BleedGopher
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per Joe:
Now, Ciarrocca is trying to mesh his system with a Gophers offense that will have seven returning starters once tight end Brandon Lingen and three offensive linemen — Jared Weyler, Garrison Wright and Vincent Calhoun — recover from their surgeries.
The Gophers return running backs Rodney Smith and Shannon Brooks but need to replace quarterback Mitch Leidner. The new QB — most likely Conor Rhoda or Demry Croft — will run Ciarrocca’s spread offense, which relies heavily on the run-pass option (RPO), forcing quick decisions both before and after the snap.
When executed properly — as Western Michigan, Penn State, Clemson and other teams did last season — the RPO can make things difficult for opposing defenses.
Balance is key, Ciarrocca said: “If we need to run the ball for 400 yards to win, we can do that. If we need to throw the ball for 400 yards, we can do that.”
Western Michigan kept teams guessing last season, rushing for 3,204 yards and passing for 3,533. So when Fleck got the Gophers job in January, he made sure to keep Ciarrocca.
“He can do it all,” Fleck said. “But what he does is, he allows his coaches to coach. He’s an incredible listener, the best listener I’ve ever met. He’s one of my best friends, and he’s a phenomenal play caller.”
http://www.startribune.com/gophers-...585263/?utm_medium=twitter&utm_source=dlvr.it
Go Gophers!!
Now, Ciarrocca is trying to mesh his system with a Gophers offense that will have seven returning starters once tight end Brandon Lingen and three offensive linemen — Jared Weyler, Garrison Wright and Vincent Calhoun — recover from their surgeries.
The Gophers return running backs Rodney Smith and Shannon Brooks but need to replace quarterback Mitch Leidner. The new QB — most likely Conor Rhoda or Demry Croft — will run Ciarrocca’s spread offense, which relies heavily on the run-pass option (RPO), forcing quick decisions both before and after the snap.
When executed properly — as Western Michigan, Penn State, Clemson and other teams did last season — the RPO can make things difficult for opposing defenses.
Balance is key, Ciarrocca said: “If we need to run the ball for 400 yards to win, we can do that. If we need to throw the ball for 400 yards, we can do that.”
Western Michigan kept teams guessing last season, rushing for 3,204 yards and passing for 3,533. So when Fleck got the Gophers job in January, he made sure to keep Ciarrocca.
“He can do it all,” Fleck said. “But what he does is, he allows his coaches to coach. He’s an incredible listener, the best listener I’ve ever met. He’s one of my best friends, and he’s a phenomenal play caller.”
http://www.startribune.com/gophers-...585263/?utm_medium=twitter&utm_source=dlvr.it
Go Gophers!!