Comments on: All the cool kids run the spread http://www.barkingcarnival.com/henryjames/all-the-cool-kids-run-the-spread Mon, 01 Dec 2008 17:41:24 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.2.1 By: Joe Aggie http://www.barkingcarnival.com/henryjames/all-the-cool-kids-run-the-spread#comment-3934 Joe Aggie Thu, 25 Oct 2007 18:47:08 +0000 http://www.barkingcarnival.com/henryjames/all-the-cool-kids-run-the-spread#comment-3934 WoW WoW

]]> By: TaylorTRoom http://www.barkingcarnival.com/henryjames/all-the-cool-kids-run-the-spread#comment-3858 TaylorTRoom Thu, 25 Oct 2007 11:51:44 +0000 http://www.barkingcarnival.com/henryjames/all-the-cool-kids-run-the-spread#comment-3858 Back in the '30s, everybody ran the single wing. The northern teams generally focused on running plays, and the southern teams would throw it around a lot. The advantage of the single wing was that you could get a long gainer now and then. The disadvantage was that all of the pitching of the football led to a lot of turnovers. Then the "T" was invented, where the key play involved the QB under center, gliding along the line, reading the blocks for the best way to run the ball. He would keep, hand off to a FB, or hand off to a halfback. The QB was like a point guard. The "T" formation brought a steady, consistent running game and dramatically reduced turnovers. Within 10 years everybody except Tennessee and a few minor programs were running the "T". In that transition time, a lot of older coaches at big programs (Bible) retired, and a bunch of new coaches started legendary careers (Wilkinson, Royal). I think the spread is having a similar effect. It's taking over college football, and the innovative coaches are not yet done developing it. Back in the ’30s, everybody ran the single wing. The northern teams generally focused on running plays, and the southern teams would throw it around a lot. The advantage of the single wing was that you could get a long gainer now and then. The disadvantage was that all of the pitching of the football led to a lot of turnovers.

Then the “T” was invented, where the key play involved the QB under center, gliding along the line, reading the blocks for the best way to run the ball. He would keep, hand off to a FB, or hand off to a halfback. The QB was like a point guard. The “T” formation brought a steady, consistent running game and dramatically reduced turnovers. Within 10 years everybody except Tennessee and a few minor programs were running the “T”. In that transition time, a lot of older coaches at big programs (Bible) retired, and a bunch of new coaches started legendary careers (Wilkinson, Royal).

I think the spread is having a similar effect. It’s taking over college football, and the innovative coaches are not yet done developing it.

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