Ok guys, I'm not sure if there is a story about this out there already, but personally, I had always been intrigued on where the name "Wildcat" came from. I had not heard an official source from the media, but ironically, I may have been told the answer not too long ago. If nothing else, it at least makes intuitive sense.

Now, I read one of the other threads regarding the Arkansas QB we brought into camp, and I remember him saying that they "invented" or "were the originators of" the Wildcat. It got me thinking about a conversation I had with an individual several months ago...

Let me start off by saying that I am currently a graduate assistant working at Villanova University, working as an athletic trainer with our football team. Part of my job is to follow a position throughout the entire practice (to deal with cuts/wounds/water, etc). In my case, it is the offensive line, and our O-Line coach is also the assistant head coach who has been with the team for 20 something years. With that being said... one day before practice started, I got into some small talk with the guy and I think I mentioned I was a Dolphins fan... and the concept of the "Wildcat" was brought up.

He told me a story that in the early 90s the Villanova football team introduced a formation, putting their most athletic offensive player in the backfield, and had him take a direct snap from center. As a response to this, one of the defenders yelled, "Wildcat!!, Wildcat!!" to alert the rest of the defense of this formation. With our University's mascot being the Wildcats, this rationale sounds logical. To this day, we still run that formation (and very effectively, I might add). Its the same exact thing, too. He signals a guy to come in motion and has the option to hand-off, keep it, or throw it himself.

So, I'm not sure when Arkansas invented it, or whoever before them... but I believe is the answer to a question some of us had wondered about.... if nothing else, at least where the name
came from

The Arkansas part comes from David Lee, our QB's coach, he was a coach at Arkansas and they ran the "wildcat" which is just another play in the "spread Offense"

If you look up "Spread Offense" you will get more info on it. And the "wildcat" was explained here and the actual formation dates back to the 1930's....

So I doubt you met someone who "invented it"...

In Arkansas they called it the Wildhog.

I don't care who invented the thing, I'm just happy when it tears our opponents up.

Right, I realize they ran that formation... I'm just saying a lot of people (including that QB we brought in apparently) think they were the ones to come up with it, just because they are a big name program that ran it recently.

And I didn't mean to say they invented that type of offense here.. I guess I was just trying to say the name may have come from here... and since we are not a very big football school, and we get hardly any media coverage, no one may have heard of it. On a side note the "Sky Cam" WAS invented here, and that I am sure of lol.

Right now im in the middle of finals (just taking a break now lol), so I can't start researching, but 10acjed, were u saying that the reasoning behind the name "wildcat" would be found if I looked under "spread offense"?

He just said that the wildcat is a part of the spread offense has been used for many years. I don't think he was positive the origin is from there. The name just logically makes sense its sort of like calling a play for Joker or something, you initiate a play where a player can have multiple roles(and usually doesn't) and he's designated the 'wildcat' I suppose.

Well it wasnt any QB brought in. It is our QB coach, David Lee (who I hope takes over as O coord but that's another topic) David Lee came from Arkansas, they ran the same play, just called it something else..

The "Single Wing" and "Double Wing" are the actual plays Miami runs, different variations of them. They are set up to put your size guys and blockers in and over power the offense.

While I know Wiki is not the best source of facts, it does have a few formations drawn out including the "base wildcat" http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wildcat_formation

Here is a guy by the name of "Coach Wyatt" taking credit for it and its name.
http://www.coachwyatt.com/wildcat.html

The "Single Wing" and "Double Wing" are the actual plays Miami runs, different variations of them. They are set up to put your size guys and blockers in and over power the offense.




I like the Buffalo Wing myself.(not the city)

Thank you for repeating what has already been said twice.

Any time... Glad to be of service to you. Let me know if there is anything else I can do for you...

BTW, I must be having troubles with my web browser, cause I onley see it once, and it was posted by me. Before that was me describing the "spread"... I must be missing something, or you are seeing double seeing double

Now that definitely made me laugh

However, to your other inquiries, I was referring to xraytaylor who repeated what you had just said. Prior to that, you had explained where it came from, then you made another post with more information.

I was merely stating that xraytaylor was not contributing anything you hadn't already said.

lol i understood the whole point about coach Lee and Arkansas ... i was just referring to the quote from this Casey Dick guy below who "said" they originated it. My whole point was that it clearly was around before Arkansas (probably in the 30s like you said). I was just wondering about the name itself. That Wyatt guy said he came up with the name in 1997. It would be interesting to see when it was first said on campus here

btw thanks for looking that stuff up!

One of the two quarterbacks at rookie camp, Casey Dick of Arkansas, has a strong connection to the popular “Wildcat” formation the Dolphins ran so successfully the last two years. Dick was amused when he arrived and saw quarterbacks coach David Lee for the first time. “He was out there with all of us and I asked him if we were going to put a little bit of it in since we originated it and he said no, we’ll leave that to the other guys,” Dick said. “It was unbelievable to watch it take off with the Dolphins and the rest of the NFL being as we originated it. To see Dallas run it with Felix Jones and then Coach Lee come down here and run it with Ronnie Brown and Ricky Williams was neat.”
viewtopic.php?f=2&t=1295

Yeah, dont know what I saw either. For some reason I thought you had quoted me.. But I think he tried to quote me and it just looks like he repeated what I wrote... "Looks like I picked the wrong week to quit sniffing glue"


I think that Wyatt guy has the strogest case, he has film of his team running it over 10 years ago... As far as the naming of "the wildcat" anyway....

Ooops, they're over 100 years too late on their "innovation" which has been copied for over 100 years.
It comes back in vogue every 10 to 20 years. Today is used as a surprise or when you can't block & have great runners ... ahem, cough David Lee was frustrated.

Actually invented by Pop Warner in 1902, as the Single Wing. Check out the Wikipedia link ... even has a bit on the Dolphins.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Single_wing

BTW, the King 'o Single Wing/Wildcat/WhatEvah ... Jim Thorpe ... he in Canton & beacoup Olympic medals. Won the College Football Championship almost single handedly ... check out his page on wiki !! Now Thorpe WAS a STUD ... he could fish, fight, fart, f*ck, fly a plane, or drive a truck!!!!!!