West Coast offense - wikipedia West Coast offense In American football, the West Coast offense is an offense that places a greater emphasis on passing than on running. There are two similar but distinct offensive strategic systems which are commonly referred to as `` West Coast offenses ''. Originally the term referred to the Air Coryell system popularized by Don Coryell. However, following a journalistic error, it now more commonly refers to the offensive system devised by Bill Walsh while with the Cincinnati Bengals, characterized by short, horizontal passing routes in lieu of running plays to `` stretch out '' defenses, opening up the potential for long runs or long passes. Contents 1 History and use of the term 1.1 Vertical 1.2 NFL teams that used Sid Gillman 's Vertical offense 2 Walsh 's West Coast offense 2.1 Walsh 's coaching tree 3 College origins 4 Theory 4.1 Desired outcome 4.2 Typical plays 4.3 Scripted plays 5 Requirements and disadvantages 6 College teams that used the West Coast offense 7 NFL teams that used the West Coast offense 8 References 9 External links History and use of the term The term `` West Coast offense '', as it is now commonly used, derives from a remark made by then - New York Giants coach Bill Parcells after the Giants defeated the San Francisco 49ers 17 - 3 in the 1985 playoffs. Parcells, a believer in tough defense over finesse - oriented offense, scornfully derided the 49ers ' offense with the statement, `` What do you think of that West Coast Offense now ? '' In 1993, a Bernie Kosar quotation used to describe the 1993 Dallas Cowboys ' offense as ' West Coast offense ' was publicized by Sports Illustrated writer Paul Zimmerman ( `` Dr. Z '' ). Originally Kosar had meant a comparison to the `` Air Coryell '' system used by west coast teams in the 1970s, the San Diego Chargers and Oakland Raiders. A reporter mistakenly applied Kosar 's quotation about the Air Coryell system to the 1980s - era attack of Walsh 's San Francisco 49ers. Initially, Walsh resisted having the term misapplied to his own distinct system ( Zimmerman noted that an article so misapplying the term led to an upset Walsh phone call to Zimmerman -- `` He called me up... ( saying ) that was n't his offense. '' ), but the moniker stuck. Now the term is commonly used to refer to a range of pass - oriented offenses that may not be closely related to either the Air Coryell system or Walsh 's pass - strategy. Despite the `` West Coast '' name, the true origins of the offense go back to Paul Brown, legendary coach of the Cleveland Browns and Cincinnati Bengals. Under Brown 's tenure, Bill Walsh was tasked with coming up with an offense better suited for quarterback Virgil Carter, who had a relatively weak arm. What Walsh would devise is system based on precise, horizontal stretch - based passes. This system countered for Carter 's weak arm, as it allowed the ball to be thrown to intermediate routes - the theory being that the receiver will make up the total yardage. After leaving the Bengals, Bill Walsh implemented his ball - control, high percentage pass game in San Francisco to great success. The West Coast offense was then passed on by Walsh 's disciples, and its principles still remain in use today. Vertical Bernie Kosar used the term to describe the offense formalized by Sid Gillman with the AFL Chargers in the 1960s and later by Don Coryell 's St. Louis Cardinals and Chargers in the 1970s and 1980s. Al Davis, an assistant under Gillman, also carried his version to the Oakland Raiders, where his successors John Rauch, John Madden, and Tom Flores continued to employ and expand upon its basic principles. This is the `` West Coast offense '' as Kosar originally used the term. However, it is now commonly referred to as the `` Air Coryell '' timed system, and instead the term West Coast offense is usually used to describe Bill Walsh 's system. The