Panthers join no-huddle spread ‘System’

Creston/O-M linemen check their armbands after hearing a play call.

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Those who watch Creston/O-M’s football scrimmage Thursday night will see several familiar plays, but may also notice systematic changes. In fact, it’s called The System. Coach Dick Bergstrom is now one of 350 nationwide “clients” of The System, formerly known as the Tony Franklin System. Southeastern Conference rules prohibit Franklin, Auburn’s offensive coordinator, from attaching his name and doing off-campus clinics if potential recruits are present. But it’s Franklin who is the brainchild of a spread, no-huddle system using arm bands for each player on the field to follow along before each snap. Various options are employed in a series of formations in the offense that focuses on a quick-tempo, short passing game mixed with a traditional running game. Bergstrom and assistants Brian Morrison and Steve Tussey attended one of The System clinics in California last spring, and Bergstrom and Morrison then witnessed a System team camp in June at Marion, Ill. Since the Panthers’ team camp at the beginning of this month, Creston/O-M coaches have been installing the system and showing DVDs of drills and game footage of the formations and plays. “If I was going to describe what we’re doing, I’d say it is a spread, no-huddle offense,” Bergstrom said. “And tempo is very important.” Without offensive or defensive huddles, opponents will be unable to easily change personnel or make defensive calls. Also part of the theory is generating defensive fatigue that by putting players on the run to chase down screens and quick-hitters all over the field. Opportunities in the running game can develop late in a half or the game, or if the defense is excessively spread out to cover passes. “Many of the elements of it with the quick passes were already in our offense,” Bergstrom said. “But even when we ran no-huddle a few years ago, our tempo was not a key point like it is now.” Auburn success Franklin was offensive coordinator at Troy University last year until taking over as Auburn’s coordinator prior to the Chick-fil-A Bowl against Clemson. With only nine practices, he installed the no-huddle spread and the Tigers defeated Clemson, 23-20, in overtime. Auburn is ranked 10th going into the 2008 season. In that bowl game, Auburn gained a season-high 423 yards on 90 plays for a successful debut of the new scheme. Clemson’s defense looked tired in the fourth quarter after keeping pace with the no-huddle attack, which often featured several quick plays in succession like a two-minute offense. Franklin spent two seasons running his no-huddle spread at Troy, after serving as Kentucky’s offensive coordinator during the career of All-American quarterback Tim Crouch. “Tony teaches an exciting brand of offense that has posted some very impressive numbers, statistically,” Auburn coach Tommy Tuberville said upon Franklin’s hiring at Auburn on Dec. 12. Troy’s offense prior to Franklin’s arrival hadn’t ranked better than 111th nationally in total offense in the previous four seasons. They ranked 17th in total offense his first year there, averaging 453 yard per game. “Everybody thinks we’re just a throwing offense, but we’re 35th in the nation in rushing,” Troy coach Larry Blakeney told the Associated Press last December. Franklin spent 16 years at seven high schools before a four-year stint at Kentucky. He began working with high school coaches as a consultant, eventually marketing The System through clinics and seminars. Costly package For $2,995, high school coaches can purchase The System, which includes instructional DVDs, playbooks, power point technology and wristbands for players. Franklin estimates that more than 350 high schools in 44 states are now running some version of the offense, including a handful of Iowa teams. Marshalltown has a similar offensive scheme and last year all-state quarterback Tyler Peschong set Class 4A passing records for single-season and career as the Bobcats reached the playoffs for the first time since 1992. The first client, coach Rush Propst at Hoover High School in Birmingham, Ala., won five of six state championships after starting the system in 2001. “We paid for it through donations, the typical clinic budget we get from the school, and some money from our cookout fundraiser, along with some of our own personal investment,” Bergstrom said. “We covered our own flights and our own meals, and I paid for the hotel room and car rental.” Bergstrom and Morrison then made the eight-hour drive to Marion, Ill., to see the system employed in practice situations with high school teams. “I think, coming out of the California clinic, our heads were swimming,” Morrison said. “But then having the time over the summer to look at it, then it started to sink in. Then going to Illinois topped it off because you could see how they put it on paper to practice it. Our entire practice philosophy has changed. It’s up tempo, nobody’s standing around.” Good timing Going to football’s version of the fastbreak now is perfect time, Bergstrom said, because the run-oriented style of last year’s squad was built around several graduated seniors, such as all-state running back Kalab Evans and four departed linemen. “I saw the clinic brochure a year ago and thought it looked really interesting,” Bergstrom said. “But, it’s expensive. And, with the personnel we had we didn’t think we’d have to make a change. “Now, this year,” Bergstrom noted, “in looking at our returning personnel, we thought this might be our best opportunity to be successful. So we made the plunge.” In the system, the quarterback has to understand the reads and make quick decisions in throwing to open areas. Bergstrom thinks he has that in senior Grant Wood, who started the second half of last season. Speed is also the primary asset of other skill-position returnees, such as returning receivers Seth Pals and Kevin Irr, and senior running back Tony Cruz. Wood, too, is a strong runner who can possibly find more open lanes in the spread attack. “I think it will work real well,” Wood said. “It’s more complex than last year, but the way it’s set up, it’s easy to learn. It seems like practice works a lot more efficiently with it. It’s more up tempo and we get through a lot more stuff.” Irr, an all-conference soccer player with quick feet, sees opportunities. “It’s quicker and should keep the defense off balance,” Irr said. “It doesn’t give them time to really set up. We also have a two-minute offense type thing where we just keep running plays without stopping.” “The offense should be effective late in a game if we make the D-line keep chasing us,” Pals said. “There are a lot more screens. We have some option routes where you’re just supposed to find grass (open area) and sit down there, if they’re in a zone.” The offense forces the defense to cover the entire field, even in goal-line situations. And the tempo of the offense, with the snap normally eight to 10 seconds sooner than a traditional huddle offense, makes the defense cover that real estate in less time. Blocking change The base formation calls for four receivers, one back and a quarterback taking shotgun snaps. Linemen are in a two-point stance rather than down in a three-point. “That makes a good (running play) surge a challenge,” Bergstrom said, “but if you’re passing a fair amount of the time, the hardest thing to do is get up and be in a good stance in time. Our run blocking is not really any different than what we were doing.” Morrison, as a defensive coordinator, wouldn’t want to prepare for defending the system. “During the season you’re given three hours a week to prepare the kids,” Morrison said. “Now, you’re going to have to change what you’re doing against us, in some form. As a (defensive) coach, I hate teams that spread us out. And, in a huddle, I can get my best personnel in there for what I need. Now it would be tough to do that against us.” Part of the practice plan is to work against all types of pressure on the quarterback, which, if handled right, could play right into the Panthers’ hands. “If you want to bring people we have pretty athletic receivers and you’ll have them one-on-one,” Bergstrom said. “You can’t key on any one of them. We’ll throw the ball to everybody.” The keys, Bergstrom said, will be in executing the details of the offense to prevent breakdowns, and developing confidence with a good start against opening opponents Chariton and Grinnell. “You have to be willing to go three (plays) and out and say ‘so what?’,” Morrison said. “You just have to stay with our tempo.” Things will be happening faster than normal for the Panther offense this season. As coaches and players, they’re hoping it’s the scoreboard operator punching in new point totals. —————— Larry Peterson can be reached at 782-2141, ext. 232 or lpeterson@crestonnews.com