Question: Recruiting for the spread offense?

257WBY

Suspended
Aug 20, 2011
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Can you envision him running a finesse style of offense, predicated on getting smaller, quick athletes matched up one on one in space? It goes more towards style and mentality, ie I am going to run the ball down your throat and there isn't a dang thing you can do about it. Run the ball, stop the run. All the cliche's you can think of, but still apply. Like he said, (paraphrasing) you do not have to reinvent the wheel to win at football. There is a reason why "throw back teams" are kinda dominating right now.
"Running the ball down their throat" can take on different forms.
2012 NCAA Team Rushing
4) Oregon, led the PAC12
12) Alabama led SEC
14) TAMU
15) Baylor led Big12
38) ND
39)Standford, Florida
48) Texas

Most fans would think the bottom four would out rush the top four, with the exception of Alabama.
 

uafan4life

Hall of Fame
Mar 30, 2001
15,608
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The hurry up spread is coming....

Not to Alabama it isn't - at least not anytime soon.


Seriously, as long as Coach Saban is at Alabama - which looks to be at least 4 or 5 more years, or more - there is only one thing that would cause us to move from our multiple, pro-set offense to a no-huddle, hurry-up, spread based offense: rules changes that severely restrict the ability of our offense to be successful.

I don't see that happening anytime soon. Even if that extremely remote possibility were to actually become a not-so-remote possibility, I don't think that time would before the no-huddle, hurry-up, spread based offense "fad" is well on the decline anyway. You're already seeing a lot of teams move away from the "spread" back to a scheme that can at least utilize a power running game. The exceptions, of course, are the die-hard followers/inventors/worshipers of the spread, e.g. Urban Meyer, Rich Rodriguez, Art Briles, Kevin Sumlin, etc.
 

uafan4life

Hall of Fame
Mar 30, 2001
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"Running the ball down their throat" can take on different forms.
2012 NCAA Team Rushing
4) Oregon, led the PAC12
12) Alabama led SEC
14) TAMU
15) Baylor led Big12
38) ND
39)Standford, Florida
48) Texas

Most fans would think the bottom four would out rush the top four, with the exception of Alabama.

Umm, no it can't.

Neither Oregon, nor Baylor, nor Texas, nor even Texas A&M to a great extent ran the ball "down the throat" of anybody.


High overall rushing yardage does not equal "running the ball down their throat" - it's about a power running game; it's about blocking schemes, play-calling tendencies, types of rushes, and an overall attitude. Oregon, Baylor, Texas, and Texas A&M (though not as much as the other three) utilized very little in the way of power blocking schemes and power rushing plays, basing their rushing game much more on misdirection plays and Quarterback scrambles.

Teams that run the ball "down the throats" of other teams employ a strong, power-rushing offensive scheme; they run between the tackles as much if not more than outside, they run a vast majority of the time on short yardage plays, they usually run more than pass in the Red Zone, they control the clock and the tempo of the game, they tend to keep their defense off the field, and they rarely abandon the run - even when other teams are stacking the box to stop the run.
 

tidefan26

1st Team
Dec 5, 2005
511
20
42
43
South Alabama
"Running the ball down their throat" can take on different forms.
2012 NCAA Team Rushing
4) Oregon, led the PAC12
12) Alabama led SEC
14) TAMU
15) Baylor led Big12
38) ND
39)Standford, Florida
48) Texas

Most fans would think the bottom four would out rush the top four, with the exception of Alabama.
Raw data with no context isn't worth much.
 

257WBY

Suspended
Aug 20, 2011
2,077
1
0
Umm, no it can't.

Neither Oregon, nor Baylor, nor Texas, nor even Texas A&M to a great extent ran the ball "down the throat" of anybody.


High overall rushing yardage does not equal "running the ball down their throat" - it's about a power running game; it's about blocking schemes, play-calling tendencies, types of rushes, and an overall attitude. Oregon, Baylor, Texas, and Texas A&M (though not as much as the other three) utilized very little in the way of power blocking schemes and power rushing plays, basing their rushing game much more on misdirection plays and Quarterback scrambles.

Teams that run the ball "down the throats" of other teams employ a strong, power-rushing offensive scheme; they run between the tackles as much if not more than outside, they run a vast majority of the time on short yardage plays, they usually run more than pass in the Red Zone, they control the clock and the tempo of the game, they tend to keep their defense off the field, and they rarely abandon the run - even when other teams are stacking the box to stop the run.
Spread teams often run between the tackles because the extra LB slips out to cover the slot.
 

rgw

Suspended
Sep 15, 2003
20,852
1,351
232
Tuscaloosa
To answer the topic title:

I don't think much has to change in recruiting to run the spread offense. It may make the valuation of running ability at QB a little higher but I don't think you must have a dual-threat QB to effective run the spread. We run a lot of spread concepts right now anyway and I felt many of our most successful runs we actually out of a three-wide shotgun or pistol formation in 2012.

The big thing with the spread is the practice. Practicing speed in execution, honing in precision in the passing game, and keeping the practices at a tempo where they build endurance to do it in a game.
 

rgw

Suspended
Sep 15, 2003
20,852
1,351
232
Tuscaloosa
"Running the ball down their throat" can take on different forms.
2012 NCAA Team Rushing
4) Oregon, led the PAC12
12) Alabama led SEC
14) TAMU
15) Baylor led Big12
38) ND
39)Standford, Florida
48) Texas

Most fans would think the bottom four would out rush the top four, with the exception of Alabama.
The big innovation in spread attacks over the last decade started in Northwestern when they demonstrated you could use the spread to establish the power run game. RichRod and Urban Meyer each spent time with the NW coaching staff and it became their offenses at BGSU/Utah and West Virginia. As I said in my last post, some of Alabama's most explosive plays came out of a "spread" formation this past season.
 

tidefan26

1st Team
Dec 5, 2005
511
20
42
43
South Alabama
Baylor rushed for 306 yards vs UCLA and only attempted 13 passes.
I was looking for a little more context I guess. Like, a BIG 12 team running for a crap ton on a PAC 12 team doesn't mean a heck of a lot. Had they done it to a, say Notre Dame or a Oregon fair run defense teams ok. NCAA stats are dividing by 0, there is no context, just raw data. Its not weighted by conference, opponents etc. Just numbers. Curious who the 1-3 ranked teams were.
 

