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A Pet Theory on Offense

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buckeye phi's picture
June 10, 2016 at 2:12pm
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As a counterpart to A Pet Theory on Defense, here is a Pet Theory on Offense.  Like the defensive theory, this one involves hybrid players.  In this case, the players are Curtis Samuel and Dontre Wilson, but it's acknowledged up front that a couple of other players could qualify. 

Based on Wilson's battle with a nagging foot injury initially suffered the season before last - another player could indeed end up filling his role in this scenario.  But in the meantime, let's hope for the best and go with Wilson for the purposes of this exercise. 

The theory's very basis is dependent on those players' ability to to perform at more than one position at an elite level.  Of course, they wouldn't qualify as H-backs in an Urban Meyer offense if that was not the case.

Several times during spring drills Meyer said both Curtis Samuel and Dontre Wilson will be getting reps at running back this season.  Naturally, that would be in addition to the reps each should be getting at H-back.  This is about the possibilities in those instances in which they're in the the game at the same time. 

Through last second shifts and some motion, it could become difficult for a defense to identify which player is playing which position quickly enough to avoid some confusion. 

Think of the possibilities.  For instance, in one scenario, both players could initially line up flanked out but one could make a pre-set shift in to the backfield after which the other player motions in to the backfield immediately pre-snap, as well 

Since each player will have played each position before, how would the defenders know which one is the running back and which one is the H-back?  And don't think for a minute it doesn't make a difference. The best part is, JT Barrett would get to watch how the defense is adjusting while this is happening - so he'll have a pretty good idea who the defense thinks is whom. 

Obviously, any confusion the offense can create - even if it's only for an instant - can be a big advantage.  Perhaps even more importantly, this could be used to create significant mismatches.  If in this scenario, a defense is caught in a base 4-3-4, for example, there's an excellent chance Curtis Samuel or Dontre Wilson could get isolated with a linebacker in coverage.  Visualize that for a moment. 

It would be a safety, at the very least.  Either way, it's a mismatch. 

Both Samuel and Wilson are in that 200lb range now.  If a team reacts by going to a nickel, that would be a pretty good advantage over most nickels and/or corners when it comes to run blocking.  At least, Meyer has said he's hoping Wilson will get to 200lbs for this season.  Who knows?  Perhaps with something like this in mind.  He's already over 190, by the way. 

One of the great advantages to this is that while it could create headaches for opposing defenses - it would be very simple for the offense to implement.  As mentioned above, most of the potential confusion and mismatches would be created through pre-set shifts and motion.  Once that's done, the actual plays themselves would not necessarily have to be any different than the plays the offense would normally run.  Only the roles of Samuel and Wilson (and of course, Barrett) would change from play to play.

There are numerous ways this could be used just mixing and matching those two.  Now consider even more possibilites by including the z receiver.  As most 11Wers know, even though he's split wide (typically, to the strong side), the "z" is technically a member of the backfield in our base formation (if there really is such a thing as a base formation these days). 

Parris Campbell has been playing wide receiver - but he started out as a running back.  He's known as one of the fastest players on the team, of course - but he also has the requisite size at 6'1, 205lbs to pose a legitimate threat in the running game. 

Now, we could have three players involved in the mahem.  But it would only look like mahem to the defense.  Again - other than the pre-snap stuff, the actual plays the offense runs wouldn't have to change at all. 

While the roles would switch between Samuel, Wilson and Campbell - they'd know that ahead of time.  And they've all played every position involved - so they'd each already know exactly what to do for every play.  No one else on the offense other than JT would need to do anything differently than they normally would.

It would be on JT to make the right read and get the offense in to the right play.  Since it's a no-huddle offense to begin with, he'd be performing that role at the line of scrimmage, anyway. 

The point is, that with hybrid and hybrid-capable players like Samuel, Wilson and Campbell, there are countless possibilities offensively.  Naturally, something like this wouldn't have a prayer of working without a smart, experienced quarterback like JT Barrett as well. 

Plus, unlike the last several seasons - without an established monster at running back this year - the offense wouldn't necessarily be giving up anything to go with such an approach.  For that matter, Samuel may just wind up being the starting running back for the opener, anyway -

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