offense uses a specific naming system, with the routes for ( wide receiver ) s and tight ends receiving three digit numbers, and routes for backs having unique names. For example, a pass play in 3 digit form might be `` Split Right 787 check swing, check V ''. ( see Offensive Nomenclature ). This provides an efficient way to communicate many different plays with minimal memorization. Conversely, the Walsh `` West Coast offense '' could in theory have more freedom, since route combinations are not limited by 0 - 9 digits, but at the price of much more memorization required by the players. NFL teams that used Sid Gillman 's Vertical offense Start End Team Head coach Offensive coordinator 1957 1959 Los Angeles Rams Sid Gillman 1960 1968 Los Angeles / San Diego Chargers Sid Gillman 1963 1965 Oakland Raiders Al Davis 1966 1968 Oakland Raiders John Rauch 1969 1970 Buffalo Bills John Rauch -- Houston Oilers Sid Gillman 1979 Oakland / Los Angeles Raiders Tom Flores 1992 1994 Seattle Seahawks Tom Flores Larry Kennan 2006 -- Oakland Raiders Art Shell John Shoop and Tom Walsh Walsh 's West Coast offense Walsh formulated what has become popularly known as the West Coast offense during his tenure as assistant coach for the Cincinnati Bengals from 1968 to 1975, while working under the tutelage of mentor Paul Brown. Bengals quarterback Virgil Carter would be the first player to successfully implement Walsh 's system, leading the NFL in pass completion percentage in 1971. Ken Anderson later replaced Carter as Cincinnati 's starting QB, and was even more successful. In his 16 - year career in the NFL, Anderson made four trips to the Pro Bowl, won four passing titles, was named NFL MVP in 1981, and set what was then the record for completion percentage in a single season in 1982 ( 70.66 % ). Walsh installed a modified version of this system when he became head coach of the San Francisco 49ers. Walsh 's 49ers won three Super Bowls during this period, behind the passing abilities of legendary quarterback Joe Montana. As a result, Walsh 's version has come to be known as the `` West Coast offense ''. Montana thrived for many years as the starting QB for the 49ers. He captured 4 Super Bowl titles ( three of them under Walsh ), 3 Super Bowl MVP awards, and 2 AP NFL MVP titles while in San Francisco in the 1980s. Montana and Walsh have both been inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame. Walsh 's coaching tree Several of Walsh 's coordinators went on to successfully implement his West Coast Offense system. George Seifert succeeded Walsh as San Francisco 's head coach in 1989, and won two Super Bowls with the 49ers ; once with Joe Montana at quarterback in 1989, and later with fellow Hall of Famer Steve Young in 1994. Mike Holmgren won a Super Bowl with the Green Bay Packers in 1996 behind the quarterbacking of 3 - time NFL MVP Brett Favre, and then returned to the Super Bowl in 1997 where they lost to the Denver Broncos, who were coached by Mike Shanahan. Holmgren later became head coach of the Seattle Seahawks where they played in the Super Bowl in the 2005 season. One of Holmgren 's assistants, Jon Gruden, went on to win a Super Bowl with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in the 2002 season. Another one - time member of Holmgren 's coaching staff, Andy Reid, has successfully utilized the West Coast offense during his tenure as a head coach for both the Philadelphia Eagles and Kansas City Chiefs. From 1999 - 2012, Reid served as Eagles head coach. From 2001 - 2004, Philadelphia made 4 consecutive appreances in the NFC Championship Game under Reid 's watch ( The Eagles would reach the NFC title game again in the 2008 season ), with the Eagles reaching Super Bowl XXXIX following the 2004 season. Since 2013, he has served as head coach of the Chiefs. Kansas City has made the playoffs 3 of the 4 seasons he 's been the head coach. Paul Hackett