Best Offense In America: FedEx Air vs. FedEX Ground

This week I'm gonna switch tunes, change genres and hop off the sweet music of the NFL's Week3 nostalgia, abandon my praise of stifling defenses and proclaim my shameless lust for college football's awe-inspiring offenses. I love everything about college football from the pageantry, most of the traditions but especially the diverse and intricate offensive systems and their execution.

Though the Run and Shoot fad has fizzled in the NFL, the option attack has run its course, in college these offenses thrive. Innovation is accepted without hesitation and three yards and a cloud of dust style of football is rare. Navy one end of the extreme has led the nation in rushing three seasons in a row including this season and has finished in the top 3 every season since 2002 yet has not produced a 20 rusher over that same span.

Texas Tech and Hawaii have been the best 1-2 best passing offenses (in that order) since 2002 but have consistently been among the leagues worst rushing offenses over the same span. Oklahoma's offense is going full throttle averaging 61 points per game this season, and a 79-0 throttling of North Texas in the opener.

To decipher the best offense in college football was especially difficult because of the varying offensive schemes. From the running attack of West Virginia, the balanced spread attack at Florida and Oregon and most notably the aerial displays at Hawaii and Texas Tech.

Each of these teams attacks defenses and deliver their knockout punches in different ways. West Virginia does their damage on land by way of Pony Express, Hawaii and Texas Tech drop touchdown bombs by air while Florida, Oklahoma and Oregon take defenses hostages by land and air forces.

The quarterbacks at the head of each offense are so similar yet so different. There are three categories of passers in college football. There are the cement legged quarterbacks, who never exit the friendly confines of the pocket, mobile quarterbacks who prefer to throw outside the pocket and the scramblers who's offenses are tailored around them scrambling alot. Even the two elite Run & Shoot quarterbacks have polar opposite qualities. I'm baffled about the ironic strategy behind the aptly named Run and Shoot offense which actually deemphasizes the running aspect on offense. Just not as ironic as Air Force's reluctance to throw the football through the air.

No two teams could be on more separate ends of the spectrum of offensive philosophies than the Mountaineers and the Hawaii Warriors located over 4,500 miles apart(yes, I Googled that, turns out you can't Mapquest over oceans. Who knew?. West Virginia has the nations 2nd highest rushing offense behind Navy which has yet to discover the forward pass and Texas Tech... not Hawaii has the top passing offense in the nation.

Offensive Schemes/Coaches

These coaches display the type of ingenuity that would make most aeronautical engineers suffer brain cramps. Urbanball has always taken advantage of mobile quarterbacks to operate the offense. At At Bowling Green it was, Josh Harris, at Utah it was Alex Smith(he also groomed Brian Johnson, and at Florida Tim Tebow and Cam Newton have carried the flame. His dual quarterback system has also sparked plenty of carbon copies at other schools across the nation.

The Mountaineer offense on the other hand is geared around running backs Steve Slaton, Noel Devine, fullback Owen Smidtt and elusive quarterback Pat White. The Mountaineers are the 2nd ranked rushing offense averaging 343 yards per game while the Gators hover at 15th in the nation without a runner in the top 100 statistically in the nation.
Like Florida, Rich Rodriguez' offense consists of complex and unpredictable play calling to keep the defense on their toes.

The mad genius Mike Leach of Texas Tech simply spreads the field with five wideouts on every down and will attempt to create another legend out of junior quarterback, Graham Harrell. Leach has coached up loads of prolific passers in his last decade f service including Tim Couch, Josh Heupel, B.J. Symons and Kliff Klingsbury unfortunately, none are currently on an NFL roster.

The Sooners run and pass in equal proportions and are the most balanced offensive team in the nation. Rhett Bomar was supposed to be the quarterback of the future when he arrived at Oklahoma as the top ranked quarterback in the Class of 2004. Instead, he's no longer at the school, off the college football radar while lesser heralded quarterbacks Brian Brohm, Nate Longshore, Graham Harrell, etc. have have been productive starters. Sound familiar Razorback fans?

In offensive coordinator Kevin Wilson's "quarterback friendly" offense as (opposed to a quarterback-bullying" offense) Bradford completed 22 passes in a row during his first collegiate start, and later completed 21 consecutive passes. Bradford who beat out true freshman Keith Nichol and junior college transfer Joey Hayzle for the starting job, Bradford has connected on nearly 80% of his pass attempts, for 1,067 yards, 14 touchdowns and 2 interceptions.

