Buck Bravo

Yesterday saw the departure of both offensive coordinator Mike Dunbar and defensive coordinator Ted Roof from the Gopher football program. The Golden Gopher Football blog and The Daily Gopher have posted insights regarding the circumstances and future options for replacements. Let’s look forward to what could be possible with new coordinators.

New Offensive Coordinator

Moving forward, Minnesota will have some very dangerous weapons on offense. Adam Weber, Marquies Gray, Moses Alipate and David Pittman are all very capable at passing the football. Gray and Pittman have wide receiver speed, and Weber and Alipate are by no means slow. Imagine a spread offense formation with Weber and Gray side-by-side in the shotgun and Pittman in motion…any one of the three could either pass or receive the ball. Defensive backs and linebackers watch the eyes of the quarterback. Even the most talented college defenses would be frustrated without one quarterback to focus upon.

One positive development from the Insight Bowl were the new power running formations for the Gopher offense. Returning to a 1920’s running game is unlikely, but having the option of a power running game would be beneficial for goal line and short yardage situations. Imagine a dynamic, innovative spread offense with multiple quarterbacks on the field that can also switch things up and ram the ball up the middle. Such an offense would be a nightmare for opposing defensive coordinators. Minnesota needs an offensive coordinator that will utilize talent appropriately, teach precision execution, and call plays that will continually surprise the opposing defense.

New Defensive Coordinator

Overall, Ted Roof was successful as the Gophers’ defensive coordinator. Auburn fans’ reaction to Roof can be viewed by clicking here, or follow this link for a more in-depth Auburn analysis. While Roof is a talented defensive coordinator, I wouldn’t expect him to stay at Auburn any longer than it takes him to receive another head coaching offer. After losing his head coaching job at Duke he accepted an assistant coaching job at Louisville, shortly thereafter jumped to be defensive coordinator at Minnesota, and now has jumped for a hefty pay increase at Auburn. Honestly, I don’t know of too many people who could turn down an opportunity to nearly double their salary. Based upon his track record, Roof is likely trying to return to the head coaching ranks.

Defense is not terribly difficult to coach. Defensive schemes are rather simple to teach and to learn. The challenge for a defensive coordinator is to respond to offensive formations and strategies with appropriate defensive formations and coverages. Defensive coordinators must be able to intuitively predict the opposing offensive coordinator’s intentions. Additionally, good defensive coordinators will be able to teach and inspire players to be aggressive and to play good fundamental football. Basically, the Gophers need another Ted Roof, but one that isn’t looking to make career moves towards a head coaching spot for a least two years.

Gophers’ offensive coordinator Mike Dunbar has reportedly resigned. For details, follow this link to Kent Youngblood’s blog at the Star Tribune. Based upon past vacancies, I would expect a new hire to be announced within the span of a few days.  If I had to make a wild guess, I’d predict that a replacement has already been chosen and will join the Gopher staff from a high profile BCS program or an NFL team.

I’d like to conduct a poll of the predictions that readers have for the Gophers’ record at the end of the season.  The remaining games are against Purdue, Northwestern, Michigan, Wisconsin, and Iowa.  After the poll I’ve attached several video for your enjoyment.

[polldaddy poll=1020342]

Tim Brewster pregame:

Part 2 of Brewster’s day at Illinois:

Here’s a highlght compilation of talented tight end Ra’Shede Hageman of Minneapolis Washburn.  He’s yet to commit and has several offers on the table:

Bryce McNeal of Breck has also listed Minnesota as a potential destination.  Imagine McNeal and Hageman together as receiving targets in Mike Dunbar’s spread offense.  I don’t think it’s a stretch to predict that records could be shattered:

Matt Garin is another top recruit from Minnesota who remains uncommitted:

Here’s one of the funniest videos I’ve seen in a long time.  The caller towards the end of the clip reacts to the firing of Tommy Bowden at Clemson:

One of the major changes that Tim Brewster and his staff have made since taking over the Golden Gopher football program is the implementation of the spread offense.  What exactly is the spread offense, and why the tactical change for Minnesota?  The most basic answer to the first part of that question is that “spread offense” is both a title and a definition.  The spread offense “spreads” offensive threats across the field, often with three, four, and five receiver sets, in order to exploit weaknesses and openings in the defense.  There are many variations of the spread offense, but the basic goal is usually to take advantage of offensive speed and athleticism in the open field. 

