Chalk Talk: How the Cowboys Can Improve the Run Game in 2016 (Part 2)

We looked at the first of three different ways I think OSU can improve its run game on Monday. Here is the second with the third coming later on this week.

Spread it Out

Many people ask if the Cowboys’ run game will ever get back to where it once was under Holgorsen and Monken. Part of the reason why that Weeden era team was so good at running the football was because of its formational spacing. Other than their their ‘trey’ formation and the occasional short yardage package, those Cowboys operated exclusively out of 10 personnel, meaning one back, four wide receivers and no tight ends.

When there are more players to cover outside the tackles, the defense has to match spacing and personnel accordingly. This means that when they ran the ball, they had a five-on-five advantage in the box. The Cowboys of now frequently use 11 personnel with their Cowboy back (one back, one tight end, three wide receivers) and face a nickel front (six in the box). When you compare personnels, the latter has two more bodies in the trenches than the former. More bodies in the trenches, combined with a tight spacing of the offensive line, leads to frequently clogged holes. Conversely, less bodies equal more space, which allows for big play opportunities in the run game.

Here’s just one of the many examples on how formational spacing can open up the middle of the field:

Many would argue that, in this day and age, this way of thinking is better for the run than a pro style offense. Noel Mizzone, current Texas A&M offensive coordinator, explained why in an interview with in an interview with ESPN:

If I spread the defense out of there and only have to block five people up front to run it as opposed to blocking seven or eight, I like my odds better. The idea is to spread them out and make it so you don’t have to make as many blocks inside so that you can run the football.

Although some teams can consistently succeed with a ground and pound offense, OSU is not one of them, so their best bet is to spread to run. There are ways to still incorporate their cowboy back position even when spreading out the defense, but that is something that we will cover in a later article.