West Coast Offense

In American football, the West Coast offense is an offense that places a greater emphasis on passing than on running.

There are two similar but distinct offensive strategic systems which are commonly referred to as "West Coast offenses". Originally the term referred to the Air Coryell system popularized by Don Coryell. However, following a journalistic error, it now more commonly refers to the offensive system devised by Bill Walsh while with the Cincinnati Bengals, characterized by short, horizontal passing routes in lieu of running plays to "stretch out" defenses, opening up the potential for long runs or long passes.

The term "West Coast offense", as it is now commonly used, derives from a remark made by then-New York Giants coach Bill Parcells after the Giants defeated the San Francisco 49ers 17-3 in the 1985 playoffs. Parcells, a believer in tough defense over finesse-oriented offense, scornfully derided the 49ers' offense with the statement, "What do you think of that West Coast Offense now?" In 1993, a Bernie Kosar quotation used to describe the 1993 Dallas Cowboys' offense as 'West Coast offense' was publicized by Sports Illustrated writer Paul Zimmerman ("Dr. Z"). Originally Kosar had meant a comparison to the "Air Coryell" system used by west coast teams in the 1970s, the San Diego Chargers and Oakland Raiders. A reporter mistakenly applied Kosar's quotation about the Air Coryell system to the 1980s-era attack of Walsh's San Francisco 49ers. Initially, Walsh resisted having the term misapplied to his own distinct system (Zimmerman noted that an article so misapplying the term led to an upset Walsh phone call to Zimmerman – "He called me up....(saying) that wasn't his offense."), but the moniker stuck. Now the term is commonly used to refer to a range of pass-oriented offenses that may not be closely related to either the Air Coryell system or Walsh's pass-strategy. Despite the "West Coast" name, the true origins of the offense go back to Paul Brown, legendary coach of the Cleveland Browns and Cincinnati Bengals. Under Brown's tenure, Bill Walsh was tasked with coming up with an offense better suited for quarterback Virgil Carter, who had a relatively weak arm. What Walsh would devise is system based on precise, horizontal stretch-based passes. This system countered for Carter's weak arm, as it allowed the ball to be thrown to intermediate routes-the theory being that the receiver will make up the total yardage. After leaving the Bengals, Bill Walsh implemented his ball-control, high percentage pass game in San Francisco to great success. The West Coast offense was then passed on by Walsh's disciples, and its principles still remain in use today.

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