A hybrid offense, is it possible?

Last year we heard the Hybrid Defense crap with multiple fronts whatever else.  Michigan needs to have a clear offensive style and stick to it.

I know Borges wants to eventually switch fully to his pro-style system, but there is no possible way to keep Denard off the field.  This rivals article makes a good point though, after D-Rob leaves Gardner looks in very good position to take this team over and keep us winning big, he's a Terelle Pryor that can ACTUALLY PASS!!!!

http://michigan.rivals.com/content.asp?CID=1178378

When I was reading this I thought of a type of offense that TCU runs that worked so well against wisconsin. Then slowly switch to the pro-style offense that Borges wants to run.

I would assume next year there will still be designed runs for Denard out of a spread look. I honestly don't see this aspect falling off too much next year. Denard last year still hadn't really mastered the read out of the spread so most of his big gains weren't reads. RR's offense isn't that complicated to run but is heavily predicated by having an athlete at QB. We still do so blending these styles should be a doable task.

Ohio St. runs somewhat of a hybrid system.

Ask Tom Brady.

I am fully convinced that, as defenses finally find a way to decode elements of the spread, most offenses will combine spread and pro set principles: in other words, a hybrid.  As I have mentioned on numerous occasions, the "two-minute offense" is a great example of this.  Also, and I hesitate to mention this example because it still makes me want to vomit, Tressel's offense in the first half of the 2006 game was a great example, too. 

The main thing that has kept it from happening already is that most coaches still believe that you have to cram everyone into the middle to run the ball effectively, and that it is important to "run time off the clock."  Consequently, most pro set guys only spread the field when they are desperate and absolutely have to score. 

Imagine that.

Gee, I wonder what would happen if they got "desperate" earlier, like on their first drive?

Yes, a hybrid offense is possible. Lock the thread.

I don't think we'll show the zone read look much, if that's what you mean. Personally, I don't think the team ran much zone read last season, but they showed the look a lot. I think they'll still spread out the field, but try to get Denard out on rollouts with two reads followed by scramble. Also, they'll run some variation of that QB off tackle play. Our personnel are a great fit for it.

I found that Borges was running an offense that already was a bit of a hybrid.  He certainly play-called to the strengths of Ryan Lindley as a passer but also showed a variety of formations and balance.  Don't get stuck on the term "pro-style" without having seen a recent Al Borges offense.

To set up the pass, we'd pass to set up the run...now that we have someone who's doing that, we're complaining he's not running enough.



Actually, i'd like to see Denard run less, more selectively, and stay on the field. Instead of the same offense, I'd like to see one that can put it in the endzone more.



And we didn't really run THAT much zone read (neither did Auburn, really). But we could maybe continue that, and drop all the QB sweeps and such where we know Denard is going to get tee'd up. I'd like to keep using his talents. I'd just like to use them in a way he gets to use them all game, and not just the first half. If that means handing the ball off more (or as the new offense seems to dictate, throw it more), I'm all for it. Denard can find more space and control the hits he takes more on a scrambled run off a pass play than a designed no option run.

Who cares if Borges uses the QB run to open up the pass or not?  If the offense can improve RB ypc, 3rd down conversion %, and red-zone efficiency, it doesn't really matter if Denard runs for 120 yards or 30.  Less utilization can lead to more efficiency.

I realize the stats say this offense is likely to regress with a new scheme but two big numbers jump out at me that won't be hard to improve upon: 17 points against MSU and 7 against OSU.

If we can move the ball it doesn't matter how we get it done.  I'd rather use Denard as a runner to get key 3rd down conversions than the extra yard or two on a 1st down play.  The way Pryor is utilized seems to be a reasonable model -- Run when you need to.

We all have our doubts about Denard in a pro-style/west-coast/non-spread offense, but you don't have to use the zone-read to utilize a QB's running ability.  Rollouts, waggles, bootlegs, QB draws, trick plays with Denard at WR.  There are ways outside of a spread offense of keeping defenses honest to a QB's run ability that get your skill players in exploitable 1-on-1 situations.

Be comforted by the fact that we have talented and veteran OL and TEs.  We also have an extremely deep set of veteran WRs.  Any QB can be successful if he has time in the pocket and open receivers.

Denard is giving Borges a shot and we should too.

Nothing would please me more than to have a 1000 yard running back. Since Mike Hart left, M's RB's have been substandard and downright futile.

It is sacrilegious for M not to have a go to 100 yard a game running back, and I for one will not put up with it anymore.

We need to get back to  Hut hut up the gut.

Are you listening Michael Shaw? This is your senior season, get it done.

Please, from here out, NEVER, mention the current Tosu qb on this board. He has no bearing on this program.  None of our players should be degraded on any level with any Buckeye.

Hoke was hired considering the criterion that he be 'flexible' and adapt to the talent at hand...Borges has loads of experience and has run just about every kind of offense from what I've read. Call it hybrid or whatever, but Denard will be QB, and dangerous in any offense one would think..

