OMAHA, Neb. (AP) -The spread isn’t dead, but Missouri coach Gary Pinkel says the offense isn’t thriving like it was in recent seasons in the Big 12 and the rest of college football.
Defenses appear to be catching up to the dinking and dunking of the quick-pass offense, meaning it might not be long before a new fad crops up.
“It’s not based on empirical evidence, but I just sense so many people run versions of the spread offense – even I-formation teams – that people are getting better at defending it because they see it all the time,” Pinkel said Monday.
Pinkel’s comment came two days after his Tigers’ spread was limited to 99 yards passing in a 41-7 home loss to third-ranked Texas. Missouri, which had been averaging 405 total yards, generated 173 against the Longhorns.
Oklahoma and Nebraska also have shown a knack for slowing down the spread, but no one is doing it better than Texas of late.
The Longhorns have allowed an average of 166 total yards and 2.9 yards per play in their last four games, each against spread attacks.
t of anti-spread defenders an emphasis.
He said all players in the secondary, safeties included, must be able to be shut down receivers in man coverage. Linebackers have to be fast and able to cover running backs or receivers coming out of five-receiver sets. The linemen all must be effective pass rushers so the need for blitzing is reduced.
So if the spread goes away, what will be the next hot offensive trend?
Maybe it’ll be the spread option, a descendent of the triple-option that Tom Osborne used at Nebraska to hammer opponents for 25 years.
Iowa State coach Paul Rhoads tried without much success to defend Navy’s spread option when he was defensive coordinator at Pittsburgh two years ago. The father of the spread option, Paul Johnson, was coaching Navy then, and the Midshipmen rolled up 497 yards.
Johnson now coaches 11th-ranked Georgia Tech, which ran on 71 of 79 plays while beating Virginia Tech 34-9 last Saturday.
“I don’t care what level of football,” Rhoads said, “that offense has a chance to be successful and it could indeed be more commonplace as we move forward.”
Texas’ Brown said he’s not so sure fans would accept the spread option because they have been so accustomed to the excitement of passing offenses.
There also is another drawback, he said: “Would you be able to come from behind if you got down three touchdowns?”
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erback Tim Tebow apologized for not talking to the media after a rough outing in the Gators’ win last week over Mississippi State. At Texas, quarterback Colt McCoy said he’d never duck reporters after a bad game or a loss.
First, Texas officials wouldn’t let him, McCoy said.
Second, he says it’s his duty to be the public face of the program.
“If you play good or you don’t, you’ve got to go talk to the media. You’re the voice for all the fans, for everybody, to let them know what’s going on. That’s your job as a quarterback to do that,” McCoy said.
McCoy had one of his best games of the season last week, passing for 269 yards and three first-half touchdowns in a 41-7 win over Missouri.
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PLAYERS OF THE WEEK: Texas quarterback Colt McCoy was named offensive player of the week, and Iowa State teammates Jesse Smith and Mike Brandtner were defensive and special teams players of the week, respectively.
McCoy completed his first 11 passes on his way to a 26-for-31, 269-yard performance in a 41-7 win over Missouri. He threw for three touchdowns.
Smith made a team-high 12 tackles from his middle linebacker spot in the 9-7 win over Nebraska. He had two tackles behind the line, forced a fumbled and intercepted a pass.
Brandtner ran 20 yards for a first down on a fake punt, and he placed five kicks inside the Nebraska 20.
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rged at Texas Tech, and now coach Mike Leach faces another decision on who will be his starter against Kansas.
M. He was 18 of 25 for 146 yards and led two touchdown drives.
Taylor Potts started for the first time since sustaining a concussion Oct. 3 and threw two interceptions as Tech fell behind, prompting fans to chant “No more Potts” in the second quarter.
“I ignore that,” Leach said. “I’m going to play whoever I think is the best guy. I guess it’s free speech.”
Leach, as usual, said this week’s starter – Potts or Doege – would be a game-time decision.
Steven Sheffield, who led Tech to a 31-10 road win over Nebraska two weeks ago, is out after injuring a foot against the Cornhuskers.
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M became the second Big 12 team with remarkable week-to-week turnarounds.
The Aggies lost at Kansas State 62-14 on Oct. 17 before that 52-30 win at Texas Tech.
Kansas State lost at Tech 66-14 on Oct. 10 before beating the Aggies by 48.
What gives?
“With college kids in particular, they get midterm exams and a lot going on,” Aggies coach Mike Sherman said. “Any week can present any scenario.”
out opponents.
“In college football nobody knows the extent of injuries, who’s healthy, who’s playing hurt, what guys are playing different positions,” he said. “You don’t have the full extent of what a team is presented with to mix and match.”
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EXTRA POINTS: Baylor has scored 24 points in its 0-3 Big 12 start. That is its fewest over a three-game league stretch since scoring 16 over three games in 2005. … Colorado coach Dan Hawkins says Tyler Hansen remains his starter, even though backup Cody Hawkins played some against Kansas State. … Iowa State has allowed 17 points the past two games, the best two-game conference stretch since they gave up a total of seven points to Kansas and Kansas State in 1978. … Kansas’ Kerry Meier has at least two catches in 28 consecutive games and Dezmon Briscoe has at least two in 25 consecutive games.
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