
538:
460:, 1 January 2002, retrieved 20 December 2008.
130:The three base plays of the offense were the
545:
531:
115:in football, which was a precursor of the
91:would line up about five yards behind the
200:, and accepted the invitation to play #6
87:In the basic or tight-T formation, three
16:Offensive formation in American football
1251:
520:, University of Oklahoma Press, 1984.
405:
325:
526:
328:"Darrell Royal meant more than wins"
226:Iowa Pre-Flight school football team
167:worst moments of my coaching career.
59:, who coached under Faurot with the
155:Northeast Missouri State University
13:
511:Secrets of the "Split-T" Formation
471:"Wilkinson Created Sooner Dynasty"
180:Don Faurot, the head coach of the
14:
1270:
326:Maisel, Ivan (November 7, 2012).
1233:
1232:
306:"Don Faurot's split-T Formation"
490:
463:
446:
422:
71:in 1946. After Tatum left for
502:Brown, Paul, and Clary, Jack,
399:
390:
381:
372:
363:
354:
345:
319:
298:
1:
292:
67:, brought the split-T to the
23:is an offensive formation in
1259:American football formations
258:, 7–0 on November 16, 1957.
246:, Oklahoma beat arch-rivals
196:champions, ranked #7 in the
123:, and some modern run-first
7:
406:Madsen, Rob (Spring 2023).
360:Brown and Clary, pp. 82-83.
10:
1275:
554:American football strategy
160:
1228:
1212:
1112:
1009:
979:
953:
927:
920:
895:
782:
679:
596:
586:
560:
82:
504:PB: The Paul Brown Story
412:Journal of Sport History
308:. University of Missouri
175:, Brown and Clary, p. 82
61:Iowa Pre-Flight Seahawks
513:, Prentice-Hall, 1950.
499:, Prentice-Hall, 1947.
79:between 1953 and 1957.
458:Washingtonian Magazine
178:
35:as a variation on the
497:Championship Football
378:Faurot, Chapters 3-5.
281:, Notre Dame, Texas,
164:
1220:Resting the starters
1114:Defensive formations
1011:Offensive formations
369:Faurot, Chapter 12.
41:Ohio State Buckeyes
921:Defensive strategy
506:, Atheneum, 1979.
435:2009-02-22 at the
396:Faurot, pp. 13-15.
289:, and Ohio State.
194:Big Six Conference
1246:
1245:
1005:
1004:
916:
915:
862:Statue of Liberty
454:The Greatest Game
192:. They were the
97:offensive linemen
25:American football
1266:
1236:
1235:
987:Icing the kicker
925:
924:
903:Clock management
857:Hook and lateral
792:Play-action pass
594:
593:
547:
540:
533:
524:
523:
495:Bible, Dana X.,
485:
484:
482:
481:
467:
461:
450:
444:
426:
420:
419:
403:
397:
394:
388:
385:
379:
376:
370:
367:
361:
358:
352:
349:
343:
342:
340:
338:
323:
317:
316:
314:
313:
302:
263:1954 Orange Bowl
176:
69:Oklahoma Sooners
1274:
1273:
1269:
1268:
1267:
1265:
1264:
1263:
1249:
1248:
1247:
1242:
1224:
1208:
1137:Seattle Cover 3
1108:
1099:Minnesota shift
1059:Single set back
1001:
975:
949:
912:
891:
887:Tackle-eligible
867:Halfback option
822:Fake field goal
778:
675:
639:Run-pass option
582:
556:
551:
516:Keith, Harold,
493:
488:
479:
477:
469:
468:
464:
451:
447:
441:Sooner Magazine
437:Wayback Machine
427:
423:
404:
400:
395:
391:
386:
382:
377:
373:
368:
364:
359:
355:
350:
346:
336:
334:
324:
320:
311:
309:
304:
303:
299:
295:
206:1942 Sugar Bowl
182:Missouri Tigers
177:
171:
163:
125:spread offenses
85:
77:national titles
29:Missouri Tigers
17:
12:
11:
5:
1272:
1262:
1261:
1244:
1243:
1241:
1240:
1229:
1226:
1225:
1223:
1222:
1216:
1214:
1210:
1209:
1207:
1206:
1201:
1196:
1191:
1186:
1181:
1176:
1171:
1166:
1161:
1156:
