It has become popular for college teams to wear "throwback" uniforms in one game a year, often to commemorate an anniversary of some type. It may be an anniversary of a certain game, a certain season, or a certain event. There even rumors that Nebraska will don "throwback" uniforms this season to celebrate their 300th consecutive home sellout this season. I think teams need to go further, though, in their efforts, and not just wear uniforms harking to an earlier time, but also play like it.

I think teams should agree to a true "throwback game" where both squads agree to run an old offensive and defensive scheme for that game. The offense would have to be a true throwback scheme, something run before the 1950s, and the defense would be from that same era. I think such a game would have to be a non-conference game, and probably the first game of the season, because you wouldn't want to be practicing either scheme after the conference season begins.I do think having such a true "throwback game" would be a huge boon to the fans, the players, and the coaches.

The fans would get the opportunity to see an offensive scheme that was used in years past, so they can witness some of the history of the game. I think it would be plain old fun for the fans, and it would ignite conversation on the game's history; it would allow older fan to share their knowledge of the game with younger fans. I think it would be fun for the players because besides gaining the opportunity to play in a scheme their grandparents ran, it will let them test their athletic abilities. Imagine Robert Griffin running the single-wing offense, or Tim Tebow running the fullhouse-T. It would also force some players to work harder on skills they may not perfect in their current scheme; a wide receiver in the spread has to block, but he doesn't have to be as efficient a blocker as an End in the single-wing.

Imagine Robert Griffin in the single-wing offense

The change in schemes would also challenge defensive players. Can you imagine some of the LBs of today trying to play in a wide-tackle six defense? They would have to drill harder on getting off blocks and work more in pass coverage, because they would be more exposed to offensive linemen, and would cover a larger area in pass coverage.

Running a throwback scheme would also benefit the coaching staff, because after their throwback game, the coaches would have those offensive series in their back pocket, to be pulled out whenever they need it. Every team they faced for the rest of the season would have to spend time in practice working on stopping that particular scheme, just in case.

It would take a lot of work to set a game like this up, and the teams would have to agree to run ONLY plays from that offensive scheme or defensive scheme, but I think it could work. The mystery of not knowing what offense or defense you would see when you stepped out on the field would make it fun for the players, and would force the coaches to have to scheme and adjust on the fly. I think such a throwback game would also be an attractive way to market and sell tickets to a game some fans might not originally plan on attending, because a chance to see your team do something you won't see any other time that season will be too much for osme fans to pass up. Schools could even sweeten the deal by using throwback prices for that one game, but that is probably asking too much for some athletic departments.