forums

Offensive Philosophy in 2013

bigsonnyu

bigsonnyu

Sophomore
Joined
Jun 9, 2012
Messages
957
Well....as we come down the stretch of another recruiting cycle, one has to wonder what next year’s offense is going to look like with or without certain recruits (A. Collins & S. Coley).

We all know we have talented WR’s, a bunch of returning starters on the OL, as well as the strong armed S. Morris at QB. However, even with the talented Duke, there are some concerns with the RB position… Duke is a playmaker, but he needs to be protected, in order to make it through an entire season; especially in a pro-style offense.

So, it’s fair to say that Duke isn’t an every down back (For those that don’t comprehend well: I’m not hating on Duke - I love the guy). Now, to be honest, I have some concerns with Alex Collins as well.

Being that Collins is a younger guy, his body is still going to have to adapt to the next level. Adapt to what you might ask? The number of hits he’s going to take from guys that are bigger, faster, stronger; for a longer period of time…

So with two guys that don't have the body of a Mike James, what is a team to do? Change philosophy!!!

If any of you know football, you know it’s about numbers and personnel when it comes down to X’s & O’s. Having a FB brings another LB in the box. But if you spread the field, backs like Duke and Collins have more room to dance and do their thing between the tackles. Both Duke and Collins would absolutely thrive in a singleback set, IMO…

Yes, Miami has been known for running a Pro-Style offense for years, but let’s not forget that Dennis Erickson proved that we can in a singleback set as well. IMO, the moves that are being made seem to be leaning towards the adjustment. (Note: Singleback set = 3WR’s, 1TE)

Before we knock it, let’s check a few things:

Alex Collins played in a singleback offense in H.S. The other schools Alex Collins is considering (FSU & ARK/WIS) also employ what? A singleback set. James Coley at FSU helped employ what kind of offense? Singleback set. We only have one scholarship senior FB on the team, which points to a future of what? Singleback set!!!

Based on our Roster (not emotions) what do you guys think? Pro-style offense -or- Singleback offense.
 
Last edited:
Advertisement
bigsonnyu said:
Well....as we come down the stretch of another recruiting cycle, one has to wonder what next year’s offense is going to look like with or without certain recruits (A. Collins & S. Coley).

We all know we have talented WR’s, a bunch of returning starters on the OL, as well as the strong armed S. Morris at QB. However, even with the talented Duke, there are some concerns with the RB position… Duke is a playmaker, but he needs to be protected, in order to make it through an entire season; especially in a pro-style offense.

So, it’s fair to say that Duke isn’t an every down back (For those that don’t comprehend well: I’m not hating on Duke - I love the guy).

Now, to be honest, I have some concerns with Alex Collins as well. Being that Collins is a younger guy, his body is still going to have to adapt to the next level. Adapt to what you might ask? The number of hits he’s going to take from guys that are bigger, faster, stronger; for a longer period of time…

Yes, Miami has been known for running a Pro-Style offense for years, but let’s not forget that Dennis Erickson proved that we can in a singleback set as well. IMO, the moves that are being made seem to be leaning towards the adjustment. (Note: Singleback set = 3WR’s, 1TE)

Before we knock it, let’s check a few things:

Alex Collins played in a singleback offense in H.S. The other schools Alex Collins is considering (FSU & ARK/WIS) also employ what? A singleback set. James Coley at FSU helped employ what kind of offense? Singleback set. We only have one scholarship senior FB on the team, which points to a future of what? Singleback set!!!

If any of you know football, you know it’s about numbers and personnel when it comes down to X’s & O’s. Having a FB brings another LB in the box. But if you spread the field, backs like Duke and Collins have more room to dance and do their thing between the tackles. Both Duke and Collins would absolutely thrive in a singleback set, IMO…

Based on our Roster (not emotions) what do you guys think? Pro-style offense -or- Singleback offense.
Click to expand...

They are recruiting a guy they think will grow into a fullback and singleback doesn't mean that you don't have balance, which is the basic premise of the pro-style offense.
 
jerzeycane said:
They are recruiting a guy they think will grow into a fullback and singleback doesn't mean that you don't have balance, which is the basic premise of the pro-style offense.
Click to expand...

Understood. What about the issue of those guys holding up in a prostyle offense, vs that being less of much of a concern % wise in a Singleback offense.

IMO, I'd like to see it, because we can be alot more prolific in a singleback offense, while keeping the RB's and receivers happy as well at the same time.
 
@OP - Duke may be 190ish, but he carries the ball like a bigger back. He can run in between the tackles or he can break it outside. He is an every down back, but he needs somone to compliment him. Whether that is someone on the roster or an incoming recruit we will have to wait and see.


As far as what Coley's offense will look like, I think Pete mentioned the spread or a version of it. Im expecting a multiple set offense with some spread looks, some I, 2 TE sets, and I expect to see Hagens get more carries as well. Some people forget Hagens was a featured back in HS and ran for over 1000 yards in his so, jr, and sr years in HS.


Last year FSU ran 55% of the time and passed 45% of the time.

http://www.statmilk.com/NCAAF/Team/234/?

Last year Miami ran 45% of the time and passed 55% of the time.

http://www.statmilk.com/NCAAF/Team/415/?

I prefer a run first offense, but as long as the playmakers are getting the ball, I wont cry about it.
 
Last edited by a moderator:
Idk why people don't think Duke can be an every down back. You just admitted Collins will need that time to acclimate to the game but then neglect that Duke won't become more durable?
 
Advertisement
I'm a little confused by what you say, but I'll attribute that to my not having a great grasp of all the Xs and Os. That said, what I understand you to be saying is that you would prefer that we not run out of the I formation.