1151:
1146:
1141:
1140:
1139:
1134:
1124:
1118:
1116:
1110:
1109:
1107:
1106:
1104:Notre Dame Box
1101:
1096:
1091:
1086:
1081:
1076:
1071:
1066:
1061:
1056:
1051:
1046:
1041:
1036:
1031:
1026:
1021:
1015:
1013:
1007:
1006:
1003:
1002:
1000:
999:
994:
989:
983:
981:
977:
976:
974:
973:
968:
963:
957:
955:
951:
950:
948:
947:
942:
937:
931:
929:
922:
918:
917:
914:
913:
911:
910:
908:Hail Mary pass
905:
899:
897:
893:
892:
890:
889:
884:
879:
874:
869:
864:
859:
854:
849:
844:
839:
837:Fake procedure
834:
829:
824:
819:
814:
809:
804:
799:
794:
788:
786:
780:
779:
777:
776:
771:
766:
761:
756:
751:
746:
741:
736:
731:
726:
721:
716:
711:
706:
701:
696:
691:
685:
683:
677:
676:
674:
673:
668:
663:
658:
653:
648:
647:
646:
641:
631:
626:
621:
616:
611:
606:
600:
598:
591:
584:
583:
581:
580:
575:
570:
564:
562:
558:
557:
550:
549:
542:
535:
527:
492:
489:
487:
486:
462:
445:
421:
398:
389:
387:Faurot, p. 31.
380:
371:
362:
353:
351:Bible, p. 115.
344:
318:
296:
294:
291:
169:
162:
159:
113:option offense
84:
81:
15:
9:
6:
4:
3:
2:
1271:
1260:
1257:
1256:
1254:
1239:
1231:
1230:
1227:
1221:
1218:
1217:
1215:
1211:
1205:
1202:
1200:
1197:
1195:
1192:
1190:
1187:
1185:
1182:
1180:
1177:
1175:
1172:
1170:
1167:
1165:
1162:
1160:
1157:
1155:
1152:
1150:
1147:
1145:
1142:
1138:
1135:
1133:
1130:
1129:
1128:
1125:
1123:
1120:
1119:
1117:
1115:
1111:
1105:
1102:
1100:
1097:
1095:
1092:
1090:
1087:
1085:
1082:
1080:
1077:
1075:
1072:
1070:
1067:
1065:
1062:
1060:
1057:
1055:
1052:
1050:
1047:
1045:
1042:
1040:
1037:
1035:
1032:
1030:
1027:
1025:
1022:
1020:
1017:
1016:
1014:
1012:
1008:
998:
995:
993:
990:
988:
985:
984:
982:
978:
972:
969:
967:
964:
962:
959:
958:
956:
952:
946:
943:
941:
938:
936:
933:
932:
930:
926:
923:
919:
909:
906:
904:
901:
900:
898:
894:
888:
885:
883:
882:Swinging gate
880:
878:
875:
873:
870:
868:
865:
863:
860:
858:
855:
853:
850:
848:
845:
843:
840:
838:
835:
833:
830:
828:
825:
823:
820:
818:
815:
813:
810:
808:
805:
803:
800:
798:
795:
793:
790:
789:
787:
785:
781:
775:
772:
770:
767:
765:
762:
760:
757:
755:
752:
750:
747:
745:
742:
740:
737:
735:
732:
730:
727:
725:
722:
720:
717:
715:
712:
710:
707:
705:
702:
700:
697:
695:
692:
690:
687:
686:
684:
682:
678:
672:
669:
667:
664:
662:
659:
657:
656:Run and shoot
654:
652:
649:
645:
644:Triple option
642:
640:
637:
636:
635:
632:
630:
627:
625:
622:
620:
617:
615:
612:
610:
607:
605:
602:
601:
599:
595:
592:
590:
585:
579:
576:
574:
571:
569:
566:
565:
563:
559:
555:
548:
543:
541:
536:
534:
529:
528:
525:
521:
519:
514:
512:
507:
505:
500:
498:
476:
472:
466:
459:
455:
449:
442:
438:
434:
431:
425:
417:
413:
409:
402:
393:
384:
375:
366:
357:
348:
333:
329:
322:
307:
301:
297:
290:
288:
284:
280:
276:
272:
268:
265:, when #1/#1
264:
259:
257:
253:
249:
245:
241:
237:
236:Bud Wilkinson
233:
231:
227:
223:
219:
215:
209:
207:
203:
199:
195:
191:
187:
183:
174:
168:
158:
156:
152:
148:
144:
140:
135:
133:
128:
126:
122:
118:
114:
109:
107:
101:
98:
94:
90:
89:running backs
80:
78:
74:
70:
66:
62:
58:
57:Bud Wilkinson
54:
50:
46:
43:and the 1942
42:
38:
34:
30:
26:
22:
1204:8-in-the-box
1023:
961:Bump and run
847:Fumblerooski
842:Flea flicker
619:Buck-lateral
578:Play calling
517:
515:
510:
509:Faurot, Don
508:
503:
501:
496:
494:
491:Bibliography
478:. Retrieved
474:
465:
457:
448:
440:
424:
418:(1): 85–100.
