The Spread Offense: Original Tool of the Mites

The Spread Offense was pioneered by H.N. "Rusty" Russell to help his Mighty Mites orphan football team beat stronger and bigger opponents and it emerged on the larger US stage in the mid to late 80s when coaches tried to get the benefits of the Run & Shoot. Russell invented it as a tool for his underdogs to help them outsmart the giants they played (and beat), and then helped it spread in Texas. The wingin' and flingin' strategy is now being played today by top college and pro teams.

The spread offense is "responsible for parity in college football today," ESPN Announcer Commentator Jay Walker said today on ESPN's Sunday Sports Center program on college football.

Walker said the advent and implementation of the spread offense around the rest of the country "means there's a balance" among college teams. "Back in the days when the Oklahomas, Nebraskas and Michigans were on top, they were just bigger and stronger and they played smash-mouth football and they just pushed around lesser teams. With the spread offense, you have to be quick because you can't push around what you can't hit," Walker said.

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