Another hire to ponder - Strength & Conditioning

The Fake Lonnie Finch · December 14, 2006

By it's very nature, teams with spread offenses are not on the field very long whether they are scoring or not. You go three and out with incomplete passes, throw interceptions, or you gain territory very quickly and score.

The onus, then, rests on the strength and conditioning coach and staff to keep the defensive unit ready at a moment's notice. The weakness of Texas Tech since Mike Leach has been in Lubbock has been that the defense will wear out in the second half. They've had some good defenders there during his tenure, but the nature of the offense dictates that they rarely win the time of possession battle.

Take their game against Texas, for instance. They jump out to a 21-0 lead inthe first 10 mimutes, then spend the next 50 futilely defending the three score lead.

In the second half of that game, Texas held the ball for 9:25 of the third quarter and 8:30 of the fourth. Texas Tech didn't score a single point in the second half of the 35-31 loss.

So, another thing to watch it whom the strength and conditioning coach and staff will be. Their job will be key since the passing offense will have the defense on the field whether winning or losing.

Edited December 14, 2006 by The Fake Lonnie Finch

Coach · December 14, 2006

Just because a team spreads the field doesn't mean they are going to pass every play.

Dodge isn't nearly as pass happy as Leach. Look at the rushing stats for Tre Newton. He is approaching 1800 yards. Last week he had 297 on 41 carries. That's freshman Jamario numbers. Before him, Aaron Luna was a very good running back.

Dodge has proven that he spreads the field and attacks the weakness of the defense, whatever it is. It may different aspects of the passing game or different aspects of the running game. The game winning score against Trinity this year came on a speed option.

Don't lump Dodge in with Leach just because he lines up in shotgun every play. His offense does everything well.

Edited December 14, 2006 by Coach

The Fake Lonnie Finch · December 14, 2006

Yes, and Taurean Henderson from Texas Tech is only one of three players ever to rush for 3,000 yards and catch 2,000 yards worth of passes. No one says you can't do both. It doesn't matter, though. The nature of spread offense keeps a team's defense out on the field most of the game. Therefore, the role of the strength and conditioning coach and staff is particularly important for schools who run that type of offense.

Edited December 14, 2006 by The Fake Lonnie Finch

Stan R · December 14, 2006

Don't lump Dodge in with Leach just because he lines up in shotgun every play. His offense does everything well.
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Actually that's good to hear. I've never actually seen Dodge's team play so that sounds good to me.

Coach · December 14, 2006

First of all, there isn't a "spread offense". When a team runs the spread, all they do is utilize multiple receivers to spread the defense out. What they do from there varies greatly from coach to coach. There are spread teams that run mostly option, spread teams that run the counter/counter read (UT last year), spread teams that pound the ball, spread teams that dink and dunk, spread teams that stretch the field, and teams that do a little of it all.

It doesn't matter, though. The nature of spread offense keeps a team's defense out on the field most of the game.

Yes it DOES matter. It isn't the nature of a spread team to keep a defense on the field, it's the nature of a passing team. An incomplete pass is an incomplete pass if you do it out of the wishbone or five wide. Running plays eat clock if you do it out of a power I or four wide.

You cited a Texas Tech game as an example that a team spreads the field and wears it's defense out in the end by not controlling the ball. Let's compare Leach and Dodge and their offenses. This is using total plays from this season.

SLC - 43% Pass - 57% Run

TT - 76% Pass - 24% Run

Compared to what we have seen at Fouts for years, this will be like a wild and wacky air it out attack, but please no comparisons to Leach or other pass, pass, pass offenses. Dodge has a well rounded attack, he just spreads the field to do it.

Edited December 14, 2006 by Coach

GoMeanGreen1999 · December 14, 2006

Dodge isn't nearly as pass happy as Leach. Look at the rushing stats for Tre Newton. He is approaching 1800 yards. Last week he had 297 on 41 carries. That's freshman Jamario numbers. Before him, Aaron Luna was a very good running back.
Dodge has proven that he spreads the field and attacks the weakness of the defense, whatever it is. It may different aspects of the passing game or different aspects of the running game. The game winning score against Trinity this year came on a speed option.
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So true. I think this is the main difference between Dodge and Leach. Dodge attacks the weakness of the opponent and as coach pointed out, no better than last week when Newton went off. I think if JT can figure out what is bothering him, he should have a great year next year.

Stan R · December 14, 2006

So true. I think this is the main difference between Dodge and Leach. Dodge attacks the weakness of the opponent and as coach pointed out, no better than last week when Newton went off. I think if JT can figure out what is bothering him, he should have a great year next year.
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I think what is bothering JT is his offensive line.

Mean'n'Green07 · December 14, 2006

Actually that's good to hear. I've never actually seen Dodge's team play so that sounds good to me.
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Just out of curiousity how many people have seen SLC play while Todd Dodge was coaching them? I played against Dodge in 2002 in the state quarter finals, and I thought SLC had no class at all... Chase Wasson's cadence to run out the clock was Set! GO! home! After that followed several snide comments from other SLC players.

Regardless, I'm glad Dodge is here.

LongJim · December 14, 2006

I played against Dodge in 2002 in the state quarter finals, and I thought SLC had no class at all... Chase Wasson's cadence to run out the clock was Set! GO! home! After that followed several snide comments from other SLC players.
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That's pretty funny.

Hope you were giving it back as good as you got.

FirefightnRick · December 14, 2006

It could change but I predict Seroka will remain as S&C coach. Word is that he's changed his philosophy recently to more speed and agility in the skills positions instead of the bulk training, which hurt JQ and SPJMo.

We'll see.

Rick

GMoney · December 14, 2006

It could change but I predict Seroka will remain as S&C coach. Word is that he's changed his philosophy recently to more speed and agility in the skills positions instead of the bulk training, which hurt JQ and SPJMo.
We'll see.
Rick

Thank goodness!! This program has been missing speed training for many years. That's the reason JQ ran track. If you look at the speed of our secondary over the years (even the great DBs and Safties we had) their 40 times were not just slow but extremely slow.

Mean'n'Green07 · December 14, 2006

That's pretty funny.
Hope you were giving it back as good as you got.
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It seems a little funnier and less harsh looking back on it. When you're 17 and you've spent all summer waking at dawn for summer work outs, and you know this is the last time you'll ever strap on a football helmet.. well them was fightin' words

GreenN'walinsVet · December 14, 2006

I know for a fact (but dont want to reveal his name because their season is still going on) but a local kid who attented a local high school is an assistant strength and conditioning coordinator for a BIG XII school is interested in returning home.

December 14, 2006

Remember, the strength coaches are NOT football coaches. They are staff personnel, much like trainers and others. They serve all of North Texas Athletics, not just football.

Do they do the bidding of the head coaches? Of course, but the HC cannot hire or fire them per se.