FOOTBALL: Nothing Is Final, But Ferris Ponders Sticking With Pro-Style Offense

BIG RAPIDS - A few weeks back, heading into a road game at Wayne State University, the Ferris State University coaching staff made a conscious decision to move in a different direction with its offensive scheme.

The Bulldogs went away from the spread look and went back to more of a pro-style offense to utilize tight ends and fullbacks as a way of running the football a little more effectively. Entering the season, the top two quarterbacks were Kyle Parrish and Tom Schneider. Like the rest of the offense, the quarterbacks have had a difficult time getting into a rhythm to consistently help the unit significant point totals on the scoreboard. The No. 3 quarterback, and the passer of the future, is Robert Banaszak, who took the field late in Ferris' 59-14 home loss to Hillsdale College on Saturday afternoon at Top Taggart Field.

Banaszak's style of quarterbacking seems better suited to the kind of offense Ferris has switched to late in the season whereas Parrish and Schneider are better suited to the spread look.

But, as far as a concrete decision about which direction Ferris will go in the future (in terms of its offensive philosophy, head coach Jeff Pierce says the jury is still out).

"Tom Schneider and complementing him with Kyle Parrish ... they are guys who can run the spread well," Pierce said. "Right now, the situation we're in and we haven't made a final decision on what our future is going to be with our offensive scheme, but I wouldn't be surprised if you see us carry on in this direction because of the people we have in our football program."

Banaszak, more of a pocket passer with a strong arm, could excel in this kind of offense in the future (something he showed glimpses of late in Saturday's game as he opened some eyes with his ability to throw the long ball).

"This fits Rob well. He throws the long ball well and this offense creates a lot of one-on-one matchups," Pierce said. "He can put it out there and he feels very comfortable with this type of scheme and more comfortable than in the other scheme."

Time will tell what offense Ferris sticks with, but if it is planning for the future then this seems to be the scheme best suited for Banaszak to excel in.