Pruitt discusses the evolution of offenses

#5
#5
  • Like
Reactions: njvols and VOLINVONORE
#6
#6
Tombo7 said:
After reading the article, two things come to mind:
1. Butch Jones would have no idea what these guys are talking about, and
2. I hope Rush Propst never comes near our football program.
Click to expand...
Rush is a good football mind, but just a walking nightmare of a person. Valdosta High School made a deal with the devil in bringing him in as coach. It seems that everywhere he's gone he's won on the field but been in trouble and asked to leave.
 
  • Like
Reactions: Tombo7 and Volatility
#9
#9
give_him 6 said:
Rush is a good football mind, but just a walking nightmare of a person. Valdosta High School made a deal with the devil in bringing him in as coach. It seems that everywhere he's gone he's won on the field but been in trouble and asked to leave.
Click to expand...
I think they had to make that deal. Valdosta plays in one of the toughest regions in Ga. Northside and Lee County are both usually powerhouse teams. HOCO was good with Fromm not really all that since Fromm but still no cakewalk.
 
#10
#10
Dumbledorange said:
And he played/coached with a ball that more resembled a basketball than today's NCAA football.
Click to expand...

Not so much as you might be thinking.

This is probably what you envision. But note the date:
Tuftsfootball-1024x949.jpg


By the time Neyland played (played, not coached) for Army (1913-1916), the ball had already been "slimmed down" a considerable amount, and looked about like this (though there was not quite as much uniformity in balls then as there is now):
1590525994559.jpeg

And by the time the General started coaching at Tennessee, in 1925, the ball had been trimmed down to what we recognize today as a football:
images


The ball would have one more iteration, in 1935, that would "sharpen" the pointy ends and make it more streamlined for throwing. It has been that size and shape ever since:
1590526676660.jpeg

Given that General Neyland coached all the way to 1952, it's accurate to say that the majority of his coaching career was using the modern ball (9 years with the '1926' ball above, then another 17 years with the modern ball). He never coached, or even played, with the original basketball-like football.
 
  • Like
Reactions: Gandalf, BlackCreekVol, VolinMC and 26 others
#15
#15
Seattle Hillbilly said:
Nicely done JP.
Click to expand...
Hulavol said:
Great post JP!
Click to expand...
Thank you, fellas.

Did you notice that one of those balls is from the Georgia Tech - Cumberland University game that I think still stands as the most lopsided score in football history, 222-0? Heh, Cumberland U is just down the road from us here in Lebanon; they don't play football any more.


EDIT: i stand corrected. SycloneJoe points out below that Cumberland University does again have a football program. Now i have to swing by the campus to see if i can figure out where they practice; never saw a football field there!
 
Last edited:
  • Like
Reactions: V0LUNT33R and MemphisVol77
#16
#16
901 Orange said:
I think they had to make that deal. Valdosta plays in one of the toughest regions in Ga. Northside and Lee County are both usually powerhouse teams. HOCO was good with Fromm not really all that since Fromm but still no cakewalk.
Click to expand...
How long does he last? I give it three years before he wears out his welcome.
 
#17
#17
give_him 6 said:
Rush is a good football mind, but just a walking nightmare of a person. Valdosta High School made a deal with the devil in bringing him in as coach. It seems that everywhere he's gone he's won on the field but been in trouble and asked to leave.
Click to expand...

Like a Petrino I guess.
 
#19
#19
give_him 6 said:
Rush is a good football mind, but just a walking nightmare of a person. Valdosta High School made a deal with the devil in bringing him in as coach. It seems that everywhere he's gone he's won on the field but been in trouble and asked to leave.
Click to expand...
I know some parents who would move their children who play football would change schools if he became the coach of the school where they played.
 
#20
#20
VOLINVONORE said:
I know some parents who would move their children who play football would change schools if he became the coach of the school where they played.
Click to expand...
There is no denying that. He knows how to build programs and win (whether its the right way of doing things is a controversial topic). He has been and is a vehicle for many young athletes getting to a major college program and then on to the NFL. Just a lot of baggage comes with him. Administrative nightmare.
 
#21
#21
Boca Vol said:
One of General Neyland's sayings was, "When you pass the ball, 3 things can happen...and 2 of them are bad."
Click to expand...
General Neyland was also known to punt on 3rd down for field position purposes. His thought was a 15 yard gain through exchange of punts was just as good as a 15 yard gain via a run or pass on offense. Back then the game was more geared to defense and always focused his best athletes on defensive football. Dumbing down defensive play due to player safety was also not a consideration then either. The General had almost 100% confidence that his defense would consistently produce 3 and outs and he was confident about maintaining a 1 score lead. Final scores of 3-0....6-3... etc happened then. The game is waaaaay different now.
 
  • Like
Reactions: VFL-82-JP and Boca Vol
#22
#22
Offense has evolved in the college ranks because very few HS coaches teach the QB position anymore. They put one of their best athletes in the position and let them improvise. College football had little choice but to adapt with few recruits coming in that actually know the position.
 
  • Like
Reactions: VolinMC and 05_never_again
#23
#23
hog88 said:
Offense has evolved in the college ranks because very few HS coaches teach the QB position anymore. They put one of their best athletes in the position and let them improvise. College football had little choice but to adapt with few recruits coming in that actually know the position.
Click to expand...
Yep. And the spread offense was a system created to allow a really athletic QB to make plays, many of them improvised.

As the system has evolved there are some reads that a QB has to make (e.g., the defensive end on a read option) but they are pretty simple and involve reading half the field, at most.
 
#24
#24
give_him 6 said:
How long does he last? I give it three years before he wears out his welcome.
Click to expand...
If he gets them back to what they were he might be there a while. I dnt think they even care about whateva happened at Colquitt County. I live in Ga and that area of Dooley, Lee, Albany, & Moultrie always has some of the best talent in Ga. He does have an uphill climb bc Lee County doesnt look like they will be letting up anytime soon especially if Cam Davis ends up there. Propst just joined an extremely tough 6A region. Look at the bright side, maybe we can get a recruiting pipeline into Valdosta. They have had top talent for decades literally.
 
#25
#25
901 Orange said:
If he gets them back to what they were he might be there a while. I dnt think they even care about whateva happened at Colquitt County. I live in Ga and that area of Dooley, Lee, Albany, & Moultrie always has some of the best talent in Ga. He does have an uphill climb bc Lee County doesnt look like they will be letting up anytime soon especially if Cam Davis ends up there. Propst just joined an extremely tough 6A region. Look at the bright side, maybe we can get a recruiting pipeline into Valdosta. They have had top talent for decades literally.
Click to expand...
My brother lived in Tifton until last year. Always kept me up on what Colquitt County was doing. He's in Milledgeville now.
 
New posts
You must log in or register to reply here.

VN Store



Back
Top