Are there ANY college offenses like the Patriots'?

[ewg_gestalt]

With all the talk over Taylor Price's waiving by the Patriots, there's been a lot of comments that the Patriots need to do a better job of drafting players who can play within the offense the Patriots run. At the same time, I keep hearing about how ridiculously complicated the Patriots' offensive scheme is, compared to all of the other NFL teams.

This leads me to wonder: are there any colleges that run an offensive scheme with anything near the complexity of the Patriots' scheme? If so, why don't we see the Patriots taking more players from those teams? Is it from lack of physical talent? Is it an inability to make the leap from the college-size playbook to the Patriots'? What exactly is it about New England's scheme that makes it so difficult for college players to adjust?

Or is it the ability to work with Brady that poses the biggest challenge for a new young receiver? I suspect it's hard for a beginner to see the field the way Brady does—and that seems to be a near-prerequisite for gaining his trust on game day. The ability to form a mind-meld with Brady doesn't seem to be something that is easily ascertained, and certainly not within the amount of time available for evaluating candidates during a draft.

 

[PatriotsInGA]

Coming from watching them week after week, Georgia is eerily similar to the Pats. A good bit of play-action, lots of tight-end sets, and then shotgun snaps are plentiful. They do run slightly more than the Pats, but that's about it.

 

[MoLewisrocks]

Coming from watching them week after week, Georgia is eerily similar to the Pats. A good bit of play-action, lots of tight-end sets, and then shotgun snaps are plentiful. They do run slightly more than the Pats, but that's about it.

It's not what sets they run, it's what is entailed within them. No college team can run a sight adjusted system as complex as this. They don't have players long enough and by rule can't work with them enough in and out of season... Charlie tried to once and succeeded briefly largely on the element of surprise and a hefty dose of adreneline... Couldn't maintain it. Few college QB's have more than a rudimentary understanding of defenses and that's at the level they're competing, which is light years removed from what they will encounter in the pros.

250-300 players a season come out of college ranks numbering in the thousands and less than half of them manage to make and stick to an NFL 53 man roster for 3 years. The success rate in the trenches where talent and the game translates easier is a lot better than at the skill positions. There are as many question marks in the first round as their are sure things, and the odds just plummet thereafter. That is why drafting remains as much art as science not to mention a good bit of luck of the drawer (no Colts pun intended...).

 

[Rob0729]

Few college teams run a Pro style offense, I can't think of one that runs one similar to the the Pats. In fact, there are only few NFL offenses that run offenses as complex as the Patriots' offense. Every NFL offense has hot reads, but a large number of them do not go much deeper in presnap reads by the receivers.

 

[Big-T]

Florida?

They have Weis as OC (yes I know they don't run the same system in NE but it's the closest I can think of)

 

[SONS_OF_BELICHICK]

I highly doubt it....that's why it takes some people years to perfect. This is also a reason why many receivers cant pick it up. Its like reading ....a childrens book vs reading a novel.

 

[TheTruth3402]

Three teams that I know of:

Houston (Vollmer's alma mater), Oklahoma State, Hawaii

These teams run similar sets as NE, with lots of singleback, spread and shotgun formations. However, I highly doubt that the QBs of these offenses (Keenum, Weeden) have nearly the same responsibilities as Brady.

From what I saw yesterday, the only choices they have at the line are a run option from the gun.

Going back to when Mike Leach was at Texas Tech, and June Jones was at Hawaii, it seems that very few of the players from these offenses end up being successful NFL players. Particularly the QBs. These systems tend to inflate stats, making evaluation more difficult. The names can be read straight from the top of the all time D1A passing leaders in various categories: BJ Symons, Timmy Chang, Colt Brennen, Graham Harrell.. etc.

A few WRs stand out though: Crabtree, Bess and Welker

 

[FreeTedWilliams]

Well Leach just got hired by Bledose's alma mater, Washington State.

