When I saw this article, I thought it was particularly interesting.
http://news.cincinnati.com/article/2009032...T0201/903290376
Evaluating players for the NFL Draft is always tricky for pro teams as offensive schemes come and go in the college game.
In the 1970s and '80s, the option and the wishbone were in vogue; in the '90s, it was the run-and-shoot.
Now the spread offense - a high-powered attack used by teams such as the UC Bearcats - is the latest style to cause fits for NFL personnel directors.
This year's draft class features the greatest number of players who have spent their college careers in the spread.
"It has affected us in a number of ways," Bengals offensive coordinator Bob Bratkowski said. "... It has made this year's evaluations a little harder. Some teams don't do anything traditional on offense, and that makes it harder to evaluate than, say, an Ohio State."
Last year, 31 of 65 schools in Bowl Championship Series conferences ran the spread as their primary offense, including UC. Ohio State, Kentucky and Louisville run some spread formations as part of their package.
The spread is a no-huddle approach that aims to, indeed, spread the field horizontally, using three-, four- or even five-receiver sets. In theory, the defense then is spread too thin, allowing for vertical seams up the field for the passing and running games to exploit.
"What's interesting is you can approach the spread in different ways," Colts president Bill Polian said during the NFL Scouting Combine. "You can approach the spread where you throw it the vast majority of the time; you can approach it where you run it 50-50 or maybe even a little more, the way Penn State does. (Joe Paterno's) in the spread, but he's still running the same running plays, which is great.
"Now, how that translates in the National Football League, on the one hand, the passing game from the shotgun you might say is the first cousin (of the spread). On the other, it's difficult to run a true, unadulterated spread with five receivers eligible all the time against the Steelers."
Some parts of the spread have taken root in the NFL through the Wildcat formation, in which the ball is snapped directly to a tailback, as popularized by the resurgent Miami Dolphins last season.
That's why versatile and speedy West Virginia quarterback Pat White all of a sudden has become a hot name on draft boards.
But can White - or the Wildcat - take root in the pro game, or is this just another flavor of the month?
"When evaluating players, it still comes down to their skill set and taking a lot of other things into consideration (such as the team's philosophy and what type of offense and defense it runs). There's still a lot of variables," said ESPN analyst Merril Hoge. "If a guy is fundamentally sound, you have a better shot of assessing his transition."
Lots of differences
A player's challenge in transitioning from the college spread to a pro offense is tied to his position.
For example, take the offensive line. In a pro-style offense, linemen use a mix of two-point (pass-blocking) and three-point (run-blocking) stances. But in the spread, linemen are farther apart and start in a two-point almost all the time.
That makes it difficult to evaluate how a tackle or guard can run-block.
"You have to watch a little more tape for an offensive tackle. Sometimes it takes the coaches going to a campus workout and putting our hands on them to see what type of strength they have," Bengals coach Marvin Lewis said.
Baylor's Jason Smith is hoping to prove doubters wrong. The offensive tackle is projected by many to be the best lineman on the board, and he could be the top overall pick.
"There's a lot of technique involved. You don't just walk out there and hit somebody," Smith said. "But once you get your hands on a guy and grab him and squeeze him and slam him, or whatever goes on in the trenches, it's a great feeling.
"Football is football. Zone scheme, man scheme, power scheme - you come off the ball and hit the guy in front of you. And win games."
Spread tight ends might have a steeper learning curve because rarely do they line up on the line or do any blocking. While many are impressed with the receiving skills of Missouri's Chase Coffman, they do wonder if he can block.
"I haven't done it that much, but I think I'll get the hang of it real soon," Coffman said. "A lot of them have seen me on film doing open-field blocking and see that I can possibly transition well to being aggressive and blocking on the line of scrimmage."
The skill positions
While receivers have seen their stock rise due to the spread, there are some questions about whether they can overcome the learning curves associated with NFL playbooks.
Because spread routes are mainly about running to a spot and getting open, most receivers in the spread have not truly mastered their position. So coaches don't know if a player can do a curl or an out route. And because spread wideouts don't run long, developing routes, it's unclear whether they're able to get separation in man-to-man coverage.
An exception to that might be Texas Tech's Michael Crabtree, who has been graded by scouts as an effective route runner.
"The only thing I'll have to adjust to is probably blocking, which I've been working real hard on that since the end of last season," Crabtree said during the combine. "I had a good blocking season, so it shouldn't be a problem."
Running backs also present their share of questions. In the spread, they line up next to the quarterback and get the handoff across the face of the signal caller. In a pro set, they take it from the QB as he backs away from center.
Also in the spread, running backs benefit from having more and wider running lanes, which makes finding openings easier. In the NFL, backs are expected to read plays to find - and create - their own seams.
And then there are the quarterbacks. When Utah's Alex Smith was made the top pick by San Francisco in 2005, many thought he would be a new type of quarterback in the NFL. Instead, he has been a bust, having played in 32 games in four seasons, totaling 19 passing touchdowns and 31 interceptions.
"It's a big (learning) process because a lot of these players don't really huddle anymore," 49ers general manager Scott McCloughan said. "I'm not saying a guy can't come in right away and be successful, because I think for a young quarterback their success depends a lot on the personnel around them and the situation they're put into. But there is a learning curve, and it's a big curve."
During the Senior Bowl, two of the three quarterbacks on the North squad, including Texas Tech's Graham Harrell, were out of spread offenses. Practices for the North team, which was coached by the Bengals staff, frequently featured fumbles as quarterbacks used to standing in the shotgun acclimated to taking the snap from center.
Another issue with spread quarterbacks is that they often make their throws to a predetermined target, which means very rarely do they have to make reads on progressions. They're also not your typical physical build for an NFL quarterback. Whereas the average is 6 feet 3, 225 pounds, Missouri's Chase Daniel, who has run the spread since high school, is 6-0, 218.
"The Bengals said they were in the shotgun 80 percent of the time," Daniel, who threw for 12,515 career yards and 101 touchdowns, said during the combine. "Someone's not going to draft me that goes under center every single snap and doesn't go in the gun at all. But I'm excited about the chance to learn a new offense."
On the defensive
The spread evolution is not confined to offenses. As more teams try to stop it, colleges are recruiting smaller and quicker players, especially on the defensive line. That has led to a rise in defensive ends in college who can play linebacker in the NFL.
"Defensively, everyone is recruiting for speed," said Bengals radio analyst Dave Lapham. "They're spreading out and have more one-on-one matchups. ... You don't see too many 6-3, 285-pound pass-rush guys like (2006 top draft pick) Mario Williams anymore."
NFL Network draft analyst Mike Mayock said pro teams have to figure out exactly what the college spread trend means for the pro game - and soon.
"The NFL guys I talk to on a daily basis are getting frustrated," Mayock said. "And I'm like, 'It's too bad, guys, because that spread offense is not going away.' "
. Where's the explosion? It could cost him on draft day.
I was high on him before but I'm getting a strong feeling that he'll a Faulk-like career - Kevin Faulk. I still think he'll be a nice player in PPR and things might work out if he goes to the right team, but I'm not holding my breath for him as much more than a 3rd down/RBBC back. He's got great hands so I do think he'll stick around the league but I don't seem him as a major fantasy player.
height shouldn't, because of the way they measure... but weight should have an impact... much easier for a 200 pound guy to get 3 feet off the ground than a 250 pound guy
