The West Coast Offense

The West Coast Offense (WCO) is one of the most high-of-the-line and impactful offensive schemes in American football history. The West Coast offense, which gained popularity in the late 20th century, is characterized by the use of short, quick passes to spread the defense and open up running lanes for ball carriers. The transition from a sustainable offensive anomaly to an established system has earned it the designation of a bedrock of football at every level — NFL to college programs and high school programs.

This article examines the history, principles, important individuals and influence of the West Coast offense on football.

West Coast Offense Origins

Bill Walsh, the San Francisco 49ers legendary head coach, developed the West Coast offense back in the 1970s. Though it was just in 2013, the NFL then was filled with more traditional running-heavy offenses and passing plays were considered supplementary to the run. But Walsh had a vision to revolutionize offensive football and he went about devising an offense based on short, high-percentage passes and numerous route combinations to attack defenses horizontally instead of down the field.

During his time working under Cincinnati Bengals coach Paul Brown -- (the man whom these two had dinner with after Walsh's Stanford team beat Brown's in the 1971 Rose Bowl) -- and often also at Stanford University, where he was head coach of the Cardinal. Walsh's philosophy was built on Brown's teachings about using the passing game to control tempo and keep risk to a minimum. What Walsh did then was take these concepts and adapted them to what was later referred to as the West Coast offense.

The West Coast offense relies on timing, accuracy, and using the entire field to spread the defense. It facilitates short, high-percentage passes that serve as an extension of the running game to methodically and systematically move the ball down the field. It isn't necessarily about throwing deep downfield but more so using those quick throws to open up other plays, wear out defenses and force mismatches in the open-field.

The fundamentals of the West Coast Offense

The West Coast offense has a few defining features that set it apart from other offensive systems:

Short, Quick Passes

The basis of the West Coast offense is also with it, the idea of ​​the short passing game. Instead of bomb after bomb, which can be more dangerous and much more difficult to throw accurately, Walsh’s offense is relatively short passing-based — a lot of throws to running backs, tight ends, or wide receivers in the flat or over the middle. The passes are frequently on time, as the quarterback is getting rid of the ball within 2–3 seconds.

Yards After Catch (YAC)

Yards After Catch (YAC) is a staple trait of the West Coast offense. The target is not only to compile a pass but also yards after catch. That comes by making sharp cuts and getting open where its easier for wideouts to do damage wih the ball after catching it. This is designed to keep the defense stretched thin and force defenders to cover a large area of land while quickly getting rid of the football, essentially creating yards after catch opportunities when their wide receivers can break an initial tackle or two.

Timing and Rhythm

The West Coast offense is all about timing and rhythm. Timing in between the passer and receiver is extremely important for passing game. Weather brought on-time, early throws from quarterbacks who have tended to push the ball ahead of receivers in a well-executed West Coast offense. Receivers must also run their routes with pin-point precision (at very specific depths and angles) in order to get away from defenders.

Stretching the Defense Horizontally

Whereas most offenses we see will penetrate defenses vertically (down the field), the West Coast offense tries to stretch them horizontally. This is accomplished by utilizing crossing routes and screens with swing passes that trap defenders on one side of the field. The concept is to spread the defense and generate opportunities for big plays with speedy passes as well as yards after the catch.

Various Offensive Personnel Packages

The West Coast offense is a passing system, but it is also a flexible one with multiple personnel packages. For instance, a West Coast offense might include a running back who can catch the ball, a tight end who can line up on the line of scrimmage and in the slot, and several wide receivers who can run every route imaginable. It makes the offense malleable, able to adapt itself around players' talents and defense's weaknesses and strengths that week.

Efficient Running Game

While the West Coast offense is a passing attack, it does incorporate elements of the run game. Actually, the running game does remain part of Walsh's philosophy where it is linked to the short passing game. A strong running game gives the offense balance, forces defenses to play fair, and can chew up clock. The West Coast offense often relies on zone-blocking schemes in its running game, where offensive linemen move in concert to open lanes for the tailback.

Key Individuals Behind the Creation of the West Coast Offense

Though Bill Walsh is credited as the father of the West Coast offense, others also played a critical role in its evolution and proliferation.

Joe Montana

If there was ever a quarterback that personified the West Coast offense, it may be Joe Montana: San Francisco 49ers Hall of Fame quarterback during Walsh's head coaching career at the franchise. Joe Montana was the perfect QB for the system with his quick release, precision and ability to run the offense. With Walsh as his coach, Montana won four Super Bowls and became one of the all-time greats in NFL history and fan-favorite signal callers.

Steve Young

Steve Young, who replaced Montana as the starting quarterback for 49ers and is most known for his success in the West Coast offense. Young, who possessed a stronger arm than Rice and was as impressive an athlete with much less of shotgun preference for passing to him, thrived under Walsh, earning multiple MVP awards followed by Super Bowl glory. Young’s triumph only solidified the West Coast offense as an NFL staple.

Mike Holmgren

Hall of Fame head coach Bill Walsh not only ruled the NFL in San Francisco, he created a system that carried over with every assistant coach he had by applying it to their teams—which is how fellow coaches such as Mike Holmgren went on to run the West Coast from the helm of his own ship. After West kept it simple for Elway, the next innovative young coach took the principles of the West Coast offense to Green Bay and had a Super Bowl winner in Brett Favre. He influenced the West Coast offense that became a fixture of NFL offenses in the '90s and beyond

Don Shula and Dan Marino

Though Shula and Marino had their own offensive philosophies (and it would take up more room than I have here to detail the nature of each), Marino's quick release and fast, accurate throws also embodied aspects of the West Coast Offense. Even though the West Coast was not their main offensive system, Shula blended components of it with his Dolphins attack.

How The West Coast Offense Changed the Game

Few, if any, people made a bigger impact on the passing game in football than what it was immediately before them and what it became after their influence: that man was Bill Walsh and the offense he popularized — The West Coast Offense. When it was created, it pushed back against the idea that passing needed to be a high-reward, downfield endeavor. Instead, it focused on ball control, timing and efficiency — concepts that became the cornerstone of modern football.

Changing The NFL Passing Culture

Prior to the West Coast offense, teams were built on a power running game with infrequent deep shots down field. Walsh’s innovative offensive schemes pointed the needle to a more balanced passing game — one that provided crisp precision as an extension of the run. Now, passing was still quite simple for a far greater amount of signal-callers and has greatly helped the development of today's more-pass friendly offenses.

Quarterback Development

The number of quarterbacks who have achieved success in the West Coast offense influenced how quarterbacks are developed in modern football. It requires awareness, judgment, timing and accuracy — all at the top of the traits list for any quarterback. The West Coast offense has also shaped the development of quarterbacks on the college level, as similar concepts have been taught at that level as well.

Spread Concepts

Even with the West Coast's horizontal stretches, its principles transferred to modern spread offenses that fill college football today. The short passes, option routes and focus on space of the West Coast offense is evident in spread offenses that use quick passes and run-pass options (RPOs) to stress defenses.

Conclusion

Bill Walsh's West Coast offense and many of the greatest football minds who perfected some aspect of this system will be forever felt in their imprint on football. It changed the way the NFL passed while incorporating accuracy, efficiency and quick decision-making. The West Coast offense is more than a scheme, it is a mentality that runs through every level of football from pro to college all the way down to high school. Despite changes in the game, elements of the West Coast offense still remain relevant to offensive systems of today — making it one of the single greatest and most successful innovations in American football history.