College Footballogy

While the defense may be a bigger problem, one of the primary concerns for many Irish fans is the spread passing offense of new head coach Brian Kelly. Kelly makes no secret of his offensive goal, he wants to be aggressive and vertical, scoring on every possession. As such, he favors the pass over the run, operates heavily from the shotgun, and employs an up-tempo pace.

Some question the lack of a consistent, power running element while others worry about ball control. There are also concerns about the how a spread passing scheme will fare against good defensive competition and Kelly’s ability to fill the roster with elite talent at the skill positions.

Former head coach Charlie Weis’ recruiting record should be enough evidence to negate the last of these concerns, but the others may be valid. There are certainly negatives that come with Kelly’s offense, but many successful teams like Utah, Boise State, Texas, Oklahoma and Florida run versions of the spread, and excel doing it.

So what is a spread offense and how does Kelly’s particular brand work? Furthermore, what is the fundamental problem with his approach and is it compatible at Notre Dame?

What Is Kelly’s Spread Offense and How Does It Work?

At a fundamental level, the intent of a spread offense is to stretch the field horizontally with multiple wide receivers. This effectively accomplishes two goals. First, it makes crisp tackling in open space a commodity. And second, it forces defensive coordinators to use smaller, quicker personnel, and to empty the box in order to matchup on the outside. The result is an advantage for the offense on the interior. Defenses can’t overload the box and the offense has one-on-one blocking opportunities in the running game and in pass protection.

The guys over at NDNation asked Chris Brown of Smart Football to summarize Kelly’s flavor of the spread. True to form, Chris penned a solid synopsis. He makes some excellent points and the entire read is worth the time, but a few highlights are noted here with some additions of my own below.

• Kelly’s offense is a “traditional” spread offense that, for the most part, maintains balance and doesn’t tilt too much towards the run (e.g. Michigan) or pass (e.g. Texas Tech).
• The run game is simple, particularly without a running quarterback. There is a lot of zone blocking and Kelly’s approach is based on space and angles rather than power, but he does make frequent use of a lead blocker. Mostly, he utilizes inside and outside zone running plays, counters, and some power runs.
• The concepts in the passing game are almost equally simple. Kelly prefers a vertical stem route tree aimed at getting upfield while giving the same initial post-snap motion. This accomplishes his goal of being aggressive, but also detracts from the ability of opposing defenses to read routes as they all appear similar through the first several steps.
• Kelly also likes to use overloaded formations to isolate receivers on the backside. This generates favorable one-on-one matchups for players like wide receiver Michael Floyd or tight end Kyle Rudolph, or overloads the strongside of the field if the defense rolls the coverage to double the weakside receiver.

Some Additional Discussion Points…

Brown states that Kelly’s offense doesn’t make use of the fullback or tight end as much as Oklahoma or Texas, but that doesn’t mean he doesn’t use them at all. His running game often employs playside down-blocking and pulling linemen, tight ends, and/or H-backs that lead into the hole (counter and power plays). This is somewhat similar to the traditional counter-trey, albeit with much different personnel and run from spread formations.

Unlike Weis’ offense, Irish signal callers won’t be tasked with an extremely high burden of execution in the future. In Kelly’s scheme the quarterback position is primarily one of distribution. The offense uses similar concepts to combat the blitz, e.g. hot routes and sight adjustments, but the implementation is simple and requires less precision. Moreover, most of the drops in Kelly’s offense are fairly short and facilitate a quick release.

This simplicity translates into a high level of execution. Kelly’s offense is explosive, but the goal isn’t always to go downfield. He wants to accomplish what spread concepts were invented to do (stretch the field horizontally, empty the box and generate good one-on-one blocking opportunities, force open field tackling, etc.), but he mostly does this using complementing looks and concepts rather than trying to intentionally generate a big play. Additionally, he wants to put a lot of pressure on opposing defenses by operating at a high pace, getting as many snaps as possible, and wearing defenders down.

In this regard, there should more consistency than the Irish offense displayed the past three seasons. Weis relied heavily on the big play, both as a form of randomness and as a catalyst for production. And, as Brown notes, this is why his offense required elite, experienced talent to effectively operate, and why it would be explosive at times and practically dormant at others.

What’s the Fundamental Problem?

In Brown’s opinion, the biggest question mark is if the offense can win the matchups generated by spreading the field.

Talented teams like Oklahoma, Texas and Florida use a spread scheme because they can recruit an abundance of skill talent. They want to get as much of it as possible on the field, isolate defenders, and win the one-on-one battles. Few teams have two good corners, let alone the four or five needed to effectively matchup against a spread offense with good wide receiver depth.

But this comes with the assumption that there is a threat to run and that offensive line can protect the passer, often times with little or no help. As recent Irish fans can attest, this isn’t always the case.

