KANSAN.COM / THE UNIVERSITY DAILY KANSAN / THURSDAY, AUGUST 19, 2010 / SPORTS
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Spread offense losing popularity among BCS schools
Former Kansas linebacker Arist Wright stretches out to make a tackle before Missouri receiver Jerrell Jackson breaks free for a touchdown. Missouri racked up 553 total offensive yards in a 41-39 win against Kansas in 2009.
MCCLATCHY-TRIBUNE
KANSAN FILE PHOTO
COLUMBIA, Mo. — The catalyst of the spread offense rage, Florida coach Urban Meyer, lately has been crafting teams known more for defense. That was the key to smothering Oklahoma and its prolific spread attack in the BCS national title game two seasons ago.
— albeit ited by Heisman Trophywinning back Mark Ingram.
When Alabama prevailed last season, it was with gnarly defense and a vanilla offensive scheme
That profile in turn had ripples for Texas, a 37-21 loser to the Crimson Tide in the title game, that perhaps suggest a shift in the broader landscape.
A spread-based Longhorns team that was third in the nation in scoring last year now is ditching some spread principles to prop the quarterback back under center.
Part of the change is a response to the loss of quarterback Colt McCoy
not having practiced much against the more traditional style, leaving coach Mack Brown feeling Texas tackled poorly against "twoback, downhill running" bowl foes Alabama last year and Ohio State the year before.
But mostly it's a response to the evolution, or at least cycles, of the game.
While few would say the spread is dead — there are so many versions of it as to be hard to quantify — its recent popularity seems to have diminished its impact.
GARY PINKEL Missouri football coach
The Big 12 offers a case in point.
"I think defenses get better at everything the more they see it. It's just like a chess match."
In 2008, Oklahoma set a major-college record by averaging 51.1 points, but spread practitioners Texas Tech, Texas, Missouri and Oklahoma State also averaged more than 40 to give the conference five
of the top nine scoring teams in the nation. Colorado was the only conference team to average fewer than 25 points.
Last season, Texas led the Big 12 with 39.3 points a game. Texas Tech (seventh at 37.0) was the only other conference school in the top 18, and five league schools averaged 25.1 points or fewer.
"I don't know if 'catching up' is the right (term) ... but I think defenses get better at everything the more they see it," MU coach Gary Pinkel said, adding, "It's just like a chess match. That's what goes on in every type of offense (against) every type of defense. 'If they do this, we're going to do this.'
"That's all good. That's what coaching is about. That's what's exciting about it."
But while Pinkel and MU offensive coordinator David Yost acknowledge the need to constantly refine and tweak, MU sees this not as a moment to pull away but to "become even more extreme in the
“(With) people moving away from the spread, it's nice when you're a spread team because what it's going to do is make it less and less seen,” Yost said, adding. “I think it's going to kind of get back to
spread concepts as Yost put it.
being an advantage again because they won't be constantly working against it in practice"
After launching its spread in 2005, MU wielded an offensive advantage for two years in particular, amassing 558 points in 2007 and boarding 591 in 2008.
The totals were a combination of the relative freshness of the schemes, the sheer savvy of quarterback Chase Daniel, who had played in the sophisticated system years before coming to MU, and terrific talents on the receiving end who included Jeremy Maclin.
Chase Coffman, Martin Rucker and Tommy Saunders.
"I think over time we just got really good at what we did," said Yost, adding that sometimes "we probably got away with just beating people with players" instead of the system.
In some ways, that was evident last year. With all of the aforementioned veterans gone, with Yost in his first year as coordinator and then-sophomore quarterback
But as much as losses to Nebraska (27-12), Texas (41-7) and Navy (35-13) might offer a template for others to shut down MU, Yost stresses the opposite as well: that MU will learn from those moments
Blaine Gabbert hobbled half the season with an ankle injury. MU's production dropped dramatically.
as much as others might.
Mizzou obviously has plenty more to work on at this juncture, particularly finding reliable receivers with the four projected starters (including tight end Michael Egnew) against Illinois having a total of 33 career receptions among them.
It also has to re-establish a running threat, which was considerably reduced last year despite the fact the Tigers actually had a more
balanced pass-run ratio (467-444) than the year before (565-417). MU's 1,651 net rushing yards were its fewest since gaining 1,295 in 1994.
Between being slightly heavier, contending with a knee injury and line breakdowns, leading rusher Derrick Washington went from a 5.9-yard average in 2008 to 4.6 last year. A sleeker, quicker Washington has appeared in camp.
NATIONAL
Dismissed Washington tight end will suit up for Nebraska
MCCLATCHY-TRIBUNE
TACOMA, Wash. — Kavario Middleton bounced back from all the pad-to-pad knocks, the violent helmet-to-helmet collisions and the other body-cracking thumps he took with the University of Washington football team.
The blow that sent the tight end reeling was the one delivered July 20 - a dismissal from the team for reckless behavior. The team termed it a violation of its rules.
Sources later confirmed that Middleton had failed multiple drug tests instituted by campus officials.
After he was downcast and unsure about his future, Middleton's hopes of playing college football are on the upswing this week. He will soon travel 1,700 miles to join his next team — the University of Nebraska — at his new home in Lincoln, Neb.
"I'm definitely relieved, overjoyed — all of that. Rejuvenated." Middleton said. "It ites like a breath of fresh air to me to go to a big school, and a great program. I feel blessed."
While all the paperwork has not been finalized, signs point toward this new chapter in Middleton's life as being close to official. He was optimistic when he spoke about the change this week in an exclusive interview with The Tacoma News Tribune.
"There's definitely a sadness," he said. "This is my home. ... It's hard to leave all of this behind."
The result is bittersweet. Thankful for another opportunity at Nebraska. Middleton also regrets how his Huskies tenure ended.
Middleton was one of the key returning players new coach Steve Sarkisian was counting on in 2009. The tight end responded with a career-high 26 catches, including three TDs, for the Huskies (5-7).
"For me, I was still being around home," Middleton said. "I was being around my family and friends, and I didn't have a chance to be on my
own, and be focused."
Middleton did not deny the claims that he failed drug tests during the offseason.
"I really don't know how to explain it," he said.
As for Washington's decision to let him go, Middleton does not harbor any ill will, especially toward Sarkisian.
"I did get a fair shake." Middleton said. "Sark ... went to bat for me. We have a great relationship."
"I haven't reached out to anybody because they're in (fall) camp," he said. "When things settle down and when my situation becomes official, I'll reach out to them and
Middleton said, he has not had much contact with his ex-teammates. He's talked to receiver Jordan Polk, his old roommate.
give them my best wishes."
He researched his options for a football future. Dave Miller, his coach at Lakes High in Tacoma, called recruiters who had been interested in Middleton as a prep player.
Interestingly, it was Cornhuskers tight ends coach Ron Brown who contacted Miller. Defensive coaches had been reviewing film of Washington in preparation for the teams' Sept. 18 game at Husky Stadium, and were impressed by what they saw of Middleton.
Miller first phoned Charlie Baggett, the former Washington receivers coach (2007-08), at the University of Tennessee. He called schools in the Northwest, including Montana, Eastern Washington and Central Washington.
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