Without a doubt, when you think about Hawaii football you probably think Nate Iloa, the Warriors 1,000 yard strong, hulking running back... Not really but I probably had you second-guessing everything you thought you knew. Colt Brennan who's assault on the record books have made him a cult figure across the nation is one of the most mobile pocket quarterbacks in the nation who can escape the rush and gain yardage running. In just 3 games Brennan has out rushed the entire University of Notre Dame. Rarely do Run and Shoot system quarterbacks have as much accuracy, mobility and protect the ball as well as Brennan.

Without Brennan, the offense is still effective but more turnover prone as it was under the Timmy Chang regime, who finished his career as college football's all-time leader in touchdowns and interceptions. In 2006, Brennan shattered a plethora of prestigious NCAA single season records by passing for 5,549 yards, 58 touchdowns and 7 interceptions despite not taking a 4th quarter snap in 6 games last season.

Timmy Chang, the benchmark for career passing yards and second in career passing touchdowns never passed for more than 4,500 yards in a season or completed 60% of his passes. Brennan has completed 68% of his passes in each of his seasons.

Though their passing numbers are clumped together Brennan, Brohm and Harrell are the heralds of three completely different offenses. Brohm runs more of a quick strike offense which takes multiple shots down the field. Brennan throws more intermediate routes and rarely throws downfield in June Jones offense. Harrell relies on his talented group of receivers to run after the catch. Brennan has 103 completions for 1262 yards while Brohm has completed 69 passes for 1,142 yards which explains Brennan's 77% completion rate in comparison to a 67% rate from Brohm.

Lost in the shadow of Hawaii's Colt Brennan, Texas Tech junior Graham Harrell resembles a cardboard cutout behind the offensive line. Unlike Brennan, Harrell barely ever crosses the sanctity of the line of scrimmage. In three games this season Harrell is on the wrong side of positive rushing yards but has more than made up for his lack of leg speed with his accurate passing. Through 4 games Harrell has thrown only two interceptions despite tossing 1,962 yards, 19 touchdowns including a 646 yard, 5 touchdown masterpiece in a loss to Oklahoma State. His 646 yards was 4th highest in college football between former Texas Tech quarterbacks Cody Hodges and B.J. Symons.

A year ago with Chris Leak under center, the offense sputtered at times despite being productive enough to win the national championship because the offense was not tailored to his strengths. Tim Tebow does not possess the quickness, elusiveness of Pat White in the open field as a runner, however he compensates with brute strength that Pat White can only imagine.

If White were a Corvette, Tebow would be the hooptie that Urban Meyer took to junkyard battles as a freshman just so offensive coordinator Dan Mullen could take him to the X and pimp his ride for year two.
This season Tebow has earned the nation's 2nd highest passing efficiency rating by gaining 1,096 yards 10 touchdowns 1 interception, as well as 200 yards and 7 touchdowns on the ground(set a school record for quarterbacks with 166 yards rushing vs. Ole Miss). Backup freshman quarterback Cam Newton is a 6-5 bruiser? with 4.5 speed that has effectively spelled Tebow in mop up duty.

But why not a step ahead into the evolution of college football with the talent they have at quarterback? Resurrect the wishbone option with a direct snap(the wrinkle of the moment in college football and the NFL) to Harvin and backup quarterback Cam Newton(a bigger, faster version of Tebow) and "Superman" in the same backfield. The defense would have to defend against five possible outcomes
1) Percy Harvin tucking the ball and running behind the blocking of Tebow and Newton.
2) Percy Harvin fooling the defense faking a Quarterback Draw and passing instead
3) Percy Harvin pitching to either Newton or "Superman"who would
3A) decide to either sit back and pass or
3B) run with no viable options at receiver thus taking the option to new heights.

The offense is about deception, and the base option play fuels the rest of the scheme because it sets up the passing game and prevents defenses from over pursuing. Rich Rodriguez' spread offense has never required an intricate passing offense and never will. Unlike most schools that run the spread offense, West Virginia aims to open lanes for its prolific ground game, rarely putting the ball in the air more than 20 times a game.