Last year the Irish had plenty of skill talent capable of winning one-on-one matchups (Floyd, Rudolph and wide receiver Golden Tate to name a few), but the offense frequently stalled due to the inability to keep opponents off-balance with the run and protect the quarterback with five and six players.

In other words, spread offenses are controlled by defenses that are able to contain the run and get pressure with four, drop seven, and play physical, press coverage on the outside.

The pressure from the front four allows the defense to drop multiple defenders and minimize passing lanes. The press play on the outside disrupts route running, frustrates timing between the quarterback and his receivers, and forces the passer to hold onto the ball. And the combination of the two allows aggressive outside secondary play with help over the top to prevent downfield throws.

If the offensive line can’t provide extra time for the quarterback, the passing game struggles. Alternatively, without a solid run presence to take advantage of the even numbers in the box, the defense isn’t required to adjust, commit more defenders to stopping the run, and open up the outside.

For most defenses, this is not an easy proposition.

But against USC the Trojan front four dominated the trenches, and the Irish struggled. Quarterback Jimmy Clausen was frequently pressured and the Irish had a razor-thin margin for error. The offense was productive at times, but largely inconsistent.

Likewise, Kelly’s offense was dismantled in the Sugar Bowl against Florida. Quarterback Tony Pike rarely had time to throw as the Gator defensive line consistently applied pressure. The corners played aggressive, tight coverage on the outside, and, without solid rushing production, the linebackers were able to flex and run free. There was obviously a huge talent gap at work as well, but (at least for the Bearcat offense) it was most evident in the line play.

Will It Work at Notre Dame?

There’s really no way to know.

Kelly’s offense has been successful everywhere he’s been and provided he recruits well he will have more talent at Notre Dame than any of his previous stops. This should help with the athleticism mismatches evident in the Sugar Bowl.

Additionally, Kelly’s approach differs from Weis’ style in that there is more focus on the running game, it is based on simplicity and execution rather than complexity and scheme, places less execution burden on the quarterback, and is less deliberate and predictable. All these things will certainly help.

But it still comes down to having balance and being able to protect with five—this is the crux of the problem.

The running game must be serviceable enough to force defenders into the box and prevent opposing defenses from keying on the pass and rushing the quarterback without restraint.

And the offensive line must be able to take advantage of the equal numbers in the box by winning the one-on-one battles. If opposing defenses are able to stop the run and consistently generate pressure with four or five defenders, Kelly’s unit will appear eerily similar to Weis’ squads of the past few years.

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While the 2009 season can be rendered as somewhat of a success for most Husker fans, we now have to look forward to 2010 with optimism and speculation.

Gone now are Ndamukong Suh, Phillip Dillard, Matt O'Hanlon and Larry Asante on our championship-caliber defense.  Replacing them will be tough.  But part of filling their shoes is the emergence of others and the spotlight to be shone elsewhere.

So as we project forward to the 2010 season, what are the biggest position battles, coaching changes, and things we really need to look for as Husker fans on the offensive side of the ball?  

Without a doubt, the 2009 Husker offense was less than desirable.  Ranked No. 99 in the nation in total offensive yards and 75th in scoring, there is a lot to improve upon.

Quarterback: The incumbent, Zac Lee , was hurt early in the season during the Virginia Tech game.  Unbeknownst to most Husker fans, that injury stayed with him the entire season and his operation and recovery will occur during this year's spring camp. 

Ultimately, that leaves the QB position open for battle. 

With the staff's decision to eliminate the 'no touch' green jerseys during this time, we are all looking forward to the battle between Cody Green, Kody Spano, Tyler Martinez, and even redshirt walk-on Ron Kellogg. 

This will get interesting, and come fall, we'll likely have a man or two seriously challenging Lee for the top spot.  Ultimately, I'm not convinced that any incumbent is guaranteed the position.  We should know more following the Washington game.

Running Back :  If Husker fans learned anything last year, it is that the simplicity of supposed depth in college football can be reduced to a weakness in a mere matter of weeks. 

Rolling into last year, the Huskers were 'set' with the shifty Roy Helu and the battering ram that was Quentin Castille.  Before the first snap of the season, the Huskers were already looking for a backup to Helu. 

While true freshman Rex Burkhead stepped in nicely, it was his inujury and Helu's own that relegated the Huskers to true freshman Dontrayevous Robinson leading the way for a couple of games.  One of those weeks ended in a painful 9-7 loss to Iowa State.

So what does Nebraska have in store for 2010 at RB? 

Helu and Burkhead provide a nice combination up front, but as we learned in 2009, we need to be four solid players deep to consider attrition in the rough-and-tumble Big 12.  Enter in heralded recruit in Braylon Heard, along with the solid experience gained by Robinson last year.

