Kevin Decker – Syndication Server

How Josh Heupel’s offense differs from other veer and shoot play-callers

A look at how Josh Heupel’s offense differs from other veer and shoot play-callers.

Colorado’s emergence offensively has been at the forefront of the 2023 college football season through three weeks.

Sean Lewis is part of the veer and shoot coaching tree and is in his first season as the Buffaloes’ offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach. He served as Kent State’s head coach from 2018-22.

Lewis’ offensive coordinator at Kent State was Andrew Sowder.

Sowder played and coached at Baylor in the veer and shoot offense under head coach Art Briles.

Lewis is running a veer and shoot offense at Colorado like he did with Sowder at Kent State.

Josh Heupel has executed a veer and shoot offense since serving as offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach at Missouri in 2016, and continues to do so as Tennessee’s head coach.

A difference in Heupel and Lewis’ veer and shoot offense is mesh. Lewis’ offense features mesh, while Heupel’s does not.

One example of Colorado executing mesh is on third-and-goal at TCU in Week 1. Lewis’ play-call of slot and tight end mesh can be watched below.

Another coach who installed the veer and shoot offense at the FBS level in 2023 is Kevin Decker with Old Dominion. His offense features mesh with the Monarchs.

Decker previously served as offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach at Fordham from 2019-22.

He installed Heupel’s offense during Fordham’s downtime during the coronavirus shutdown.

Decker and Fordham hired David Weeks as an offensive quality control coach in 2020. He was elevated to tight ends coach in 2021.

Weeks came to Fordham after serving as a student assistant quarterbacks coach from 2018-19 at UCF under Heupel. At UCF under Heupel, Weeks was responsible for helping provide input and breaking down opponent and self-scout film, creating cutups of opponent and self-scout specific film, creating weekly post-game packets and charts, a weekly red zone report, and drawing weekly installs.

“In 2019 we would study it, but wouldn’t run it,” Decker previously told Vols Wire of installing Heupel’s veer and shoot offense. “Then Covid happened and we were still able to get in 10 practices in the fall without a season. I said this is an opportune time to get this stuff on film and see how it looks. It’s really different, but the biggest thing to stress to your guys is to don’t overthink it, run fast and make full speed decisions, you’re always right and run to green grass — that’s it. Our kids really loved it, and because it allowed them to play fast and to play without thinking.

“We kind of made the full blown adjustments and we obviously reaped the benefits with some success this year. I love it, and as a play-caller, when you spread a team out wide, you really get to see what their attention is.”

Decker and Old Dominion played at Virginia Tech in Week 1 and executed mesh during the contest. Below is one example of Decker calling slot mesh with a quarterback run to get a first down on third-and-three.

Kevin Decker discusses installing Josh Heupel’s offense

Tennessee defeated Austin Peay, 30-13, in Week 2 at Neyland Stadium.

Austin Peay head coach Scotty Walden hired Lanear Sampson as a co-offensive coordinator and wide receivers coach ahead of the 2023 season.

Sampson played wide receiver for Briles at Baylor from 2008-12. He was an offensive quality control coach under Heupel at UCF in 2020.

Walden’s offense features mesh, as well as operating with a spread tempo, going no huddle, wide splits, while snapping the ball every 12 seconds.

Scotty Walden discusses Austin Peay football, connections with Tennessee

Kevin Decker hired as Old Dominion’s offensive coordinator

Kevin Decker hired as Old Dominion’s offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach.

Old Dominion hired Kevin Decker as its offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach.

Decker served as offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach at Fordham from 2019-22.

Decker installed Josh Heupel’s offense during Fordham’s downtime during the coronavirus shutdown. In 2022, Fordham’s quarterback Tim DeMorat led the Football Championship Subdivision in passing yards (4,891). The Rams averaged 608.9 yards per game in 2022.

“In 2019 we would study it, but wouldn’t run it,” Decker told Vols Wire of studying and installing Heupel’s offense at Fordham. “Then COVID happened and we were still able to get in 10 practices in the fall without a season. I said this is an opportune time to get this stuff on film and see how it looks. It’s really different, but the biggest thing to stress to your guys is to don’t overthink it, run fast and make full speed decisions, you’re always right and run to green grass — that’s it. Our kids really loved it, and because it allowed them to play fast and to play without thinking.