Quarterback Pat White's accuracy which was once an Achilles Heal for the Mountaineers offense, has improved drastically. Through 4 games this season White has flawlessly heaved 6 TD's, 0 interceptions and completed %71.6 of his passes, a 14% increase from his freshman season, 6% from his sophomore campaign and was 20-of-22 for 196 yards with two touchdowns against East Carolina

The Mountaineers want the ball in the hands of its two junior Heisman candidates, quarterback Patrick White and running back Steve Slaton. Along with receiver Darius Reynaud, they form the fastest offensive trio in America, and are threats for six with even a hint of daylight. White is an underrated passer that rarely misses his target though he rarely has the opportunity to throw down field as the Mountaineers passing offense consists of dink and dunk passes, and screens but has since incorporated more vertical throws as quarterback White has developed. 6 foot 4 sophomore Jarrett Brown is not as elusive as White and has displayed decent passing ability as well as great straight forward speed.


This isn't the same offense that Joey Harrington led to a Fiesta Bowl victory in 2002. When coordinator Gary Crowton left Oregon for LSU in January, Coach Bellotti replaced him with, long time a spread-option devotee in New Hampshire's Chip Kelly who has incorporated the no huddle shotgun into Oregon's spread offense.
So far the transition has been smooth and the offense has looked spectacular, and Dixon has emerged as a darkhorse Heisman candidate.

6 foot 4, Atlanta Braves pitcher/ Ducks quarterback Dennis Dixon has apparently overcome his penchant for turnovers which crippled the Ducks late in 2006. So far this season revamped offense Oregon's, Dixon has quelled the quarterback controversy by passing for 932 yards, 11 touchdowns, 0 interceptions and using his sprinters speed to gain 291 rushing yards including this 80 yard gallop through the Houston defense.

Against Michigan the Ducks logged their own entry into the trickeration handbook by faking the Statue of Liberty and instead sending Dennis Dixon on a QB sneak up the middle for six.

Louisville Brian Brohm has lived up to and possibly eclipsed the lofty expectations that were set for him following his high school career. His final chance at the national championship he coveted so dearly withered because of his defense's critical lapses in pass coverage. The one knock against his much scrutinized abilities to emerge recently has been his perceived lack of arm strength which I tossed aside... until I noticed his Hail Mary squirt pass against Kentucky barely went 50 yards.
Backup Hunter Cantwell served as Brohm's apprentice long enough. Every time Mr. Glass got injured over the past two seasons, Cantwell filled in well and threw a bunch of touchdowns but also threw a lot of interceptions. Despite having never yet been a full-time starter at Louisville, in the spring of 2007 ESPN listed Cantwell as the top junior quarterback prospect in the nation.

Running Backs

Steve Slaton is the workhorse Heisman-caliber tailback for West Virginia with and may arguably be the best tailback in the nation. Freshman Noel Devine, the biggest recruiting coup in Mountaineers history has rushed fast out the gates rushing for 256 yards and 15.1 yards per carry in his first three games.

Slaton may be the fastest straight forward runner in the nation but Devine possesses uncanny balance, agility, elusiveness and an Barry Sander-esque ability to escape sure tacklers for a player of such small stature. So far, the diminutive freshman has wowed observers including his supremely divine humiliation of Maryland's defense. After Steve Slaton's departure, he will be involved in future Heisman discussion.

6-3, 260 pound fullback Owen Schmitt provides the muscle for the nations quickest backfield and often lines up at receiver. Schmitt isn't tough as nails, he's tougher than nails dipped in sulphuric acid left out in a Level 5 hurricane. He won't get the Sportscenter highlights but the freakishly strong Schmitt does all the dirty work blocking for the nation's best rushing offense. Legend has it, he once laid out the Juggernaut with a punishing block (No, not really but its called creative licensing).



Despite losing one of the best running backs in the last century of college football, the Sooners backfield may be improved this season with the implement of change of pace back DeMarco Murray. In his first start, the exciting Murray ran for a modest 87 yards and 5 touchdowns and now shares carries with leading rusher Allen Patrick and Chris Brown. Fellow freshman Moissis Madu has rushed for 166 yards on 28 carries. No Oklahoma running back has gotten more than 50 carries this season.

