Spread offense spreading in South Jersey football

Pennsville visits Gloucester Catholic Nov. 6 in a West Jersey Football League interdivision clash of two of South Jersey's pass-happiest teams.

"That game could take six hours," Pennsville coach Ryan Wood said.

Pennsville and Gloucester Catholic have smart, strong-armed senior quarterbacks. Both teams run spread offenses that feature three or four wide receivers and showcase running backs in the passing game as much as the ground game.

The same goes for Washington Township and Winslow Township, perennial playoff teams that will meet in the season opener on Saturday afternoon. And for rapidly rising power Paul VI, too.

Those five teams are at the leading edge of a trend in South Jersey football: The growing popularity of spread offensive formations that take full advantage of the passing arms of quarterbacks as well as the ability of wide receivers and running backs to operate in open space.

"It's a video-game offense for a video-game age," said Washington Township coach Mark Wechter, whose team went to a spread offense last season after years of running the wing-T formation. "It's exciting. It's a different age. It's hard to coach the blue-collar, smash-mouth football."

The quarterback is the key for all five teams. Last season, as juniors, Bill Belton of Winslow Township, Cody Brown of Gloucester Catholic, Khaalig Burroughs of Paul VI, Kenny Emmons of Pennsville, and Nick Valori of Washington Township put up big numbers as the quick-thinking, quick-releasing triggerman of his team's high-powered offense.

This season should be more of the same, as the quarterbacks have had a season of experience in the sophisticated offense. They all return a top receiver, if not more.

And some of the coaches are talking about expanding their formations to create more opportunities for their quarterbacks and receivers.

"Last year we ran mostly three wide receivers, but we'll probably go with four wide receivers this season," Gloucester Catholic coach Tony Garczynski said.

Brown, a lefthander who also is a star pitcher for Gloucester Catholic's baseball team, completed 144 of 280 passes for 2,130 yards and 21 touchdowns last season. The 6-foot-1, 175-pound athlete has drawn recruiting interest from Central Michigan as well as Rutgers, Temple, and Army.

Brown's talent is suited to the spread offense, but Garczynski said his quarterback is typical of a trend in the sport.