Michigan Football: Coach’s Corner — Kansas State — Offense
Posted at 5:30am — 12/26/2013
Michigan Football: Coach’s Corner — Kansas State — Offense
Nothing to Sneeze At
Bill Snyder has always been thought of as an innovator and a guy who does more with less. That has been the mode of operation for many teams who historically have attempted to even the talent field with “new, innovative offenses.”
Nov 30, 2013; Lawrence, KS, USA; Kansas State Wildcats head coach Bill Snyder on the sidelines against the Kansas Jayhawks in the first half at Memorial Stadium. Mandatory Credit: John Rieger-USA TODAY SportsSome credit Rich Rodriguez with “inventing” the modern spread. Some credit Bill Snyder. Both versions came into existence pretty much simultaneously. Urban Meyer studied the spread as a visitor to Kansas State.
The purposes of the spread are to get potential defenders away from the tackle box area, spread the field in a horizontal manner, seek a weakness to exploit, and beat people in space. Small, quick guys can play in the spread and so can big bruising backs. The Snyder spread has always had at last one top tier running back, one top tier receiver and athletic quarterbacks that can make good decisions and offer a variety of offensive options.
This year, Kansas State has two very good quarterbacks that share time. Like with so many similar systems, one is more adept at running and one is more adept at passing. That is not to say that both are one-dimensional.
Nov 30, 2013; Lawrence, KS, USA; Kansas State Wildcats quarterback Jake Waters (15) rushes for a touchdown against the Kansas Jayhawks in the second half at Memorial Stadium. Kansas State won the game 31-10. Mandatory Credit: John Rieger-USA TODAY SportsJake Waters is the quarterback with the better passing numbers, having thrown for over 2,000 yards and 15 touchdowns. Still, he has six rushing touchdowns. Daniel Sams is a little taller, about the same weight as Waters, and averages over 5 yards a carry on the spread reads.
The Kansas State program now has a three time All-American in receiver Tyler Lockett. Tyler catches the ball at a rate of over 100 yards a game, but his all-purpose yardage exceeds 150. He is quick and can run all the base routes with skill. This is not a good match-up for Michigan. Watch for double moves up the sideline.
Nov 2, 2013; Manhattan, KS, USA; Kansas State Wildcats running back John Hubert (33) runs the ball against the Iowa State Cyclones during the second half at Bill Snyder Family Stadium. The Wildcats defeat the Cyclones 41-7. Mandatory Credit: Jasen Vinlove-USA TODAY SportsRunning back John Hubert is a typical small Kansas State bowling ball in the mold of Darren Sproles. He is averaging over five yards a carry and has already surpassed 1,000 yards. The best way to describe Hubert is solid, just plain solid and dependable.
The Wildcats will run the read series to check Michigan’s oil inside. It the read game works well, Michigan is in trouble. Like all offenses, KSU is hunting for good play action opportunities to sink a dagger. The offense is not as good as the 2012 version, but it has been more than sufficient to score nearly 35 points a game. Ball control remains important for KSU, but like any team the Wildcats will gladly take the easy and quick score if the defense displays a weakness.
This will be a real test for Michigan, a team that has certainly had mixed success against all types of offenses. The middle must hold up and the secondary certainly cannot give up big plays behind the coverage. It would not hurt if the linebackers get off of blocks and cover in space.
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Written by GBMWolverine Staff
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