would leave Walsh 's staff shortly after the Super Bowl winning season in 1981, taking the position of Offensive Coordinator for the Dallas Cowboys. Hackett would then teach his version of Walsh 's offense to several coaches, including the current Green Bay Packers head coach Mike McCarthy. McCarthy would go on to win a Super Bowl himself with the use of the West Coast Offense in 2010. Mike Shanahan won two Super Bowls with the Denver Broncos in 1997 & 1998, utilizing the leadership and passing skills of quarterback John Elway. Shanahan 's run - heavy variation of the offense, under the leadership of offensive coordinator Gary Kubiak, is also known for utilizing previously unheralded running backs, including 1998 NFL MVP Terrell Davis, and developing them into league - leading rushers behind small, yet powerful, Zone Blocking offensive lines. Hall of Fame players from the Broncos ' Super Bowl - winning teams in ' 97 & ' 98 include Elway, Davis, and tight end Shannon Sharpe. Gary Kubiak has had a stellar career as an NFL head coach in his own right. Kubiak served as the head coach of the Houston Texans from 2006 - 2013. After serving as the Baltimore Ravens ' offensive coordinator in 2014, he became head coach of the Broncos in the 2015 season, and won Super Bowl 50. College origins LaVell Edwards and Dewey Warren created an offensive system similar to the West Coast offense at Brigham Young University ( BYU ) in 1973. One reason for the success of this version of the offense was in its simplicity. Norm Chow said the offenses had around 12 basic pass plays and 5 basic run plays which were run from a variety of formations, with only some plays tagged for extra versatility, so that the players knew the offense by the second day of practice. The highpoint of the BYU offense was a NCAA Division I-A national football championship in 1984 and a Heisman Trophy for Ty Detmer in 1990. BYU broke over 100 NCAA records for passing and total offense during Edwards ' tenure. Several coaches and players associated with BYU 's football program had success with this offense at BYU and elsewhere, including Virgil Carter, Mike Holmgren, Andy Reid, Brian Billick, Ted Tollner, Doug Scovil, Norm Chow, Jim McMahon, Steve Young, Ty Detmer, and Steve Sarkisian. The University of Washington Huskies were among the first of the Pac - 10 teams and in 1970, under coach Jim Owens and quarterback Sonny Sixkiller, used the `` Sixkiller '' variation of Coryell 's West Coast offense with great success. Years later in 2002, under coach Keith Gilbertson and quarterback Cody Pickett, the Huskies ran a variation of Walsh 's West Coast offense to a conference championship and a top four passing attack averaging 352.4 yards per game. Today, the West Coast offense no longer only resides on the west coast, but can be found in schools across the nation, including Boise State, and Vanderbilt. Former Pittsburgh and Stanford head coach Walt Harris also used a variation of the West Coast offense during his stint at Pittsburgh. Theory The popular term `` West Coast Offense '' is more of a philosophy and an approach to the game than it is a set of plays or formations. Traditional offensive thinking argues that a team must establish its running game first, which will draw the defense in and open up vertical passing lanes downfield ; i.e., passing lanes that run perpendicular to the line of scrimmage. Bill Walsh 's West Coast Offense differs from traditional offense by emphasizing a short, horizontal passing attack to help stretch out the defense, thus opening up options for longer running plays and longer passes that can achieve greater gains. The West Coast Offense as implemented under Walsh features precisely run pass patterns by the receivers that make up about 65 % to 80 % of the offensive scheme. With the defense stretched out, the offense is then free to focus the remaining plays on longer