Running a spread offense is all the rage in football these days. From high school to the NFL, this strategy allows a team to move players out of the box and use the whole field.
But the tactic isn’t news to Harvard football. In fact, Murphy has been running this offense longer than nearly anyone else in the country.
By spreading the field, an offense forces the opposition to stretch its resources thin. More linebackers have to play outside the box, making it easier to run the ball against a lighter defensive front.
In addition, the passing game remains a threat. There are anywhere from two to five receivers on the field at any given time, and even the simplest routes pose significant danger due to the lack of defenders in a given space.
“We’ve been running the up-tempo, no-huddle position probably longer than anyone in the nation,” Murphy said. “The bottom line is, the minute you put the quarterback in a shotgun situation...you don’t have to block as many guys.”
While the spread has clear benefits, it certainly has drawbacks. In the game against Rhode Island, the Harvard offense hardly went under center, even in short-yardage situations. As potent as spread offenses can be, they lack the strength of power formations when a team needs a few feet to convert a late down.
Less than nine minutes into the game, for example, the Crimson faced a fourth-and-one from the Rams’ 32. Although the down marker stood a mere three feet away, the offense elected to snap the back back an extra four or five yards before even thinking about forward progress.
In this case, the playcall didn’t make much of a difference as a Harvard lineman jumped offsides, resulting in a fourth-and-six.
“We don’t pretend to have all the answers,” Murphy said. “But we do what we do.”
AIR TO THE THRONE
Perhaps the most decisive takeaway from Friday night was that Viviano likes two particular receivers a lot. A whole lot.
Sophomore wideout Justice Shelton-Mosley and senior tight end Anthony Firkser each finished with over 100 yards receiving. Shelton-Mosley reached that milestone on nine catches, while Firkser made seven grabs, two of which went for touchdowns.
To put those numbers in perspective, both players alone had more receiving yards than the rest of the Crimson combined.
“It’s pretty clear that they’re both probably my favorite targets to throw to throughout preseason,” VIviano said. “Not that other guys can’t step up...but they’re very reliable guys to go to.”
Reliable might be an understatement. Last season, Shelton-Mosley tallied 589 yards through the air despite starting play as a true freshman. Meanwhile Firkser had tallied 857 yards in his career before Friday, including 372 last season.
If either player enjoys a breakout season, then you can trace the start of dominance to last Friday.
—Staff writer W. Gant Player can be reached at wadeplayer@college.harvard.edu.