This will be very interesting.  Denard gives Borges the chance to branch out and try some things he hasn't been able to with previous QBs.  If it works out, it may allow us to continue recruiting dual-threat QBs down the road, while also being able to recruit pro-style QBs.  OSU is able to do that right now.

I see Borges running what he knows, he has never demonstrated the use of a running quarterback in any previous jobs.  He does not know how to use someone like Denard (or at least has never demonstrated it).  Good, bad or indifferent Denard will have limited use as a runner and anything beyond that is wishful thinking.  He will be a runner like Steve Young was, an occasional scramble and one or two designed run plays like a draw.

I would have liked to have seen more of a transition but there is no evidence that Borges or anyone on his staff has that experience.  So we get to see Denard 2.0 in a different offense and we will see how well he adapts.  The problem I see is that the new offense mitigates Denards advantages (running ability) and puts more emphasis on his weaknesses (throwing accuracy).

I hope Borges can adapt but I simply see no evidence, yet.  Not a bad thing for Denard if he aspires to play quarterback in the NFL, but no more multiple 10 yard rushing days.

Thankfully we are also blowing up the whole defense!

I see Borges running what he knows, he has never demonstrated the use of a running quarterback in any previous jobs.  He does not know how to use someone like Denard (or at least has never demonstrated it).  Good, bad or indifferent Denard will have limited use as a runner and anything beyond that is wishful thinking.  He will be a runner like Steve Young was, an occasional scramble and one or two designed run plays like a draw.

I would have liked to have seen more of a transition but there is no evidence that Borges or anyone on his staff has that experience.  So we get to see Denard 2.0 in a different offense and we will see how well he adapts.  The problem I see is that the new offense mitigates Denards advantages (running ability) and puts more emphasis on his weaknesses (throwing accuracy).

I hope Borges can adapt but I simply see no evidence, yet.  Not a bad thing for Denard if he aspires to play quarterback in the NFL, but no more multiple 10 yard rushing days.

Thankfully we are also blowing up the whole defense!

I have no idea if this is a stupid question or not, so I'm expecting the worst. Has DROB ever said why he wants to be a QB? Does he really care if he runs 20 times a game? I've never heard him say I want to be an NFL QB like that other guy. I know he can run all over a defense and that is something a coach would like to use, but does he care if he runs? I guess my real question is, if Denard never ran once all year(would never happen) would that bother him if he still gets to play QB?

There has been plenty of great dual threat QBs in pro style offenses. Some of you are not thinking outside the box, every team we played everyone knew we where going to run QBs dives everyplay and so they packed the box. Imagine how effective he will be doing bootlegs after we pounded the ball 5 times in a row  mixed in with a few passes. Scrambling QBs are most effective when the oponites don't know it's coming. I expect Denards rushing numbers to go down along with his attempts but in return he will be more explosive when he does run. I see alot of great 3rd down runs for 1st downs this year and most importantly he will not be gassed in the 4th quarter when we need him the most. All this equals a more efficient offense and long drives that will keep our defense off the field.

"I think the majority of us are hoping for an offense similar to last year’s"

I don't think this is true.  After 6 games I think you would have had a point here however it was apparent that as the year went on and we ended the season that maybe this offense was not what we thought and it really isnt as high scoring and dynamic as we had hoped.  We have great players on offense but I do not think they even touched what their potential and that a lot of that was because the offense was predictable after a while.  I too hope that he finds a nice middle ground so we can use DRob as most of us probably feel he should be used.

i don't think we should expect anything like last year's offense, but Borges isn't stupid enough to transition completely to a pro-style. Hoke and Borges both know the talent we have and the style of players we have, and they will utilize these players the best possible way. i have faith.

It seems like if Denard drops back to pass a lot more, he would improve his passing while staying on the field and NOT GETTING HURT. It'd be nice for him to finish games, and he'd be able to do this if he isn't running 20-30 times a game. He'll get an occasional run, which the defense will not be expecting, and he should be able to bust those runs for a good 20 or 30 yards. I think it'll be a successful season offensively, and we should be a lot better off than last year.

than one weapon. Denard is an amazing weapon. But as last year showed, he needs a well-developed supporting cast.

How can it hurt to have Denard in the backfield with a strong running back who can put 100 on the other team? How can it hurt to open up a short passing game?

Denard will continue to get better. And he knows that to go into the NFL he needs to develop more skills. This is all good.

When Bo had Rick Leach, he ran option football to take advantage of those skills. Nothing is carved in stone. Let's see what develops. It'll be fun to watch.

I really think we're going to see a fierce battle for the QB position this spring and summer. I think Devin is a special talent and he's better suited for this new system. It will be interesting. We can't keep Denard off the field though. 

need to study tape of Denard's designed QB runs from 2010 and implement some of those plays into the offense along with their pro style stuff.