I'm conflicted, CGB.
Sonny Dykes is part of a broader movement in college football towards faster, more efficient offenses. From a neutral perspective, the changes are thrilling. More plays, more offense. We watch college football so that we can see receivers streaking down the field trying to get behind the defense, and to see talented running backs trying to make moves in space.
More than that, the explosion of spread, high-tempo offenses means that leads are never safe. No longer does, say, a 22 point halftime lead or a 15 point late 4th quarter lead feel safe. And that might be the death of us all.
Watching the 4th quarter Saturday night was pure torture. The entire time I kept trying to convince myself that there was no way Cal could lose, all the while knowing that a) Arizona is capable of scoring in the blink of an eye and b) that Cal's defense was totally gassed.
The problem? While Arizona might be one of the most successful speed merchants in the conference, they are hardly unique. At the moment, pretty much every team in the conference other than Stanford and Oregon State has made the high-tempo offense a part of their repertoire.
Granted, we don't see it every week. Only a few teams play fast on every play as a matter of principle, with Arizona being one of them. But nearly every team in the conference is capable of doing so with ease, if the situation calls for it. And I know longer know what constitutes a safe lead in the Pac-12. 25 points? 31?
Of course, it doesn't help that we are currently in the midst of a high water mark for offense in the Pac-12. Consider that even the nominally weaker teams in the conference like Cal and Washington State, possess offensive systems that can gash defenses that aren't talented and well-prepared. Right now, only Colorado has an offense that I would consider describing as ‘bad.' Every other team has either an inherently dangerous system, an above-average quarterback, plenty of skill position talent, or all of the above.
Of course, we haven't even gotten into the inherent quality of the conference, independent of style of play. While the top of the conference may not be quite as good as pre-season prognosticators expected, the Pac-12 is not lacking for depth. Consider that the Arizona team that broke our hearts Saturday night is generally regarded to be a lower tier Pac-12 team. Consider that Washington State, almost certainly a competitor for worst team in the conference, just gave Oregon a tougher game than Michigan State. The mind boggles.
So keep these facts in mind. Bring heart medication to your tailgate and/or watch party. If you insist on using recreational drugs, may I suggest depressants rather than stimulants? Pac-12 football was never a healthy thing to consume, but various new coaches have been spiking the punch over and over again. Proceed with caution.