Quarterback Running Plays from a Shotgun Formation

​Bryant Livingston is a longtime Roanoke, Virginia, professional who delivers account technician services at the VA Hospital. With an extensive background in athletics, Bryant Livingston competed in semi-professional football for three years in Germany, and he has a knowledge of offense strategy on the gridiron.

Beyond the pass, one of the secondary weapons in a football team’s arsenal is having a quarterback (QB) able to scramble out of trouble and run for positive yardage. Often, this happens at the end of broken passing plays, but sometimes, it is designed as an option in the play itself.

A classic formation that enables the quarterback to run is the “shotgun,” which lengthens the QB’s position in the offensive backfield and gives him space to maneuver and find an open pocket. Typically run with a zone defense, the shotgun may feature the offensive tackle pivoting and blocking downfield. The quarterback can use this blocker as a gauge of where an attack is coming from and use his interior protection to run up the interior seam.

The QB’s primary focus will typically be on the tight end, who caps the offensive line. Should the end elect to remain in a traditional formation and provide the quarterback with maximum protection, the QB has the option of either a short pass or pitch of the ball to the running back outside the formation. If the tight end elects to cut wide, the QB takes this as a cue, as this provides spacing and protection for him to run the ball upfield.

Bryant Livingston,

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