Coach's Corner - Dutch Meyer

In the final episode of Coach's Corner on the evolution of the Triple Shoot Offense, Coach recounts a pivotal moment in his career at Emporia State University. Despite having the top-ranked offense in his conference, he sought ways to close the competitive gap. While recruiting in Long Island, he met his friend Russ Cellen, who gifted him an old book, Spread Formation Football by Dutch Meyer. Initially unaware of its impact, Coach later studied the book and discovered a concept that transformed his offense. Dutch Meyer, a former TCU coach, had implemented a motion-based running play with his quarterback, Sammy Baugh, which inspired Coach to integrate jet sweep principles into his system.

By incorporating these ideas, Coach adapted the run-and-shoot into the Triple Shoot Offense, introducing a motion-based rushing attack alongside his potent passing game. His team went from being the best statistical offense to leading the conference in rushing, passing, scoring, and total offense. The innovation led to a record-setting performance from his Superback, who rushed for nearly 7,000 yards and won the Harlon Hill Trophy. Though he never met Dutch Meyer, Coach credits the book—and his mentor, Tiger Ellison—for teaching him how to balance an offense effectively. This discovery was a turning point in his coaching philosophy, reinforcing the power of learning from both historical figures and personal mentors.