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Thursday, November 15, 2007

Offenses flying high

Potent attacks put opposing defenses in catch-up mode

By Ryan Wood

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KU defense up against ISU touchdown duo

The Kansas defense is preparing to face one of the top touchdown combinations in the country this weekend: Iowa State senior quarterback Brett Myer and senior wide receiver Todd Blythe.

Turnovers are where it's at

Much of the Kansas football team's success can be attributed to turnovers. While the offense takes care of the ball, the defense is taking it away.

Point totals on the rise

College football is going through an offensive explosion in 2007. The average number of points per game per team in the past five years:

2003.......... 26.9

2004.......... 26.6

2005.......... 26.9

2006.......... 24.4

2007........... 28.4

Kansas University's football team dropped 76 points on Nebraska earlier this month, gave up 39 and made headlines for winning a game featuring an unheard-of 115 points.

Amazingly, that total was blown away seven days later. North Texas and Navy exploded for 136 points last week in a 74-62 Navy victory in Denton, Texas.

Combined with yet another example, a 73-31 Nebraska win over Kansas State last week, the question begs to be asked: What on earth is going on in college football?

"We complain all the time about it as defensive coaches," KU defensive coordinator Bill Young said. "Every rule change that's made is to improve the game from an offensive standpoint."

Another one was added this past offseason, when the kickoff was moved back to the 30-yard line. That allows for more returns and better field position.

Even before that rule, it was clear that this definitely is an offensive era in college football. The chess game puts the pressure back on coaches like Young to stay on their toes and find answers to new rules, bigger athletes and more innovative approaches to attacking defenses like his.

"I'm not complaining. It's good for our offense, too," Young said. "The thing that's really happened that's changed football the last few years - and our offense has been on the cutting edge of it - they're calling plays from the press box, and they can look down and see if the defense has a weakness, a misalignment or anything.

"You've got to coach this for hours on end."

The spread offense that's, ahem, spreading across college football is making every inch of field vulnerable for attack. The offense of No. 4 Kansas (10-0) is a prime example as it prepares for Saturday's game against Iowa State.

The new-look attacks have made one gift a premium while college coaches comb the nation looking for recruits.

"You have to have tremendous speed on the defensive side of the ball because the game is being played in space quite a bit," KU coach Mark Mangino said. "One of the key things is the teams that are rushing the passer can do it with four guys. It's an advantage for them. If you have to rush more than four, you're putting your defense, your secondary people, in a tough position."

Young has an advantage in that his defense works against an innovative, high-powered offense every day in practice - and one that does sideline audibles that have started to become more common in the game.

Both Young and offensive coordinator Ed Warinner work together, too, picking each other's brains to figure out what causes problems and what can be done to solve them.

Defenses have come up with some answers recently, such as the zone blitz, which allows a defense to rush the passer without using man-to-man coverage.

Ultimately, though, it comes down to the high tides and low tides between the two units. And right now, offenses are flooding the beach.

"Everything cycles in football," Warinner said. "Eventually, there'll be some (defensive) answers."

But not right now. Until the defenses catch up, 100-plus point games might be more common than anyone ever could have imagined.

Warinner, for one, is striking while the iron is hot. Because he knows it won't be forever.

"I don't know when," Warinner said, before cracking a smile. "I hope not soon."

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Comments

ku_fan25 (anonymous) says...

No. 72 player in the country cyrus gray
DeSoto, Texas, running back Cyrus Gray has been one of the most dominating players in the Lone Star State for the past two seasons and for his efforts he's rewarded with a spot in the Rivals100. Gray moves into the No. 72 spot. Gray is one of the few top uncommitted players left on the board in Texas.
http://footballrecru...

November 15, 2007 at 8:01 a.m. ( | suggest removal )

kranny (anonymous) says...

Kufan25, your link isn't working for me. Does it work for you when you click it from the comments board?

November 15, 2007 at 9:37 a.m. ( | suggest removal )

AzHawk97 (anonymous) says...

I'm guessing the dip in 2006 was caused by the clock running on kicks and change of posessions, thus limiting the number of plays ran. So a big jump was to be expected this year when the rules were changed back.

November 15, 2007 at 9:47 a.m. ( | suggest removal )

ku_fan25 (anonymous) says...

kranny it doesnt work ill go back and get it and repost it again but check him out

November 15, 2007 at 10:17 a.m. ( | suggest removal )

ku_fan25 (anonymous) says...

http://rivals100.rivals.com/viewprosp...

November 15, 2007 at 10:18 a.m. ( | suggest removal )

pmohr13 (anonymous) says...

if you watch his highlights he lines up at QB almost all the time

November 15, 2007 at 10:42 a.m. ( | suggest removal )

ku_fan25 (anonymous) says...

yeah, he does and the dumb thing is the defense doesn't know hes running it every time lol. and when he drops back to pass he waits for the defense to defend the pass then takes of.f i hope this kid comes to ku

November 15, 2007 at 11:35 a.m. ( | suggest removal )

JBurtin (anonymous) says...

He's good, but I think #1 on our running back list is probably Jeff Brinson. He's the leading rusher in the state of Florida, yet is still being snubbed in terms of rankings. He's 15 lbs. heavier than Gray and very hard to stop coming through the line.

Four stars make your recruiting class look good on the recruiting sites, but the analysts on those sites don't really know how to evaluate talent. They just pick the star ratings based on which teams are going after a guy.