throws of more than 14 yards and mid to long yard rushes. Desired outcome Walsh 's West Coast Offense attempts to open up running and passing lanes for the backs and receivers to exploit, by causing the defense to concentrate on short passes. Since most down and distance situations can be attacked with a pass or a run, the intent is to make offensive play calling unpredictable and thus keep the defense 's play `` honest '', forcing defenders to be prepared for a multitude of possible offensive plays rather than focusing aggressively on one likely play from the offense. Beyond the basic principle of passing to set up the run, there are few rules that govern Walsh 's West Coast Offense. Originally the offense used two split backs, giving it an uneven alignment in which five players aligned to one side of the ball and four players aligned on the other side ( with the quarterback and center directly behind the ball ). This imbalance forced defenses to abandon their own favored, conventional formations. Although Walsh - influenced teams now commonly use formations with more or fewer than two backs, the offense 's unevenness is still reflected in its pass protection philosophy and continues to distinguish it from single back passing offenses. Throughout the years, coaches have added to, adjusted, modified, simplified, and enhanced Bill Walsh 's original adaptation of the Paul Brown offense. Formations and plays vary greatly, as does play calling. Another key part of the Walsh implementation was `` pass first, run later '', It was Walsh 's intention to gain an early lead by passing the ball, then run the ball on a tired defense late in the game, wearing them down further and running down the clock. The San Francisco 49ers, under both Bill Walsh and George Seifert, often executed this strategy very effectively. Another key element in Walsh 's attack was the three step dropback instead of traditional seven step drops or shotgun formations. The three step drop helped the quarterback get the ball out faster resulting in far fewer sacks. `` WCO '' plays unfold quicker than in traditional offenses and are usually based on timing routes by the receivers. In this offense the receivers also have reads and change their routes based on the coverages presented to them. The quarterback makes three reads and if no opportunity is available after three reads, the QB will then check off to a back or tight end. Five step and even 7 step dropbacks are now implemented in modern - day WCO 's because defensive speed has increased since the 80 's. Some modern WCO 's have even used shotgun formations ( e.g. Green Bay ' 06 - present, Atlanta ' 04 - ' 06, Philadelphia ' 04 - present ). Typical plays The majority of West Coast Offense routes occur within 15 yards of the line of scrimmage. 3 - step and 5 - step drops by the quarterback take the place of the run and force the opposing defense to commit their focus solely on those intermediate routes. Contrary to popular belief, the offense also uses the 7 - step drop for shallow crosses, deep ins and comebacks. For instance, past Michigan Wolverines offenses utilized the 5 - and 7 - step drops about 85 % of the time with West Coast pass schemes implemented by then - Quarterbacks Coach Scot Loeffler. Because of the speed of modern defenses, only utilizing the 3 - and 5 - step pass game would be ineffective since the defense could squat and break hard on short - to - intermediate throws with no fear of a down field pass. The original West Coast Offense of Sid Gillman uses some of the same principles ( pass to establish the run, quarterback throws to timed spots ), but offensive formations are generally less complicated with more wideouts and motion. The timed spots are often farther down field than in the Walsh - style offense, and the system requires a greater reliance on traditional pocket passing. Another aspect that makes the