I spent a big chunk of yesterday rolling through a few Western Michigan and Indiana games to try and get a good feel for Kevin Johns' system and how he operates as a play caller with a few different sets of personnel. Now that I've done that, I feel like I've got a pretty good feel for what he likes to do, and I have a few educated guesses on how I think he'll try to mesh some of his concepts and ideas on the field with Kingsbury's offense.
*First, let's talk personnel groupings. Whether it be at Indiana in the later years or at Western Michigan, Johns goes almost exclusively with 11 and 12 personnel, meaning he likes to go one back with a tight end or one back with two tight ends. It's the backbone for Johns' run game. Rarely does he ever go with 10 personnel, meaning one back and no tight ends (a staple in the air raid and Kingsbury's offense) or empty (00) personnel. He will use both at times, but rarely. The most intriguing thing I never found on film through a few games? Two back sets.
*That's right, Johns just flat out doesn't ever use two back sets, or he never did in the games I watched. I'm guessing it has to do something with using tight ends in line and in the backfield so much, but I'd guess he also doesn't go to two back because the running backs just aren't a real factor as a receiver in Johns' offense. Dating back to 2014, Johns and Kevin Wilson didn't have a running back catch for more than 150 yards on a season, and no tailback caught for even 100 for Johns at Western Michigan this last year.
*In the run game, Johns uses his tight ends as blockers on every single down. Lead blockers in motion in the backfield, in-line at either end of the O-line, or any other way you can mark it up, Johns loves to use tight ends as an extra blocker for his tailbacks. On top of that, his linemen do a whole lot of pulling, guards and tackles both. Even the center will pull some. It's a lot of old school, time tested run schemes modernized for today's spread offenses in shotgun and pistol. Think stretch plays, power plays, buck sweeps, traps, off-tackle, and good ole inside and outside zone. Johns uses all of it. He also loves to use motion with his tight ends and receivers. This is a common thread between Johns and Kingsbury. They both use a ton of motion as sleight of hand, trying to shift defenders to create better leverage before the snap. Johns uses it for the run game a ton, and Kingsbury uses it for the passing game. Add to all this the fact that Tech actually started using pulling linemen in their run game scheme this last season, and I think this marriage of two minds that set things up similarly makes a ton of sense to me.
*In the passing game, Johns' systems seem to really focus on the outside receivers. Yes, the tight ends will catch some balls, but it's really only one or two a game. TEs are mostly used as blockers in his scheme above all else. And since his system focuses on the outside receivers, it's a pretty different shift from what Kingsbury does, using the Y and H to set up a lot of the primary reads in the offense. With Johns, the outside throws seem to be focused on letting your big WRs win one on ones with come backs, slants, screens, out routes, go routes, etc.. A lot of these one one ones for outside receivers are as a result of the focus on the run game, too.
*And make no mistake: Johns' spread system is based around the run game. Everything revolves around your tailbacks and setting up blocking for them on the ground. The passing game is mostly set up off of the run, whether that be play-action, bootlegs, or outside one-on-ones like I mentioned above. They run some spread-style screens, but that's about it for true air-raid stuff.
*In Johns' offense, the tailbacks are the stars, and he molds and morphs the offense around their abilities. This last year at Western Michigan, he had three tailbacks he used that were all speedy edge guys that had a good feel for cutting and following blockers. So, he ran a ton of stretches, outside zone, and off-tackle runs plays. At Indiana, when he had guys like Tevin Coleman and Jordan Howard, it was about inside runs. Johns, even going back to his time as the RBs coach at Northwestern, just has a knack for making his running backs the best versions of themselves. He's been OC or co-CO for four straight offenses where a tailback had at least 1100 yards rushing. Years where he has great rushers? Coleman had 2000 in 2014 at Indiana, and Coleman and Devine Redding both had 1000 in 2015. He wants to make his tailbacks the star of the show.
