Iowa State's New Spread: Offense Beyond Of 3 Yards and a Pile Of Dust

(Photo by Scott Boehm/Getty Images)

Iowa State's new Offensive Coordinator, Tom Herman, will attempt to rise from the dust of a 2-10 season to field a more potent offense; just like the Rice Owls where he coached the last 2 seasons.  In two seasons with the Owls, Herman’s offenses broke nearly 50 the school records and helped Rice win 10 games in 2008, including the school’s first bowl game since 1954.

Having played in the Big XII and Big 8 for the last umpteen years, ISU had traditionally survived on the prior "smash mouth" football.

Dan McCarney (former Head Coach at ISU) had back to back 2,000 yard rushing seasons in 1995 and 1996.  In McCarney's later years, fans routinely booed what they called "Davis up the middle" after the coaches penchant for running between the tackles.

Herman's new spread offense frequently utilizes 4-5 WR's in varying slot, TE, grouped and wideout formations.  Luckily Herman inherits a stable full of targets.  In last Saturday's scrimmage, Darius Reynolds (a JUCO transfer) separated himself from the newcomers.

“Darius does a great job of snaring the ball,” Herman said. “He is a guy who has worked himself from off the two-deep to a position where he is going to play.”

Darius Reynolds joins Darius Darks, Marquis Hamilton, Donnie Jennert, Houston Jones, and Sederick Johnson for the top 6 WR at ISU.

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