West Coast offense one of the most difficult to master is that it requires a deeper connection between quarterback and receiver, and an ability to communicate mid-play. On any given route, a receiver has as many as three options ; a hitch, a slant and a fly, depending on what the defense is showing. The quarterback is responsible for recognizing the defense and the reaction of the receiver to it and adjusting the route if needed. This explains the communication mistakes that commonly occur on West Coast offensive plays where the quarterback throws to a spot that the receiver is running away from. Scripted plays A Walsh innovation was scripting the first 15 offensive plays of the game. Walsh went as far as to script the first 25 plays but most teams stop at 15. Since the offensive team knew that the first 15 plays would be run as scripted no matter what, they could practice those plays to perfection, minimizing mistakes and penalties. By ignoring situational play - calling and increasing the game tempo, scripted plays also served to confuse the defense and induce early penalties. Executing these plays successfully could establish momentum and dictate the flow of the game. It also gave the coaching staff an opportunity to run test plays against the defense to gauge their reactions in game situations. Later in the game, an observed tendency in a certain situation by the opposing defense could be exploited. Requirements and disadvantages The West Coast offense requires a quarterback who throws extremely accurately, and often blindly, very close to opposing players. In addition, it requires the quarterback to be able to quickly pick the best one of five receivers to throw to, certainly much more quickly than in previously used systems. Often, the quarterback has no time to think about the play and must act robotically, executing the play exactly as instructed by the offensive coordinator, who calls the plays for him. This is in contrast to the roles quarterbacks were required to perform in other systems, which were to be an adept game manager with a strong arm. Many people reasoned that Johnny Unitas, a strong - armed field general would not have fared well in being subservient to the offensive coordinator, and that his long but sometimes wobbly passes would not have worked in the West Coast system. The West Coast offense caused a split still evident today among quarterbacks ; those who were more adept at the West Coast style : Joe Montana, Steve Young, Brett Favre, Tom Brady, Matt Hasselbeck ; and those more in tune with the old style : Dan Marino, Jim Kelly, and Peyton Manning. Rich Gannon is a good example of a quarterback who fared better in one system than the other. Gannon struggled in the old style system but found great success with the Oakland Raiders and the West Coast system run by head coaches Jon Gruden and Bill Callahan. The West Coast offense requires sure - handed receivers who are comfortable catching in heavy traffic, and the system downplays speedy, larger receivers who are covered easily in short yardage situation. One result has been the longevity of receivers in the West Coast system such as Jerry Rice, because familiarity with the system and clear signalling is of greater importance than systems that require a receiver to `` stretch the field '' where any loss of speed is a major liability. `` WCO '' systems also rely on agile running backs that catch the ball as often as they run. Roger Craig was a leading receiver for the 49ers for many years and was a 1,000 yard rusher and 1,000 yard receiver in the 1985 season. Finally, receivers must follow precise, complicated routes as opposed to improvisation, making meticulous, intelligent players more valued than independent, pure athletes. Jerry Rice 's unique skill - set made him a reliable and durable asset in both Walsh 's and Seifert 's versions of the West Coast Offense, and he