415:
411:
401:
392:
383:
374:
365:
356:
347:
335:. Retrieved
321:
310:. Retrieved
300:
260:
234:
210:
179:
165:
136:
129:
110:
102:
86:
65:World War II
20:
18:
1079:Pistol-Flex
1039:Single-wing
852:Hidden ball
802:Double pass
784:Trick plays
764:Stop-and-go
609:Air Coryell
573:Two-platoon
568:One-platoon
428:Gary King,
337:November 8,
216:became the
93:quarterback
37:T formation
31:head coach
1094:Jump shift
1044:Short punt
935:Man-to-man
872:Hard count
832:Fake spike
807:End-around
671:West Coast
661:Smashmouth
587:Offensive
480:2006-07-07
452:Vic Gold,
312:2006-07-07
293:References
287:Penn State
269:and #4/#5
244:Pittsburgh
242:and tying
240:Notre Dame
190:Ohio State
173:Paul Brown
151:basketball
147:fast break
45:Sugar Bowl
33:Don Faurot
1132:Miami 4–3
954:Coverages
827:Fake punt
651:Pro-style
222:U.S. Navy
214:Jim Tatum
139:dive play
106:split end
53:Jim Tatum
1253:Category
1238:Category
1069:Flexbone
1064:Wishbone
699:Crossing
629:Multiple
624:Hurry-up
614:Air raid
589:strategy
475:ESPN.com
433:Archived
283:Michigan
271:Oklahoma
267:Maryland
230:Maryland
218:Oklahoma
170:—
117:wishbone
73:Maryland
1199:Prevent
1184:7–1–2–1
1122:2-level
1089:Wildcat
1054:Pro set
1049:Shotgun
1024:Split-T
945:Tampa 2
877:Pyramid
817:Spinner
812:Reverse
561:Systems
279:Houston
275:Alabama
204:in the
202:Fordham
198:AP poll
161:History
137:If the
132:handoff
63:during
49:Fordham
47:versus
21:split-T
1194:Nickel
1074:Pistol
966:Double
928:Scheme
759:Sluggo
744:Screen
694:Corner
681:Routes
666:Spread
634:Option
597:Scheme
256:Norman
95:. The
83:Basics
1213:Other
1179:7–2–2
1149:3–3–5
1084:Trips
992:Stunt
980:Other
896:Other
774:Wheel
769:Swing
754:Slant
689:Chair
248:Texas
143:pitch
1189:Dime
971:Zone
940:Zone
797:Draw
749:Seam
739:Post
729:Jerk
714:Flat
709:Drag
704:Curl
604:A-11
339:2012
332:ESPN
252:NCAA
186:1941
121:veer
55:and
19:The
1174:6–2
1169:5–3
1164:5–2
1154:4–4
1144:3–4
1127:4–3
997:Spy
734:Out
724:Hot
719:Fly
224:'s
149:of
51:.
1255::
1159:46
473:.
456:,
439:,
416:50
414:.
410:.
330:.
285:,
277:,
208:.
119:,
1034:A
1029:I
1019:T
546:e
539:t
532:v
483:.
341:.
315:.
Text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License. Additional terms may apply.