They're sometimes referred to as gurus. We assume they pass the time in airport restaurants diagramming plays on cocktail napkins.

When it comes to the art of designing offensive plays, a touch of genius certainly doesn't hurt.

However, it rates second to the art of selecting which plays to use in the caldron of a Saturday afternoon when the other team is shooting live bullets at you.

"Sometimes, you get a feeling like you're in a flow and you don't really need any help at all,'' said Norm Chow. "Other days you struggle. That's when the rest of the staff comes into play.''

AT THE TOP OF THEIR GAME Norm Chow, offensive coordinator, USC: won Broyles Award in 2002 as nation's top assistant. Jeff Tedford, coach, California: Has called plays for Trent Dilfer, David Carr, Akili Smith, Joey Harrington and Kyle Boller. Mike Leach, coach, Texas Tech: The Red Raiders barely run but their passing game is No. 1. Dirk Koetter, coach, Arizona State: Turned Boise State into an offensive powerhouse and is trying to do the same at ASU. Dave Christensen, offensive coordinator, Missouri: An offensive line coach, Christensen has empowered the Tigers' running game. Bobby Petrino, coach, Louisville: No wonder Auburn wanted him back. Petrino, who calls his own plays, spurred the Cardinals to the fifth-ranked offense in the nation last year. Chuck Long, offensive coordinator, Oklahoma: The former Iowa quarterback, directed an offense that broke the school record for points and produced a Heisman Trophy winner in Jason White.

Chow, long recognized as one of college football's top offensive minds, saw his guru status officially etched in granite the past two seasons. In 2002, he mentored Southern California quarterback Carson Palmer to the Heisman Trophy. In '03, he coordinated the USC offense that won a share of the national championship.

"It seems like he's always one move ahead of the defense and that's such an advantage,'' USC quarterback Matt Leinhart said last season, verbalizing the ultimate accolade for a play-caller.

Chow, a 58-year-old Hawaiian, spent most of his career at BYU - where he earned a Ph.D. - made a brief stop at North Carolina State to launch Philip Rivers' career, then went to USC three years ago.

He has coached six of the top 16 career pass-efficiency leaders in NCAA annals. That speaks to the system he implements, his ability to teach it and, not insignificantly, to his knack for giving his quarterbacks the right plays when the lights are on.

As for calling plays, Chow doesn't speak in mystical terms.

"The critical thing,'' he said, "is to be able to match what the other guy does with adjustments. But you have to realize the other guy has been working all week just as hard as you have.''

Although Chow has worked with a long line of high-profile quarterbacks, he said they knew who held the reins. Changing calls at the line of scrimmage is limited within strict boundaries.

"We do a lot of either/or stuff,'' he said, "but it has to be within the framework of the play we've called.

"Some guys like to change a lot, some don't. Steve Young would not check to anything. Carson was about the same. Jim McMahon would change just to mess with the coach.''

Chow is the dean of a formidable Western posse of play-callers that includes coaches Jeff Tedford of Cal, Mike Leach of Texas Tech and Dirk Koetter, currently at Arizona State after success at Boise State.

Here in the Southeast, Georgia coach Mark Richt has stepped into the Steve Spurrier void.

Richt convinced Tennessee fans in his Neyland Stadium debut in 2001. The Bulldogs moved 59 yards in 37 seconds to win 26-24 on a nifty pass from David Greene to a wide-open fullback.

Richt's play-calling skills are a key component of Georgia's back-to-back appearances in the SEC championship game.

"You've got to be good enough to get people out of what they want to play,'' Richt said. "That's where you start.

"Balance is very important. When I say balance, it's not so much 50 percent run and 50 percent pass, but having the strength to defeat a team that when they're trying to stop the pass, you better be able to run, and vice versa.''

Richt, who earned his stripes as Bobby Bowden's offensive coordinator at Florida State, calls his plays at Georgia.

The decision-making process is a little more complicated at Minnesota, which has quietly become an offensive powerhouse. The Golden Gophers join Miami as the only program to rush for 2,000 yards and pass for 2,000 yards in each of the past seasons.

Tony Peterson, the passing game coordinator, is in the booth. Mitch Browning, the running game coordinator, is on the sideline next to head coach Glen Mason. The two coordinators converse on whether to call a run or pass - and which run or pass - with Mason having the final word.

"The thing that's hard,'' said Chow, "is that there's such little time.

"You don't have time for a roundtable discussion.''

Mike Strange may be reached at 865-342-6276 or strange2@knews.com