Comments on: True spread, apexing

By: Urban Meyer | powerspread

Urban Meyer | powerspread — Wed, 30 Nov 2011 02:49:09 +0000

[...] The morphing of the Passing Spread into the Power Spread, seen as the illusionary death of the Spread Offense in College Football [...]

By: duckfanmo

duckfanmo — Wed, 04 Nov 2009 10:32:54 +0000

Uh, the Oregon Ducks have had pretty good success with a spread offense. Ranked 8th in the country. Hung 47 points and 613 yards on USC. Among the nation’s offensive leaders in yards and points for the last 3 years. Their version is versatile, quick-striking and spreads the field with deception and explosiveness. It’s entertaining football and not showing any signs of obsolescence.

By: Dupes

Dupes — Mon, 02 Nov 2009 00:05:39 +0000

it is kind of like why the pros do not run the spread (other than the Pats to an extent and the Saints) because everyone can cover and your quarterback just gets hit on every play…even if you are a pass-first team, you must run to set up the pass at some point…Texas Tech has a system and that makes them compete with the big boys, but unless they get the top guys from their state, it is hard to win every big game with a pass-only attack…I miss the I formation, play action, student body right and hitting tight ends for 8 yards…50-46 isn’t too bad as a casual fan watching Texas Tech v. Houston though

By: Paul

Paul — Sun, 01 Nov 2009 10:55:18 +0000

The Spread is here to stay like any Offense you need to be three dimensional, Run, Pass, Playaction etc you can still run effectivly from the spread providing that you have slots that can assist in blocking in the Box as well as on the perimeter. last years game where oregan State played USC was a good example of that. The Spread Offfense is Flexible in that you can be either more run orientated or pass oriented depending on your personelle that you recruit. The key to any Offense is Execution the added advantage of the Spread is when you get a QB that can run with the ball and is tough enough to take a Hit. Heck even vs 7 in the BOX run the QB Power and leave the Backside end unblocked and still have succes.

By: Joe

Joe — Sat, 31 Oct 2009 03:15:37 +0000

Actually the halftime score was UGA 28 GT 12.

I love option football and think it has some definite advantages schematically. But as always, it comes down to personnel and execution. I understand the bias against option teams not being able to come from way behind b/c I can remember the old wishbone teams attempting to pass. It was embarrassingly hopeless and pathetic. However, the modern version of the option has a competent passing attack integrated into it, at least as practiced by Paul Johnson and Rich Rodriguez, et al. If you have a competent QB and WR, you can have an effective big-play passing attack since you rarely get good safety help since they have to be so involved with defending the option runs. Bay Bay Thomas of Georgia Tech is among the national leaders in yards/catch this season, and I believe he was leading at one point recently (and may still).

On a separate but related point, I’m always a little confused by the terminology used when discussing the “spread” offense. It seems to imply a constant passing attack from a 5-wide empty backfield set. I always think about the “spread” as developed and implemented by RichRod that was primarily a running attack out of the shotgun zone read option. There are definitely many variations of the “spread” and this needs to be clarified IMO. As always, love your site!

By: stan

stan — Fri, 30 Oct 2009 15:59:41 +0000

Talent needs cycle and responses cycle. When big tall receivers were in vogue, DBs needed to be more physical. When the run and shoot featured smurfs, safeties had to be cover guys.

If defenses adapt to the spread by going small and quick, offenses with physical running games will have more success.

The principle behind Wee Willie Keeler’s adage of “hitting it where they ain’t” still covers a lot of territory in sports. If they zig, you zag.

By: Brad Warbiany

Brad Warbiany — Fri, 30 Oct 2009 06:01:00 +0000

If the spread is going away (because you can just recruit studs on defense), why are the New England Patriots, the New Orleans Saints, and the Denver Broncos having so much success?

By: Score?

Score? — Fri, 30 Oct 2009 03:28:00 +0000

Check your GT v VT score…

By: Zach Havenor

Zach Havenor — Fri, 30 Oct 2009 01:25:28 +0000

I would have to ask Mack Brown how many exciting big offensive plays were in that OU v UT game. His high flying offense wasn’t so good if I remember and that was with a heisman contender at the helm.

By: obvious

obvious — Fri, 30 Oct 2009 00:56:43 +0000

“He said all players in the secondary, safeties included, must be able to be shut down receivers in man coverage. Linebackers have to be fast and able to cover running backs or receivers coming out of five-receiver sets. The linemen all must be effective pass rushers so the need for blitzing is reduced”

If any team has a defense personnel described above, then it can virtually stop any offense.