If Texas is recruitng somebody, it's automatically assumed that they must be incredible. Our coaches haven't always been able to get the top guys on their lists in terms of recruiting, but when they do, can anyone deny that our coaching staff is made up of some of the best talent evaluators in the nation.

Don't get me wrong, our coaches are obviously after Cyrus Gray or he wouldn't have us on his list. I just ask that people not get so many stars in their eyes, or get disappointed when we don't sign these supposedly high-rated recruiting classes. Our coaches know how to get their team ranked high in the only way that really matters.

#3 in the nation and climbing.

November 15, 2007 at 5:06 p.m. ( | suggest removal )

JBurtin (anonymous) says...

Perfect example,

Trevor Marongelli verballed to us last week. He was rated as a 2-star offensive tackle and was listed as 6-3 when he first verballed. The only reason why he has been passed over by some of the "major" programs in the nation is because he's 1 inch too short and maybe 10 pounds too light for the prototypical offensive tackle.

The funny thing is, he has been playing against the supposed 4 and 5 star guys in Texas and beating the hell out of them. Watch his videos and you'll see what I mean.

Now that KU is ranked #3 in the BCS the recruiting sites have finally started to respect the talent evaluators at Kansas. They bumped Marongelli up to a 3-star and he has magically grown an inch in height in the past week.

I guarantee that this kid is still 6-3 and is still being passed over by "bigger" programs because of it. I could care less, he's a stud and will not be intimidated when he goes back to Texas and beats the hell out of the same guys he beat in high school.

Take my word for it. I've been watching these recruiting sites very closely for the last few years. Guys that sign with Texas go from 2 star nobodies and magically turn into 4 star studs in a matter of days every year.

Their recruiting rankings are simply following the status quo.

Our bcs ranking proves it.

November 15, 2007 at 5:25 p.m. ( | suggest removal )

troutsee (anonymous) says...

As I've said before, our coaching staff takes 2 and 3 star recruits and turns them into 4 and 5 star recruits. Callahan and Brown take 4 and 5 star recruits and turn them into 2 and 3 star recruits.

Texas is a joke this year and does not deserve to be in a BCS game but probably will be. TU has had narrow victories over powerhouses like Arkansas State, Central Florida, Nebraska, Okie State, and TT. Of course, we all know what the famous Black Shirts have done.....nothing and yet, if they beat CU, NU will be bowl eligible. Please, please football gods, do not let that happen.

November 15, 2007 at 5:52 p.m. ( | suggest removal )

100 (anonymous) says...

respect iowa state! They are for real! ku fans: cover the hill in blue!!!! Rock Chalk Jayhawk!!!

November 16, 2007 at 1:14 a.m. ( | suggest removal )

JBurtin (anonymous) says...

It doesn't really matter one way or the other on the NU/CU game. It is the last game of the season for both teams and both of them have 5 wins. The winner goes bowling, the loser stays home. Since neither is our chief rival, who really cares?

I worked it out the other day and if NU wins that game and K-State loses to Missou, then K-State would get left in the same situation as we were last year. They could win their final game against Fresno State and get to six wins, yet still get left out of a bowl.

Here's how it works out:

There are nine bowl games associated with the Big Twelve, but two of them (Gator and Sun) only take a Big Twelve when the other doesn't. The Gator is contracted to pick a Big Twelve team 2 out of every 3 years, the Sun takes a Big Twelve team only when the Gator doesn't. So that leaves 8 bowl games available for the Big Twelve each year.

Six teams are already eligable:
Kansas
Missouri
Oklahoma
Texas
Texas A&M
Texas Tech

One will likely become eligable this week:
Oklahoma State over Baylor

Nebraska and Colorado play each other. The winner becomes the eighth team with bowl eligability, the other goes home.

So as long as Oklahoma State takes care of business against Baylor, they will have six wins and a tie-breaker over K-State.

Then if Nebraska beats Colorado (very possible as it seems they have found an offense). Then they will have six wins and a tie-breaker over K-State.

That means there will be eight Big Twelve team with either a better record than K-State, or holding a tie-breaker over them.

So no matter what the outcome of the K-State/Missou game is next week, KU will probably have something big to cheer about. If KU takes care of business against Iowa State then either K-State beats Missou and gives us the North OR Missou beats K-State and likely knocks them out of bowl contention.

I wonder if they're enjoying their "moral victory" over Auburn in Manhattan right now? Boy I sure wish we had played a tougher non-conference schedule like the geniuses at K-State.

November 16, 2007 at 2:54 a.m. ( | suggest removal )

JBurtin (anonymous) says...

troutsee,

I have to disagree

My point is that Brown and Callahan are picking up guys that never really were 4 or 5 stars. They were simply the right height, weight and speed to play the position. They got over-rated because of the color of the shirt that the coach was wearing when he came to recruit them.

Meanwhile, our guys never really were 2 or 3 stars. These are tough kids that kicked the crap out of Nebraska and Texas' recruits in high school and were passed up on for stupid reasons. Mangino didn't turn them into 4 and 5 star players. Mangino is just better at recognizing talent when he sees it.

The proof in the pudding is in the eating.

Mangino was the recruiting coordinator at K-State during their rise to national prominence. Then did the same thing for Oklahoma, taking them to an undefeated national championship.

Mangino had much more to do with the success of those teams than people give him credit for. He's the one that dug up all of that talent for two programs that were struggling when he arrived.

November 16, 2007 at 3:06 a.m. ( | suggest removal )