DDN
11/3
Big Ten assaulting end zones
Scoring, yardage way up this year as spread offense proliferates
By Doug Harris
Dayton Daily News
COLUMBUS | The Big Ten always had been a place where fullbacks could find a home. But the conference that once prided itself on being the last bastion of smashmouth football is making the position obsolete.
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<!-- inset --> <!--begintext--> While other leagues were quicker to embrace spread-the-field offensive sets, even the power-oriented Big Ten is undergoing a paradigm shift.
"Somewhere in the last few years, we coaches figured out the field was 53 yards wide," Northwestern coach Randy Walker said. "We used to all play in a phone booth: Let's pack 'em all in here and see if we can scrum it up and move the ball.
"But the field is 120 yards long and 53 yards wide, and coaches said, 'Let's spread it out and see what happens.' "
What's happening this year is that the Big Ten is putting up some wildly prodigious offensive numbers.
After having had only one team in 109 years average more than 500 total yards per game — Penn State in 1994 — Michigan State (532.6), Northwestern (515.0) and Minnesota (501.2) are on pace to surpass that mark this season.
Scoring has spiked dramatically, too. Purdue led the conference with an average of 31.8 points last year, but Wisconsin (39.7), Michigan State (38.9), Minnesota (35.9), Penn State (35.7) and Northwestern (34.6) are easily eclipsing that figure this season. Ohio State (30.6) and Iowa (29.6) aren't far behind.
"Blame it on Joe Tiller," Penn State coach Joe Paterno said facetiously, referring to the Purdue coach who introduced the spread offense to the conference in 1997.
"I told Joe before our game last week, 'You're a pain in the backside. In the old days, if (your team) scored 17 points, you felt you could win. But you came in and changed everything around.' "
Even the stodgy Paterno has adopted the spread this season — and gotten magical results. With athletic senior Michael Robinson in the cockpit, the Nittany Lions are averaging 18 points more than they did a year ago.
Big Ten teams are averaging a collective 31.5 points this season, 6.1 more than in 2004 and their highest output in at least 15 years.
"When (Tiller) came in, people said, 'You're not going to be able to throw the ball in the Big Ten with the weather,' " Paterno said. "But now almost everyone in the Big Ten has a great indoor facility — not just for organized practice, but to go in and throw the ball around and get better at that.
"Look at the kids in the Big Ten from Florida and Texas. They wouldn't have come to the Big Ten in the old days if it wasn't for the kind of opportunities they have now because of the practice facilities."
Michigan coach Lloyd Carr, a former defensive coordinator, credits the surge in offense to an influx of dual-threat quarterbacks.
Robinson leads Big Ten QBs in rushing with 570 yards, but Ohio State's Troy Smith, Northwestern Brett Basanez, Michigan State's Drew Stanton, Purdue's Brandon Kirsch and Illinois' Tim Brasic have all netted at least 174 yards despite having their rushing totals reduced by sack losses.
"It all starts with the fact that we have a lot of veteran quarterbacks in this league, all of whom are having great years," Carr said. "Any time you have guys (with) great mobility and the ability to make plays with their legs, I think that really stresses a defense."
Although Ohio State has the top-rated defense in the conference, it probably would have had almost as much success against Minnesota last week if it had suited up 11 Elvis impersonators.
The Gophers racked up 578 total yards — the second most ever for a Buckeye opponent — in a 45-31 defeat.
OSU coach Jim Tressel believes the mass exposure of football on TV and the trend toward specialization in high school has made offensive players much more polished when they arrive on campus.
"They're more skillful at what they do, and they're doing it all year 'round at camps and combines," Tressel said.
"If you let a guy stand back there and pitch and catch, he will. And with the speed training and strength programs people have, they run the football hard. I just think it's a skillful time."
Big Ten scoring 2004 vs. 2005 Contact Doug Harris at 225-2125.
11/3
Big Ten assaulting end zones
Scoring, yardage way up this year as spread offense proliferates
By Doug Harris
Dayton Daily News
COLUMBUS | The Big Ten always had been a place where fullbacks could find a home. But the conference that once prided itself on being the last bastion of smashmouth football is making the position obsolete.
<!--endtext-->
<!-- inset --> <!--begintext--> While other leagues were quicker to embrace spread-the-field offensive sets, even the power-oriented Big Ten is undergoing a paradigm shift.
"Somewhere in the last few years, we coaches figured out the field was 53 yards wide," Northwestern coach Randy Walker said. "We used to all play in a phone booth: Let's pack 'em all in here and see if we can scrum it up and move the ball.
"But the field is 120 yards long and 53 yards wide, and coaches said, 'Let's spread it out and see what happens.' "
What's happening this year is that the Big Ten is putting up some wildly prodigious offensive numbers.
After having had only one team in 109 years average more than 500 total yards per game — Penn State in 1994 — Michigan State (532.6), Northwestern (515.0) and Minnesota (501.2) are on pace to surpass that mark this season.
Scoring has spiked dramatically, too. Purdue led the conference with an average of 31.8 points last year, but Wisconsin (39.7), Michigan State (38.9), Minnesota (35.9), Penn State (35.7) and Northwestern (34.6) are easily eclipsing that figure this season. Ohio State (30.6) and Iowa (29.6) aren't far behind.
"Blame it on Joe Tiller," Penn State coach Joe Paterno said facetiously, referring to the Purdue coach who introduced the spread offense to the conference in 1997.
"I told Joe before our game last week, 'You're a pain in the backside. In the old days, if (your team) scored 17 points, you felt you could win. But you came in and changed everything around.' "
Even the stodgy Paterno has adopted the spread this season — and gotten magical results. With athletic senior Michael Robinson in the cockpit, the Nittany Lions are averaging 18 points more than they did a year ago.
Big Ten teams are averaging a collective 31.5 points this season, 6.1 more than in 2004 and their highest output in at least 15 years.
"When (Tiller) came in, people said, 'You're not going to be able to throw the ball in the Big Ten with the weather,' " Paterno said. "But now almost everyone in the Big Ten has a great indoor facility — not just for organized practice, but to go in and throw the ball around and get better at that.
"Look at the kids in the Big Ten from Florida and Texas. They wouldn't have come to the Big Ten in the old days if it wasn't for the kind of opportunities they have now because of the practice facilities."
Michigan coach Lloyd Carr, a former defensive coordinator, credits the surge in offense to an influx of dual-threat quarterbacks.
Robinson leads Big Ten QBs in rushing with 570 yards, but Ohio State's Troy Smith, Northwestern Brett Basanez, Michigan State's Drew Stanton, Purdue's Brandon Kirsch and Illinois' Tim Brasic have all netted at least 174 yards despite having their rushing totals reduced by sack losses.
"It all starts with the fact that we have a lot of veteran quarterbacks in this league, all of whom are having great years," Carr said. "Any time you have guys (with) great mobility and the ability to make plays with their legs, I think that really stresses a defense."
Although Ohio State has the top-rated defense in the conference, it probably would have had almost as much success against Minnesota last week if it had suited up 11 Elvis impersonators.
The Gophers racked up 578 total yards — the second most ever for a Buckeye opponent — in a 45-31 defeat.
OSU coach Jim Tressel believes the mass exposure of football on TV and the trend toward specialization in high school has made offensive players much more polished when they arrive on campus.
"They're more skillful at what they do, and they're doing it all year 'round at camps and combines," Tressel said.
"If you let a guy stand back there and pitch and catch, he will. And with the speed training and strength programs people have, they run the football hard. I just think it's a skillful time."
