The "Spread Offense" has got to go

[ISUonthemove]

It just doesn't make any sense to me that we try to run an offense that every single Big XII team builds their defense to stop. We will ALWAYS have inferior talent to all of the southern schools. Why not take their athleticism away on defense by going to more of a traditional, power offense? More like KSU and NDSU, not Iowa's. I think we have a better chance matching teams physically than athletically. We rarely win the turnover battle or time of possession. That is the only way we will ever have a chance.

I think the only reason KU and MU had success running the spread, several years ago, was because it was still new to college football and defenses weren't built to stop it. Not the case anymore.


Thoughts?

 

[joefrog]

While I agree somewhat, I think the bigger problem is the line. We need a bigger, more reliable line. Although running the spread means other teams are very familiar with what they are going to see. I am sure it makes defensive preparation a lot easier.

 

[Wesley]

I thought we had a #ProStyleSpreadOffense

 

[ISUKyro]

While I agree somewhat, I think the bigger problem is the line. We need a bigger, more reliable line. Although running the spread means other teams are very familiar with what they are going to see. I am sure it makes defensive preparation a lot easier.

Very true. You can never have a big enough front line.

 

[jdoggivjc]

I'm not necessarily convinced the spread offense has to go. I am 100% convinced that no offensive system would work with the kind of OL that this team has.

 

[Luth4Cy]

Next year will probably be Rhoads's last season, no way he makes any major schematic changes.

If/when we have a new coach then it will be discussed. I really don't think the scheme has a lot to do with the problems, but rather that a school like Iowa State with inferior talent needs to have great lines. On top of that, the players recruited need to fit perfectly with the scheme. K-State's players do, and that's why they are successful with inferior talent even though they run a spread offense.

 

[KidSilverhair]

I have my concerns about this as well. I just have never seen the read-option/pistol/spread work worth a damn at Iowa State. Is it talent? Coaching? Schemes? Play calling? I don't know, but it's been mostly pathetic for years now.

So many times it seems the wrong guy gets the ball on the option, or the quick out to the receiver gets blown up because nobody blocks, or the defender that's left unblocked (to read off of) ends up making the tackle anyway. I am not an offensive genius, I don't know what exactly is going wrong, but I do know these plays aren't unfolding the way they are drawn up on the board.

This style obviously isn't working. Is it, as I suspect, because we can't get the types of athletes to run it? Then we need to find an offense that can succeed with the types of players we can get. Whatever that might be - whether it be the I formation, the run and shoot, or the Wing T. I just hate watching the read option the way ISU runs it.

 

[ISUFan22]

lol

Scheme
QB
Coach

Simpleton fixes that fans often try to demand when the core issue is in the trenches. Lose in the trenches, lose the game.

Find me a game this season we won in the trenches. Even in the 2 games we won, we got pushed around too often up front.

 

[Lanny]

The problem is the transition from a spread offense would be rough. Long term I agree in a lot of ways that we need to do something different from everyone else but if we did make a change Rhoads and the entire staff would not still be around by the time they rebuilt the roster. If this staff wants to keep their job they have to stop trying to change what we are doing and focus on getting better at what we are doing. Hopefully a year of not changing the offense allows it to finally improve and then the light turns on for some players to improve dramatically.

 

[pratt42]

I never post but agree with the OP.

 

[norcalcy]

I'm not necessarily convinced the spread offense has to go. I am 100% convinced that no offensive system would work with the kind of OL that this team has.

THE most maddening thing of all of the Rhoads era. Offensive line development and play. They're big enough, average over 300 lbs. tackle to tackle, but can't run block (either that or we have backs who don't know how to run behind their blocks).

 

[deadeyededric]

THE most maddening thing of all of the Rhoads era. Offensive line development and play. They're big enough, average over 300 lbs. tackle to tackle, but can't run block (either that or we have backs who don't know how to run behind their blocks).

I will never understand why CPR thought he could turn every 2 star prospect into Jake Knott. JUCO players should have been a bigger part of the recruiting process since day one. The best freaking JUCO in the country is two hours west and we have only grabbed a handful of players from there. If your going to win at a place like ISU, you have to find ways to get talent here. Even Fred Hoiberg has to do this in basketball.

 

[CarlHungus]

This is why I think we need to go with a "gimmick" offense like the triple option. Others have mocked this idea, but all we're trying to do now is run the same offense as everyone else with much less talent. Hell, even Chris Williams and Mark Charter said the same thing on the most recent podcast

 

[brianhos]

Yeah, go back to the triple option. Worked great when we ran that under Walden.

 

[DuckDynastyCy]

It just doesn't make any sense to me that we try to run an offense that every single Big XII team builds their defense to stop. We will ALWAYS have inferior talent to all of the southern schools. Why not take their athleticism away on defense by going to more of a traditional, power offense? More like KSU and NDSU, not Iowa's. I think we have a better chance matching teams physically than athletically. We rarely win the turnover battle or time of possession. That is the only way we will ever have a chance.

I think the only reason KU and MU had success running the spread, several years ago, was because it was still new to college football and defenses weren't built to stop it. Not the case anymore.


Thoughts?

That only works if you have a dominant OL and Defense. We have neither.

 

[Senolcyc]

Mangino just got his VIP card at Hickory Park. He's not going anywhere.

 

[Wesley]

This is why I think we need to go with a "gimmick" offense like the triple option. Others have mocked this idea, but all we're trying to do now is run the same offense as everyone else with much less talent. Hell, even Chris Williams and Mark Charter said the same thing on the most recent podcast

The type of offense will not matter until you have an oline that can help runners. I have never seen such a stagnant oline for run blocking. They do fine on pass blocking, it is just that they cannot power through on runs.

 

[AWOL2000]

Yeah, go back to the triple option. Worked great when we ran that under Walden.

Back then there were a lot more people running it. So we were competing for the same recruits just like we are now with the spread. I'm not sure triple option is the way to go but the pinger point that I think you're missing is that if we do what everyone else is doing we will continue to be inferior in talent bc of recruiting.

 

[Wesley]

Mangino just got his VIP card at Hickory Park. He's not going anywhere.

Can they afford him?

 

[cycloneworld]

My issue continues to be that we do NOTHING well. We have no identity at all. We are typically getting recruits that are passed on by better teams (with a few exceptions obviously). I wish we had an identity that we could sell to better players.

Iowa has Oline and defense.
Tech has QBs.
Baylor has offense. Go there and you will light up the stat sheet.
Wisconsin has Oline and RBs.

We need something, anything to try and gain a recruiting advantage.