The NFL is the most popular pro sport in America, but it sorely lacks in innovation.
The NFL is a copycat league, and coaches are hesitant to think outside-the-box and risk getting fired. When they do try something “new,” they generally steal it from the college ranks. The Dolphins took the NFL by storm when they unleashed the Wildcat. The coach who instituted it learned it while on the Arkansas coaching staff.
The spread offense Tom Brady uses to put up massive numbers every year? It’s based on college schemes.
The fact is, if you want variety, the college game is where to look. In the NFL, defenses either play a 4-3 or a 3-4.
TCU routinely fields one of the top defenses in college football with a unique 4-2-5 scheme.
New Mexico and West Virginia use a 3-3-5 alignment.
The offenses are even more diverse.
Hawai’i and SMU run the Run’n’Shoot. Navy and Georgia Tech utilize the triple option while Air Force uses a hybrid offense that is primarily the triple option, but has elements of everything.
Oregon uses a powerful rushing attack that goes as fast as possible and leaves opponents gasping for breath. Wisconsin bludgeons opponents with a powerful, traditional run game.
