Offensive coordinator search by the numbers

As Florida’s search for an offensive coordinator begins its second week, it is a good chance to crunch the numbers and make some comparisons with Florida’s coordinators in the three years that Will Muschamp has been the head coach and the coordinators who whose names have been mentioned most prominently the last seven days. Here is a look at Florida’s offense in 2011 under Charlie Weis and the last two seasons under former coordinator Brent Pease along with Mike Norvell (Arizona State); Blake Anderson (North Carolina); Noel Mazzone (UCLA); Major Applewhite (Texas); and Clay Helton (Southern Cal).

Since Applewhite only called plays at Texas in 2013, the other comparative numbers are from 2007 when he called plays at Alabama. Since Helton didn’t get to call plays a full season at Southern Cal and it wasn’t his offense the Trojans were running, his numbers are from his last two years as the play caller at Memphis (2008-09).

NOTE: When searching for an offensive coordinator, there are three numbers that matter: yards per rushing attempt; yards per passing attempt; and yards per play. When it comes to rushing, anything below 4.0 is poor; 4.0-4.50 is good; and anything above 4.51 is very good. For yards per pass attempt, anything below 7.0 is poor; 7.0-7.5 is good and anything 7.6 and above is very good. For yards per play, anything below 5.2 per play is poor; 5.3-5.8 is good and anything above 5.9 per play is very good.

NUMBERS FOR CHARLIE WEIS AT FLORIDA, 2011

Points per game: 25.5

Rushing: 143 yards per game; 3.96 per attempt; 17 touchdowns

Passing: 185.7 yards per game; 7.5 per attempt; 13 touchdowns

Total offense: 328.7 yards per game; 5.42 per play

Quarterbacks: John Brantley 144-240 for 2,044 yards and 11 touchdowns, seven interceptions

Running backs: Chris Rainey 861 yards and two touchdowns, 31-381 receiving, two touchdowns; Jeff Demps 98-569, six touchdowns; Mike Gillislee 56-328, two touchdowns; Trey Burton 37-125 and three touchdowns, 19-149 receiving, one touchdown

Receivers: Jordan Reed 28-307, two touchdowns; Deonte Thompson 21-264, one touchdown; Andre Debose 16-432, four touchdowns

NUMBERS FOR BRENT PEASE AT FLORIDA, 2012-13

2012:

Points per game:

Passing: 146.3 yards per game; 6.6 per attempt; 13 touchdowns

Rushing: 187.69 per game; 4.53 per attempt; 22 touchdowns

Total offense: 334 yards per game; 5.25 per play

Quarterbacks: Jeff Driskel 156-245 for 1,646 yards and 12 touchdowns, five interceptions; 408 rushing yards, four touchdowns

Running backs: Mike Gillislee 1,152 yards and 10 touchdowns, 16-159 receiving, one touchdown; Matt Jones 275 yards and three touchdowns

Receivers: Jordan Reed 45-449 and three touchdowns; Quinton Dunbar 36-383 and four touchdowns; Frankie Hammond Jr. 22-295 and three touchdowns; Trey Burton 18-172 and one touchdown; 29-190 rushing, two touchdowns

2013:

Points per game: 18.8 pointer per game

Rushing: 145.75 yards per game; 3.63 per attempt; 14 touchdowns

Passing: 170.9 yards per game; 6.6 per attempt; 11 touchdowns

Total offense: 316.7 yards per game; 4.79 per play

Quarterbacks: Tyler Murphy 112-185 for 1,216 yards and six touchdowns, five interceptions; Jeff Driskel 42-61 for 477 yards and two touchdowns, three interceptions; Skyler Mornhinweg 44-63 for 344 yards and three touchdowns, one interception

Running backs: Mack Brown 543 yards, four touchdowns; Kelvin Taylor 508 yards, four touchdowns; Matt Jones 339 yards, two touchdowns; Valdez Showers 103 yards, 18-102 receiving, one touchdown

Receivers: Solomon Patton 44-556, six touchdowns; Quinton Dunbar 39-528; Trey Burton 38-445 and one touchdown; Ahmad Fullwood 17-127, one touchdown

 

MIKE NORVELL, ARIZONA STATE 2012-13

2012:

Points per game: 38.4

Rushing: 205.3 yards per game; 4.46 per attempt; 27 touchdowns

Passing: 259.2 yards per game; 8.2 per attempt; 33 touchdowns

Total offense: 464.5 yards per game; 5.97 per play

Quarterback: Taylor Kelly 241-360 for 3,040 yards and 29 passing touchdowns, nine interceptions; 520 rushing yards, one touchdown.

