Recruiting for Spread Option Offense

[micksharp]

I wanted to get some input from the community on how you guys would recruit for the spread option offense. In my main OD I'm Kansas State and I've always just ran your basic pro style offense but this year I really wanna go all or nothing in perfecting the shotgun read option offense. Now K state already has the personnel to run it but I wanted to do a good job of bringing in the right kind of players to keep it going for years to come. Gimme your opinion of the top three attributes to look for at each position.

[Go Blue 26]

Re: Recruiting for Spread Option Offense

Well, not every position is vital for the offense, but each position that isn't vital can add another layer to your gameplan. I'll start with the important positions.

QB: acceleration, speed, and throw accuracy.
Obviously you're looking for a QB that can run the ball, so acceleration and speed are going to be top, but if you have an accurate QB that pick apart the defense underneath the safties when the linebackers start committing to the run you're golden.

O-Line: run block technique, run block strength, and acceleration
Being a run first offense you'll want lineman suited to the run, they'll develop pass blocking skills as they get older so those aren't vital to have immediately. Acceleration is so that they can get their blocks quickly, which is important to the offense.

Those are the vital ones, the main idea for the other skill positions is to get the most atheletic players you can find so you create mismatches with the defense, that idea is pretty the basis of Urban Meyer's spread option offense.

[pirateraider]

Re: Recruiting for Spread Option Offense

Speed would be crucial, something i've sort of noticed with these spread option offenses is that you can plug in athletes over players, since reads and routes are pretty simple, to make the offense efficient.

[OregonianTexan]

Re: Recruiting for Spread Option Offense

You'll want speed at most positions, especially at running back and quarterback. Getting a HB to burst quickly out of a shotgun formation run is crucial. Also make sure he has good agility and juke moves, because making a last second cut can make a sure short yardage run into a 60 yard breakaway.

As for QB, he's got to be a scrambler. As previously mentioned, if possible, he should have good accuracy.

Having had Oregon dynasties for eight years combined in NCAA12, I've had time to get extremely accustomed to what works with the spread. It's nice every few years to get a RB recruit who happens to run a 4.30 40 and can juke and move all over the field. A real gem of a pick up can make a spread offense shine.

[PowerofRed25]

Re: Recruiting for Spread Option Offense

One question you'll need to answer is how much option you want to run. A spread offense like Oregon is much less dependent on the option than one like Urban Meyer's Florida offense. If you want to have an Oregon offense, more spread rushing with option on the side, you can get away with less speed at QB. If you want to run option more often than not, that's where you need to focus on.

I tend to run it more like Oregon. My base plays are HB Sweep (Buck Sweep when available) and HB Counter. After I set that up some, I run read option off of it and it is deadly even with a QB as slow as 78 speed. My best year with it had an 82 speed QB who regularly ran for 100 yards a game because the option was the big play changeup. I had and recruited big time speed backs who could just fly and possession WR's

If you want a ton of read option, speed option, triple option, motion option, you are going to need to dedicate yourself to finding some big time speed and acceleration at QB. It won't consistently work without it.

Speed is the key all around, but I tend to relegate the most speed to my HB position and then stack my WR position with size. I had one year where I recruited two 6'6" 250+ monster pass catching TE's. I lined the better blocking of the two at TE and split the other one out wide just to get that size and blocking on the edge.

Another question is what playbook you want to run? Custom? One of the default?

[Sublime12089]

Re: Recruiting for Spread Option Offense

Tall, quick wideouts are nice to have. May be hard to find in the midwest, but try to make a state like FL a pipeline. They seem to be abundant there. In other positions look for speed and acceleration, even on the line, look for acceleration if you plan on pulling them often for outside runs and options. I would try to load up on athleticism then figure it out from there, esp with the new trple threat recruits. target them.

[fcboiler87]

Re: Recruiting for Spread Option Offense

I want to echo what everyone else is saying; speed is key, especially at the quarterback position. If you are unable to land a top caliber QB, I think it's ok to look at some 3 star type guys that have speed. Just look at 40. If you're going to dedicate to the run, the pass game isn't as much of a concern and I'd get the fastest guy I can (I know some people will disagree, but it's just what I'd do).

