6. Veer: 1972-1976
Head coach who used this formation: Bill Battle
Just before Johnny Majors arrived to invent his I-formation hybrid offense, Bill Battle had already installed the veer. That was not the system Battle inherited when he took over Tennessee football in 1970, but one of Battle’s biggest skills was staying ahead of the curve when it came to trends and making sure to strike while the iron was hot.
As a result, in 1972, he switched up the offense. UT had gone 10-2 in 1971 after losing Bobby Scott, but quarterback play was horrible that year. The next season, Condredge Holloway would take over and become the first black starting quarterback in the SEC. To maximize Holloway’s abilities, Battle brought in the veer, which was popular at the time.
Battle ran the veer out of the split-back and I-formations, and he used it as the triple-option. Holloway was running an early version of the read option, where he would determine whether or not to hand it to the fullback based on the defensive formation. He would then roll out and have three options: to run himself, pitch it to the running back or pass.
This system worked to perfection with Holloway, and he led the Vols to a 10-2 record in 1972. However, it also exposed him to lots of injuries, which is why UT went 8-4 and 7-3-2 in 1973 and 1974. It only got worse from there.
When Randy Wallace took over in 1975, the offense and program were in decline. Battle was preparing to transition to a pro-style offense, but that wasn’t before Johnny Majors replaced him. The veer was short-lived on Rocky Top, but it had a nice run.