The Beginning of Offense & Formation Football - 1869-1894: An Incredibly Violent Start

The evolution of offense in football in college football history is a captivating journey, starting with the first game between Princeton and Rutgers in 1869, which laid the foundation of what would later become American football. In this period, the sport was far from the structured game we recognize today. With 25 players per side and no ability to pick up the ball, the game resembled a chaotic blend of **soccer and mob football**, more akin to “Kill the Carrier” than modern **offensive football history**.

Major changes started in the 1880s, when *college football history* saw its first set of rules that introduced the concept of possession, downs, and reduced team sizes to 11 players per side. This period saw the rise of mass formations like the *Princeton V* and the infamous *Flying Wedge**, both known for their violent, mass-momentum style of play. Innovations in **offensive football history* continued with the invention of the "snap," the concept of **downs**, and formations designed to exploit gaps in defense, dramatically altering the game.

Figures like Walter Camp, known as the “father of American football,” played a crucial role in these developments. His introduction of the “shoving wedge” added to the brutal, highly physical nature of early **offensive football**. The Turtle Back and other formations sought to create unstoppable momentum, often at great cost to the players.

By 1894, the *Flying Wedge* and similar mass plays had become so dangerous that rule changes were implemented to ban mass momentum plays, marking a key moment in **college football history**. However, mass play strategies persisted, leading to further crises in the early 1900s, nearly ending the game.

These foundational years shaped the **history of offense in football**, creating a dynamic environment of innovation that would eventually give birth to modern offensive strategies. As the game advanced, formations became more sophisticated, laying the groundwork for the forward pass and other key elements of today's **offensive football**.


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