Penn State Sports Magazine
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4 0 O C T O B E R 2 0 2 3 W W W . B L U E W H I T E O N L I N E . C O M O P I N I O N THOMAS FRANK CARR T F R A N K .CA R R @ O N 3 .C O M C oaches rarely say anything concrete or definitive when asked questions at a podium. Most of the coachspeak we hear is made up of generalities and platitudes. But offensive coordinator Mike Yurcich said something during his podium ap- pearance at Penn State's football media day in August that was both surprising in its specificity and interesting. "I think points per play is the most important statistic in football," he said. "When you're efficient, it's not just total yardage, right? It's not about total plays. It's not about passing yards. It's about points per play." Yurcich had been asked about a recent rule change aimed at shortening games. In April, the NCAA's Playing Rules Over- sight Committee voted to eliminate the clock stoppage after first downs. There are various schools of thought about how college offenses should op- erate with respect to clock control. For years, time of possession was considered an important metric signifying offensive dominance. While outscoring the oppo- nent was the ultimate goal, depriving the other team of the ball was a key part of that approach. In the years since, many coaches have come to view total plays as a more impor- tant statistic in a clock-control offense. The theory is that you can run a defense ragged by playing an up-tempo, no- huddle style. That teams are running the same half-dozen plays over and over — typically screens, read-option runs and short passes — doesn't matter. The rep- etition is necessary, because speed and simplicity are crucial. The goal is to force opponents to defend 80 plays or more. It's a newfangled version of a ball- control offense, one that assumes tempo and fatigue will cause the de- fense to make mental mistakes and sur- render big plays. There are other variations we could discuss, but Yurcich doesn't care about time of possession or total plays. He's in the "get points" camp. One of the philosophical tenets of head coach James Franklin's offensive approach is to prioritize explosive plays. Explosive plays lead to successful drives, and successful drives lead to points. It's why Franklin rarely fails to mention in his postgame press conferences which team won the explosive-play battle. In that respect, the NCAA's decision to shorten games doesn't affect PSU's style of play. Yurcich is already focused on generating points as quickly as possible. "It's all about being efficient on every snap, making sure that we're on schedule and that we're being explosive, and that we're ahead of it," he said. "I've heard that it's going to be somewhere around seven offensive plays per game that you're losing. If [teams are averaging] 6.2 yards per play, you can do the math." Since Yurcich's first season as an of- fensive coordinator at the FBS level, his teams have typically been among the best in the country in points per game. Only two of his offenses — Oklahoma State in 2014 and Penn State in 2021 — have fin- ished outside of the top 25. The high-water mark from Yurcich's time with the Cowboys came in 2017 when his offense, led by senior quar- terback Mason Rudolph, ranked fourth nationally with an average of 0.516 points per play. Rudolph tossed 35 touchdowns, while a ground game led by running back Justice Hill produced 33 scores. Yurcich then spent one season apiece at Ohio State and Texas. His year in Columbus yielded an average of 0.596 points per play, third-best in the FBS, thanks largely to 37 touchdown passes by Justin Fields. At Texas in 2020, Yurcich inherited veteran quarterback Sam Ehlinger and helped the Longhorns rank eighth with an average of 0.579 yards per play. Now, Yurcich is in his third season at Penn State. The Nittany Lions struggled in his first year, ranking 97th nationally with a 0.323 average. While quarterback Sean Clifford received most of the criti- cism, the rushing attack was by far the biggest culprit. Running backs Noah Cain, Devyn Ford and John Lovett com- bined to produce just 6 touchdowns on the ground, by far the lowest total of Yur- cich's career. Last fall, the rushing attack improved drastically, and with Clifford still at quarterback, Penn State finished 15th with a 0.499 average. Through their first two games this year, they were averaging 0.647 points per play. While a certain amount of year-to- year variation is inevitable, we can see a fairly consistent pattern in Yurcich's career. For the past decade, his offenses have consistently finished in the national top 20 in points per play. We can also see that he's willing to use whatever means are available to score points. When he has a strong-armed quarterback and dangerous receivers, his teams can throw for 35-plus touchdowns. When he has to manufacture rushing success with dual-threat quarterbacks, he can focus on the ground game. From two-quarterback systems to future first- round picks, Yurcich has done it all. The best way to score points is by hav- ing a balanced attack. The threat of a strong ground game complemented by a quarterback who can threaten every part of the field will open up the offense. In sophomore Drew Allar, Yurcich may just have found a quarterback who can turn that goal into a reality. ■ Under Yurcich's guidance, Penn State averaged 0.499 points per play last season, ranking 15th in the FBS. PHOO BY STEVE MANUEL Mike Yurcich Wants Points And Proficiency Upon Further Review