was able to break numerous NFL receiving records over the course of his career. Rice, who earned induction into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 2010, recorded 1,549 receptions, 22,895 receiving yards, and 208 total touchdowns, more than any other NFL player in all three categories. Another aspect of the West Coast offense is the use of fast running quarterbacks. In blitz or short - yardage situations, many of the West Coast offense 's strengths are negated by defenses blocking running and passing lanes. A running quarterback can compensate by acting as a runner himself, paralyzing an overly aggressive defense. Quarterbacks such as Randall Cunningham and Michael Vick have been successful runners in this offense, as well as other notable scrambling quarterbacks such as Jake Plummer, Donovan McNabb, Aaron Rodgers, Russell Wilson and Colin Kaepernick. College teams that used the West Coast offense 1977 -- 1978 Stanford -- Coached by Bill Walsh 1989 -- 1991 Stanford -- Coached by Dennis Green 1992 -- 1994 Stanford -- Coached by Bill Walsh 1995 -- 1997 Stanford -- Offense coordinated by Dana Bible 1996 California -- Coached by Steve Mariucci 1999 -- 2006 Boston College -- Offense coordinated by Dana Bible 2004 -- 2007 Auburn -- Offense coordinated by Al Borges 2004 -- 2005 UCLA -- Offense coordinated by Tom Cable 2004 -- 2008 Mississippi State University -- Coached by Sylvester Croom 2004 -- 2007 Nebraska -- Coached by Bill Callahan 2007 -- 2012 North Carolina State University -- Offense coordinated by Dana Bible 2008 -- 2011 Texas A&M -- Coached by Mike Sherman 2009 -- 2010 San Diego State University -- Offense coordinated by Al Borges 2011 -- 2013 University of Louisville -- Offense coordinated by Shawn Watson 2014 Vanderbilt -- Offense coordinated by Karl Dorrell 2015 University of Georgia -- Offense coordinated by Brian Schottenheimer 2013 -- present San Diego State University -- Offense coordinated by Bob Toledo Retired replaced by : Jeff Horton 2014 -- present Wyoming -- Offense coordinated by Brent Vigen 2014 -- present Alabama -- Offense coordinated by Lane Kiffin NFL teams that used the West Coast offense Start End Team Head coach Offensive coordinator 1979 1988 San Francisco 49ers Bill Walsh 1984 1991 Cincinnati Bengals Sam Wyche Bruce Coslet 1988 -- Los Angeles Raiders Mike Shanahan 1989 -- Cleveland Browns Bud Carson Marc Trestman 1989 San Francisco 49ers George Seifert Mike Holmgren, Mike Shanahan, and Marc Trestman 1990 1993 New York Jets Bruce Coslet 1992 1998 Green Bay Packers Mike Holmgren Sherman Lewis 1992 2000 Minnesota Vikings Dennis Green Jack Burns, Brian Billick, Ray Sherman, and Sherman Lewis 1992 1995 Tampa Bay Buccaneers Sam Wyche 1993 Chicago Bears Dave Wannstedt Ron Turner 1993 1994 Denver Broncos Wade Phillips Jim Fassel 1993 1997 Kansas City Chiefs Marty Schottenheimer Paul Hackett 1995 2008 Denver Broncos Mike Shanahan Gary Kubiak and Rick Dennison 1995 1997 Philadelphia Eagles Ray Rhodes Jon Gruden -- Arizona Cardinals Vince Tobin Jim Fassel 1997 1999 Cincinnati Bengals Bruce Coslet Ken Anderson 1997 2003 New York Giants Jim Fassel Jim Skipper and Sean Payton 1997 2002 San Francisco 49ers Steve Mariucci Marty Mornhinweg and Greg Knapp 1998 2000 Arizona Cardinals Vince Tobin Marc Trestman 1998 -- Carolina Panthers Dom Capers Gil Haskell 1998 2001 Oakland Raiders Jon Gruden Bill Callahan 1999 2007 Baltimore Ravens Brian Billick Matt Cavanaugh, Jim Fassel, and Rick Neuheisel 1999 -- Carolina Panthers George Seifert Gil Haskell 1999 2012 Philadelphia Eagles Andy Reid Rod Dowhower, Brad Childress and Marty Mornhinweg 1999 2008 Seattle Seahawks Mike Holmgren Mike Sherman and Gil Haskell 2000 2005 Green Bay Packers Mike Sherman Tom Rossley 2000 New Orleans Saints Jim Haslett Mike McCarthy 2000 Tennessee Titans Jeff Fisher Mike Heimerdinger and Norm Chow 2001 2002 Detroit Lions Marty Mornhinweg Maurice Carthon 