On paper, we should be set.  But the 2009 season of injuries and 'solidness' should always creep into the back of the mind for Husker fans. 

Wide Receiver :  Belittled and heckled by many Husker faithful throughout the season, Niles Paul showed solid promise that he can become a true gamer if given a true chance to excel.  The growth of Brandon Kinnie was also good to see, but throughout the season, Husker receivers were responsible for many timely drops and poor route-running.  Especially when it mattered most. 

Not a lot changed on this front.  However, we should expect these guys to come back stronger after a lackluster season with an injured QB and hobbled OL.  The only new guy to be staking his claim in Lincoln is the unheralded recruit Quincy Enumwa.  Don't be surprised if he makes a contribution, but we can't expect greatness out of him.  At least not yet. 

In the end, the incumbents Paul and Kinnie must lead the way.  There is also talent in Antonio Bell, Khiry Cooper, and others that could turn solid springs, and expected development, into making this corps one of the most undersold in the entire Big 12.  Look for Paul to challenge for conference Big 12 honors in his senior campaign.

Tight Ends :  Mostly reserved to blocking with three TE sets and little passing game, this crew was easily the best unit for the Huskers in 2009, at least on offense.  With no losses, look for these guys to get better in 2010, headed by Mike McNeill.  Ben Cotton looks like he'll contribute in the passing game this year, and McNeill will likely get catches down field above more than three or four yards from the line of scrimmage.  The injury of Kyle Reed looms, but these guys are as solid a crew as you'll find in the Big 12.  

Offensive Line :  Thin and hobbled, you can easily point to this group as being the demise of the Husker offense in 2009.  In fact, this crew was injured so much that a guy who was invited to the NFL combine, Jacob Hickman, declined his invitation due to his rash of injuries during his college days. 

Jaivorio Burkes' expected departure from the team this offseason is also bad news, but Husker faithful should be excited about the solid 2008 and 2009 classes that were redshirted and are now ready for duty.  Or at least as any redshirt freshman or sophomore on the OL should be expected to be.  

Look for such guys as Qvale, Ash, Sirles, and Coffey to push for starting positions in the spring and fall; we also can't dismay what is likely to be the most impactful 2010 recruit in Jermarcus Hardrick at OT.

In a nutshell, the OL in 2009 can't get worse for Nebraska, and things are really looking up for this crew to be the most impressive change for the Husker team in 2010. 

Offensive Recap :  While the Huskers return a lot of solid pieces at the specialty positions, it is the offensive line that should see the biggest advancement for the Huskers in 2010. 

With solid specialty players returning, and some possible new-found game-breaking additions, look for the Husker offense in 2010 to return to some respectability.  While this offense still might not scare defensive coordinators, it will not be the complete flop that it was in 2009.  

After all, didn't Alabama only needed a No. 42-ranked offense to win it all in 2009?

 

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Well it may only be March but before I get March Madness I will get to this story the top SEC Games of 2010. The SEC has very numerous rivalry games and just great games. Even the best SEC team might fall to another SEC team who is struggling at the time. The team who wins the SEC might not be the best in the conference. So many games will prove to be great and as long as the refs don't mess with the game the team that wins will be the better team that day. Whether its the Cocktail Party or just Florida and Alabama mixing it up the SEC should prove to have some great games.

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Being athletic is one of biggest requirements when it comes to playing any organized sports. As the level of difficulty rises, those that lack athleticism eventually get weeded out of the game and are forced to watch the game that they love from the sidelines (or on the couch). At the college level, almost every single player that takes the field is close to the top in terms of athleticism. Without noticeable talent, these athletes wouldn’t have found their way onto a practice field let alone taking a snap at game time. But with that said, what separates the cream of the crop from those players just bidding their time before their eligibility runs its course? At the quarterback position, being athletic can be a mutation of a variety of skill sets. Speed alone may classify a player as athletic on the track field, but as a quarterback, only speed will not get a player too far. A quarterback needs to have arm strength, accuracy, the ability to read defenses, and if they can add speed on top of these qualities then they are definitely working their way to the top of the list. But the lack of any one of these qualities above doesn’t necessarily mean that a player is less athletic. A quarterback without noticeable speed may make up for it with other talents that he possesses. As long as a quarterback has the strength, agility, and stamina to play the position and he can come out of the game as the victor, he should be considered to be one of the most athletic quarterbacks in the game. However, since a quarterback’s athleticism is often defined as the ability to be elusive in the pocket, to unleash breakaway speed, to launch a rocket of a pass, and most importantly flex that brain muscle to make the correct reads under pressure, here is my list of The Most Athletic Quarterbacks in College Football for 2010.

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