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I'm going to talk about one of my favorite plays: the triple option. What is the triple option? Well, it's name is self explanatory. On any given play, the ball will be in the hands of at least one of three players. This was the base play of my offense for two years of high school, so I've run it a bit. I'm not 100 percent on the history, but I believe it was created to combat the 5-3 defensive front over half a century ago. I think it became famous when Paul 'Bear' Bryant broke it out in the early 70s against USC, after running an entirely different offense for the media practices. The prevalence of the triple option there after I think helped the innovation of the technique-heavy 4-3 defensive front, which is still one of the premier defensive fronts on the higher levels today. PLEASE NOTE THIS IS THE VERSION I RAN IN HIGH SCHOOL, AND LIKE EVERYTHING IN FOOTBALL, NOT THE ONLY WAY TO DO THIS. ADVANTAGES: You control the ball, and distribute it to the best player every time based on what the defense gives you. This offense will control the ball, slowly grinding it down the field and taking 8-10 minutes a drive before scoring on your face, putting you at a distinct time disadvantage. In order to stop this here play/offense, the defense needs to be incredibly smart, fast, and educated which throws a lot of teams off. Coach told a story of one college (can't remember the name) wanting to defend the triple option, so instead of just preparing for it in one week, he made the base offense the triple option to give the defense many looks. I dunno if it's true or not, but this offense is very special. DISADVANTAGES: It's one of the most technique-intensive offenses ever created. This means that one of the backs running just 6 inches off the right path with destroy the play. Also, everyone on the team has to be incredibly educated and preferably intelligent, because on any given play there are like 5 or 6 reads that players have to make correctly for the play to develop. Also, speedy defenses can eat this up, which is why you don't see any of it in the NFL, and only a few teams in the NCAA. What about high school, you ask? Most of those guys aren't smart enough or dedicated to studying technique or film to make this work, which was unfortunately my experience. Alright, so what do you need position wise to run this beast? QB: Smart, quick, techinque'd, can throw on the run (we won't cover this), can read well, has no fear of running RIGHT DOWN THE LINE OF SCRIMMAGE AND GETTING EATEN BY A DEFENSIVE END ARGHHHHH FB: This guy is a bruiser, who will take the brunt of the tackles as he'll probably end up getting the carries. Also, a very good blocker. Basically your typical power running FB circa the 70s. RBs: Quick, can find lanes, adjustable speed, above average blockers, and DOES NOT RUN EAST/WEST. Must run North/South immediately once getting the ball. O-Line/TE: This along with the QB is the most unique thing about the offense aside from the QB. We don't want bruisers here; we want smaller, quicker lineman who make great angle blocks and are able to pursue linebackers and pull at will. This is why Army and Navy typically run the triple option; the prototypical lineman can't survive boot camp. They just use beefier guys up front than normal, but your Orlando Paces and whatnot cannot practice after running military drills. The TE needs to be able to block incredibly well rather than catch passes. They do go out for passes at times, but the value is placed in blocking. Alright, now that's out of the way, let's look at the formation we will be running:  We will be running the play to the right, so THIS FORMATION WILL BE FLIPPED this time. The QB and FB are in the normal positions, the TE is opposite of the play, the RBs are split evenly behind the center and the WR is split out playside. We won't cover everything here, but we can attack from any point in this formation as it's pretty much balanced, which continues to keep the defense guessing. GAPS:  Basically, everything to the right of the center has an even number, and everything to the left of the center has an odd number. The gap between Center and right side guard is 2, between right side guard and right side tackle is 4, between right side tackle and tight end (whether he's there or not) is 6, and the gap between the TE and sideline is 8. On the left side, you have center-guard 1, guard-tackle 3, tackle-TE 5, TE-side line 7. Pretty easy stuff. Other numbering systems exist, of course, but this is what I believe to be the best and I think most common developed. We also label gaps by letters: the 1 and 2 gaps are A, 3 and 4 gaps B, 5 and 6 gaps C, and 7 and 8 gaps D. THE PLAY:  Just a note: this is the only available picture I have, so this isn't exactly how I ran it, but you get a general idea. This is from Bear Bryant's 1973 playbook. Basically, the players with the shades are the players who will possibly touch the ball. AGAIN, I WILL DEVIATE FROM THIS DIAGRAM SO STAY WITH ME. RULES BREAKDOWN: Backside TE, OT, and OG: Do what we call a 'scoop' block. this means stepping to the play side gap closest to you, and sealing it off so that no one penetrates into the backfield or the past your gap. TE will scoop 5 gap, OT 3, and guard 1. Basically, you step at about a 30 degree angle toward the gap, then either block the guy there, or turn up field and catch a drifting LB or safety. In this diagram, the scoop blocks as they read on paper are the TE picking up the T right there, the Tackle picking up the B, and the Guard hitting the nose, and then turning up field to catch the safety. The scoop block is one of the