Georgia runs a Pro Style offense, that is why I was high on the Pats picking up Mohammed Massaquoi (now with Cleveland) AJ Green was not gong to get out of the top five, but that is more him than the offense. But Georgia is quickly becoming the place to go if you are a classic drop back passer, so it might be the place to look for receivers. I can tell you right now, their TE Charles is going to play on Sundays soon.

The answer is Larry Fitzgerald, it might be time to pull something out of the hat and bring him in.......

 

[TheTruth3402]

Well Leach just got hired by Bledose's alma mater, Washington State.

Georgia runs a Pro Style offense, that is why I was high on the Pats picking up Mohammed Massaquoi (now with Cleveland) AJ Green was not gong to get out of the top five, but that is more him than the offense. But Georgia is quickly becoming the place to go if you are a classic drop back passer, so it might be the place to look for receivers. I can tell you right now, their TE Charles is going to play on Sundays soon.

The answer is Larry Fitzgerald, it might be time to pull something out of the hat and bring him in.......

Sure, if he wants to tear up his contract :cool3:

I wouldn't mind them taking a look at Justin Blackmon, if the guy isn't a headcase.

Michael Floyd may be another option.

 

[MoLewisrocks]

I highly doubt it....that's why it takes some people years to perfect. This is also a reason why many receivers cant pick it up. Its like reading ....a childrens book vs reading a novel.

A better analogy would be playing madden as opposed to reading Dostoyefsky...untranslated and in hardcover.

That's probably why we keep getting responses like so and so runs out of one back two TE sets... Fans here can't grasp this offense, either.

 

[TheTruth3402]

A better analogy would be playing madden as opposed to reading Dostoyefsky...untranslated and in hardcover.

That's probably why we keep getting responses like so and so runs out of one back two TE sets... Fans here can't grasp this offense, either.

I wasn't trying to imply that singleback offenses are automatically the same as NE just because they spread the field and use the gun.

I recognize that our offense is vastly superior. More sets, more audibles and hot routes, more option routes, more film study and coverage specific attack... in short, much more to learn and many more responsibilities.

I only meant that some of the personnel groupings and philosophy are the same, whereas a vast majority of FBS offenses are still using base personnel with 2 backs.

 

[gohogs14]

I was reading an article when Mallett was drafted about how Arkansas' offense is kinda similar. Some of the same checks and reads and stuff. Maybe one of the reasons BB drafted him

 

[Ochmed Jones]

No collegbe team is running anything as complex as what the Patriots run offensively.

And truth be told only a few pro teams are as sophicated as us.

If we break it down by position, here is what I see.

1.) Houston is running a zone blocking scheme that is very similar to what our O line runs. Fresno state runs a variation that compliments ours as well.

2.) Baylor has their WR's running option routes. It is not as encompassing as ours, but it based on reading key players on defense and adjusting the routes. Arkansas runs a variation of this as well, only the QB calls out route adjustments prior to the snap.

3.) RB is the easiest transition position in my book, any any RB that can hang ontot he ball, run with vision and pick up a blitz, will work in our offense.

4.) TE's traditionally have to be well rounded. So blockers that can run good routes are what we look for. System is not really specific. I still think Hernandez was drafted to be a match up nightmare. If he ever learns to quit dropping balls, Brady will start to use him more and more because he is always open.

 

[bbell31]

The Oklahoma Sooners offense is the most similar to the pats.....They do the hurry up, no huddle, slow it down at times, play action and run under center and spread offense as well....i think thats the best o to have, be able to do it all and plan differently each week depending on the opponents strengths as our pats do.

 

[PatriotReign]

Sure, if he wants to tear up his contract :cool3:

I wouldn't mind them taking a look at Justin Blackmon, if the guy isn't a headcase.

Michael Floyd may be another option.

I would love to get Justin Blackmon but we'd have to give up a lot to move in and take him which isn't happening due to a myriad of other needs.