Running backs: Marion Grice, 679 yards and 11 touchdowns, 41-425 receiving, eight touchdowns; Cameron Marshall 578 yards, nine touchdowns; D.J. Foster 493 yards, two touchdowns, 38-533 receiving, four touchdowns

Receivers: Chris Coyle 57-696 yards, five touchdowns; Rashad Ross 37-610,  six touchdowns; Jamal Miles 37-373; Kevin Ozier 21-324, five touchdowns.

2013 (Prior to Saturday night’s Pac-12 Championship Game):

Points per game: 43.3

Rushing: 187.8 yards per game; 4.37 per attempt; 33 touchdowns

Passing: 285.4 yards per game; 7.8 per attempt; 27 touchdowns

Total offense:  473.3 yards per game; 5.94 per play

Quarterback: Taylor Kelly 269-430 for 3,337 yards and 27 touchdowns, 11 interceptions; 437 rushing yards, eight touchdowns

Running backs: Marion Grice 996 yards and 14 touchdowns, 50-438 receiving, six touchdowns; D.J. Foster 65-307 and four touchdowns, 54-550 receiving, three touchdowns

Receivers:  Jeleen Strong 69-1067, seven touchdowns; Chris Coyle 28-413, four touchdowns; Kevin Ozier 19-302, one touchdown

 

BLAKE ANDERSON, NORTH CAROLINA 2012-13

2012:

Points per game: 40.6

Rushing: 193.83 yards per game; 5.09 per attempt; 28 touchdowns

Passing: 291.8 yards per game; 7.9 per attempt; 29 touchdowns

Total offense: 485.6 yards per game; 6.49 per play

Quarterbacks: Bryn Renner 276-422 for 3,356 yards and 28 touchdowns, seven interceptions; Marquise Williams 10-17 for 127 yards and one touchdown; 186 yards rushing, three touchdowns

Running backs: Giovani Bernard 1,224 yards for 12 touchdowns, 47-490 receiving, five touchdowns; A.J. Blue 433 yards and nine touchdowns; Romar Morris 386 yards and two touchdowns

Receivers: Quinshad Davis 61-776, five touchdowns; Eric Ebron 40-625, four touchdowns; Erik Highsmith 54-587, five touchdowns; Sean Tapley 26-361, five touchdowns

2013:

Points per game: 32.2

Rushing: 146.17 yards per game; 3.95 per attempt; 17 touchdowns

Passing: 286.3 yards per game; 8.2 per attempt; 27 touchdowns

Quarterbacks: Bryn Renner 152-231 for 1,765 yards and 10 touchdowns, five interceptions; Marquise Williams 107-184 for 1,527 yards and 14 touchdowns, six interceptions; 490 yards rushing, six touchdowns

Running backs: T.J. Logan 456 yards and four touchdowns; A.J. Blue 298 yards, four touchdowns; Romar Morris 280 yards, three touchdowns; Khris Francis 208 yards, one touchdown

Receivers: Eric Ebron 55-895, three touchdowns; Quinshad Davis 47-724, 10 touchdowns; Ryan Switzer 29-319, three touchdowns;

NOEL MAZZONE, UCLA, 2012-13

2012:

Points per game: 34.4

Rushing: 190.79 per game; 4.46 per carry; 29 touchdowns

Passing: 275.7 yards per game; 7.8 per attempt; 29 touchdowns

Total offense: 466.5 yards per game; 5.96 per play

Quarterbacks: Brett Hundley 318-478 for 3740 yards and 29 touchdowns, 11 interceptions; 355 yards rushing, nine touchdowns

Running backs: Johnathan Franklin 1,734 yards and 13 touchdowns, 33-323 receiving, two touchdowns; Damien Thigpen 262 yards, two touchdowns

Receivers: Shaquelle Evans 60-877, three touchdowns; Joseph Fauria 45-620, 12 touchdowns; Jerry Johnson 31-428, one touchdown

2013:

Points per game: 36.5

Rushing: 196.58; 4.45 per carry; 33 touchdowns

Passing: 251.6 yards per game; 8.3 per attempt; 23 touchdowns

Total offense: 448.2 yards per game; 6.03 per play

Quarterbacks: Brett Hundley 232-342 for 2,845 yards and 22 touchdowns, nine interceptions; 587 yards rushing, nine touchdowns