Mike Dunbar is the offensive coordinator for the Gophers, and the primary architect of the Gopher’s spread offense.  Dunbar had several successful years running Northwestern’s spread offense during the early part of this decade, and in 2005 coordinated the fourth most productive offense in the nation.  Dunbar’s version of the spread offense utlilizes running plays more so than other programs, but in a different way than Glen Mason’s Gophers.  Mason’s Gophers were primarily a straight-ahead running team.  Quite simply, Mason’s Gophers ran a smash-mouth offense that didn’t use fancy tricks and was intended to wear down the defense by physical contact.  I cannot remember Mason’s Gophers running a single passing screen play over ten seasons.  With Dunbar’s spread offense, running backs will occasionally run straight ahead but are also used for deceptive draw plays, screen passes, pass blocking, and even receiving routes.  Basically, the new Gopher offense is best serviced by all-purpose running backs in the mold of LaDainian Tomlinson opposed to a power running back with a running style similar to Jerome Bettis.

Fast, athletic wide receivers are essential to the spread offense.  Plays are designed to force the defense to cover multiple eligible receivers in order to create confusion for the defense, exploit weak links in the pass coverage, and draw linebackers into coverage to open up the middle of the field for running plays.  The Gophers encounted one of the most extreme pass intensive spread offenses in the 2006 Insight Bowl versus Texas Tech.  Texas Tech wore down the Gopher pass coverage by the second half and orchestrated the biggest comeback in Division I-A bowl history.

The best quarterbacks for the spread offense are usually in the all-purpose mold, too.  Rich Rodriguez is going to implement the spread offense at Michigan, and consequently talented freshman quarterback Ryan Mallett transfered to Arkansas.  Why?  Mallett is a pocket quarterback not suited for the spread offense.  Besides being proficient pocket passers, quarterbacks in the spread offense generally need to be able to run the ball effectively and make plays outside of the pocket.

One of the drawbacks of the spread offense is that it requires high levels of speed, skill, and playmaking abilities.  If the weakest links on the defense are on par with offensive talent, the defense will usually win.  The spread is also a more complicated offensive scheme, which can take time for college students to learn.  In 2007, the Gophers had an offensive team built for simple power football and were transitioning to an entirely new approach.  Although the Gopher offense was very productive, expect even better performance as players learn the system and new talent is brought in to meet the needs of the spread offense.

So, let’s address the second part of my question at the beginning of the article: Why the tactical change for Minnesota?  Based upon what I’ve read, heard, and seen, here are the reasons I believe are behind the change:

1. The spread offense requires fast, talented players.  Quarterbacks, receivers, and running backs should all see increases in end-of-year statistics.  Multiple receivers will usually be used in any given game.  Recruits that want to showcase their skills will be drawn to a program that does exactly that.
2. Many NFL teams run versions of the spread offense.  In this day and age, the spread offense best prepares players for the NFL.  Thus, more talented recruits should be interested in the program.
3. The spread offense is fun to watch.  The variety of running plays, pass plays, and occasional unexpected trick plays keep the members of the audience who aren’t die-hard football fans from becoming bored.  Once Minnesota starts winning, the spread offense could potentially bring more fans to games and expand the Gopher Nation.
4. The spread offense is difficult to defend.  Strategically, the offense can exploit weak links in the defense and create opportunities for big plays.  A deep rotation of receivers can wear out the opposing pass coverage, too.
5. In opening up the field, the spread offense gives coaches and players more weapons and plays by which to outsmart the defense.

The forward pass was not legal until 1906.  The spread offense has potential passing threats on almost every play and is the latest iteration in the evolution of offensive thinking.  Well, maybe not the newest anymore…if “A-11″ becomes a common term.  For now, the Gophers have made a step in the right direction with Mike Dunbar and his spread offense.