257WBY

Suspended
Aug 20, 2011
2,077
1
0
Baylor rushed for 342 yards vs number one K State, putting Alabama back in the title hunt. Do you think the ball didn't get run down K States throat? Running the ball was the key to Baylor winning the last four games of the season. It controled the clock somewhat and helped the defense survivie. Here is a power run where the RB is untouched.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=B-zjtItF6gM
 

257WBY

Suspended
Aug 20, 2011
2,077
1
0
I agree with most everyone else, in that there is no reason to change a thing. But I wouldn't think Saban would hire OCs from passing programs if he wanted the old 3 yards and a cloud of dust.
 

tidefan26

1st Team
Dec 5, 2005
511
20
42
43
South Alabama
Baylor rushed for 342 yards vs number one K State, putting Alabama back in the title hunt. Do you think the ball didn't get run down K States throat? Running the ball was the key to Baylor winning the last four games of the season. It controled the clock somewhat and helped the defense survivie. Here is a power run where the RB is untouched.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=B-zjtItF6gM
Not knowing anything about Baylor, i would bet they scored the majority of their points through the air. Did you really think KSU was the #1 team at that point? I would be curious who Baylor's last four opponents were, just for context.

ETA: Just realized we have gone WAY down the rabbit hole and are so far off topic. Sorry.
 
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rizolltizide

Hall of Fame
Jan 4, 2003
14,825
19
157
57
st pete, fl
Not to Alabama it isn't - at least not anytime soon.


Seriously, as long as Coach Saban is at Alabama - which looks to be at least 4 or 5 more years, or more - there is only one thing that would cause us to move from our multiple, pro-set offense to a no-huddle, hurry-up, spread based offense: rules changes that severely restrict the ability of our offense to be successful.

I don't see that happening anytime soon. Even if that extremely remote possibility were to actually become a not-so-remote possibility, I don't think that time would before the no-huddle, hurry-up, spread based offense "fad" is well on the decline anyway. You're already seeing a lot of teams move away from the "spread" back to a scheme that can at least utilize a power running game. The exceptions, of course, are the die-hard followers/inventors/worshipers of the spread, e.g. Urban Meyer, Rich Rodriguez, Art Briles, Kevin Sumlin, etc.
That's not what I heard.
 

RTR91

Super Moderator
Nov 23, 2007
39,407
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0
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Look at Saban's tenure at Alabama. When he's complained about something causing problems to Bama's defense, the offense usually incorporates it into the gameplan.

Not many thought Bama would use the Wildcat prior to the 2009 season. What was the first play against Va Tech in 2009? What gave the South Carolina defense nightmares?

Shortly after CNS made his comment about the NHHU offenses, Bama went to the no huddle more often.

I'm not saying Bama is going to come out with TJ Yeldon at QB to run some offense many perceive as "gimmicky." As some others have mentioned, Bama's offense is very, very multiple. If Bama needs to go 5 wide, it has the ability. If Bama needs to play from the I, it can without a problem. If Bama needs to go NHHU, it can.

Bama will continue to use the foundation Saban laid in January 2007 unless something crazy happens. However, the personnel allows the offense to run whatever is necessary at that moment of the game.
 

257WBY

Suspended
Aug 20, 2011
2,077
1
0
Not knowing anything about Baylor, i would bet they scored the majority of their points through the air. Did you really think KSU was the #1 team at that point? I would be curious who Baylor's last four opponents were, just for context.

Baylor scored 38 rushing TDs and 34 passing TDs.
The last four games were Kansas St, Texas Tech, Oklahoma St, and UCLA.
I didn't think K St was the number one team, but they were ranked there. They were a solid, well coached team. I don't think most of us thought ND was the number one team, either.
 

uafan4life

Hall of Fame
Mar 30, 2001
15,608
7,414
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Florence, AL
Baylor rushed for 342 yards vs number one K State, putting Alabama back in the title hunt. Do you think the ball didn't get run down K States throat? Running the ball was the key to Baylor winning the last four games of the season. It controled the clock somewhat and helped the defense survivie. Here is a power run where the RB is untouched.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=B-zjtItF6gM
First, that's not a power run. It's a counter, designed cut-back play run from the shotgun and only the pulling tackle - yes, pulling tackle - got a block on a Linebacker and that was in the hole at the line of scrimmage. Not a single blocker made it to the second level. That's not a power run. That's all on the Running Back and the Linebacker - who was completely unaccounted for by the blocking scheme - that should have met the RB at the line of scrimmage but for some reason went the wrong way and was 5 yards out of position.

And, as for Baylor "controlling the clock", they were 112th in the country in Time of Possession. Yeah, that's some mighty good "controlling" the clock, there. :rolleyes:


That's not what I heard.
From whom, pray tell?
 
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257WBY

Suspended
Aug 20, 2011
2,077
1
0
Fan4life, you're getting a little picky. 300 rushing yards vs #1 late in the season is "running it down their throat". And are you going to subtract the Alabama runs out of the shotgun? A defender has his feelings hurt when he gets run on, regardless of trap, pull, etc.
 

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