You know, I’m really digging this whole Urban-Meyer-is-so-going-to-run-the-I-formation meme that’s been making the rounds of late.
Spencer Hall chimes in.
… If throwing the I-formation in every three series keeps defensive coordinators from zeroing in on your tendencies, do it.
Yes, please.
Listen, I was as skeptical as anyone about whether Meyer’s offense could be successfully imported into the SEC, but after last year, when his team averaged more points per game in conference play than it did in non-conference games, it’s obvious that it’s clicked. Now whether that’s due to the scheme or to the fact that the GPOOE™ is, well, the GPOOE™, it seems to me that grabbing ahold of an offensive formation that’s fairly alien to what Meyer’s been accustomed to running for the last decade as a life preserver is sort of doubling down on making sure that 2010 isn’t going to be the raging success that last year was.
But, hey, if that’s what you guys want, don’t let me stop you.
Of course, the truly cynical side of me suspects there’s another agenda at work here. Another agenda? Let’s just say I’d love to get Jesse Scroggins, he of the “They said they’re changing the offense after (Tim) Tebow graduates to a more drop back style offense and they brought in Scott Loeffler to be the OC there and that’s the kind of offense he has always run so I know it will be a good fit for me” quote, and Solomon Patton in a room together to discuss the Gator offense of the future.
Why Patton? He’s Florida’s latest commitment, about which Chris Low has to say this:
… The other thing of note with Patton is that he’s one of those prospects who sees himself playing the “Percy Position” that Percy Harvin made famous in the Gators’ spread offense. It’s a recruiting tool that figures to keep on giving for the Gators, especially with critics of the spread saying some recruits might shy away from that offense because it’s so different from what most teams are running in the NFL.
I don’t know how the man keeps his stories straight, but he’s obviously good at it.
Get The Picture 
It’s easy to do when you’re at Linebacker U.
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If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it. I really want to know who the SEC coach was that said “I hope they screw him up”, referring to Tebow. Make that two of us.
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I know I am in a minority position here, but I like the new offenses I see in CFB. (I don’t consider them Meyer’s offense, he wasn’t even close to being the innovator.) Watching UF, Wake, WVU, Oregon, etc., line up in different formations, utilize motion and misdirection, direct snaps to RBs is just fun to me. It also allows teams that traditionally cannot attract enough athletes to be competitive to pull a few upsets. I would also include Texas Tech’s offense in this “spread offense”category, but prefer the slight of hand and razzle/dazzle of the ground attacks. From ground level camera angles you can see how difficult it is to defense.
I am generally a traditionalist and happy that UGA runs an “old fashioned”, time-tested offensvie scheme but as a spectator I like the versatility. UGA benefits from the fallout of athletes who prefer to prepare for the NFL (like Murray), and it is nice to succeed without being considered “gimmicky”.
It is interesting to watch the feeder levels to the NFL (HS and CFB) change to a system that is so dramatically different than what the pros utilize. While the NFL has taken a hard line publicly about this, players like Tebow, Vick, and Pat White will put pressure on the status quo. It is still about winning and this style offense can work at any level, especially as a change of pace or hybrid. It may never be more than 25% of the total offensive package, but it takes a disproportionate amount of time for a DC to prepare for teams who utilize multiple offensive looks.
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I hope it’s not a minority position. One thing that makes college football so much better than the pro version for me is the variety and creativity that’s displayed on offense.
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whats gimicky? is the wildcat gimicky? is handing the football to players who run sub 4.4 40s gimicky? i guess in the mid to late 90s when uga used hines ward all over the place they were being gimicky too?
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I believe a good coach plays whatever system fits the talent he has and gives his team the best opportunity to win.
That being said, I would LOVE to see gainesville have to play meaningful minutes without #15. I do not want him to get seriously hurt, just to have his bell rung well enough to get somebody else in there with the game in doubt.
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When you recruit at the level Florida does, you can play whatever system you want. 😉
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Agreed, to a degree.
The state of Florida provides more than ample opportunity to recruit burners that can receive a handoff and make the edge. But many of them can only learn/remember a handful of plays, not to mention lacking the ability to block or catch. Furthermore, I do not really think that Florida has out recruited us by any measurable means. In fact, over the long run, I suspect we recruit more NFL caliber football players.
What gainesville does on an annual basis is limit their players exposure to the possibility of injury. They accomplish this in their scheduling, to be sure, but they also put a lot of points up aginst conference foes and rest players.
They have put together quite a remarkable run, but I imagine three QBs from now, #15 will be garnering far more credit than Corch or his recruiting prowess.
JMHO
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What they also do, whether we want to admit it or not, is play loose and fast on the biggest stages, whereas we do just the opposite. I don’t know if that’s a cultural thing at the high school level in FL that carries over, or if it’s a confidence thing that is borne out of the program. What’s not debatable is that when the white hot spotlight is put on UF and UGA, they embrace it and thrive whereas our guys wet the bed.
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uf has some of the best blocking recievers…the tape doesnt lie…
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