Preview of 2018 Mustangs in College Football News

[JasonB]

A little combination of the difference in the Air Raid and the power spread and what I saw in practice. Air Raid route tree is more limited than June (which is why receivers in that offense struggle sometimes going to the pros), but definitely deeper than the Power Spread. Power Spread under Morris was all RPO based off pre-snap reads, and a very limited route tree. Screens to spread teams wide, X to provide a deep threat on the fly, and then a little variance from the slot. Lots of screens and deep to punish teams from loading the box. QBs in both offenses struggle with a transition to the pros because they have to move from all pre-snap read to post-snap decision making, while WRs struggle as well because they have to learn a complicated route tree in the pros. Comparatively, Sanders and Beasley had an easier transition because they were already working in a complicated offense.

I only went to one practice in the spring, but I saw a lot of intermediate routes, which is different from what we saw under Morris. The out and up I saw them run 5 times at that practice was certainly different as well, and that only works if you actually throw outs as well. In fact, I don't recall them throwing a straight fly, all of the deep throws were off of the out and up. Screens were to RBs out of the backfield rather than a straight WR screen. Which, given the elusiveness of West and Jones, I would really like them see more involved in the passing game.

It should be really interesting to watch the offense evolve. Maybe I am off and this offense will be power spread in the passing game as well with a ton of RPO. But I think it is going to be run-first, with the running game associated with the power spread, and the route tree based more on the air raid, with possession-based routes and the occasional deep ball.