Best J-Bird Offense

[TylerEthridge]

I’m currently watching the 1997 State Championship game between Panther Creek and Borden County.

Which has me thinking…

Who do you think has run the best J-Bird Offense since the 90s and why?

 

[Stargirl13]

I’m currently watching the 1997 State Championship game between Panther Creek and Borden County.

Which has me thinking…

Who do you think has run the best J-Bird Offense since the 90s and why?

Vance Jones and Vance Jones. He calls it the correct term, strong right or strong left.

 

[Tigerfan85]

Vance Jones and Vance Jones. He calls it the correct term, strong right or strong left.

That’s what we called it back in the 80’s when I played for May. Coach Hart from May called it that in the 70’s. I never knew why it started being call j-bird

 

[Stargirl13]

That’s what we called it back in the 80’s when I played for May. Coach Hart from May called it that in the 70’s. I never knew why it started being call j-bird

I believe it was called the j-bird because of Jayton. If I'm correct, Coach Richey was made famous by it when Jayton made the switch to 6man and won 2 titles.

 

[Tigerfan85]

I believe it was called the j-bird because of Jayton. If I'm correct, Coach Richey was made famous by it when Jayton made the switch to 6man and won 2 titles.

His coach Phil Mitchell played for May when May lost to Marathon in 76. He married Mays coach Hart’s daughter. Hart and the Ag teacher actually drew up that offense back then. I’m not saying they were the first to do it but May ran that offense with coach Hart. Who won the state game the following year after Phil graduated. Hart resigned in 81 so in comes Coach Watkins. We (as in I played for Watkins) ran the strong rt and split rt and balance offense. In 84 Hart came back to coaching as the assistant. May played Jayton for state who was coached by non other than his son in law Phil Mitchell. So you had father in law vs son in law in 84 state game. So now you know the rest of the story. Lol.
PS. Richey was not their premier back in 84. Mike Morales was. Mike was a Sr and also the best linebacker I’ve ever seen to this day. I’ve said before had Morales played 4 years of sixman instead of just that sr year. His name would be in the top three all
Time discussion.

 

[Leman Saunders]

May folks (especially Mitch Lee) will get a little defensive about calling it the "J-Bird" trust me I know lol

But since it is now commonly called that I would say Jayton 1985 ran it the best...since 1985 (to your question)...hard to argue 2000 Panther Creek (or 1999 even though they didnt win state) or one of the Borden County state teams teams under Richey (2009 or 2017).

I'd be curious to see a smaller sized team that didnt win state but had a great year/run beating teams they shouldnt that ran it...none come to mind right now but you could argue a team that over achieved bc they ran it so well should be considered

 

[Leman Saunders]

It's been a formation since the 1930s...just called different things usually "unbalanced right......." Hart at May is who made it popular with the backs and blocking as it is ran today and he told me he got it from a former coach turned ref here from Oklahoma guess back in the 70s

 

[Tigerfan85]

Would not call it being offended rather just getting story straight lol

 

[Leman Saunders]

To me the blocking/use of the middle end, the use of the fullback and the play action pass out of it are 3 things that would be hallmarks of running that offense well...but Im not a coach so lol

 

[DFW7jonpardi]

To me the blocking/use of the middle end, the use of the fullback and the play action pass out of it are 3 things that would be hallmarks of running that offense well...but Im not a coach so lol

A better coach that

To me the blocking/use of the middle end, the use of the fullback and the play action pass out of it are 3 things that would be hallmarks of running that offense well...but Im not a coach so lol

You would have a better chance than any of the armchair QBs on this site

 

[Trapperjr]

His coach Phil Mitchell played for May when May lost to Marathon in 76. He married Mays coach Hart’s daughter. Hart and the Ag teacher actually drew up that offense back then. I’m not saying they were the first to do it but May ran that offense with coach Hart. Who won the state game the following year after Phil graduated. Hart resigned in 81 so in comes Coach Watkins. We (as in I played for Watkins) ran the strong rt and split rt and balance offense. In 84 Hart came back to coaching as the assistant. May played Jayton for state who was coached by non other than his son in law Phil Mitchell. So you had father in law vs son in law in 84 state game. So now you know the rest of the story. Lol.
PS. Richey was not their premier back in 84. Mike Morales was. Mike was a Sr and also the best linebacker I’ve ever seen to this day. I’ve said before had Morales played 4 years of sixman instead of just that sr year. His name would be in the top three all
Time discussion.

Awesome history

 

[CoachAnderson]

Abbott Runs it fairly well for not having the size that others have.

 

[TylerEthridge]

How Coach Lee ran it against Highland in 2000 was phenomenal with Thweet.

I finally got to meet Coach Lee in person just before moving back to Colorado. Apparently he’s a master at custom furniture now. It was an honor to get to meet him.

How he ran strong, j-bird, whatever you wish to call it I believe was one of the best.

I’ve always wondered what Coach Jone’s offense would look like with a pitch pass quality to it.

I don’t see too many teams running pitch pass out of j-bird anymore. Is it too difficult to teach?

I remember a play Coach Reed ran against us in 06 where the full back got a delay handoff. THAT play was brilliant! Reminded me of Lee’s offense in 2000. I love how he basically created the quick sweep. There’s still a lot you can do out of that play that hasn’t been tapped into yet.

 

[razorback5712]

I'm a first year 6 man coach and I have really watched Garden City, Balmorhea and Blum from 2018 on. I have gotten some really good stuff!

 

[pistol]

Abbott Runs it fairly well for not having the size that others have.

not sure I would call Abbott undersized

 

[CoachSanders@ACS]

Now that we have an idea about who is the czar of the "J" or "Strong L/R" offense, what about the best ever spread teams / coaches?

 

[The truth matters]

I'm a first year 6 man coach and I have really watched Garden City, Balmorhea and Blum from 2018 on. I have gotten some really good stuff!

What was it mclean ran in 2018 was it tight or jbird? I suck at the formations

 

[razorback5712]

What was it mclean ran in 2018 was it tight or jbird? I suck at the formations

It is JBird to me.

 

[MumsTheWord]

How Coach Lee ran it against Highland in 2000 was phenomenal with Thweet.

I finally got to meet Coach Lee in person just before moving back to Colorado. Apparently he’s a master at custom furniture now. It was an honor to get to meet him.

How he ran strong, j-bird, whatever you wish to call it I believe was one of the best.

I’ve always wondered what Coach Jone’s offense would look like with a pitch pass quality to it.

I don’t see too many teams running pitch pass out of j-bird anymore. Is it too difficult to teach?

I remember a play Coach Reed ran against us in 06 where the full back got a delay handoff. THAT play was brilliant! Reminded me of Lee’s offense in 2000. I love how he basically created the quick sweep. There’s still a lot you can do out of that play that hasn’t been tapped into yet.

Coach Jones was one of Coach Lee's mentors.

Lee's & Strawn's State Championship win over Jones & Balmorea in 2017 must have been a little bittersweet.

Cool to see what happens when a younger coach is standing on a mentor's shoulders in any case.

 

[Stargirl13]

What was it mclean ran in 2018 was it tight or jbird? I suck at the formations

Balanced wingset, with the wing going into motion at times for dives, traps, sweeps, playaction.