Why TCU’s Tempo Offense Keeps Defenses Guessing

TCU offensive coordinator Kendal Briles, who is in his second year as TCU’s main playcaller, likes to use the “Veer and Shoot” offense, which is one of the most difficult offenses to stop in college football.

“They attack every blade of grass,” Belichick said. “Deep throws — go routes, posts, seams. Intermediate — slants, in-cuts. Screens and quick throws behind the line where receivers gain yards after the catch. Some personnel has changed, but they’ve added talent. They’re very good catch-and-run.”

“If you let them throw underneath, you’d better tackle,” Belichick added. “They also push the ball over the top. Sideline to sideline, line of scrimmage to 50 yards deep — they make you defend it all. Coach Briles and Coach Dykes put a lot of stress on defenses. For us, it’s about disciplined team defense and tackling well.”

What is the Veer and Shoot?

Much of TCU’s aerial attack traces back to the “veer and shoot,” a combination of the old veer option and modern Air Raid principles. The system was popularized by Art Briles – Kendal’s father – at Houston and Baylor. Unlike traditional pass concepts, this approach gives receivers freedom to adjust their routes after the snap.

For instance, an outside receiver might have the choice to run a vertical or a post. If the safety shades inside, the route bends deep over the middle; if the safety stays put, the receiver continues upfield.

The offensive scheme spreads receivers extremely wide — often outside the numbers — to stretch defenses horizontally. This ultimately establishes natural running lanes inside and forces defenders to declare coverage early. TCU often runs a lot of RPO, which means the quarterback either hands off on inside zone and veer-style runs or attacks soft spots in coverage with immediate throws. 

The wide splits push linebackers and safeties toward the perimeter, leaving more space in the box for the run game and opening deep passing windows.

The “shoot” aspect focuses on pushing the ball deep. Receivers relentlessly attack downfield, stretching the defense sideline to sideline and turning any hesitation into opportunities for big, game-changing gains. Combined with no-huddle tempo, the offense thrives on dictating pace, limiting substitutions and catching defenses out of alignment.

The veer and shoot is not about long, complex playbooks but about stressing defenses with speed, space and relentless pressure, aiming for chunk plays rather than sustained drives.

Tempo

Briles favors a high-tempo style because he wants to wear down defenses, limit substitutions, and create confusion in alignment, keeping opponents on their heels throughout the game.

The Horned Frogs were 105th in time of possession, but that’s not because they couldn’t hold onto the ball for long periods of time. It’s by design. Because of TCU’s explosiveness on offense, its scoring drives end quicker than most.

Explosiveness

Because TCU tends to push the ball up the field with tempo and vertical routes, it often allows big plays 

Just look at quarterback Josh Hoover’s numbers. Last season, he completed 66% of his passes for 3,949 yards (most in school history) with 27 touchdowns. He was just one of four quarterbacks to average 300 yards per game and have a 150.0 passer rating. He also led the Big 12 with 61 completions of at least 20 yards. He also led the Big 12 with 61 completions of at least 20 yards.

Hoover is highly effective on deep throws, earning a 94.1 PFF grade on passes of 20 yards or more while completing nearly 50% of them—an impressive mark given the difficulty of such attempts.