Where Has the Huddle Gone?

Once a right of passage to the next play, a fixture reminiscent of fast-forwarded particles gravitating together in the cosmos, it seems today as the ref winds the play-clock, the huddle has disappeared more and more, play by play, game by game, season by season.

Is it a byproduct of the popularity and success of ‘spread offenses?’ Pace allows for more offensive snaps per contest and does have a valid point as far as being able to ‘take the game’ to your opponent. The more you snap the more you score. And the faster you snap, the better the chances you have to score against a vulnerable defense. This much is all true and has been proven between the lines, time and time again.

This past season, the Cal defense became so dysfunctional and struggled for so much oxygen, that they actually and admittedly faked an injury to slow down Chip Kelly’s light-speed Oregon attack. In a game that seemingly has seen it all, you have to admit that’s a first.

Is it a byproduct of the ever-snowballing electronic age? Everything now has an easier way, a faster way, and ultimately, a more efficient way. Face time is a thing of the past and intricate signaling systems have taken over (see also: iphone).

It is amazing to me that this dynamic is now generally accepted as the norm, and is almost foreign to a guy who last suited up no more than just over a decade ago. I can only imagine what the old-timers of the 50’s and 60’s must think?

Some offensive coordination even implements gigantic signs facing the field with a four-square of seemingly random depictions (photo). This form of play-calling apparently is only exercised a small percentage of the time, in an effort to throw off the defensive geniuses of the opponent even further. Ten-word code has effectively become a picture of Scott Van Pelt.

It seems to me the college game is becoming micro-managed by coaches more than is necessary. In today’s game, a player without his coach has become the equivalent of a blind dog in a meat locker – anxious and rudderless. I would be surprised if your average underclassmen would be able to tie his shoes, master the dorm stairwell quickly and navigate to his first class without a series of on-going hand-signals from graduate assistants around campus (including a collection of dummy signals to divert the looky-loos of course).

Whatever happened to banding together for the sake of comradery? Has this beneficial practice of the huddle been tossed-aside and is it on its way to being lost for good?

I can attest through my playing and coaching days, that the huddle was more than a gathering exercise thought a kin to the lunch line in the 3rd grade. There was communication shared, challenges dared and pitfalls ‘bewared.’ It was a rallying point on the proverbial battle-field that constantly reminded and re-injected the common goal.

Wandering up to the line of scrimmage after the ball-carrier has been tackled only to fake a quick snapping of the ball, and then turn to the teat of your position coach seems like a robotic and seemingly uninspired process.

Before it is completely dismissed as a thing of the past, it is paramount to remember what not only has gotten champions of past gridirons accolade and life-long memories, but will continue to get winners of future contests something to point to – something so bare-bones that it was undoubtedly attributive to ‘getting them there,’ the place that they will never forget.

Esprit de corps.

-Andrew Stevens