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Spread dead like Fred?

And both of those offenses are shadows of what they were last year. That's the point of this thread. The spread is not doing as well as it was. Last year seemed to be the peak and defenses started catching up/ figuring it out during last year's bowl season.
or teams that were BA on offense last year lost some talent and are rebuilding. This is the case with young WR at UT and UF (percy harvin was a UNIQUE talent), and young everything at OU, Mizzou, TT. KU is still scoring points. Oregon had a rough start, but had an extremely young Oline and is now killing it.

Also, its not like traditional offenses are killing it either: see Bama's escape over UT.

Football is cyclical. Have defenses caught up or is it just a return to the mean? Can't break offensive records every year.
 
You are also not accounting for OU and OSU losing their two best offensive weapons, and TT graduating the Best QB and WR's in their schools history.

Sure I am. It's alot harder for spread-passing teams to overcome injuries/turnover at the QB position. TT and OU this year are a perfect example, IMO. It's part of why their doing so bad this year. Instead of having a 1-2 game dropoff, they're both sitting at 3-3 and looking down the barrel at the rest of their BXII sched just hoping to pull out enough wins to crack the top 20. Power teams don't have that problem so much. Success is mostly based how the OL performs. They don't live or die on the shoulders of one player.
 
:lol::lol:

This ****ing thread! Who would have thought a discussion regarding where the spread offense in the cycle of relevance would become so personal?
 
:lol::lol:

This ****ing thread! Who would have thought a discussion regarding where the spread offense in the cycle of relevance would become so personal?

I bet there's a strong correlation between personal opinions in this thread and whether the person is advocating a spread guy for our next coach. In a way, it is personal. :wink2:
 
Technically, the term "Spread" has more to do with offensive line gaps, but what I'd like to talk about is the pass-first version using shotgun snaps and primarily one-back sets with 3-5 WR.

OU, MU, OSU, and KU were supposed to kick ass this year. What happened? Is the "Spread" attack as we know it going the way of the Dodo?

From what I understand, the Spread was designed to compensate for weak OL play. The idea being, if you run enough receivers out into the pattern, there will be someone open before the D-Line can get to the QB. The angles for running the ball to the outside are better because of the deep handoffs. No arguing that some teams have had success with it. On paper, it's all well and great, but it does have some very basic issues.

1. It is nearly impossible to generate an interior running game. In most defensive sets, there are 7 defenders in the 'box', and you only have 5 linemen to block them. Draw plays work if the LBs drop back into a zone, but you're not going to burn them on that two plays in a row, so no consitency. It's alot easier for a defense to make their reads knowing that you're basically never going to try to pound it up the middle.

2. It's horrendous in the red-zone. DB's can tighten-up their coverage because they don't have to defend the deep sideline routes. You get more tipped passes and INTs. Shotgun snaps will always be dicier than a direct exchange (more turnovers and stalled drives). Does an OL that mostly pass-blocks in practice and games have a handicap when they're trying to punch it in on the goal-line?

3. Pressure, pressure, pressure. In high pressure situations, the more complicated tasks tend to break-down first. Simpler is always better when everything's hanging on one play. QB throwing mechanics, timing routes, shotgun snaps... just too many things to **** up. Sure, if everything goes right, you can beat ANYONE. But realistically, you're more likely to drop games you shouldn't because you're running some Rube Goldberg abomination of an offense.

4. Point #3 kind of ties in with this last thought. Consistency is king in college ball. There is no playoff system. A 8-4 NFL team still has a chance of getting hot, making a playoff run, and winning the whole enchilada. A 8-4 college team is stuck playing in the 'Weedeater Also-rans Bowl'. In college, you simply can't afford to drop games to inferior teams. That happens way too much when you set out to throw the ball 40+ times per game.
I think I disagree with your premise. The Spread was meant to take advantage of D's that were loading up the box against the I and putting backers in coverage against blocking Tight End/H-back types. You give the O-line rediculously wide splits, split all your receivers and everyon else execept one runner in the backfield with a mobile qb and beat people with speed and crossing routes. You use the shotgun so you can get the ball off quick and then you run like hell! It actually requires lineman with lighter feet who can run a little bit unlike the huge walrusses they used for the I. The reason it doesn't work in the NFL is becuase you have guys like Ray Lewis, Troy Palamolu and that kid from Ole Miss that plays for the 49'ers (can't remember his name) who can run all over the field and still stretch plays out.
 
I think I disagree with your premise. The Spread was meant to take advantage of D's that were loading up the box against the I and putting backers in coverage against blocking Tight End/H-back types. You give the O-line rediculously wide splits, split all your receivers and everyon else execept one runner in the backfield with a mobile qb and beat people with speed and crossing routes. You use the shotgun so you can get the ball off quick and then you run like hell! It actually requires lineman with lighter feet who can run a little bit unlike the huge walrusses they used for the I. The reason it doesn't work in the NFL is becuase you have guys like Ray Lewis, Troy Palamolu and that kid from Ole Miss that plays for the 49'ers (can't remember his name) who can run all over the field and still stretch plays out.


Patrick Willis
 
or teams that were BA on offense last year lost some talent and are rebuilding. This is the case with young WR at UT and UF (percy harvin was a UNIQUE talent), and young everything at OU, Mizzou, TT. KU is still scoring points. Oregon had a rough start, but had an extremely young Oline and is now killing it.

Also, its not like traditional offenses are killing it either: see Bama's escape over UT.

Football is cyclical. Have defenses caught up or is it just a return to the mean? Can't break offensive records every year.

If you're playing ball-control power-O, you don't need to light it up as much. The offensive strategy helps keep the defense out of bad situations. Football is definitely cyclical. I think we've hit a point where the pass-happy version of the spread is starting a downturn.
Here's hoping UT and Bama play for the MNC. :drink2:
 
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