ESPN College Football

Posted by ESPN.com's Ted Miller

One of the reasons Arizona offensive coordinator Sonny Dykes is about to become a hot head-coaching candidate is that he's not a system guy. He's a personnel guy.

He figures out what he has. Then he figures out how to use them.

When Mike Stoops hired him away from Texas Tech, most immediately assumed he'd start throwing the ball 60 times a game, just like the Red Raiders do.

Nope. The Wildcats ran the ball 504 times last year and passed it 412.

It's about doing what works. So Dykes' spread offense has evolved.

Has it worked? Well, in 2006, the year before he moved to Tucson, Arizona averaged 16.6 points and 252.8 yards per game. In 2007, Dykes' offense averaged 28 points and 385 yards per game. In 2008, that offense averaged 36.6 points and 402 yards per game.

In 2007, the Wildcats averaged just 77 yards rushing. In 2008, 158.4.

To Dykes, the spread doesn't mean one thing. Other than moving the football.

Is there a fundamental difference in the way you guys line up versus Oregon and the spreads that are more of a spread-option running attack?

Sonny Dykes: Definitely. If you look at Oregon and West Virginia, with what Rich Rodriguez was doing there, they were spreading to run. They wanted to spread the field to take some of the onus off the offensive line and run the football. Oregon is doing the same thing. Spread teams like Texas Tech were kind of the run-and-shoot guys and are really trying to spread the field to throw it. What we're doing here is kind of a combination of both. We double call a lot of stuff, so depending on how many people are in the box, we're going to throw it when we've got good numbers and run it when we've got good numbers to run it. That's really what Tech is doing but they are more inclined to throw it.

What is your base formation?

SD: For us, it always depends on personnel. Who are our best players? We have a tight end -- obviously we've got [Rob] Gronkowski, so our base formation involves a tight end. When we had [receiver] Mike Thomas, our base formation was a one-back set with Mike Thomas being the inside of three receivers. Now, we'll be a little bit more of a two-back team because of [H-back] Chris Gronkowski. We'll be a mixture really. So our base formation will be with a tight end and a fullback, which is a little bit more old style football.

So that's the big difference between you guys and Texas Tech -- the fullback and tight end are just role players for the Red Raiders, right?

SD: But if Tech had Rob Gronkowski they'd be playing with a tight end a lot. It just depends on your personnel. Any coach is going to try to get his best guys on the field. Our offense has evolved and a lot of it is because of Robbie. We started running some power and a little bit more of a downhill run game just because he can block a defensive end at a point of attack. There just aren't many tight ends you can count on to do that. We're evolving. We're probably a little bit more like Oregon now than Texas Tech, just because of our ability and need to run the football. But if we had Mike Crabtree and Graham Harrell, we'd be throwing it 60 times a game. Instead, we've got Rob Gronkowski and Nic Grigsby, so we're more inclined to run it.

How about with receivers? Does the spread require different things out of them than if you were lining up in a pro-style set?

SD: Yeah, definitely. The quarterback and receivers have to spend a lot of time getting on the same page. If you run the ball, guys are going to try to sneak more guys in the box. When they do that, you need to find a way to get the ball on the perimeter, whether it's throwing the [bubble screens] or whatever, to try to get the ball away from the guys packing the box. When you're doing that, it looks like an easy throw, but it's something that requires quite a bit of timing and work between quarterbacks and wide receivers. If you're going to spread it out and do that, your quarterback and receivers have to spend a lot of time developing a feel for each other.

If you're going to run 35 times a game, you need receivers to block well. But, in general, does a spread receiver need to be a better blocker than a pro-style receiver?

SD: I think so because of the screens. A lot of that stuff maybe forces them to be more effective blockers. It's different. Our receivers don't cut much. You look at the old Nebraska film, when they were running the option and getting the ball on the perimeter, they were cutting guys down. Our guys are really just trying to get in the way more. So it's a different kind of blocking, but it's probably more important in the spread because of the screens and how many times the ball is actually out on the edge.

One way guys recruit against spread teams is they tell recruits that if they play in a spread offense they are not going to get the respect from the NFL in the draft. What do you say to that?

SD: It's weird. Remember [the University of] Miami was one of the first teams running the one-back and running a spread offense with three receivers on the field? They were doing it with guys like Bernie Kosar and Vinny Testaverde and all of those guys were getting drafted. Back then, Miami was using it as a real advantage -- hey, we're spreading the field and throwing the ball. That's how you get into the NFL. What's happened is the spread has changed and there are a lot of different kinds of spreads. You've got what Penn State was doing last year which is more traditional type stuff. And then you've got the stuff that is way out there, the run-and-shoot stuff, what Tech's done. I think anytime a quarterback can drop back and throw the football, that's important. All that does is make him better, whether he does it under center or out of the shotgun. I don't see how a quarterback can be faulted when he takes a snap, avoids a rush, shuffles in the pocket, goes through reads, finds a receiver, throws an accurate ball and does all the things you have to do to drop back and throw. I don't see how he becomes a better quarterback by being under center and handing it to a running back. There's been a little bit of a knock, but I think that's just because of the personnel. If you're Texas Tech, you don't have to recruit 6-foot-6 quarterbacks who can stand in the pocket and throw the ball. And those are the guys the NFL is always going to like. Now, some of those guys don't work out and guys like Tom Brady do, who's not very big and doesn't have a particularly strong arm. They're just good players. Whether it's college or pro, the important thing for a quarterback is just finding a good fit.