easiest blocks to understand, hardest to execute, and still as beneficial to the success of the play as the play side blocks. DO NOT UNDERESTIMATE. Center: On, Nearest Linebacker. On means that if there's a man anywhere on the center, you block him. If there isn't a man anywhere on the center, he basically does a scoop block to seal off a linebacker. Play side Guard: Head Up, Inside, Nearest Linebacker. If the defensive player is heads up, the guard blocks him. If he isn't heads up, the guard will step to the inside, A gap in this case, and block the guy there or on the center. If a man is not in any of those 3 spots, he will step to the play side A gap and pick up the nearest LB. IMPORTANT NOTE: If a man is on the outside shade of the guard, THE GUARD DOES NOT BLOCK HIM. This is important. Play side Tackle: Help the Play side Guard, Nearest Linebacker. If there's a man head up on the guard, the tackle double teams him to seal off that gap and make a nice running lane. If the man is inside or outside of the guard, the tackle steps to the play side B gap and looks for a LB to pop in the jaw. WR: Block the corner on you. Simple. FB: Run full speed to the play side A or B gap, pending on where the hole forms. You may get the ball, you may not, we'll cover that in a second. If you get the ball, run for greener pastures. If not, block the hole off, making the defense thing you have the ball. Play side RB: Run an arc, and block the LB or safety or whatever in the D gap. You need to connect on the block, and that will open a lane. Back side RB: You need to run with the QB, no matter how fast or slow. Stay about a yard behind him, with about 3-4 yards between you, ready to catch a pitch. Then, you turn up field and hopefully score. Be sure to not get too close or too far from your QB, or it will be disastrous. QB: Ahhh, I saved the best for last: the literal focal point of the entire offense. You control who gets the ball through a series of reads, which are very complicated and have no window for failure. One thing to note that may not be immediately noticed is that the offensive line will leave 2-3 people on the LOS unblocked, which allows them to make their own mistakes for the QB to read and make decisions upon. 1st Read: Give the ball to the FB blowing up the A or B gap, wherever the lane forms. You accomplish this by taking the snap, and staring down the man on the line of scrimmage closest to the Center, from the B gap or out, to see if he's crashing. In the diagram, it's the T. If there's a man crashing in on the FB, don't give it to him. Otherwise, do give it to him. This will be what happens most of the time. THEN NO MATTER WHAT HAPPENS: Hold your arms in front of you like the baboon from the Lion King holding Simba, only at chest level and closer to your chest. You may have the ball, you may not, BUT YOU STILL CARRY THROUGH WITH THIS. Run parallel with the line of scrimmage RIGHT BEHIND the butts of your linemen. If you start to arc out or stray into the backfield, the defense will be able to cover you and the RB at once, which is detrimental to the philosophy of this play, so stick close to the LOS and prepare for your next read. 2nd Read: Stare at the next guy out from the LOS, on the LOS. It may be the C gap, it may be the B gap. In the diagram above, it's the E. If this man is not looking to tackle you, keep the ball and turn up field. If he's looking to tackle you: 3rd Read: If you're about to get tackled, check out your RB. If he's not being keyed, or about to be tackled, pitch it to him. If he's about to be swallowed, keep the ball, and eat the tackle. Live to fight another day with only a -1 or -2 yard gain rather than -5. Basically the plan works like this: We'll run our FB down your throats for 3-5 yards at a time. You get tired, and decide to plug his lane, so we take the party outside. If you tackle me, good job, my RB will run 20 yards down the field and make you feel like a fool. If you don't tackle me, I will do the same while you spin in circles like a preschooler. If you shut down all 3 options, good job, you have an incredible defense and should win every game ever. This is a fun offense if you have the right personnel. If not, you are in for a world of hurt, just ask my 2-37 high school record. Enjoy this footage of the triple option in beautiful, beautiful motion. Notice how the clock starts at about 14:20 and look at the clock after they score.http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FPNEODRmYX0 Hope you guys enjoy. As for a question: What are the trademarks and base play for the Wing-T offense?
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Jul 21, 2010 19:48
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Ah, thank you for correcting me. Like I said, I'm not much of a college fan, so I'm sketchy on a lot of things, and very sketchy on the actual history of the game.
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Jul 21, 2010 22:21
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I watch the offensive line, because I get hard-ons for watching blocking schemes fold out, and I don't know how to read defenses yet. Speaking of, does anyone have like, a graphic representation of who has what zone in Cover 2,3,4,6, etc?
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Nov 14, 2010 11:18
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What's the cheapest legal way to watch game day football without access to cable, preferably on gamedays? Also, where's the analysis that you did pangstrom? I'd be interested in reading it.
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Jul 15, 2014 08:05
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