Mean Green Nation

I learned of this via the DRC. You can read the Austin-American Statesman's account here. This pretty much means that nothing is changing very much. Well, that is if you believe that Todd Dodge is the true offensive coordinator. Whether or not PapaDodge is doing the play calling on gameday or not is really kind of irrelevant. This is Todd Dodge's offense. Todd Ford ran Todd Dodge's offense. If Ford has a similar one --which is very likely after being part of it for the last six years or so-- it is because PapaDodge taught him.

So, although Dodge wants to 'look outside', we are not going to see a radical difference in offensive philosophy unless the guy that comes in here has a crapload of credibility like Paul Johnson. Notice he is looking for 'spread guys' from 'program[s] like us?'

I really don't like to get hung up on schemes although I've always liked the AirRaid because it was different, interesting and I think when its run well it is probably the most exciting offense in football. I've argued somewhat ineloquently--as I am wont to do-- that being different would be an advantage for UNT. In the last five years the spread offense is not very different at all. In fact, it has become very mainstream. Texas Tech had the first mover advantage and I would argue that that is what made them competitive, if only once every few years. We probably cannot duplicate that kind of success just by putting four and five wideouts on the field every down and think we are going to get favorable matchups all game. If you want to read what is probably one of the best pieces on Tech and Leach's role there, read this. My favorite part:

College football fans cared about him -- and by extension Texas Tech -- because he was completely different than anyone we'd ever seen coaching before. Sure, his teams were successful, but not that successful. There are plenty of top 15 programs that nobody cares about. I'll watch Oklahoma State play Oklahoma, but otherwise, they're not on my radar. But Texas Tech? People will watch, solely because they know that Mike Leach and his offense will make things interesting. He had the people all across the country talking about Texas Tech.

And in the end, that's his job. It's not to win the Big 12 or win National Championships like Mack Brown or Bob Stoops. Those would be great, but from the administration's standpoint, the goal is to enhance the overall profile of the school. That's why they hired Bobby Knight after multiple instances of abusive behavior, the likes of which make Mike Leach's shed seem tame. But it wasn't Knight that got the whole country talking; it was this quirky, weird looking ex-lawyer that nobody really understood, but everyone loved.

I like that. I figure if I was a better writer I could have expressed this very same thought like I wanted to back when I was trying to make the case for giving Dodge another year or two.


So, as I was saying, I don't really like to get caught up in schemes and offensive playcalling. At best an offense should use its players to the best of their abilities within the overall team philosophy. You are only limited by the talents of your players. So you need some kind of balance between your philosophy-- whether its triple option, west coast, spread option or airraid-- and the ability of your players to run said system. The best example of this is probably Bill Walsh. He ran the Don Coryell offense which required lots of 15 yard ins/outs. To run that thing you need a quarterback with a cannon arm. (The Cardinals, Mike Martz' Rams and Dennis Erickson run/ran a modern form of this system.) Well the guy on the Niners with a cannon arm got hurt so he had to stick Joe Montana in there. Joe was smart but didn't really have the arm to make the kinds of throws Walsh needed. So he modified the system to suit his new quarterback.*

*There is a whole lot more he did, too. Making the routes shorter was one of the many innovative things he did. Quick summary: he passed on first down, scripted the first 15 plays, and practiced the shit out of each play.

So that is why when fans start saying that the key to winning for us is a Tight End or more under-center plays I roll my eyes. Sure lots of teams have success with that. Sure its an effective way to run things. However, it doesn't necessarily fit with our system and our players. Unfortunately you don't get the same kind of talent at our type of school as at Texas. Look at their TE's this last decade: all in the NFL*. David Thomas, Jermichael Finley (who someone called probably the most athletic tightend in pro football) and Bo Scaife.

*Seems like it even if maybe its not completely true. Prolly missed a dude or two.

Without knowing Todd Dodge or how he works or how he coaches on a daily basis, I'd venture to say that he knows what the hell he is doing football wise. His baby:  that spread offense scores, and moves the ball. They don't look completely inept out there. They make mistakes and turn the ball over etc, but so does every team in the nation. Having said all that, what separates good coaches from bad ones, and winning coaches from losing ones is the ability to transfer knowlege. Its getting all your guys to buy into what your selling (that philosophy previously mentioned.) I heard Keith Brooking on the radio twice yesterday. He talked on and on defending Wade Phillips and how everyone in the locker room bought into the system and how he (Brooking) believes in it, along with the rest of the defense.

That part of Todd Dodge's coaching is the one I wonder about. There will always be people who don't completely buy in to the program. Look around your workplace. The trick is to get most of the guys to do it. Most of the whole and all of the ones who matter.

Next: After talking about how schemes don't matter a whole lot I will babble on about why we should change our defensive scheme. Doubletalk for the win!

Notes: read smartfootball's discussion on the tight end.