*So, where does this bring us as far as Texas Tech goes? First, let's talk schematically. Where I think you'll see the biggest change is in run game scheme. I think Tech will keep running more and more stretch, power, buck sweep, and other pulling schemes on the ground. It only makes sense to let Johns play with his sandbox of athletic offensive linemen like Jack Anderson, Madison Akamnonu, Travis Bruffy, and Terence Steele. All are great, big athletes, and I think Johns and Brandon Jones could really create quite a run game with that group. In the passing game, I think you'll see more of Kliff's influence stay intact.
*As for tight end, the question is do you have one on the roster to try and morph the run game to look more like Johns'? Can Donta Thompson find new life in an expanded role? I'm not sure if he's big enough or physical enough of a blocker. Could you put a bunch of weight on Antoine Wesley and really try to make him a legit receiving threat at TE? Or, do you take a guy like Tyler Carr who's already 6-4, 260 and use him as a battering ram and roving blocker that you might toss a checkdown to once or twice a game? I think that makes the most sense.
*As for tailback, after watching what Johns has done, I have not doubt that he'll try and set things up to make Tre King the best version of himself. I think King is built to succeed in a system like Johns. He's patient, it's hard to bring him down, and he has great vision. On top of that, he's not slow. If I had a prediction to make right now, it's that Johns can turn King into a star. We'll see, but I think the building blocks are there. I also believe that SaRodorick Thompson just become more valuable with Johns hire. While he's not fast, Thompson is patient, physical, and he has great balance. This run scheme fits him.
*It's also worth noting that Johns likes to use read-option in his offense, and Jett Duffey happens to be the most dynamic running QB he's ever had. I think this is a situation where both Duffey and Johns benefit from each other.
*As for RPO stuff, runs some of it, but not as much as Kingsbury. I'd guess that number goes up and stays about the same as it's been with Kliff in charge.
*I really do feel like this is a perfect match for both Tech and Johns. He'll continue to grow the run game with some new schemes and details while meshing Kingsbury's better passing game into it. Now, we'll see if Johns is the full time play-caller or not, but what I've heard is that no matter what he'll have a really, really large influence on the system, game prep, and running the offense. Even if he isn't he full on play-caller, I guarantee he'll have a big say in what is getting called.
*So, in summary if TL;DR: It's a good match, and I really like Johns' run schemes and ideas.
*First, let's talk personnel groupings. Whether it be at Indiana in the later years or at Western Michigan, Johns goes almost exclusively with 11 and 12 personnel, meaning he likes to go one back with a tight end or one back with two tight ends. It's the backbone for Johns' run game. Rarely does he ever go with 10 personnel, meaning one back and no tight ends (a staple in the air raid and Kingsbury's offense) or empty (00) personnel. He will use both at times, but rarely. The most intriguing thing I never found on film through a few games? Two back sets.
*That's right, Johns just flat out doesn't ever use two back sets, or he never did in the games I watched. I'm guessing it has to do something with using tight ends in line and in the backfield so much, but I'd guess he also doesn't go to two back because the running backs just aren't a real factor as a receiver in Johns' offense. Dating back to 2014, Johns and Kevin Wilson didn't have a running back catch for more than 150 yards on a season, and no tailback caught for even 100 for Johns at Western Michigan this last year.
*In the run game, Johns uses his tight ends as blockers on every single down. Lead blockers in motion in the backfield, in-line at either end of the O-line, or any other way you can mark it up, Johns loves to use tight ends as an extra blocker for his tailbacks. On top of that, his linemen do a whole lot of pulling, guards and tackles both. Even the center will pull some. It's a lot of old school, time tested run schemes modernized for today's spread offenses in shotgun and pistol. Think stretch plays, power plays, buck sweeps, traps, off-tackle, and good ole inside and outside zone. Johns uses all of it. He also loves to use motion with his tight ends and receivers. This is a common thread between Johns and Kingsbury. They both use a ton of motion as sleight of hand, trying to shift defenders to create better leverage before the snap. Johns uses it for the run game a ton, and Kingsbury uses it for the passing game. Add to all this the fact that Tech actually started using pulling linemen in their run game scheme this last season, and I think this marriage of two minds that set things up similarly makes a ton of sense to me.
