Mazzone is in his first year as the Arizona offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach. He started his football career as a quarterback at New Mexico (1975-1979) and stayed there as a graduation assistant until 1981. Since then he has been a QB or offensive coordinator for 11 different colleges and was also a wide receivers coach for the NY Jets (2006-2008). Mazzone has had 3 previous stops in the PAC; Oregon State (2002), AssU (2010-2011), and ucla (2012-2015). For the last 2 years Mazzone was Coach Sumlin's OC/QB coach at Texas A&M. During his career he has mentored Jason Campbell, Phillip Rivers, Brock Osweiler, Brett Hundley, and Josh Rosen at QB.
What can we expect from Mazzone? Likely a very balanced attack from 1 back, spread sets with still enough read options and QB draws to take advantage of Tate's running ability. Hundley was Mazzone's most prolific running QB rushing for 1,392 yard over 2 seasons (less than Tate had last year alone). According to Michael Lev at the Star, Mazzone's teams since 2010 have had total offenses from 406.8 yards/game (lasts year's A&M squad) to 467 yards/game. The most common criticisms you hear about Mazzone are too many bubble screens, repetitive play calling, and how the hell did he let ucla have the ball so many times to stage a comeback last year.
Mazzone markets his offensive system at clinics and on the planetary interweb at Nzone system.com and here is the most concise breakdown of his offense I saw from Glenn Sattelli for Saturday Down South:
Transcript of spring interview with Mazzone from Arizona Desert Swarm.The basic goals are to get the ball snapped every 18-22 seconds, to play the next play and quickly put behind the last one. And here’s perhaps the most important of all; built-in solutions within the system to take advantage of what the defense is presenting.
It’s often described as quarterback friendly.
Mazzone doesn’t employ a large playbook. It’s about executing the basic concept, because each play begins with different formations and those plays vary depending on the defense’s reactions. The quarterback has a run/play option and that’s what gives diversity to a simplified spread offense.
Aggies’ fans can anticipate a lot of motion in the offense in hopes of tipping the defense’s hand on whether it’s playing man or zone. It’s a quick offense that depends on the quarterback making good reads and quick distribution of the football.
That’s where Aggies quarterbacks Trevor Knight and Jake Hubenak come in. Their decision-making will determine whether or not the system works for Texas A&M. Knight looks like the guy to take the controls. It looks like, on paper, that this is a system that will allow Knight to use his experience and knowledge of the game to full potential. It’s a quick three-step drop passing attack that plays to Knight’s skill set.
That’s not to say Hubenak couldn’t flourish. But quick reactions derived from confidence and recognition of the situation are among the essential ingredients in steering this offense.
The running game remains important, but the goal is to spread the defense and remove as many numbers from the box as possible, keep them honest with the occasional tunnel screen and plays that test the perimeter. Getting the ball to playmakers in space is the key and the Aggies possess the skilled athletes to make it work.
614 was Nick Wilson's rushing total last year as our number 1 back. He was out rushed by both Tate and JJ Taylor.
