Offensive Football Changing

[IH8Orange]

I think the advantage tends toward the unusual. As more and more teams go to this "girl ball" the "man ball" becomes harder to defened. I mean seriously Notre Dame looked like a girl scout in an MMA match against us. It's easier for us to adjust our defense to stop the spread than it is for them to grow a set and stop our run right at you offense. I realize this year we aren't going to be as good at that as we have been in the past but eventually we will get the lineman going forward again.

I made a bunch of NFL fans mad one day when I said that today you'll see more dirt on your average ballerina's tights than you'll see on a typical NFL player's uniform.

 

[TIDE-HSV]

Offensive football has always been cyclical. Defenses adjusted to the wishbone attacks of the 1970s and 1980s by putting leaner, faster players on the field that could tackle in space, so the response from offensive tacticians was the I-based power running game that blew those smaller defenders off the ball. And now we have the spread offenses that were designed to counter the behemoths that defenses were putting on the field to stop the power run games. Defenses and offenses are constantly trying to counter one another schematically.

I guess my point is that I don't blame the offensive coaches for doing whatever it takes to gain the upper hand. It's what they're paid to do. I don't think it's necessarily a case of "what will put fannies in the seats?" or "how can we be more exciting?". I think it's just a case of finding exploitable weaknesses in defenses and then exploiting the heck out of them. People forget that wishbone offenses were just as prolific when they first came out, numbers-wise, as some of the spread offenses are today. In 1973, Alabama beat Virginia Tech 77-6 and totaled 883 yards of offense (748 on the ground).

Defenses today present more challenges for running the football than ever before. You're starting to see more and more beefy linebackers and defensive ends that can also run like deer. Teams with average (or worse than average) talent simply cannot line up in the I-formation and pound the ball off-tackle 45 or 50 times a game and reasonably expect to win. So I don't think it's any major surprise that passing is becoming more and more prolific. But eventually, someone will figure out another way to be effective running the ball and it will be back "en vogue".

You've hit one of the reasons for Saban's success. He has developed enough recruiting strength to recruit these physical freaks. Also, these young guys can play over a wide weight range, depending on what's needed. But they're going to be more rangy in build. I agree with Jess that you're going to see fewer 275 lb "fireplugs," as LBs. Saban has basically said as much...

 

[Go Bama]

The Titans beat Pittsburgh yesterday with a power running game and good defense. Chance Warmack had a great game just knocking people off the ball.

If you can run the ball, it's always going to set up the pass and it's always going to be lower risk than throwing the ball. It also wears defenses down.

 

[TIDE-HSV]

The Titans beat Pittsburgh yesterday with a power running game and good defense. Chance Warmack had a great game just knocking people off the ball.

If you can run the ball, it's always going to set up the pass and it's always going to be lower risk than throwing the ball. It also wears defenses down.

But not if you let them run up a 3 TD lead on you in the first quarter...

 

[BamaPokerplayer]

I think running in cfb will always be effective because Qbs and Wrs don't have enough time to develop their skills before their gone.

 

[Florida Tom]

I think Kelly brought something to the Eagles that is exciting to watch & yes they did run the ball.

 

[DocCrimson]

I think Kelly brought something to the Eagles that is exciting to watch & yes they did run the ball.

On the flip side, the Redskins came out looking like a Pop Warner team for the first quarter and still only got beat 33-27. Defenses will adjust to Kelly faster than Kelly will adjust to defenses. They have a lot of talent and a great roster for that system at Philly right now, and he'll make waves in the media for both wins and style, but late this year or next year (after roster changes inevitably happen in this age of the NFL), I suspect Kelly's offense will fall flat on its face. There are flaws in that blocking scheme that Haslett started seeing after just 1 quarter. Give it a year and at least a few teams will know exactly how to counter it.

 

[tidefan39817]

Do we need to just get rid of Linebackers and put safeties in all those positions who can defend both pass and run?

So, if you have a 3 - 4 Defense, you'd have two Clowneys up front with a Mount Cody in the middle plus 6 Safeties and 2 CB's (or maybe 4 Safeties and 4 CB's). Well, maybe you could have 1 Linebacker #32. How would this work against Mr. Johnny Camera, Johnny Heisman, Johnny Cash, Johnny Paycheck, Johnny Autograph, and all the other Johnnys??

I just think college football runs in cycles. 10 years from now everybody will be talking about the innovative new offense called the wishbone that is taking college football by storm.....

 

[257WBY]

I think running in cfb will always be effective because Qbs and Wrs don't have enough time to develop their skills before their gone.

QBs and WRs are playing at an extremely high level in college ball right now. Did you see how Cooper just showed up from high school and looked like a senior? The 7 on 7 work these kids do in high school is increasing the skill in the passing game before they ever get to college.

 

[Bamabuzzard]

On the flip side, the Redskins came out looking like a Pop Warner team for the first quarter and still only got beat 33-27. Defenses will adjust to Kelly faster than Kelly will adjust to defenses. They have a lot of talent and a great roster for that system at Philly right now, and he'll make waves in the media for both wins and style, but late this year or next year (after roster changes inevitably happen in this age of the NFL), I suspect Kelly's offense will fall flat on its face. There are flaws in that blocking scheme that Haslett started seeing after just 1 quarter. Give it a year and at least a few teams will know exactly how to counter it.

Another interesting thing was that not only were the Redskins' defense getting winded the Eagles offense was to. About midway through the 3rd quarter McCoy went out of the game and to the sidelines to stretch out what looked to be a cramp. I'm not a big Warren Sapp fan but on the NFL Network he asked the question "Will the Eagles be able to keep this pace up for an entire season?" I think it is a legit question considering in the first game you started seeing their own players getting fatigued.

 

[skrayper77]

Part of the issue in pro football is the emphasis on training the OL to be really good at either pass blocking or run blocking. Perhaps they don't think it's possible to be great at both? *shrugs*

 

[DzynKingRTR]

I just think college football runs in cycles. 10 years from now everybody will be talking about the innovative new offense called the wishbone that is taking college football by storm.....

it will not be called the wishbone, they will come up with a new fancy name for the exact same thing though.

 

[Bamabuzzard]

Part of the issue in pro football is the emphasis on training the OL to be really good at either pass blocking or run blocking. Perhaps they don't think it's possible to be great at both? *shrugs*

It's tough. I've heard Mark May say that as an offensive lineman it is very hard to be great at both. One will suffer from perfecting the other. Not saying it cannot happen but it will not be common.