2001 2005 New York Jets Herman Edwards Paul Hackett and Mike Heimerdinger 2002 -- Dallas Cowboys Dave Campo Bruce Coslet 2002 2003 Oakland Raiders Bill Callahan Marc Trestman 2002 2008 Tampa Bay Buccaneers Jon Gruden Bill Muir 2003 2005 Detroit Lions Steve Mariucci Sherman Lewis, Greg Olson, and Ted Tollner 2003 Jacksonville Jaguars Jack Del Rio Bill Musgrave 2006 Arizona Cardinals Dennis Green Alex Wood, Keith Rowen, and Mike Kruczek 2006 Atlanta Falcons Jim L. Mora Greg Knapp 2005 2009 Chicago Bears Lovie Smith Ron Turner 2005 -- San Francisco 49ers Mike Nolan Mike McCarthy 2006 present Green Bay Packers Mike McCarthy Jeff Jagodzinski, Joe Philbin, Tom Clements, and Edgar Bennett 2006 2013 Houston Texans Gary Kubiak Troy Calhoun, Mike Sherman, Kyle Shanahan, and Rick Dennison 2006 2007 Kansas City Chiefs Herman Edwards Mike Solari 2006 Minnesota Vikings Brad Childress Darrell Bevell 2007 -- Atlanta Falcons Bobby Petrino Hue Jackson 2007 2008 Oakland Raiders Lane Kiffin Greg Knapp 2007 -- San Francisco 49ers Mike Nolan Jim Hostler 2008 2009 Buffalo Bills Dick Jauron Turk Schonert and Alex Van Pelt 2008 -- Detroit Lions Rod Marinelli Jim Colletto 2008 Oakland Raiders Tom Cable Greg Knapp and Hue Jackson 2008 2009 Washington Redskins Jim Zorn Sherman Smith 2009 St. Louis Rams Steve Spagnuolo Pat Shurmur 2009 -- Seattle Seahawks Jim L. Mora Greg Knapp 2009 2011 Tampa Bay Buccaneers Raheem Morris Greg Olson present Seattle Seahawks Pete Carroll Jeremy Bates and Darrell Bevell 2013 Washington Redskins Mike Shanahan Kyle Shanahan 2011 present Cincinnati Bengals Marvin Lewis Jay Gruden and Hue Jackson 2011 2012 Cleveland Browns Pat Shurmur Brad Childress 2011 2012 Denver Broncos John Fox Mike McCoy 2011 2013 Minnesota Vikings Leslie Frazier Bill Musgrave 2011 -- Oakland Raiders Hue Jackson Al Saunders 2011 2014 San Francisco 49ers Jim Harbaugh Greg Roman 2012 2013 Miami Dolphins Joe Philbin Mike Sherman 2012 2014 Oakland Raiders Dennis Allen Greg Knapp and Greg Olson 2013 2014 Chicago Bears Marc Trestman Aaron Kromer 2013 2014 New York Jets Rex Ryan Marty Mornhinweg 2014 -- Oakland Raiders Tony Sparano Greg Olson 2014 2015 Cleveland Browns Mike Pettine Kyle Shanahan and John DeFilippo 2014 2015 New York Giants Tom Coughlin Ben McAdoo 2015 -- San Francisco 49ers Jim Tomsula Geep Chryst 2013 present Indianapolis Colts Chuck Pagano Pep Hamilton and Rob Chudzinski 2013 present Jacksonville Jaguars Gus Bradley Jedd Fisch and Greg Olson 2013 present Kansas City Chiefs Andy Reid Doug Pederson, Brad Childress, and Matt Nagy 2014 present Baltimore Ravens John Harbaugh Gary Kubiak and Marc Trestman 2014 2016 Washington Redskins Jay Gruden Sean McVay 2015 present Atlanta Falcons Dan Quinn Kyle Shanahan, Steve Sarkisian 2015 2016 Buffalo Bills Rex Ryan Greg Roman 2015 2016 Denver Broncos Gary Kubiak Rick Dennison 2015 present Oakland Raiders Jack Del Rio Bill Musgrave 2016 present New York Giants Ben McAdoo Mike Sullivan 2016 present Philadelphia Eagles Doug Pederson Frank Reich 2017 present San Francisco 49ers Kyle Shanahan References Jump up ^ Harris, David. The Genius : How Bill Walsh Reinvented Football and Created an NFL Dynasty, New York : Random House, 2008 Jump up ^ Zimmerman, Paul. `` The real West Coast offense ''. Sports Illustrated ( October 29, 1999 ). Retrieved 20 May 2005 ^ Jump up to : http://www.pro-football-reference.com/ Jump up ^ Doc Bear. `` Bill Walsh, Bill Parcells and the Rise of the Left Tackle '' Mile High Report ( May 27, 2009 ) Jump up ^ Anderson, Mark. `` Brigham Young 's Lavell Edwards : More than a passing legacy '' Las Vegas Review - Journal ( September 22, 2000 ). Retrieved 15 July 2008. Quote : `` He put in the West Coast offense before it was known as the West Coast offense. And he did it at a time when college football teams were winning national championships with the run and not the pass. '' Jump up ^ Linde, Richard. `` Pioneers