re: The boom and bust cycle of spread offense?

History has shown that you don't need a great QB to run most forms of the spread. You need a good athlete that pays attention during video and whiteboard sessions and is willing to run plays as called. Spread plays call for decision-making according to plan. Innovators rarely make great spread QBs, imho. (There are exceptions, obviously. The SEC alone has had a few of those over the last decade.) If you have a great QB in addition, well, the spread is no better or worse than pro style because a great QB elevates any scheme.