College Football Offenses Trending -
Maple Leaf - 08-03-2026
From the Athletic
"If there is a trend fans may notice once the ball is spotted this fall, it’s an uptick in heavier personnel groupings that use two or three tight ends, aka 12 and 13 personnel. Some teams are even bringing fullbacks back. For Penn State offensive coordinator Taylor Mouser, who followed head coach Matt Campbell from Iowa State to Happy Valley, it’s like watching the rest of college football catch up with what they have been doing in Ames since 2020."
“I think formations are cheap, and you can run your base system out of a lot of formations, which should give your defense a lot of problems,” said Rice coach Scott Abell, a triple-option devotee."
https://www.nytimes.com/athletic/7483190/2026/08/03/college-football-offense-scoring-trends/
The era of Big 12 shootouts, wild Pac-12 After Dark comebacks and video game numbers is over. It’s an oversimplification to say old-school, smashmouth football is making a comeback, but being able to line up under center, hand the ball off and run between the tackles for 4 or 5 yards is still the most effective way to keep defenses honest and make life easy for your quarterback