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Programs that have failed running the Spread.

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AzzurriDawg4

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Nov 11, 2007
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Outside of the Tony Franklin debacle, which we all assume was simply sabotaged from the beginning, what teams out there running the spread offense have actually failed to have relative success? Michigan is a wait-and-see for me.

Most of the spread teams I know off the top of my head have been really good.

Utah
Hawaii
T-Tech
Kansas
Missou
WV
South Florida
Florida
Oklahoma
Oregon
Tulsa
G-Tech
Purdue
Bowling Green
Cincy
USM

Sure, defenses will catch up. They always do. The West Coast is starting to lose favor even in the NFL. You can only hope Mullen does well and then has the skills to adapt when defenses adapt.

My point is, I realize some teams may run it poorly (or "just" go 6-6), but who is really failing with it? I mean like Croom failing? Michigan, ok - but give them at least another year or two. Meyer has proven the offense can win at big programs.

Seriously though, if we would be cool with consistent 7-8 win seasons and the occasional (like every 5-7 years) shot at Atlanta - what spread offenses out there are doing worse than 7 wins? This much I have figured out. Mullen knows the offense and knows it well. He gives seminars on it, even has a DVD, etc. We will be running the spread as it was meant to be run. That being said, does evidence not suggest that we are destined to succeed? All of this is off the top of my head, but I can't think of a terrible spread team. Someone help me out - but of all the teams I have listed you are talking about a +90% success rate.
 
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DowntownDawg

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May 28, 2007
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...UT and Auburn both failed. But both of those had issues and did not totally commit to it. I think we will be much better, and I know we are going to totally commit to this offense.
 
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AzzurriDawg4

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What programs that have a Spread Offense disciple/guru/coordinator as their HC have failed? Like you said, UT and Auburn had Phil and Tubby bearing down on their respective OCs.

The point of this whole thread is that I am truly asking a question here - not trying to make a point. It is something I think is worth discussing here, because given what we know about what this offensive philosophy has meant to a number of programs (most notably and analogous to State I think would be Mizzou and Kansas), you have to be optimistic about our future.
 
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8dog

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Feb 23, 2008
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particularly with TN...that is about the last team I'd say runs a spread.
 
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AzzurriDawg4

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Nov 11, 2007
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By UW, do you mean Wisconsin?

I don't think any of those are failures, but you might just be adding to my list from above.
 
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Todd4State

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Mar 3, 2008
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and it didn't work- but the reason it didn't work is because of their players.

But that raises another point- if an offense doesn't work, is it the scheme or the players, or maybe even the coaches?

To me, the last thing people should blame is the scheme. The actual play, if performed as it is written down on paper "should" work. Let's say that the spread doesn't work at MSU- that doesn't mean that it's a bad offense, or scheme. It more than likely means that it didn't work because we had bad players or perhaps they had poor coaching.

For example, if you take USC's players and run their offense, they make it look pretty darn good. Now, if Temple ran the same offense with their players, they would still suck. There's a reason why there's the "you can't coach speed" adage.
 
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AzzurriDawg4

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That is the best example I have heard. Again - not a spread guy at HC though.

Ok - that is one team that has legitimately failed.
 
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rebelrouseri

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Jan 24, 2007
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to be a failure. They had a lot of great players but got exposed by Bama and others. I don't consider Ga. Tech a spread team.
 
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RebelBruiser

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Aug 21, 2007
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before they fired their coach in 2007. I can't remember who the coach was, but they failed at the spread, but then again that's Baylor.

It's probably harder to find good examples of failures, because the only ones that last long enough to remember are the ones that actually work.

The only thing I'd say against the spread, if you're running the TTU/Hawaii passing spread, is that it would be a poor choice for QBs wanting to enter the NFL. That matters little to the college fan, because fans at TTU for example really only care about whether the QB has success in college. However, the way NFL offenses are structured, QBs running spread attacks generally aren't as prepared for the passes required in the NFL. Like I said though, as a college fan, I really wouldn't be all that concerned about whether or not my players went on to success at the next level, as long as they had success at the college level.
 
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dogfan96

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Jun 3, 2007
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Locker is every bit the athlete that Tebow is.. not quite as big, probably better speed though and probably a better arm too.. problem is he has to run behind the Washington OL and throw to their skill guys. Put him in Florida's offense and I don't think they miss a beat.
 
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