In addition, something that people haven't mentioned is recruiting your inside receivers. Some of the option playbooks rely on a lot of fly motion out of the backfield from your inside receivers. Again, what you are looking for there is speed. It might not be a bad thing to recruit some speedy RB's that can catch that you could put as your 3 and 4 WR. In a true spread option offense, those inside WR's are essentially just RB's. So there are some options for you as far as that are concerned. I always like to have tall outside receivers in this offense as well so that you have a physical blocking and catching presence.

[dubvcrazy]

Re: Recruiting for Spread Option Offense

QB: Need at least 80 speed and acceleration here. Look for scramblers and nothing else. Think Pat White, Denard Robinson here

HB: Speed, speed, and more speed. Think Noel Devine, Lamichael James here. Also, I like my HB's to be under 6-0.

FB/TE: Anything will do

WR: Need tall possession recievers on the outside and need shorter, speedy guys in the slot.

OL: Run blocking guys

Hope this helps! I've ran the spread since I can remember and I play backup QB in a spread offense at my high school

[OregonianTexan]

Re: Recruiting for Spread Option Offense

Also, never mind the Fullback position. If you have a split shotgun formation, make a formation sub for your backup HB to replace the FB. Makes your triple option plays MUCH deadlier.

[souljahbill]

Also, never mind the Fullback position. If you have a split shotgun formation, make a formation sub for your backup HB to replace the FB. Makes your triple option plays MUCH deadlier.

I agree with this 95% of the time, however, there will be times where a fullback (or TE) is invaluable as another blocker on stuff like speed and load options as well as off tackle and counter runs.

[funngunner]

Re: Recruiting for Spread Option Offense

On the O-line, it's not just Run Blocking, it's Run Block FOOTWORK and especially IMPACT bllocking. You want them to be able to get off the line on read options and help block downfield. They can be hard to find, but focus on fast(er) linemen with good acceleration too.

In a way, you are hunting for smaller, faster athletic lineman not the big mud-movers of the pro style.

[jello1717]

Re: Recruiting for Spread Option Offense

I run nothing but spread option attacks and I had a ton of success with it in '12 (I won 2 national championships with ASU in my '12 OD with it). I'm a run first guy who would run it every down if I could and my team always leads the nation in rushing yards even over run heavy pro style Wisconsin, Ole Miss, Michigan State, and Georgia user teams. Because of this I recruit almost exclusively for the run. With my style I spread the ball around a ton (I regularly use 3-4 HBs and my top 5 WRs are usually within 10 receptions of each other by the end of the season). This means that I recruit to be much deeper than most teams and probably deeper than you need to be.

These are the types of numbers I typically put up so you can see how I distribute the ball (these are through the regular season of my current OD season, before the CCG).

Spoiler

Spoiler

Anywho, here's how I recruit.

QB: (1)ACC is unquestionably the #1 priority here. I'll take the 90ACC/80SPD guy over the 80ACC/90SPD guy every day of the week and twice on Saturday. This may not be the case in '13 since the QBs are stuck in quicksand for a second when running like they are in '12, but that's still my initial plan for '13. After that you want (2) SPD and then (3) THA. This following guys is the best recruit I've ever signed so he's not your typical guy, but he's absolutely perfect for the spread option and the sort of guy that should be considered the gold standard (minus the horrific 43 CAR of course.....):

Spoiler

O-line:
This, outside of the QB, is the most important area. My ASU team didn't start dominating until about year 6 when I finally built a dominant O-line. For 2 years I had an O-line full of run blockers where no one was rated below a 93 OVR and I had 2-3 99s on the line. My rushing attack was ridonkulous for those 2 years.
(1) RBS, (2) RBF are the only 2 traits I even look at for O-linemen. If I had 2 equal guys, I'd probably use (3) ACC as a tie breaker.

HB:
I try to have at least 1 speed guy and 1 power guy here. The speed guys are tons of fun (I've had 99 SPD/ACC/AGI guys) but I personally prefer the power guys who run defenders over.
Speed: (1) ACC, (2) SPD, (3) AGI.
Power: (1) TRK, (2) BTK, (3) ACC.

