Football! Felt the need to make an actual thread discussing football in general. Something that doesn't depend on who is coaching the Buckeyes, or what the media is saying. This is strictly a football post, that relates to all of College Football, and it is a topic that relates directly to us Buckeye fans. Ralph Russo, who is a writer that I thoroughly enjoy following, posted an article discussing how College Football offenses are actually slowing down.
Hurry-up offense? More like hurry-up-and-wait.
The fast-paced, no-huddle offenses made fashionable by Chip Kelly, Rich Rodriguez and most of the Big 12, fueling a scoring frenzy in college football for more than a decade, are becoming less prevalent.
Last season scoring was down in college football, a drop of about a point and a half per game per team to 28.8, and the lowest mark since 2011 (28.3). But a deeper look into the numbers shows that defensive coordinators don’t have much to celebrate. Offenses are still performing at a high level. They were, generally, just operating more slowly in 2017. And there is reason to believe this is the new normal as the allure of playing fast dissipates.
We Buckeye fans are very familiar with this style, and we no doubt, have noticed a slow down in pace, most notably in the 2015 and 2016 seasons.
The reason I posted this thread, is because of people like my Grandpa, who do not understand what all the waiting is for. "Why in the world do they run up to the line, and then still nearly get a delay of game, every stinkin time?!" Well this is why,
This is the hurry-up-and-wait approach. By rushing to the line of scrimmage and making no substitutions, offenses get the benefit of forcing defenses to stick with the personel they have on the field.
“They’re getting lined up really fast so they have plenty of time left on the 40-second clock to see what you’re doing defensively,” said Pittsburgh coach Pat Narduzzi, a former defensive coordinator. “They all want perfect plays.”
When the Rich Rod and Chip Kelly's offenses were operating at full-strength, we saw them taking 15 or less seconds in between plays. They'd absolutely run defenses out of gas. However, teams started adjusting.
“I think defensive coaches have adjusted how they practice,” Troy coach Neal Brown said. “Some people use two scout teams and run multiple plays in a row. Even non-tempo teams play with tempo during the spring and fall camp to help the defense practice.”
Players who can fill multiple positions are now the norm for defenses, allowing coordinators to change formations without changing personnel — because defense can only substitute if the offense does. Every coach is looking for versatile players like Minkah Fitzpatrick and Jabrill Peppers, first-round NFL draft picks the last two years, who can comfortably move from cornerback to safety to linebacker to edge pass rusher.
Defensive coaches as getting their plays in faster, using one- or two-word calls, and building automatic checks into those calls for when the offense changes formations at the line.
We are accustomed to Ohio State's offense using the Hurry up and Wait strategy, but this is where we can notice how OSU's defense accounts for it. The Quarter's scheme, brought to OSU by Chris Ash, is known as the ideal spread offense equalizer. By running the same play on 1st and 2nd downs, not only does the defense not have to make substitutions, they also are not worried with the play-call from the sidelines. That's why you see OSU running only 3 possible looks, Base defense, the Nickel Package, or the Rushmen package. The latter two are primarily used in 3rd down situations when they have time to sub.
Watch this Oregon drive from the 2015 Title game.
By having athletic players such as Darron Lee, Ohio State is able to keep the same players, and run the same coverage, on every play, regardless of how Oregon lines up. Darron Lee can either be in the box, or shift out wide if needed. In fact, they even had a chance to sub before the 3rd down due to an offensive sub, but chose not too.
I enjoy little nuances like this, and hopefully some of you all do as well. It is always interesting to me how the game changes over the years. There are plays from just a few years ago that are out of the play-book now, or ran very infrequently due to defenses perfecting a way to stop it (pocket pass to H-back is an example).
I'm sure 5 years from now there will be another phenomenon that takes the game by storm. But like the Veer, Power I, Wishbone, and Hurry up, defenses will again find away to counter, and the Chess match will continue. A prime example why even the best coaches have to be willing to change with the times.