Junior Jonathan Stewart, is a tough between the tackles runner who has barreled through defenses for 500 yards and 4 touchdowns thru 4 games. While Stewart is more likely to plow through defenses, Jeremiah Johnson is a small but quick, shifty running back

Anthony Allen and George Stripling have succinctly been rumblin', tumblin' and bumblin' through defenses at a steady pace. Allen and Stripling have gained a combined 650 rushing yards and scored 7 touchdowns.

Kehstan Moore is the teams leading rusher, Highly touted freshman Chris Rainey has played limited action and Brandon James a a 5 foot 6, sophomore is a return specialist who is rarely utilized in the running game.

I'm tempted to say Florida has the weakest backfield in the nation based on my disgust with Urban Meyer's waste of elite running back talent(why does he even recruit them? It's hard to believe C.J. Spiller seriously considered transferring here) as useless decoys but Hawaii's leading returning rusher is quarterback Colt Brennan. Based on sheer production and on field talent West Virginia's running backs edged Oklahoma's trio of Allen Patrick, Chris Brown, Mossis Madu (25% of the U.S. population must have this name) and DeMarco Murray as the best backfield in the nation.

If a tailback runs the ball on a tropical island and nobody remembers it, does he exist? In Hawaii's pass heavy offense, Nebraska transfer Leon Wright Jackson has emerged by rushing for 112 yards... this season in limited carries. This guy was once a mega-recruit at Nebraska and now he's been demoted to this. Why would he transfer to Hawaii besides the occasional luau and tropical climate? Texas Tech running back Shannon Woods who rushed for 926 yards and 10 touchdowns last season has 224 rushing yards in addition to 5 touchdowns thus far this season. However, Woods is also used extensively as a receiver as well catching 19 passes this season after catching 75 in 2006.

Downright Offensive
Team	Rushing Yards Per Game	Passing Yards Per Game	Total Yards Per Game	Points Per Game
Florida	237.5 -11th	280.3-28th	520.5 -11th	49.3-6th
WestVirginia	357.0 -2nd	168.0-102nd	530.5-10th	47.3-9th
Hawaii	81.3-109th	461.8-2nd	550.5-6th	55.8-2nd
TexasTech Louisville	85.0-106th 190.8-35th	521.0-1st 429.0-3rd	612.5-2nd 626.8-1st	49.5-5th 50.0-4th
Oklahoma Oregon	252.5-10th 299.8 -4th	310.0-16th 237.0-50th	565.5-3rd 552.5-7th	61.5-1st 48.5-7th

Wide Receivers

The island trio of Davone Bess, Jason Rivers, Ryan Grice-Mullen caught a combined 214 passes for 3,168 yards and 36 touchdowns. Bess led the way with 96 receptions, 1,200 yards and senior Jason Rivers finished second by gaining 1,100 yards receivers. Mullen, who sat out a number of games in 2007 due to injury caught 85 passes for 1,228 yards and 12 touchdowns in 2005. At 6-2, 190 pounds, Rivers is the most physical of Hawaii's receivers while Bess who also returns punts is a quick, elusive player.

At receiver, the Ducks offer a dazzling duo in 6 foot 5, 240 pound mismatch waiting to happen, Jaison Williams and senior Brian Paysinger. Through 4 games, Jaison Williams has hauled in 18 catches for 267 yards and 4 touchdowns.

As a result of the plethora of talent and firepower in Urban Meyer's spread offense, there are not enough balls to go around and certain players statistics will suffer across the board which applies to Florida's receivers. Sophomore Riley Cooper has taken on a more role in the offense and has already surpassed his production from the previous season. Senior Andre Caldwell who allegedly runs a 4.3 40 yard dash spurned the NFL Draft for one more season in Gainesville after catching 57 passes for 577 yards and 6 TD's.

Percy Harvin is the Gators' extremely versatile receiver who makes his prescence known for his contributions as receiver, and runner. Harvin has the most NFL potential made his impact last season by earning MVP in the SEC Championship Game and scoring a touchdown in the National Championship against Ohio State. The most obvious comparison for Harvin has been California's DeSean Jackson and the Miami Dolphins recent 1st round draft selection Ted Ginn Jr.

6-foot-4, 230-pound junior tight end Cornelius Ingram, a former quarterback has transitioned to tight end nicely. Freshman Deonte Thompson, Florida's second leading receiver Louis Murphy, Cornelius Ingram, Harvin, Caldwell and Cooper will probably all be playing in the NFL one day. Michael Crabtree may appear to be the better receiving threat but considering how limited Texas Tech's offense is and how congested Florida's is Percy Harcin would be just as successful in Mike Leach's pass specific offense.

