There's a big difference between using spread concepts & adapting the entire system in the NFL. The pistol formation is a legit offensive innovation. It's firmly integrated into NFL offenses now because it allows an offense to still run power traps & dives while still providing the quarterback with the visuals to see the entire field presnap.

The zone read is probably going to be a passing fad though. Several NFL teams (The 49ers for example) have shied away using the zone read since the NFL changed their rules going into 2013 where quarterbacks were fair game to be hit even if they handed the ball off. The rule change took away the normal pocket protection rules quarterbacks have when carrying out zone read fakes.

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In an officiating video distributed to the media, NFL Vice President of Officiating Dean Blandino says that read-option quarterbacks can be hit like runners, even if they don’t have the ball. If a quarterback who handed off or pitched the ball is still carrying out a fake in a running posture, he can be tackled the same way he would be if he still had the ball.

“He is still treated as a runner until he is clearly out of the play,” Blandino said. “The quarterback makes the pitch, he’s still a runner — he can be hit like a runner until he’s clearly out of the play.”

Blandino noted that if the offense is running a play designed to keep the defense guessing about who’s getting the ball, it’s only fair for the defense to be allowed to tackle both players who might have the ball.

“The quarterback and the running back, they’re both treated as runners. We don’t know who has the football, we don’t know who’s going to take it, so both players are treated as runners,” Blandino said.

LINK

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You're right that he only has Cam Newton as far as NFL prep track record, just taking it out of context since Barrett Trotter, Chris Todd and Nick Marshall aren't even backup quality QBs at other SEC schools. The rest of his years were at Tulsa/Arkansas St pretty much which aren't putting out NFL QBs anyways

Lack of producing NFL ready prospects isn't just an issue with Gus Malzahn, it spreads across all the offensive coaches in college football who run spread offenses.

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The bigger point I believe is that Spread HUNH offenses focus on coaches making reads rather than relying on QB making reads. No reason a good coach can't teach that

Until that changes, spread QBs will always be behind their development when they get to the NFL. There's also the aspect of not taking a snap from under center. 99.5% of fans don't even realize that the steps in a drop back are timing mechanisms for when their primary receiver is to be open. I'm not going to give another run down here but here's a link to a post discussing this. It becomes a problem though when a QB reaches the NFL having never having taken a snap under center & never having to drop back.

LINK

This post was edited on 7/27/15 at 9:31 pm