[Stardust]

This topic has been done over and over and over. High school football is played beyond the borders of Kentucky and there are many, many successful programs that rely primarily on a potent rushing attack.

The truth is Highlands does not dominate its class because of the offense that its coaches choose to run. It dominates because it executes that offense to near perfection and because it has extreme depth on its coaching staff.

Highlands fans constantly suggest that if Johnson Central modernize its offense to look more like Highlands' offense that it might be able to win a title. Nothing could be further from the truth. JC has been competitive with Highlands (this rebuilding year being an exception) because it runs an offense that Highlands does not see every day in practice and because it is an offense that Highlands cannot replicate on short notice in practice to prepare for single game.

The downside to not running a balanced attack is that teams like Johnson Central have no way to practice against a strong passing attack like the one that Highlands fields. IMO, this is the biggest problem with not adopting an offense like the one the Birds use. If a 4A team adopts a spread offense that does not have great depth, as well as quarterback and receiver coaches similar in quality to Chris Collingsworth, Jared Lorenzen, et al., then they will be nothing but sacrificial lambs when they meet Highlands in the playoffs.

Eastern Kentucky teams have some of the top head coaches in the state but what they don't have, to my knowledge, are staffs that include former NFL players who played "skill" positions. That alone is reason enough for teams like Johnson Central to continue to rely on offenses that shorten the game to give them their best shot at winning state titles.

The main hurdle that teams like Johnson Central must overcome to move to the next level is defending the spread - not running it.

I was detracted by the "Spread" questions, but this is exactly what I was referring to. Its defending an open offense more than what you are running yourself. I was not suggesting that teams change their core offense as much as I was in stating that unless you can play against and learn how to defend an open offense, you will have a difficult time competing when the only time you see it is in the playoffs against a team with equal talent! This is not a question of whose offensive style is best, but who can defend against any style of offense! I'm sure that JC plays against teams with spread offenses, but do they play against teams that have equal to talent as them running that offense?

And if you do not run a spread yourself, you certainly can't practice against it. I think you are point on and it's not knocks on regional football as much as it is style and how often you see that style in action!