Sunday, September 6, 2009

Option Still Has Place In College Football


If you are an undersized or undertalented football team, the triple option attack can still be an effective way to win football games. In the opening weeks of college football, there are many "David versus Goliath" mismatches out there, but the "Davids" can challenge with a well executed option game.
Take Navy yesterday for example. Overmatched physically by Ohio State, the Midshipmen came within an eyelash of tying that one up with a couple minutes to go. I did the color-commentary for the University of South Florida versus Wofford College, another team running a variation of the "wingbone". If Wofford didn't snap the ball over the head of the punter--twice, they would have been right in the game.
Teams have been trying to make the 21st century version of the triple option work now in multiple wideout sets, letting the QB read the defensive end, not to option off of, but to decide his other options. The new, wide-open triple option is here to stay, with almost every high school team giving it a shot as well, but the "old school" option is still viable if done with precision and discipline.

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