Texas Tech's phenomenal freshman receiver Michael Crabtree has become the Colt Brennan of wideouts with his dizzying statistical production and has made breaking records his agenda from the start. As a quarterback turned receiver, Crabtree was exalted as the most talented recruit to ever arrive in Lubbock, TX before he ever played a game. Through 4 games Crabtree is exceeding his hefty hype averaging 194 yards per game, 52 receptions and11 touchdown passes, all of which lead the nation for wide receivers. Diminutive teammate Danny Amendola is third in the nation with 40 receptions for 552 yards and 3 touchdowns.

West Virginia: Of the nation's elite offenses, the Mountaineers have the most unproven stable of receivers. Through 3 games, junior Darius Reynaud is the lone Mountaineers receiver with double digit receptions. He's just the type of receiver you'd expect in Rich Rodriguez' offense. Reynaud is a quick receiver who makes most of his impact after the catch as a shifty runner, similar to Florida's Percy Harvin. Don't be surprised if Reynaud lines up at tailback occasionally. Against ECU, Reynaud stormed through the defense for the 2nd consecutive season over by earning 100 total yards and 2 touchdowns running and receiving including a 62 yard romp on a reverse run which sent numerous ECU defenders colliding into each other.

Louisville: The Cardinals have one of the most talented receiving trios in the nation in Harry Douglas, Mario Uruttia, in addition to tight end Gary Barnidge. Though both receivers are equally potent, they have contrasting styles. Junior Mario Uruttia is a 6 foot 6 threat in the vertical passing game. If we were talking about the NFL draft, there is contrast to the 5-11, 170 pound senior Harry Douglas the better pro prospect among the two catches the bulk of Brohm's passes.

Douglass does all the little things Uruttia doesn't like catching passes over the middle as opposed to Uruttia who shies away from contact In 2006, Douglas made 70 catches for 1,265 yards as Louisville's #1 receiver and Uruttia caught 58 passes for 973 yards. Gary Barnidge is one of the more productive tight ends in the nation.

The Oklahoma Sooners have a trio of unheralded receivers who could match up with any in the nation. Malcolm Kelly is their All-Big 12 receiver returning for his senior year, Jermaine Grisham is their 3rd leading receiver and talented tight end. However, junior Juaquin Iglesias has emerged as Oklahoma's biggest play maker and Sam Bradford's favorite target at receiver. Iglesias has led the Sooners with 27 catches for 444 yards but Malcolm Kelly is still the Sooners best touchdown threat with 7 touchdowns and an average of 20 yards per catch.

The Mountaineers Lost offensive linemen, Dan Mozes, the 2006 winner of the Rimington Award winner to graduation as well as the loss of highly regarded offensive line coach Rick Trickett but they continue to reload on the frontline.

Oklahoma and Texas Tech have the nations best O-Lines year in and year out. Texas Tech's starting five boasts an average height of 6 foot 6 and an average weight of 336 pounds(2nd largest in the nation) which has obviously been useful in keeping the back of Harrell's jersey clean. Once again Oklahoma's offensive line led by future All-American Duke Robinson is perennially among the biggest, baddest and most imposing in the nation.

After reviewing the play, the ruling on the field is inconclusive. West Virginia's rushing offense is the best in the nation, Florida has the most versatile, unpredictable offense, Oregon has the most methodical offense, the Hawaii Warriors and Texas Tech are juggernauts in the passing game, but uncommitted to grinding it out. Louisville has the best vertical passing game in the the nation and stable of talented group running backs each season.

The artistry and complexity of offenses make them too intricate too compare. Perosnal preferences are the only markers and I'll take the genius of Urban Meyer combined with West Virginia's Pony Express over any offense. It eats up the clock, allows the defense to rest and allows for a balanced, albeit unpredictable offense.

--D.J. Dunson

Team	Passing	Rushing Yards	Total TD's		INT's
Tebow	1,096	358	17(7)		1
White	617	286	12(6)		0
Dixon	932	291	15(4)		0
Harrell Brennan*	1963 1262	-22 34	19(1) 16(4)		2 1
Bradford Brohm	1067 1697	12 13	14 15(1)		2 3

*in 9 quarters
parentheses- rushing TD's