What’s the Difference Between the Wishbone and the Veer?

March 18, 2019

The wishbone formation, also known simply as the ’bone, is an offensive formation in American football. The style of attack to which it gives rise is known as the wishbone offense. Like the spread offense in the 2000s, the wishbone was considered to be the most productive and innovative offensive scheme in college football during the 1970s and 1980s.

The Veer is an option running play often associated with option offenses in American football, made famous at the collegiate level by Bill Yeoman‘s Houston Cougars. It is currently run primarily on the high school level, with some usage at the collegiate and the professional level where the Veer’s blocking scheme has been modified as part of the zone blocking system. The Veer is an effective ball control offense that can help minimize mismatches in a game for a team.