Posted by ESPN.com's Adam Rittenberg

	IU Athletics
	Matt Canada is entering his third year as Indiana's offensive coordinator.

Many consider the spread offense to be the great equalizer, and Indiana is living proof. The Hoosiers went 14 years without reaching a bowl game until 2007, when they broke through behind a dynamic offense led by quarterback Kellen Lewis and wide receiver James Hardy. Matt Canada's first season as offensive coordinator brought record-breaking results in Bloomington. Now in his third year as Hoosiers coordinator, Canada recently took some time to discuss the spread and specifically the roles of wide receivers in the scheme.

Do the responsibilities of the wide receivers change in the spread offense versus a more conventional scheme?

Matt Canada: It's probably unique to every offense. They're going to learn their roles, what they're doing week to week. We may have guys who play inside or outside, it just depends on the matchups. I don't know if it's that big a difference. The routes you run and the things you ask them to do are probably different. If you're more on a pro-set, you're going to have more play-action, more down-the-field things. In the spread, it's more of a quick-passing game, you've got more of the screens.

Does it change your recruiting at all, spotting certain guys who are better fits in the spread?

MC: Obviously, we had a lot of success with [James] Hardy, a big-body guy. You're going to want that guy in a traditional pro offense, too. But there's a need for that little bubble [screen] guy or that little guy running the jail-break screen. You're going to try to find that guy, but playmakers are playmakers. We're all competing for the same kids.
(Read full post)

Few spread offenses are as innovative or productive as Tulsa's. It takes the best of several spread systems and creates a high-energy offense that racks up ridiculous statistics and high-scoring games.

Offensive coordinator Herb Hand has been part of the transformation at Tulsa that has made the Golden Hurricane one of the most-feared offenses in the country. He took some time to talk with me about the type of receiver he looks for in Tulsa's spread system.

What do you look for in a spread-offense receiver?

Herb Hand: The one thing that we always look for is explosive plays. Guys that can make something happen out in space and turn a 5-yard hitch route into a 60-yard touchdown. Or guys that have the ability to run over the top of coverages, who just have flat-out speed.

Do you think the spread gives opportunities to a guy who might be undersized or might get overlooked?

HH: I don't think there's any question about it. You look at a guy like Wes Welker that is from Oklahoma City that got overlooked by everybody and got a shot at Texas Tech. He's a great route runner. He just knows how to work himself into holes in the defense and get himself open and doesn't drop the ball, makes all the hard catches, and he's obviously had a great career. So those guys are out there. Now, could Wes Welker play in every offense in the NFL? I don't know. I know he does a heck of a job with the Patriots and they're what we consider a spread team.

(Read full post)

Mike Canales spent the past two years as South Florida's passing game coordinator and receivers coach before being promoted to be the Bulls' offensive coordinator for the second time in his career.

Canales is transforming South Florida's offense to a true spread attack this season. As someone who has worked closely with receivers, he can tell you how important that position is in a spread offense. And I asked him about just that subject in a recent conversation.

Can you tell us about the role of the receivers in the spread?

Mike Canales: The biggest thing I look for with receivers in the spread offense is, they've got to be able to block. It's so crucial to the success of the run game, because you're going to get to that second level of defenders, and if you get the running back to that position you need to create angles.

People think throw-throw-throw with the spread, but as a coordinator, what I tell our receivers is, you're not getting on the field if you don't block. These guys are basically your fullbacks down the field, but they're not built like fullbacks.

Most receivers have probably done some blocking in high school, but it must be a major adjustment for them in college, right?

MC: That's right. One thing is, in most high schools, you're not allowed to cut. So we have to teach them about being aggressive, how to cut, the proper angles to cut, not to cut too early so the defensive back can't get on his feet again to make a play, etc.

The angles are all based on defensive schemes. If it's the zone-read outside option, what are you trying to get done, if it's a quarterback run who are you trying to get free. With all these things, young kids are lost at first. They're like, 'What do you mean, coach? I just run a route, a fade in or out, and throw me the ball.' But kids, when they get to this level, it's about teaching them defenses as well.

Do the receivers have more or different responsibilities now that you're running a true spread?

MC: We've added a few things. We're trying to get Matt (Grothe) outside a little bit more.
It's more about them understanding what their roles are and getting more involved in the running game. But the kids have done a good job the last couple of years of understanding what we're doing. We'll try to get the ball outside a little more with boots and nakeds and all that.

(Read full post)

Posted by ESPN.com's Chris Low

If you're looking for a model of how the spread offense should be run, look no further than Florida.

