Who Invented the Spread Offense?

[DTP]

Great video on the history and variations of the offense that pretty much everyone runs from high school all the way through the NFL today

 

[Ziggy]

It was this man

 

[Moonman]

Thanks for that. He gives a whole lot of credit to Dennis Erickson for inspiring Urban, Mullen and Tiller. We kinda forget how innovative Erickson's offenses were because our defenses were so dominant back then.

 

[Empirical Cane]

Bart Starr's QB sneak in the Ice Bowl was an RPO call.

 

[Bender]

Bart Starr's QB sneak in the Ice Bowl was an RPO call.

And it was a "lets get the **** out of here" move signed by Lombardi himself.

 

[DTP]

View attachment 148618
It was this man

Spread Coast, baby!

 

[bshaw28]

That's a great video - thanks for posting

My 2 immediate thoughts were:

2005 - People clowning Urban Meyer saying the spread wouldn't work in the SEC because the defenses were too fast
2018 - People getting HYPED at Richt recruiting Fullback Realus George

Dinosaurs we are....so far behind the curve. Here's to hoping we finally catch up.

 

[Empirical Cane]

That's a great video - thanks for posting

My 2 immediate thoughts were:

2005 - People clowning Urban Meyer in 2005 for saying the spread wouldn't work in the SEC because the defenses were too fast.
2018 - People getting HYPED at Richt recruiting Fullback Realus George

Dinosaurs we are....so far behind the curve. Here's to hoping we finally catch up.

I would argue, under the right conditions, the best way to beat the spread is with big hogs up front and a stable of capable backs. Throw in quality WRs....

Natty.

Spread defenses arent built to stop beef and spread offenses cant score sitting on the sideline while the opponent's O is playing ball/clock control.

Somebody is going to figure that out.

 

[DTP]

That's a great video - thanks for posting

My 2 immediate thoughts were:

2005 - People clowning Urban Meyer in 2005 for saying the spread wouldn't work in the SEC because the defenses were too fast.
2018 - People getting HYPED at Richt recruiting Fullback Realus George

Dinosaurs we are....so far behind the curve. Here's to hoping we finally catch up.

I think every Miami fan has had that epiphany moment where you’re watching another 340 total yard, 24 point performance and said “why the **** does Miami keep trotting out a fullback instead of an extra wide receiver?” Eventually you get tired of saying “if we only had All Americans at every position on the offensive line, we could probably score more than 30 against an FBS team.” Meanwhile you’re watching two star players at some G5 program light it up every week. Holy crap it took Miami a decade too long to step out of the 80’s.

 

[bshaw28]

I would argue, under the right conditions, the best way to beat the spread is with big hogs up front and a stable of capable backs. Throw in quality WRs....

Natty.

Spread defenses arent built to stop beef and spread offenses cant score sitting on the sideline while the opponent's O is playing ball/clock control.

Somebody is going to figure that out.

Paul Johnson is still available

 

[dycane]

Dennis Erikson was the first to do it and have huge success.

 

[DTP]

I would argue, under the right conditions, the best way to beat the spread is with big hogs up front and a stable of capable backs. Throw in quality WRs....

Natty.

Spread defenses arent built to stop beef and spread offenses cant score sitting on the sideline while the opponent's O is playing ball/clock control.

Somebody is going to figure that out.

Alabama tried that. They got blown out by Clemson’s spread and changed their entire philosophy the next year.

Besides “spread defenses” only exist to try to counter spread offenses because traditional defenses got demolished.

 

[bshaw28]

I think every Miami fan has had that epiphany moment where you’re watching another 340 total yard, 24 point performance and said “why the **** does Miami keep trotting out a fullback instead of an extra wide receiver?” Eventually you get tired of saying “if we only had All Americans at every position on the offensive line, we could probably score more than 30 against an FBS team.” Meanwhile you’re watching two star players at some G5 program light it up every week. Holy crap it took Miami a decade too long to step out of the 80’s.

Couldn't agree more.

As frustrating as Richt & Enos were - I thank them for being the final nail in our "Pro-Set" coffin.

 

[Tad Footeball]

View attachment 148618
It was this man

He just expanded what Patrick Nix actually created.

 

[DTP]

Dennis Erikson was the first to do it and have huge success.

Probably the first to do it at a major program. Guys were doing it for years at smaller schools but it was considered “gimmicky”

 

[Suhrthing]

Megan Mullen

 

[TemplarCane]

How would these spread variations succeed, or not, under the old NFL rules that allowed bump-and-run coverage down the field? Rule changes have consistently favored the offense.

 

[Acane4ever]

Thanks for that. He gives a whole lot of credit to Dennis Erickson for inspiring Urban, Mullen and Tiller. We kinda forget how innovative Erickson's offenses were because our defenses were so dominant back then.

i'm too lazy to google the quote but erikson was quoted as saying to an assistant on the first days of practice as the HC at The U that he could not believe all the talent on 1 team. he was awed. 63-9 was an excellent run.

 

[CaneSince4Ever]

Dennis Erikson was the first to do it and have huge success.

Nope. Archie Cooley did it before Erickson with His Satellite Express offense featuring Jerry Rice & Willie Totten as His QB...and He ran the hurry up offense down in, down out.

 

[TemplarCane]

Nope. Archie Cooley did it before Erickson with His Satellite Express offense featuring Jerry Rice & Willie Totten as His QB...and He ran the hurry up offense down in, down out.

Mississippi Valley State wasn’t a D1 college. There were several lower division programs running variations of the spread.