Where Mississippi State’s Football Offense fits in the Southeastern Conference Hierarchy
The game of college football is ever changing. From the wish bone evolution in 1968, developed by Emory Bellard, to the spread the field and throw it all over the place, that Steve Spurrier brought to the SEC in the 1990’s and to the dual threat quarterback, fast paced tempos we see today – football offense is always evolving.
The Southeastern Conference, long revered as a conference that wins with defense and running the football is ever changing.
For decades it was all about that big front seven on defense and that power back like Bo Jackson on Saturdays in the south. If you didn’t have one or both, odds are you just weren’t going to win football games.
In today’s SEC however, things are changing and we are seeing a continental divide within the conference.
Granted, quarterbacks are asked to make more plays with their arms now, more than ever before – but there’s still those teams that live and die by defense and a running game.
Alabama, LSU, Georgia, Florida, South Carolina and Arkansas want to set the tone running the football and play aggressive, fundamental defense.
Missouri, Tennessee, Texas A&M, Mississippi, Vanderbilt, Auburn and Kentucky to some degree want to spread the field, speed up the tempo and out finesse you.
There is no doubt, there is a continental divide on how offense should be played in the tradition rich SEC. This was never more apparent than last winter, when Nick Saban of Alabama, proposed the (10-second rule), trying to slow teams pace of play down offensively, in the name of player safety.
One group wants to speed the game up, the other wants to slow it down. One team wants that sports car that goes 100 – miles per hour, while the other will take their Big SUV and set it on cruise control.
Sep 14, 2013; Auburn, AL, USA; Mississippi State Bulldogs quarterback Dak Prescott (15) hands off the ball to Mississippi State Bulldogs running back Josh Robinson (34) during the first half against the Auburn Tigers at Jordan Hare Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Shanna Lockwood-USA TODAY Sports
But where does this leave Mississippi State and Dan Mullen’s offense? You will be surprised to see, the Bulldogs are about the only team in the SEC that fits right in the middle – they are in both categories.
When Dan Mullen arrived in Starkville in 2009, the slogan was “spread the fun”, a reference made to the style of play he would be bringing to Mississippi State with him from Florida. After all, it was Mullen and Myer that were pioneers on this whole “spread offense” experiment.
To the common fan, the term “spread” in football means fast offense, deep balls and wide open play. And while that can be true, the term spread in football terms, is more about alignment than style of play. You put three or four receivers on the field and even five at times, in different alignments, with your quarterback in the shot gun 99-percent of the time and the idea is to make the defense “spread out”, causing space and hopefully creating easier running and passing lanes.
What you do offensively, after the snap can vary from team to team. Back to 2009, Dan Mullen said he would build his offense around his personnel and that could change from year to year and the numbers show he has done just that, since being the head man in Starkville.
While staying in the “spread”, Mullen only threw the ball 31-percent of the time in 2009 as the Bulldogs ran an average of 71-plays per game.
In 2010 the Bulldogs threw the ball even less, only 30.1-percent of the time, on their way to nine wins and a Gator Bowl thrashing of Michigan.
Keep in mind, 2009 and 2010 Mullen had Tyson Lee and Chris Relf to work with. In 2010 Mullen used Relf’s ability to run the ball and complete calculated throws -definitely more of a power running game in 2010.
In 2011, Mullen started working Tyler Russell into the mix and the Bulldogs increased their pass attempts as the Bulldogs threw the ball 40-percent of the time, playing to Russell’s strengths as a passer.
2012 saw the most balance out of a Dan Mullen team as the Bulldogs were almost 50/50 on pass-run play selection.
This past year with Russell and Dak Prescott, along with Damien Williams at times, the Bulldogs threw the ball 45-percent of the time, again dipping under the 50-percent mark.
What about plays per game you ask? After all, that is a hot button topic in the SEC – who runs the most plays per game?
Over a five year period, the Bulldogs have averaged 70-plays per game, placing them about 7th in the league in plays per game.
Their lowest year was 2012, as the Bulldogs ran only 65-plays per game; conversely, their highest outputs were 2010 and 2012 averaging 74 and 73 plays per game, respectively.
Notice a trend? 2012, was the year Tyler Russell started most every game and Mullen slowed the game down due to him being a pass first quarterback. Also you have to take into account the more throws, the more incompletions which means the clock stops.
2010 and 2013 Mullen used Chris Relf and Prescott to run the football more, moving the chains, running more plays and speeding up the tempo to some degree.
So where do the Bulldogs fit in this offensive paradigm in the SEC? Right dead in the middle as they will spread you out, but prefer to come right at you with a power running game.
In 2013 Mississippi led the SEC with right at 80-plays per game, followed by Missouri at 75.5 and both of these teams are considered finesse football teams. To show you that perception isn’t always reality though, the Bulldogs are known for their run first approach, which by default you would think they are closer to the bottom of the league in regards to plays per game, but they ranked fourth in the league this past year, just two or three plays a game behind both.
Mullen loves the spread, uses the spread and embraces the spread, but his roots are all about running the football first – like many coaches in football. You establish your game by running the football, and then throw the ball off the run.
If you’re curious as to how the Bulldogs will run their offense in 2014, just look back at the numbers. With the personnel on campus today, you are going to see a team that runs a lot of plays and I would bet you a steak dinner, a team that runs the football 60-percent of the time. That has nothing to do with Prescott’s throwing ability.
It has everything to do with Mullen’s approach to the game. He likes to spread the fun – but, while doing so, he likes to pound the ball, controlling the clock and the game.
That’s why you never heard Mullen comment on the 10-second rule, because he could probably care less. He can speed the game up or slow it down; it all depends on the situation. He’s been mixing the best of both worlds since he arrived in Starkville in 2009 and will again do so in 2014.