Darrell Royal's Longhorns featured in Wishbone documentary on SEC Network
In 1990s it was the 'Run and Shoot.' In the early 2000s it was the 'Read Option.' But in the late 1960s and '70s, no offense dominated college football like the 'Wishbone.' Now that two of the primary innovators of the offense are in the conference, the SEC Network is airing a documentary about its history.
A form of the Wishbone had been banging around Texas high schools in the late 1950s and 60s as a modified 'T' formation when it was seen by future Texas Longhorns assistant Emory Bellard. About the time Texas head coach Darrell Royal hired Bellard, the triple option was showing signs of success in college football.
Royal asked Bellard to come up with a new formation and he combined elements of the modified 'T' with a 'Slot-I' formation and after some initial growing pains, the Wishbone took off. Texas went onto win two national titles running the offense.
Oklahoma under Barry Switzer and Alabama under Bear Bryant also adopted a form of the Wishbone and the next seven out of ten national champs ran the offense. Switzer is credited with perfecting the formation and ran it successfully all the way into the '90s. But by then the 'Run and Shoot' was taking over.
The SEC Network's documentary "SEC Storied: Wishbone" will air Thursday night, July 17 at 6 p.m. CT and will be available on ESPN+ and re-airings on SEC Network.
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