O
HB

O
FB

O
QB

C
O

A pro-style would be with the HB and FB next to each other the way the Cowboys of old used to line up. Or am I in left field with that?

O_____ O
HB____FB

___O
__QB

Pro-Set

I love the idea of getting almost any of our skill position guys in space because to my thinking almost all of them are one cut and go guys rather than guys who like to dance, and I include both Duke and Collins as examples of those types of players. Duke reminds me of Clinton Portis with more giddy up. Get everyone going in a direction, plant his foot, and cut it up field against the grain. Decisive runners - both Collins and Duke.

You make an excellent point about the pounding at this level. Let's hold out hope that Danny Dillard can give us some carries this season. His not playing last year should not be taken as a total dismissal of his talent. And I'm not saying you said that OP because clearly you did not, but you did not mention him in your post.

I look forward to reading what Canes with a lot more knowledge about the subject then I have - again I'm not an Xs and Os Cane - will have to say.
 
Last edited:
Pro style is not really a thing anymore...the offenses run by the elite quarterbacks range from the no huddle, single back spread to the pistol. All have the ability to do more than one thing...it is no longer enough to have one base formation, you have to be flexible.

I think we will see many of the same things we saw this year. Sometimes we went two tight ends + Hagens, sometimes empty backfield, and everything in between.
 
Duke has an uncanny ability to avoid big hits. He rarely, if ever, has an LB hit him straight on. A lot of tackles on him are by DB's dragging him down by his feet, or LB's chasing him down from the side.
 
Single back offenses will use ALOT of zone blocking on the OL and the backs will be more make a cut and go type running. Think of Denver Broncos old system
 
Advertisement
We could run the Wing T, as long as we score a ****load of points.
Miami hasn't always been a pro style offense.
Erickson brought in the spread when hardly anybody was doing it and did quite well.
Let's not pigeonhole ourselves and freak out if we line up 4 wide including Sandland and Duke in the backfield and chuck it all over the field with Duke taking a draw 10 times a game for 120 yards.

Any offense that will put up 40+ a game and we win every game.
 
South Plant was an I formation team all year long. Also you say the other schools recruiting Collins were single back offenses. Uh what? Lonnie Pryor was the most productive FB in the country.
 
Advertisement
I understand the love for Duke because I Iove the guy as well.. . But if you think Duke is an every down back in a prostyle offense. at this level your sadly mistaken.

Also, Duke did take some big hits last year... Difference is he had Mike James to spell him and give him time to get himself together and keep him fresh.

Alex Colins will get bigger and stronger over time, as he has room to put on plenty of weight (unlike Duke) and not lose much of his speed, but by no means do I expect him to be a bruiser out of the gate.

More of a Singleback set by percentage is what I'm shooting for, based on our roster Collins still needing more physical development ... Not to abolish the pro style offense all together, as even Oregon throws a FB in there when needed at times.
 
Last edited:
Advertisement
You posting highlights of a fullback blocking and running from shotgun has nothing to do with my post, about the best formation suited for our Smaller Running backs bro... . My post was focused on prostyle vs singleback formation. Sorry if my only rememberance of the enemy was in singleback in the Northern Illinois game.

Not an FSU fan by the way... while your at it look up the height and weight of Lonnie Pryor vs Duke and Alex and get back with me after reading from the top again.
 
I do not mind having the one back set as part of the offense.

Others have already pointed out that pro-style does not necessarily refer to one specific formation. When I think of the traditional "pro-style" I understand it to be a tendency to work from under center as opposed to a spread offense that is run from the gun. We got away from that this season and our offense was probably about as spread as a "pro-style" offense can get.

I support working from under center. I think working from under center creates better PA, allows the backs to hit the hole harder, and makes the play more difficult to diagnose post snap.

I love having lead blockers and I think giving D[]_[]KE or any other back an escort does more to protect them than spreading the field to create running lanes.

When Fisch left I made many porsts accurately and inaccurately trying to form an argument to shift from a more pass centered offense to a more run based system. I can not be classified as a Fisch lover. I was willing to give him the b/o/d because we had some very explosive games this season, but I wasn't distraught when he left. I still believe we need to run more and play a little bit more physical than we have been but, I don't think we need trudge up and down the field in two tights the whole game either.

I think the signing of Coley will cause a shift towards a very balanced, 50/50 attack with a bit less trickery and formation variation.

We are going after big backs and we still don't know what Dillard or OT will be asked to do this season but, I wouldn't be surprised if Coley's offense helps to maximize their potential. I expect that the offense will not be as "unique" or inventive this coming season. We will be a little bit more regular in our calls but, I do not think the production will suffer. I believe the talent is such that we will be able to score as well or better than we did last season whether we run a wide open offense or a power style, we should be somewhere in between the two though. Either way I am not worried about our backfield and can not wait for spring to see how the backs are playing under Coley.
 
bigsonnyu said:
You posting highlights of a fullback blocking and running from shotgun has nothing to do with my post, about the best formation suited for our Smaller Running backs bro... . My post was focused on prostyle vs singleback formation. Sorry if my only rememberance of the enemy was in singleback in the Northern Illinois game.

Not an FSU fan by the way... while your at it look up the height and weight of Lonnie Pryor vs Duke and Alex and get back with me after reading from the top again.
Click to expand...

Hard to take your post serious when you're saying things that aren't true. Alex Collins didn't play in a "singleback" offense. FSU doesn't run one either. Monte Ball has a fullback in front of him aswell. You're making things up. If you're going to try and come off as some football mind atleast take some time to look up your info. Bro
 
I like having a FB. They are always good for at least one or two plays where they're ignored by the defense. Having to account for the FB gives defenses something else to worry about. I loved how they used to use Davenport out of the backfield. They did the same with DJ Williams his one year at FB.
 
Advertisement
Back
Top