Fans who have attended practices over the last two weeks may have noticed the Hogs sprinkling in a few plays from a new formation.
The Pistol formation, which is a hybrid of the shotgun and single back look, has the quarterback stand 3-4 yards behind the center, with a running back lined up directly behind him. Runs, draws, counters and play action can all be executed via the Pistol.
If you want to learn more about the “X’s and O’s” of the Pistol, we recommend reading this fantastic overview by Chris Brown of Smart Football.
The Razorbacks join a growing list of colleges — including Ohio State, LSU and Indiana — who are running variations of the formation made popular by the Nevada Wolf Pack and Coach Chris Ault. Even the Kansas City Chiefs ran some Pistol plays last season with mobile quarterback Tyler Thigpen at the helm.
What variation could the Hogs incorporate? Well…when Ryan Mallett and Michael Smith line up in this formation, the 5’9″ Smith becomes virtually hidden behind the towering 6’7″ Mallett. 
All in all, a very interesting look…just another bullet in the Bobby Petrino arsenal.