of the West Coast Offense ''. Retrieved October 1, 2008 Jump up ^ Hunt, John `` In Oregon - Boise state game, expect a bag of tricks '' The Oregonian ( September 17, 2008 ) Accessed : October 1, 2008 Jump up ^ Whiteside, Kelly ( 18 September 2004 ). `` Auburn puts south in west coast offense ''. USA Today. Retrieved October 1, 2008. External links Culture Crossfire article covering History / Background of West Coast Offense 1999 SportsIllustrated.com article 2004 SportsIllustrated.com article ESPN.com explanation of West Coast offense 1982 San Francisco 49ers Playbook 1985 San Francisco 49ers Playbook 1985 Stanford QB Manual Bill Walsh 1991 San Francisco 49ers Passing Game ( Mike Holmgren ) 1994 San Francisco 49ers Pass Installation 1997 Green Bay Packers Playbook West Coast Offense San Francisco 49ers Founded in 1946 Based and headquartered in Santa Clara, California Franchise Franchise Team history Coaches Players Seasons Logo and uniform history Starting quarterbacks Draft history Broadcasters Stadiums Kezar Stadium Candlestick Park Levi 's Stadium Culture Sourdough Sam San Francisco Gold Rush West Coast offense KGO KNBR Lore The Catch Joe Cool Million Dollar Backfield Snowball Game Harbaugh Bowl Rivalries Los Angeles Rams Seattle Seahawks Dallas Cowboys New York Giants Key figures Eddie DeBartolo Denise DeBartolo York Jed York John York Gideon Yu Division championships ( 19 ) 1970 1971 1972 1981 1984 1986 1988 1989 1990 1992 1993 1994 1995 1997 2002 2011 2012 Conference championships ( 6 ) 1981 1984 1988 1989 1994 2012 League championships ( 5 ) 1981 ( XVI ) 1984 ( XIX ) 1988 ( XXIII ) 1989 ( XXIV ) 1994 ( XXIX ) Retired numbers 8 12 16 34 37 39 70 58 70 80 87 BW Mr. D Current league affiliations League : National Football League ( 1950 -- present ) Conference : National Football Conference Division : West Division Former league affiliation All - America Football Conference ( 1946 -- 1949 ) Seasons ( 72 ) 1946 1947 1948 1949 1950 1951 1952 1953 1954 1955 1956 1957 1958 1959 1960 1961 1962 1963 1964 1965 1966 1967 1968 1969 1970 1971 1972 1973 1976 1977 1978 1979 1980 1981 1982 1984 1985 1986 1988 1989 1990 1991 1992 1993 1994 1995 1997 1998 1999 2000 2001 2002 2003 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016 2017 Championship seasons in bold American football strategy Systems One - platoon Two - platoons Play calling New England Patriots Offensive strategy Scheme A-11 Air Coryell Air option Air raid Buck - lateral Hurry - up Marty Ball Option Pro-style Run and shoot Smashmouth Spread Triple option West Coast Routes Chair Corner Curl Drag Flat Fly Hot Jerk Out Post Screen Seam Slant Sluggo Stop - and - go Swing Wheel Trick plays Play - action pass Draw Double pass End - around Reverse Spinner Fake field goal Fake punt Fake spike Fake procedure Flea flicker Fumblerooski Hidden ball Hook and lateral Statue of Liberty Halfback option Hard count Pyramid Swinging gate Tackle - eligible Other Clock management Defensive strategy Scheme Man - to - man Zone Tampa 2 Coverages Bump and run Double Zone Other Icing the kicker Stunt Spy Offensive formations Split - T Single - wing Short punt Shotgun Pro set Single set back Wishbone Flexbone Pistol Pistol - Flex Trips Wildcat Jump shift Minnesota shift Notre Dame Box Defensive formations 2 - level 4 -- 3 Miami 4 -- 3 3 -- 4 3 -- 3 -- 5 4 -- 4 46 5 -- 2 5 -- 3 6 -- 2 7 -- 2 -- 2 7 -- 1 -- 2 -- 1 Dime Nickel Prevent 8 - in - the - box Other Resting the starters Retrieved from `` https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=West_Coast_offense&oldid=802421575 '' Categories : American football strategy American football terminology Talk Contents About Wikipedia Deutsch Français Italiano Edit links This page was last edited on 26 September 2017, at 02 : 05. 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Question: who runs a west coast offense in the nfl
Answer: wide receiver