--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: It was not that long ago when the…" description: "\"It was not that long ago when the accepted wisdom in football was that the running game had to be established - that was always the obligatory verb: es..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/095/frank-deford-3856_always_it-was-not-that-long-ago-when-the-accept_1058912.png" --- # It was not that long ago when the accepted wisdom in… ![“It was not that long ago when the accepted wisdom in football was that the running game had to be established - that was always the obligatory verb: established - before passes could become effective. My, we know how that has changed. Now the pass is established from the get-go, and running is an…” quote by Frank Deford](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/095/frank-deford-3856_always_it-was-not-that-long-ago-when-the-accept_1058912.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/095/frank-deford-3856_always_it-was-not-that-long-ago-when-the-accept_1058912.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/095/frank-deford-3856_always_it-was-not-that-long-ago-when-the-accept_1058912.png) > “It was not that long ago when the accepted wisdom in football was that the running game had to be established - that was always the obligatory verb: established - before passes could become effective. My, we know how that has changed. Now the pass is established from the get-go, and running is an afterthought.” [Frank Deford](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frank-deford/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Football strategy shifted from run-first to pass-first, making the run secondary. **In simple terms:** Passes dominate now, runs are secondary. Key Takeaway Adapt tactics to modern play. Themes sports strategy evolution tactics Mood analytical reflective Type observational strategic When to use this quote - coaching - team planning - player development - broadcast analysis Key Concepts football pass vs run game theory Questions to Reflect On - How does this shift affect player training? - When is a run-first approach still effective? A Different Perspective Traditional run focus still valuable in certain situations. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Football](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/football/) [Game](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/game/) [Long ago](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/long-ago/) [Wisdom](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/wisdom/) ## Related quotes > [I am a fan of Cam Newton. I love watching him play the game. 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It's great for me.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-havlicek/running-has-always-been-my-game-it-s-great-for-me/) [John Havlicek](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-havlicek/) > [I think the running game is very important to every offense. Being balanced is extremely important. There's times where you have to throw the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-brady/i-think-the-running-game-is-very-important-to-every-offense-being/) [Tom Brady](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-brady/) > [If you're still playing in January and February, it seems like every good football team has some kind of running game.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/demaryius-thomas/if-you-re-still-playing-in-january-and-february-it-seems-like-every/) [Demaryius Thomas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/demaryius-thomas/) > [Any time you lose yardage in the running game, there's a mistake somewhere.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-belichick/any-time-you-lose-yardage-in-the-running-game-there-s-a-mistake/) [Bill Belichick](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-belichick/) > [Any time you have a negative play in the running game, it's like getting a penalty.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-belichick/any-time-you-have-a-negative-play-in-the-running-game-it-s-like/) [Bill Belichick](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-belichick/) > [The running game in pro football has gotten so boring. There's just four or five plays they can run. I think the whole thing…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-walsh/the-running-game-in-pro-football-has-gotten-so-boring-there-s-just/) [Bill Walsh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-walsh/) > [Anytime we can get the running game going it is a plus for me and it makes my job a lot easier.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matt-cassel/anytime-we-can-get-the-running-game-going-it-is-a-plus-for-me-and-it/) [Matt Cassel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matt-cassel/) > [You're not going to make every play, but you can make a play by just running. That's the key. Once you start running, the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/micah-parsons/you-re-not-going-to-make-every-play-but-you-can-make-a-play-by-just/) [Micah Parsons](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/micah-parsons/) > [I run the game but the ladies think I'm running game.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rick-ross/i-run-the-game-but-the-ladies-think-i-m-running-game/) [Rick Ross](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rick-ross/) > [I'd rather be running the game than playing it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steven-brust/i-d-rather-be-running-the-game-than-playing-it/) [Steven Brust](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steven-brust/) > [Every week you go in and hope that you have production in the passing game and also in the running game.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matt-cassel/every-week-you-go-in-and-hope-that-you-have-production-in-the-passing/) [Matt Cassel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matt-cassel/) > [How do you make a young quarterback better? You build a running game around him.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rex-ryan/how-do-you-make-a-young-quarterback-better-you-build-a-running-game/) [Rex Ryan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rex-ryan/) ## More by Frank Deford > [Because I lost a daughter, eight years old, to cystic fibrosis, I think that anytime that I'm dealing with people who, like Andrea Yeager,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frank-deford/because-i-lost-a-daughter-eight-years-old-to-cystic-fibrosis-i-think/) [Frank Deford](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frank-deford/) > [I never wanted to be an editor. I never wanted to be a boss. I just wanted to write, and it didn't make any…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frank-deford/i-never-wanted-to-be-an-editor-i-never-wanted-to-be-a-boss-i-just/) [Frank Deford](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frank-deford/) > [Dan Rather pulling on a sweater and thereby winning a whole new chunk of the populace: That's television. President Reagan's press conferences: That's television.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frank-deford/dan-rather-pulling-on-a-sweater-and-thereby-winning-a-whole-new-chunk/) [Frank Deford](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frank-deford/) > [I am something of a ham. Yeah, I'd always been a writer. But in high school, I acted in plays. 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He's been in contact with humans…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andy-muschietti/mythology-is-something-that-always-has-opportunities-to-explore-it/) [Andy Muschietti](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andy-muschietti/) > [It's not writing in the traditional sense, but I've always said that the writing process continues on the set and even into the editing…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-b-weide/it-s-not-writing-in-the-traditional-sense-but-i-ve-always-said-that/) [Robert B. Weide](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-b-weide/) > [I always watch my matches back 100 times afterwards because that's how I improve. This is something I've always done, even in NXT.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mandy-rose/i-always-watch-my-matches-back-100-times-afterwards-because-that-s/) [Mandy Rose](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mandy-rose/) > [I've always been of the idea that is doesn't really matter where you are geographically - with 'Lonerism,' we made half the album in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kevin-parker/i-ve-always-been-of-the-idea-that-is-doesn-t-really-matter-where-you/) [Kevin Parker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kevin-parker/) > [It's very easy to fool yourself that you're working, you know, when you're really not working very hard. I mean, I'm very lazy. So…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-caro/it-s-very-easy-to-fool-yourself-that-you-re-working-you-know-when-you/) [Robert Caro](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-caro/) > [Whether it was Little League or playing with your brothers or sisters, that was always a problem. 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