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Look Out Big 10/11, the 21st Century Has Arrived

Back in 1995, many supposed college football experts tried to make the claim that Nebraska's option offense was obsolete.  Defenses were too fast.  What was en vogue was the high powered passing attacks such as Florida's "Fun and Gun".

Then 62-24 happened.  What did that game show?  First of all, the option offense wasn't necessarily dead.  And two, having a great defense probably matters more.

Fast forward to current days and what do we find?  Well, a new variant on the option is becoming all the rage: the spread option.  Urban Meyer won a national title in just his second year in Gainesville with it.  And as time goes on, we're seeing aspects of it just about everywhere.

Except, for the most part, the Big Ten.

The Big Ten might be the football conference that time passed by.  They have storied, tradition rich programs such as Michigan, Ohio State, and Penn State.  They control some of the major media markets of the midwest and the east.  And that means that in the mindset of many, the Big Ten is relevant.

Even when they aren't any more.

Case in point:  last years BCS Title Game.  There was an uproar from Big Ten country that claimed that the game really should have been a rematch between Ohio State and Michigan.  Then the bowl season occurred, and the Big Ten went 2-7.  The year before that, 3-4.  Ohio State and Michigan?  Both got blasted in their bowl games.

What happened to the Big Ten?  Simply put...football in recent years has become a speed game.  Except of course, in the Big Ten.  Husker fans watched their Big Ten-style defense get bulked up by Kevin Cosgrove, and found themselves gashed week after week by, you guessed it, the spread option.

This year, the spread option did arrive in the Big Ten, and Illinois used it to jump from the dregs of the conference to a Rose Bowl berth this season.  And now, Michigan took a bold move by hiring Rich Rodriquez away from West Virginia.  There's no sense in denying it anymore, Big Ten.  The 21st Century has arrived.

Will Rodriguez be a success in Ann Arbor?  Only time will tell.  But one thing is clear, the arrival of Rodriguez in the Big Ten means that times will change.  Defenses will need to evolve in the Big Ten and become modern.  They'll have to learn how to defend these offenses.

It might be rocky for Michigan at first.  Certainly, Ryan Mallett can't be too excited.  But Rodriquez has shown he can evolve, and might be able to adapt to Michigan's talent initially.  But the key is to find a running quarterback, and quickly.  There looks to be some continuity at running back, and no matter what Rodriguez does, he'll run the ball.

But the gauntlet has been laid.  The Big Ten cannot ignore modern football anymore.  It finally invaded the heart of the conference.

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BigTen bashing out of control

I think you're making a little too much out of the Big Ten's bad bowl showing last year.  Every conference occasionally has a bad year when it comes to bowls (e.g., when was the last time the Pac-10, besides USC, showed up for a bowl game?).  To imply that the college football world has passed said conference by just because of one bad year seems more than a little misplaced.  

Besides, your contention that "we're seeing aspects of [the spread option] just about everywhere.
Except, for the most part, the Big Ten," is simply untrue.  Northwestern, Purdue, Indiana, and, to a lesser extent, Michigan State, have been running some form of the spread for several years now, in addition to Illinois.  But don't let those facts get in the way of your Big Ten bashing.  

Recently, many successful college football programs have struggled, such as Notre Dame, Florida State, Miami, and yes, even Nebraska.  Those teams have struggled much more than the traditional Big Ten powers. You should post an article about how college football has passed the former teams by.

by buckeye on Dec 26, 2007 7:25 AM CST reply actions   0 recs

There is a difference...

...between the spread (Purdue/Texas Tech) and the spread option (West Virginia/Florida).

by Husker Mike on Dec 26, 2007 10:37 PM CST up reply actions   0 recs

well

not a bad idea to examine what's happened to former powers, and the off-season certainly gives us plenty of time.

Off the top of my head, seems to me that one big problem the Big 10 has is that they're not scheduling many high-powered opponents in the non-conference, i.e., they're not playing many SEC opponents. In fact, 2007, there wasn't a single SEC-Big 10 game.

There is plenty of soft scheduling to go around, but the Big 10 has something to prove. They still haven't shaken the "don't have enough speed" issue, whether right or wrong. If they want the same level of respect given to a conference like the SEC (since that's their upcoming opponent), they need to win the head to head games.

Not only that, if Ohio State gets dismantled in this upcoming national title game, what do you think is going to happen with Big 10 bashing? Whooeee!

Go Big Red!

by corn blight on Dec 28, 2007 10:13 AM CST up reply actions   0 recs

You know,

if mister Mallet is ever unhappy with Rodriguez's "O", there may be a roster spot for him at Nebraska.

Just a thought.

by 96operator on Dec 26, 2007 4:40 PM CST reply actions   0 recs

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