The Beast of an Offense

Over the past few years the spread option offense has been getting a lot of attention around college football. The spread option is a variant of the spread offense and falls between the flexbone and traditional pass-oriented offense. But what exactly makes it so deadly?

The driving force behind the offense is the theory of "defensive isolation." The formations are created in order to create mismatches which favor the offense. The offense spreads the field with three to five wide receiver sets. This is done in order to create space for the receivers. The more room they have to maneuver the better chance they can up big yards after the catch. The sets also try to get a receiver matched up against a linebacker, a mismatch which the offense can exploit. The theory is really simple. Get your fastest most athletic players on their slowest and least athletic players (minus lineman).

In order to help negate the athleticism of the defense, as well as keep them guessing, the offense usually runs double to triple options in conjunction with passing plays. This combo keeps the defense in their positions and forces them to remain on their assignments. These precious seconds that the offense gains when the defense waits to react can be the difference between a three yard loss or a touchdown.

Another layer to the offense is the QB read. This play requires an speedy QB who is not afraid to run around. During the play the QB "reads" the defense (usually the safetys and linebackers) and decides whether to hand it off or tuck it under and run themselves. This play was run to perfection by Vince Young three years ago.

The spread option has a number of variations. Wake Forest employs a number of reverses and double reverses in order to open up big plays. Urban Meyer has perfected his spread option, which lead him to a national championship. Meyer runs almost every play out of the shotgun and gives his QB (Tim Tebow) the freedom to do anything with the ball.

Terrelle Pryor was this year top QB recruit because he has the ability to run the spread option

Some football purists are still skeptical of the offense but it is really taking over the college game. From the top tier teams like Florida and Michigan to lowly division III schools the spread option is becoming a force in college football. Heck, this years top football prospect, Terrelle Pryor, was regarded so highly because he has the rare combo of speed and arm strength to run this type of offense.