WR:
My WRs carry the ball a lot and I prefer the speedsters that can turn a jet sweep, motion option, or short pass (the vast majority of my passes are short) into something spectacular. (1) SPD, (2) ACC, (3) CTH.

TE:
My TEs and FBs only job is to block for me. I throw to my TEs a fair amount, but if he can't block, he'll never step foot on my field. (1) RBF, (2) RBS, (3) ACC.

FB:
I don't use many FBs, but I have 2 formations, with 2 FBs, and 4 formations with 1 FB where I don't sub him out for another HB (because the 2nd back almost never carries in those formations). (1)RBF, (2) RBS, (3) CAR.

[OregonianTexan]

Re: Recruiting for Spread Option Offense

I agree with this 95% of the time, however, there will be times where a fullback (or TE) is invaluable as another blocker on stuff like speed and load options as well as off tackle and counter runs.

True. I mainly only do either a triple option, FB run (with a HB of course), or pass plays in those formations. I take into account the loss of blocking power with the sub so I usually reserve sweeps and off-tackle runs for other formations like Shotgun-Normal, where I've got a TE to help.

[Custon 89]

Re: Recruiting for Spread Option Offense

One question you'll need to answer is how much option you want to run. A spread offense like Oregon is much less dependent on the option than one like Urban Meyer's Florida offense. If you want to have an Oregon offense, more spread rushing with option on the side, you can get away with less speed at QB. If you want to run option more often than not, that's where you need to focus on.

I tend to run it more like Oregon. My base plays are HB Sweep (Buck Sweep when available) and HB Counter. After I set that up some, I run read option off of it and it is deadly even with a QB as slow as 78 speed. My best year with it had an 82 speed QB who regularly ran for 100 yards a game because the option was the big play changeup. I had and recruited big time speed backs who could just fly and possession WR's

If you want a ton of read option, speed option, triple option, motion option, you are going to need to dedicate yourself to finding some big time speed and acceleration at QB. It won't consistently work without it.

Speed is the key all around, but I tend to relegate the most speed to my HB position and then stack my WR position with size. I had one year where I recruited two 6'6" 250+ monster pass catching TE's. I lined the better blocking of the two at TE and split the other one out wide just to get that size and blocking on the edge.

Another question is what playbook you want to run? Custom? One of the default?

I use my custom spread option offense, consistently had 400+ /rushing per game. Its mostly option (triple, motion, load, etc.) with sweeps and QB/FB design plays.

For this type of offense:
QB= SPD,AGI,ACC 80+
HB=SPD,AGI,ACC 90+
FB (sometimes I switch Power HBs to FB) = SPD,ACC 80+ and TRK, BTK= 80+
WR = SPD,ACC 90+
TE/OL RBK = 85+

Once it set up, players would progress into better passing team and become dual threats.

[PowerofRed25]

Re: Recruiting for Spread Option Offense

As some others have said, don't ignore the FB position IF you can find one. I took over a Clemson team with a losing record in 2012 in an OD in NCAA 12, I started recruiting Week 12 and noticed an A- speed, A- accel monster fullback that hadn't been recruited by anyone. I went after him 60 minutes a week until he signed in the offseason. He came in and became the core of my offense, spread option first year, which eventually balanced out to an air raid offense with some option mixed in and then eventually to an under center power option offense.

He graduated a Heisman Trophy winner, 92 overall, 93 speed. He worked in literally any offense. In the spread option offense, he played two roles. I had him as the HB in all the offset gun formations, since those are more downhill and he would just plow straight ahead. Then in triple option sets (motion option, dual back), he was the dive back who I'd option off of. I also installed all the two back Pistol sets into my offense when he came along. The Pistol Full House sweep play was tailor made for him as was Pistol Train Off Tackle. That was my goal line or short yardage play and it was a success 100% of the time. Always adjust to your personnel.

If you can find a monster FB, recruit him and find a way to work him in. If you can't find one but need to fill the minimum roster requirement, try and grab one of those mid 80's speed HB's that always seem to get ignored by the CPU and other users. They just might develop into something.