The guy calling the offensive shots there the last four years, Dan Mullen, has moved on.

He hasn't moved far, though. He's now the head coach at Mississippi State, which will also unveil a version of the spread offense this season.

I caught up with Mullen recently to get his thoughts on what's made the spread offense the new rage in college football.

What type of player are you looking for at the skill positions?

Dan Mullen: The first thing we look for is a guy who's multi-talented, a guy that can play a crossover position or hybrid position. You want a receiver who can also line up at tailback or a tailback who can flex into the slot or move up to the fullback position. Guys who have multiple skills make it hard for defenses to match up on you.

How important is finding the right balance with players in the spread?

Dan Mullen: You might have a guy who's a great wide receiver, but doesn't have the other things. You have to put him in a position where he's just a receiver and look for another guy who's tremendous after the catch or a ball-in-the-hands guy. The spread gives you the flexibility to get the best players you can find and put them in a position to be successful on the field.

(Read full post)

Posted by ESPN.com's Tim Griffin

So much for a learning curve. New Missouri offensive coordinator David Yost will be facing several positional replacements in his first season in his new job with the Tigers.

Obviously, finding a new quarterback to take the place of Chase Daniel will be the biggest challenge. Sophomore Blaine Gabbert appears to have that task firmly at hand heading into preseason practice.

But another huge challenge facing Yost will be to replace wide receiver Jeremy Maclin and tight end Chase Coffman, two All-Big 12 receivers who were selections in the first three rounds of the NFL draft.

Those departures have Yost shuffling through various positional groupings as he attempts to sort out the changing demands he has for his receivers. The work will be important as the Tigers aim for their third straight appearance in the Big 12 championship game -- a feat that never has been accomplished by a North Division team.

How much has the talent you guys have accumulated over recent years provided you the opportunity to make your offense different from one season to the next?

David Yost: Coach [Gary] Pinkel is a very direct guy and he thinks things through and doesn't fly by the seat of the pants. And that's the beauty of this offense.

When we had [former Missouri quarterback] Brad [Smith] we ran him more. Then we got Chase Daniel in here who could run the football, but also could also lead us to more passing because of his talents. That helped us transform our offense into more of a passing philosophy.

At one time when we had [tight ends] Chase [Coffman] and Martin Rucker, we were running a lot of two-tight end offenses. Then we had a set of receivers, but not necessarily ones that would be as suited to running the spread. Then, we started recruiting guys like Jeremy Maclin and stopping using as much two-tight end sets.

Now, after losing Coffman and Maclin, we'll be a little thinner at wide receiver this season. Because of that, we're kind of adjusting what we're doing. We'll be using three wideouts and our tailback more as a rusher and a receiver.

We feel our offense gives us a chance to get our best 11 players on the field. And we can do things differently depending on the personnel we have on hand.

(Read full post)

Posted by ESPN.com's Heather Dinich

There are plenty of misconceptions still surrounding Paul Johnson's spread-option offense, despite the fact he's been using it for oh, about two decades. While there is a definite emphasis on the run, the offense is built around misdirection and has the potential to rack up yards and points in a hurry. The system is varied enough to adapt to the personnel he has. While he was offensive coordinator at Hawaii, the Warriors weren't afraid to throw the ball. At Navy, they ran it more. Georgia Tech provides the potential for more balance.

The foundation of his philosophy, though, is running the ball and stopping the run. Johnson, who is also the Jackets' offensive coordinator and calls all the plays, took the time to answer a few questions about his offensive system:

How similar is what you do to what Urban Meyer and Rich Rodriquez do?

	Mike Zarrilli/Getty Images
	Georgia Tech coach Paul Johnson has been using the spread offense for decades.

How so?

PJ: We run a lot of the same plays, a lot of the same schemes. They just choose to do it out of the gun and we go through under the center.

How are the receivers' responsibilities different?

PJ: I don't know that they are. What they may call their receivers sometimes we call A-backs. Their slot receivers are like our A-backs. Most of the time we're lined up tighter, not always. We change formations, and those guys are in the same spots. We probably haven't thrown it as much, certainly as much as Florida, but I can remember a couple of years ago at Navy we threw the ball more than West Virginia did. Nobody realized that because they were in the gun.

So is the job of your quarterback easier from under center?

PJ: I just think it's different. I think it hits faster under center, there's plusses and minuses, and tradeoffs to each one. They probably each have their advantages. We're operating with the ball a lot closer to the line of scrimmage. There's probably advantages to both.

So why do you prefer to do it the way you do?

PJ: Well it's just the way we've always done it. We've always had success with it, and like I said, it hits faster, the ball is closer to the line of scrimmage and for what we want to do it makes more sense. Everybody for years knocked what we were doing [saying] 'Well you can't go to the NFL doing that, you can't do this,' and I find it interesting now the NFL is coming out and saying they're having a problem with all of the quarterbacks being in the gun. They don't know how to take a snap or drop back to pass.

(Read full post)