quote:
Why do people continue to call it a gimmick? I mean, football has changed from the very beginning.

The forward pass was considered a gimmick.
The wishbone was a gimmick.
The Veer was a gimmick.
Facemasks were gimmicks.
Hardshell helmets were gimmicks.
Gatorade was a gimmick.
The spread a gimmick.

And the defense was allowed to substitute players in between plays for all of those "gimmicks". The HUNH is not like the others because it tries to get the defense out of position by running fast and disallowing substitutions. I have no problem with Auburn's or Texas A&M's actual offense. I find them fun to watch, especially Auburn's. It essentially takes the triple option out from under center and into a spread formation. Genius.

I'm not even angry at the speed in which the offense is run. If they want to go fast then let them go fast. HOWEVER...my problem is how the offense can hurry up to the line, get a play signaled in, taking 20-30 seconds to do so, and the defense is not allowed to substitute in and out players. I think the defense should be allowed to substitute.

You may bring up the fact the offense can't substitute but you can't compare the two for a couple of reasons.

1) Offensive players already know which way the play is going. A WR lining up on the left side knows the play is going to the right so he takes the play off. The DB who is covering him, however, has to cover the entire length of the field. When he sees his man is not the target of the play, that DB will sprint to the opposite side of the field and try to make a play. This allows for the offense to go deep on him with that fresh WR on very next play.

2) As mentioned above, defensive players have to cover the entire field because they don't know where the play is going. Only a few offensive players really have to do anything on a WR screen to the right side, but everyone on defense has to react to it just in case the guy breaks tackles or causes defenders to miss.

For the longest time the defense was able to substitute these defenders out after two or three plays to give them some rest, but the HUNH has taken that option away from defenses. Kudos for finding a loophole (I consider it a loophole) in the rule book, but I don't think it's quite fair for the the defenses.