Jets head coach Rex Ryan has tried integrating the Wildcat into his offenses since he first joined the team. An offensive formation that failed with Tim Tebow may work better with Michael Vick.
Rex Ryan’s obsession with the Wildcat offense has been well-documented ever since the Dolphins used it to beat his Jets in 2009. Second-year QB Geno Smith told reporters on Sunday that using the formation a league-high 38 times did not prevent him from maintaining his rhythm in 2013, and that the team could use it again with QB Michael Vick.
“I think it helped us,” Smith told the New York Daily News. “It kept us on schedule many times… I think it was pretty successful.” He added that using Vick in the Wildcat package is “definitely something to look into.”
Rex Ryan has a long history of using the Wildcat, sometimes successfully, oftentimes not. In 2009 he began using the formation with former college QB Brad Smith, who helped direct the use of the Wildcat into a No. 1 ranked rushing attack. The following year future Hall of Fame RB LaDanian Tomlinson was signed and tried to direct the formation in spot duty in 2010 and 2011.
In 2012 the Jets hired Tony Sporano, the man who had reintroduced the formation to the league, and signed QB Tim Tebow, a rushing QB in college who seemed like the perfect fit for the formation – but the plan failed and both Sporano and Tebow were released by the team after one unsuccessful season.
In 2013 the Jets used the Wildcat only sparingly, but got a few good plays from WR Josh Cribbs before he suffered a season-ending pectoral injury.
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