Michigan Football: 5 Thoughts on the Wolverines no-huddle offense

A brief overview of the no-huddle

The no-huddle is part of a hurry-up offensive strategy that can result in quicker plays, but it is not necessarily an attempt to snap the ball and begin every play quicker.

The no-huddle strategy gets the offense to the line quickly, putting pressure on the official to put the ball in play. So, what it actually accomplishes is that it puts the offense in position to threaten to snap the ball quickly.

Based on how the defense is aligned, the quarterback has the option of running the called play or stepping back and looking toward the sideline for direction to substitute another play to better attack what the defense is showing. It is intended to limit defensive substitutions and create confusion and fatigue among the defensive players stuck on the field.

As with any offensive strategy, there are pluses and minuses that must be considered. As Randy Chambers observed in a Bleacher Report analysis for coaches back in 2013:

"“The no-huddle allows you to do many things, creating obvious advantages for your team. But the offense has weaknesses that could hurt your team. It is up to you to weigh the good and the bad and discover whether this is truly the offense you prefer to run.”"

With the trade-offs in mind, let’s review the intended advantages of Michigan football’s new offense, while also acknowledging the potential downside.