If you look at the final numbers for Chris Leak against Southern Miss, you might say he had a decent game. However the alarming statistic from the running game is the 5 attempts trying to razzle dazzle for a minus twelve yards. As we recall,
Meyer's spread option offensive attack relies on shovel passes, reverses, and the ability of the QB to take a hit for the sake of the play to work. This type of offense requires a QB committed to making it work and last season Leak showed that he still would still like to be a drop back passer.
Leak's play showed he is no more suited now to make the spread option click than he was last season. It was more of Chris Leak the drop back passer who struggles with the spread option offense. In order for the spread option offense to work you have to reamain committed to it. How committed can Urba Mayer stay with his blend of offense with Chris Leak as the QB?
The game was only Southern Miss but it was more a measuring stick of what might be in store for the season with the offense. I see trouble ahead.
With Leak behind center Urban can not run his signature offense and it seems his only choice is to adapt the offense for Leak. That drop back style of offense might be good enough to win some games, but will it be enough to run through the SEC schedule.