Funny to Think About Now

So one advantage to moving back has been the ability to watch some classic football games.  Here are a couple things that stood out to me this past week that really kind of made me chuckle about the offense side of the ball.

I was able to watch the 2005 Fiesta Bowl between Utah and Pitt on ESPN Classic.  It was near the end of the game when Brent Musberger asked his co-announcer Gary Danielson if Urban Meyer was going to have trouble running his spread offense in the SEC?  Well Gary of course replied that he thought so because of the speed of the linebackers and d-line.  Why does that give me a chuckle?  Well 5 years later the spread offense like Urban Meyer is alive and well in the speedy SEC.  Seems like commentators forget for all the speed on one side of the ball, the other side will have it too.

The second game I saw was the 1993 Rose Bowl game between Washington and Michigan on the Big Ten Network (yep even the west coast gets this channel).  In the second quarter Washington is driving for the go ahead touchdown and Brent Musberger (man that guy has done a lot of games) is commenting on the passing game for the Washington offense.  At this particular point they were 10 of 12 passing with 188 yards and one touchdown.  Their run game was ineffective as Michigan had basically everyone in the box.  Right after he says this, Washingon runs the ball being stuffed on two straight runs.  Brent then comments that Washington fans are probably thinking, stop running the ball and just pass it!!!  Next play, Mark Brunell passes for a touchdown and Washington goes ahead 21-17.  This made me chuckle because of how insane it would seem to coaches now doing your offense that way.

It is just kind of funny to see how football has changed since that 1993 bowl game.  Offenses more spread out and defenses not stacking the box as much (Washington was basically like a 5-3 that game).  I think at some point the tighter formations will make a return but just interesting to see how much the game has changed from even just a few years ago.