Running backs: Paul Perkins 570 yards, nine touchdowns, 23-286 receiving; Jordan James 525 yards, five touchdowns; Myles Jack 267 yards, seven touchdowns

Receivers: Shaquelle Evans 43-617, eight touchdowns; Devin Fuller 42-464, four touchdowns; Jordan Payton 36-416, one touchdown

 

MAJOR APPLEWHITE ALABAMA 2007; TEXAS 2013

Alabama, 2007:

Points per game: 27.1

Rushing: 149.23 yards per game; 3.96 per attempt; 19 touchdowns

Passing: 224.5 yards per game; 6.2 yards per attempt; 19 touchdowns

Total offense: 373.8 yards per game; 5.05 per play

Quarterbacks: John Parker Wilson 255-462 for 2,846 yards and 18 touchdowns, 12 interceptions; 104 yards rushing, five touchdowns

Running backs: Terry Grant 891 yards and eight touchdowns. 26-176 receiving, one touchdown; Glen Coffee 545 yards and four touchdowns, 18-142 receiving

Receivers: D.J. Hall 67-1005, six touchdowns; Matt Caddell 40-475, two touchdowns; Keith Brown 22-336, five touchdowns

Texas, 2013 (Prior to Saturday’s game with Baylor):

Points per game: 33.1

Rushing: 200.73 yards per game; 4.46 per carry; 24 touchdowns

Passing: 241.1 yards per game; 7.1 per attempt; 17 touchdowns

Total offense: 441.8 yards per game; 5.59 per play

Quarterbacks: Case McCoy 167-278 for 1,831 yards and 10 touchdowns, nine interceptions; David Ash 53-87 for 760 yards and seven touchdowns, two interceptions

Running backs:  Johnathan Gray 780 yards, four touchdowns; Malcolm Brown 643 yards, nine touchdowns; Joe Bergeron 342 yards, four touchdowns

Receivers: Mike Davis 46-701, eight touchdowns; Jaxon Shipley 52-570, one touchdown; Kendall Sanders 35-351, one touchdown

 

CLAY HELTON, MEMPHIS 2008-09

Points per game: 27.2

Rushing: 194.85 yards per game; 4.69 per carry; 25 touchdowns

Passing: 222.4 yards per game; 6.6 per attempt; 20 touchdowns

Total offense: 417.2 yards per game; 5.55 per play

Quarterbacks: Arkelon Hall 191-355 for 2,275 yards and 12 touchdowns, seven interceptions; 200 yards rushing, three touchdowns; Brett Toney 30-50 for 315 yards and three touchdowns, two interceptions

Running backs: Curtis Steele 1,223 yards, seven touchdowns; Brandon Ross 296 yards, two touchdowns; Charlie Jones 255 yards, six touchdowns

Receivers: Carlos Singleton 52-791, five touchdowns; Maurice Jones 33-4900, three touchdowns; Duke Calhoun 40-487, three touchdowns; Steven Black 29-249, six touchdowns

2009:

Points per game: 21.8

Rushing: 157.75 yards per game; 4.35 per carry; 20 touchdowns

Passing: 214.3 yards per game; 6.4 per attempt; 13 touchdowns

Total offense: 373.1 yards per game; 5.33 per play

Quarterbacks: Will Hudgens 140-233 for 1,538 yards and seven touchdowns, six interceptions; Tyler Bass 53-81 for 673 yards and six touchdowns, four interceptions; Arkelon Hall 44-82 for 332 yards and zero touchdowns, five interceptions

Running backs: Curtis Steele 1,239 yards, 15 touchdowns; T.J. Pitts 343 yards

Receivers: Duke Calhoun 66-917, five touchdowns; Carlos Singleton 38-496, three touchdowns; Marcus Rucker 18-241, two touchdowns

 

Franz Beard
Back in January of 1969, the late, great Jack Hairston, then the sports editor of the Jacksonville Journal, called me on the phone one night and asked me if I wanted to work for him. I said yes. The entire interview took 30 seconds. It's my experience that whenever the interview lasts 30 seconds or less, I get the job. In the 48 years that I've been writing and getting paid for it, I've covered Super Bowls, World Series, NCAA basketball championships, BCS championship games, heavyweight title fights and what seems like thousands of college football, baseball and basketball games. I'm a columnist and special assignments editor for Gator Country once again, writing about the only team that ever mattered to me, the Florida Gators.