Old Dominion head coach Ricky Rahne discussed hiring Decker and Alex Huettel as offensive line coach from Fordham.

“I am extremely excited to add both Kevin and Alex,” Rahne said in a press release. “The offensive production and excitement that these hires bring to the 757 will continue to push this program to the next level.”

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Josh Heupel’s offense projected to compete for national championship in FBS, FCS playoffs

Josh Heupel’s offense projected to compete for a national championship in the FBS and FCS playoffs.

Josh Heupel’s offense is transforming the sport of college football in the Football Bowl Subdivision and Football Championship Subdivision.

Tennessee has played one less game than most FBS teams due to having an open date in Week 5. The Vols’ offense under Heupel ranks first nationally in yards per game (551) in the FBS.

Tennessee and Heupel’s entire statistics and where they currently rank nationally can be viewed here.

In the FCS, Fordham ranks first in the following categories:

Total points: 344 (First in FCS)

Points per game: 49.1 (First in FCS)

Total yards: 4,347 (First in FCS)

Total yards per game: 621.0 (First in FCS)

Yards per play: 8.17 (First in FCS)

Passing yards: 3,058 (First in FCS)

Passing yards per game: 436.9 (First in FCS)

Passing touchdowns: 34 (First in FCS)

Fordham quarterback Tim DeMorat (AP Photo/Rebecca S. Gratz)

Fordham has experienced offensive success under offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach Kevin Decker and tight ends coach David Weeks.

Weeks was brought in to help install Heupel’s offense at Fordham. He has served as the Rams’ tight ends coach from 2021-22.

Weeks came to Fordham after serving as a student assistant quarterbacks coach from 2018-19 at UCF under Heupel. At UCF under Heupel, Weeks was responsible for helping provide input and breaking down opponent and self-scout film, creating cutups of opponents and self-scout specific film, creating weekly post-game packets and charts, a weekly red zone report, and drawing weekly installs.

Both Tennessee and Fordham’s success offensively and winning games have resulted in the two programs receiving projections to play in the College Football Playoff and the FCS playoffs.

The Vols (6-0, 3-0 SEC) have recorded four top 25 wins through six games, while Fordham (6-1, 2-0 Patriot League) has scored 40-plus points in every contest this season. Fordham’s only loss this season took place Sept. 24 against FBS, Mid-American Conference opponent Ohio. Ohio defeated the Rams, 59-52.

Below are recent playoff projections for Tennessee and Fordham.

Fordham has top FCS offense after installing Josh Heupel’s scheme

A look at how Fordham has the top FCS offense after installing Josh Heupel’s scheme.

Fordham (6-1, 2-0 Patriot League) enters its open date during the 2022 season in Week 8.

Fordham’s only loss this season took place Sept. 24 against FBS, Mid-American Conference opponent Ohio. Ohio defeated the Rams, 59-52.

Fordham plays in the Patriot League at the Football Championship Subdivision level.

The Rams are in year two of heavily installing Josh Heupel’s offensive scheme.

The Rams have scored 40-plus points in all seven contests this season. Fordham has totaled 344 points, while averaging 49.1 points per game.

Offensive coordinator Kevin Decker and the Rams have totaled 4,373 yards (3,058 passing, 1,315 rushing) entering its open date.

Decker has served as offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach at Fordham since 2019.

Due to the coronavirus pandemic, Fordham did not play games in 2020. The Rams played three games during an abbreviated spring 2021 season. Fordham went 6-5 in a traditional fall campaign in 2021.

The coronavirus pandemic allowed time for Decker to install a new offense. Decker, a 2012 New Hampshire graduate where he was the Colonial Athletic Association’s Player of the Year and a finalist for the Walter Payton Award in 2011 as a quarterback, installed Josh Heupel’s offense during Fordham’s downtime.

“The goal of this whole thing, is I love the spacing aspect,” Decker told Vols Wire following the 2021 fall season. “I think it puts your players in the best possible situation, to go and do what they do, and that’s to make plays. I absolutely love it.

“Basically in 2019 we were not doing this. Then our spring covid year we only played three games, we dabbled in it. We started calling some of that stuff, but we were maybe 20 percent of our offense was wide splits — but I want to live in the big splits.”