*In the passing game, Johns' systems seem to really focus on the outside receivers. Yes, the tight ends will catch some balls, but it's really only one or two a game. TEs are mostly used as blockers in his scheme above all else. And since his system focuses on the outside receivers, it's a pretty different shift from what Kingsbury does, using the Y and H to set up a lot of the primary reads in the offense. With Johns, the outside throws seem to be focused on letting your big WRs win one on ones with come backs, slants, screens, out routes, go routes, etc.. A lot of these one one ones for outside receivers are as a result of the focus on the run game, too.
*And make no mistake: Johns' spread system is based around the run game. Everything revolves around your tailbacks and setting up blocking for them on the ground. The passing game is mostly set up off of the run, whether that be play-action, bootlegs, or outside one-on-ones like I mentioned above. They run some spread-style screens, but that's about it for true air-raid stuff.
*In Johns' offense, the tailbacks are the stars, and he molds and morphs the offense around their abilities. This last year at Western Michigan, he had three tailbacks he used that were all speedy edge guys that had a good feel for cutting and following blockers. So, he ran a ton of stretches, outside zone, and off-tackle runs plays. At Indiana, when he had guys like Tevin Coleman and Jordan Howard, it was about inside runs. Johns, even going back to his time as the RBs coach at Northwestern, just has a knack for making his running backs the best versions of themselves. He's been OC or co-CO for four straight offenses where a tailback had at least 1100 yards rushing. Years where he has great rushers? Coleman had 2000 in 2014 at Indiana, and Coleman and Devine Redding both had 1000 in 2015. He wants to make his tailbacks the star of the show.
*So, where does this bring us as far as Texas Tech goes? First, let's talk schematically. Where I think you'll see the biggest change is in run game scheme. I think Tech will keep running more and more stretch, power, buck sweep, and other pulling schemes on the ground. It only makes sense to let Johns play with his sandbox of athletic offensive linemen like Jack Anderson, Madison Akamnonu, Travis Bruffy, and Terence Steele. All are great, big athletes, and I think Johns and Brandon Jones could really create quite a run game with that group. In the passing game, I think you'll see more of Kliff's influence stay intact.
*As for tight end, the question is do you have one on the roster to try and morph the run game to look more like Johns'? Can Donta Thompson find new life in an expanded role? I'm not sure if he's big enough or physical enough of a blocker. Could you put a bunch of weight on Antoine Wesley and really try to make him a legit receiving threat at TE? Or, do you take a guy like Tyler Carr who's already 6-4, 260 and use him as a battering ram and roving blocker that you might toss a checkdown to once or twice a game? I think that makes the most sense.
*As for tailback, after watching what Johns has done, I have not doubt that he'll try and set things up to make Tre King the best version of himself. I think King is built to succeed in a system like Johns. He's patient, it's hard to bring him down, and he has great vision. On top of that, he's not slow. If I had a prediction to make right now, it's that Johns can turn King into a star. We'll see, but I think the building blocks are there. I also believe that SaRodorick Thompson just become more valuable with Johns hire. While he's not fast, Thompson is patient, physical, and he has great balance. This run scheme fits him.
*It's also worth noting that Johns likes to use read-option in his offense, and Jett Duffey happens to be the most dynamic running QB he's ever had. I think this is a situation where both Duffey and Johns benefit from each other.
*As for RPO stuff, runs some of it, but not as much as Kingsbury. I'd guess that number goes up and stays about the same as it's been with Kliff in charge.
*I really do feel like this is a perfect match for both Tech and Johns. He'll continue to grow the run game with some new schemes and details while meshing Kingsbury's better passing game into it. Now, we'll see if Johns is the full time play-caller or not, but what I've heard is that no matter what he'll have a really, really large influence on the system, game prep, and running the offense. Even if he isn't he full on play-caller, I guarantee he'll have a big say in what is getting called.
*So, in summary if TL;DR: It's a good match, and I really like Johns' run schemes and ideas.
