Buck-lateral series

However, prior to this time, the buck-lateral play gave fullbacks the option to run, lateral, or hand off the ball to another player.

This battering ram approach usually involved the biggest runner, the fullback, as his main role was to "buck", or smash, the middle of the defensive front.

However, at some point the fullback might pause to do one of several deceptive options, usually handing-off to passing backs or even keeping the ball and plowing ahead.

Warner's Carlisle formation, or Single-Wing, added additional misdirection and trickery to allow for runners to gain yards by deceiving the defense.

The Single-wing also allowed the offense to put more blockers at the point of attack than the defense could muster.

If the tailback takes the lateral from the quarterback, he is in position to sweep the end, or even throw the ball to a receiver down field.

In one version the fullback might fake a hand-off to the quarterback, who is standing with his back to the defense to hide the lack of exchange.

Consequently, single-wing teams that could master the buck-lateral series of plays could be successful by always making the defense guess to where the ball was going.

Today's coaches would call the buck-lateral a gadget play, because it was designed to thoroughly confuse the defense by making its members lose sight of the ball with fakes, counter action, and laterals.