BY THE NUMBERS1991-2001-2011Area teams average more than 32 points: 2-1-20Average combined points per game: 37-41-58Area 1,000 yard rushers: 3-7-21Area 1,000 yard passers: 1-6-20
Aside from nerves that make butterflies in the stomach feel like they’ve grown to the size of pterodactyls, there is one thing shared by nearly all of the area’s high school football teams still alive in the playoffs: Four of the five run a variation of the spread offense.
Baylor, Boyd-Buchanan, Calhoun and South Pittsburg all switched from more traditional offenses to the spread in the last three years, while Ridgeland continues to cling to the wing-T that has brought coach Mark Mariakis so much success.
The four spread teams hope the quick-strike potential of that offense carries them through tonight’s round of playoff games.
Born out of the run-and-shoot, the spread typically features one back and as many as four receivers spreading the defense thin across the field, creating space for the skill-position players. The offense also has introduced more athletic quarterbacks as run-pass dual-threat options.