The 2022 season is David Weeks second as a position coach with Fordham.

Weeks was brought in to help install Heupel’s offense. He was hired as a quality control coach in 2020 and was elevated to tight ends coach in 2021.

Weeks came to Fordham after serving as a student assistant quarterbacks coach from 2018-19 at UCF under Heupel. At UCF under Heupel, Weeks was responsible for helping provide input and breaking down opponent and self-scout film, creating cutups of opponents and self-scout specific film, creating weekly post-game packets and charts, a weekly red zone report, and drawing weekly installs.

“It really came from Weeks who works for us now,” Decker said of Fordham’s offense. “He is our tight ends coach. He was a student assistant at UCF with Josh Heupel.

“I would just be messing around with him in the office late at night to draw up some of this stuff that Heupel is doing down there. I was like, ‘Wow this actually is really, really good stuff’.”

Decker further detailed how the coronavirus pandemic allowed time to install Heupel’s offense at Fordham, everything from wide splits, tempo, rubs, verticals, stack receivers and the use of H-backs.

“In 2019 we would study it, but wouldn’t run it,” Decker said of Heupel’s offense. “Then covid happened and we were still able to get in 10 practices in the fall without a season. I said this is an opportune time to get this stuff on film and see how it looks. It’s really different, but the biggest thing to stress to your guys is to don’t overthink it, run fast and make full speed decisions, you’re always right and run to green grass — that’s it. Our kids really loved it, and because it allowed them to play fast and to play without thinking.

“We kind of made the full blown adjustments and we obviously reaped the benefits with some success (in 2021). I love it, and as a play-caller, when you spread a team out wide, you really get to see what their attention is.”

Below is a look at Fordham’s offensive production by the numbers through seven games this season as the Rams have an open date this week. Like Heupel and Tennessee in the FBS, Fordham is in year two of an install with the same scheme and is at the top of many FCS offensive categories.

Kevin Decker discusses installing Josh Heupel’s offense at Fordham

A look at how Josh Heupel’s offense has reached Bronx, New York. Offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach Kevin Decker discusses installing Josh Heupel’s offense at Fordham.

Kevin Decker has served as offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach at Fordham since 2019.

Fordham plays in the Patriot League at the Football Championship Level.

Due to the coronavirus pandemic, Fordham did not play games in 2020. The Rams played three games during an abbreviated spring 2021 season and a traditional campaign this fall.

“The goal of this whole thing, and it’s actually very similar to what they are doing at Rocky Top now, is I love the spacing aspect,” Decker said on the show “Football Two-A-Days.” “I think it puts your players in the best possible situation, to go and do what they do, and that’s to make plays. I absolutely love it.

“Basically in 2019 we were not doing this. Then our spring Covid year we only played three games, we dabbled in it. We started calling some of that stuff, but we were maybe 20 percent of our offense was wide splits. Now it is about 90 percent, we are in the bigger splits. Now, we will condense them down to throw mesh in more third and mediums or hot zone 12 yard line and in, where we think we are getting man and we want to get some rubs. We can condense down to run some of that stuff, but I want to live in the big splits.”

New Hampshire quarterback Kevin Decker (14) plays in the NCAA college football game between Pittsburgh and New Hampshire in Pittsburgh, Saturday, Sept. 11, 2010. (AP Photo/Keith Srakocic)

David Weeks was brought into Fordham’s program as an offensive quality control coach in 2020. He was elevated to tight ends coach in 2021.

“It really came from Weeks who works for us now,” Decker said of Fordham’s offense. “He is our tight ends coach. He was a student assistant at UCF with Josh Heupel.

“In 2019 we would study it, but wouldn’t run it,” Decker said of Heupel’s offense. “Then Covid happened and we were still able to get in 10 practices in the fall without a season. I said this is an opportune time to get this stuff on film and see how it looks. It’s really different, but the biggest thing to stress to your guys is to don’t overthink it, run fast and make full speed decisions, you’re always right and run to green grass — that’s it. Our kids really loved it, and because it allowed them to play fast and to play without thinking.

The entire show with Decker can be listened to here or below.

‘Josh Heupel’s Offense’ e-book now available