The Option

[Headcard]

Teams don’t run the option anymore because P5 defenses are too fast and strong now. That’s exactly why the NFL can’t run it.
This makes me laugh every time I see it brought up. Obviously people who want it have no idea how big & fast defenses are today at the P5 level. If it worked teams would do it. I’m not trying to pick on anybody or boast, but I played (for 1 year) defense for a college team that ran the option and P5 level defenses ate it up. When you have the best players in the country you can do well with it, but the best players aren’t going to a school that runs the option anymore. Period.

That is exactly the opposite of true. Teams with lesser talent, like the academies are running it to equalize the playing field. It does not take superior talent to run the option. The reason NFL teams aren’t running it (although zone read is a version of it) is because they don’t want to get their multi millionaire QB’s killed.

 

[Wyldcard]

Keep your head up GA. Giant *******

That I am, because I can newb!

 

[dinglefritz]

That is exactly the opposite of true. Teams with lesser talent, like the academies are running it to equalize the playing field. It does not take superior talent to run the option. The reason NFL teams aren’t running it (although zone read is a version of it) is because they don’t want to get their multi millionaire QB’s killed.

You'll see some NFL teams use and option but normally it's by a WR after the QB hands off to him on a jet sweep. The RB becomes the pitch man. I think I've seen the Ravens run a speed option a time or two as well with Lamar.

 

[Wyldcard]

Tom endorsed the spread shortly after he retired and then again when Bo introduced spread concepts with Martinez. In order to run the offense Tom ran, we would need to have Tom run it iMO. The guy is brilliant and was a brilliant play caller. I guarantee you that if Tom were running Frost's offense, he would be brilliant at that as well. Frost hasn't had the kind of time that Tom had to perfect his trade just yet. I think people really under estimate how extremely intelligent Tom was.

Tom was always thinking a series or two later in his play calling setting things up with little nuances seeing how one defender reacted to a play. The man was brilliant. In addition given some of the things I've heard, he had nearly a photographic memory.

I remember serveral years ago, they interviewed Lance Van Vant, Monte Kiffin and Charlie McBride about Osborne and the interview was very telling as they all said that it would come as a shock to most about how well Osborne knew Defense and Monte stated that Osborne knew Defense so well that he could've been a DC at any big name school out there and had success. Is it any wonder why he was such a sucessful play caller and mastered the art of calling plays from the hip? 95+ % of the time they always worked as he could read a defense.

Not only that, Osborne called the entire 94 OB against FSU from the sideline as the headsets on our side were down the entire game and the only adjustments that were made were at halftime. There was nothing wrong with Bobby B's headset though and he used it. Man that old OB stadium was a real curse to us over the years from locker room issues, practice schedule issues to the issue I just mentioned as well as other things. That stadium was never kind to us.

 

[Oiler402]

Yeah the option would work great. A third of the time we’d be facing 1st and 15, due to false starts and with other penalties we could be facing 3rd and 20 or so several times a half. But since Frost played qb running it and is such a great coach he could be very successful running the option. Maybe win 40% of our games.

 

[BleedRed78]

Teams don’t run the option anymore because P5 defenses are too fast and strong now. That’s exactly why the NFL can’t run it.
This makes me laugh every time I see it brought up. Obviously people who want it have no idea how big & fast defenses are today at the P5 level. If it worked teams would do it. I’m not trying to pick on anybody or boast, but I played (for 1 year) defense for a college team that ran the option and P5 level defenses ate it up. When you have the best players in the country you can do well with it, but the best players aren’t going to a school that runs the option anymore. Period.

I guess that's why academy schools often show up well against or even beat top programs like Oklahoma. Imagine if they had even our level of talent.

 

[steinek11]

That is exactly the opposite of true. Teams with lesser talent, like the academies are running it to equalize the playing field. It does not take superior talent to run the option. The reason NFL teams aren’t running it (although zone read is a version of it) is because they don’t want to get their multi millionaire QB’s killed.

And they still do pull it out time to time. Kansas City ran it once today. Mahomes faked the pitch and took it up field for a 17-yard run. Darted out of bounds before getting hit. Baltimore runs it a little bit and so does Buffalo. I haven't seen Arizona or Miami but I bet they have option plays.

 

[steinek11]

Yeah the option would work great. A third of the time we’d be facing 1st and 15, due to false starts and with other penalties we could be facing 3rd and 20 or so several times a half. But since Frost played qb running it and is such a great coach he could be very successful running the option. Maybe win 40% of our games.

I'll clue you in genius. Schools had a hard time defending against Nebraska because none of their other opponents ran the option. They had no experience in stopping it and had a hell of a time preparing for it. We would physically pound on our opponent for four quarters. This country is filthy with athletic quarterbacks who are mediocre at passing. But they could shine in this system and plenty would love the chance to have the job. The option would still work, but I don't know if anybody alive could execute it as well as Osborne did.

 

[TFrazier_rivals269992]

Teams don’t run the option anymore because P5 defenses are too fast and strong now. That’s exactly why the NFL can’t run it.
This makes me laugh every time I see it brought up. Obviously people who want it have no idea how big & fast defenses are today at the P5 level. If it worked teams would do it. I’m not trying to pick on anybody or boast, but I played (for 1 year) defense for a college team that ran the option and P5 level defenses ate it up. When you have the best players in the country you can do well with it, but the best players aren’t going to a school that runs the option anymore. Period.

I guess you need to start watching the Kansas City Chiefs a little more. From todays game... Winking

 

[BrighteRed24_rivals190920]

Yeah the option would work great. A third of the time we’d be facing 1st and 15, due to false starts and with other penalties we could be facing 3rd and 20 or so several times a half. But since Frost played qb running it and is such a great coach he could be very successful running the option. Maybe win 40% of our games.

so no different from today?

 

[Jhollenbeck41]

I guess you need to start watching the Kansas City Chiefs a little more. From todays game... Winking

Geez that make you hard too? I'm not saying Martinez or Luke is Mahomes or anything but good lord no reason one of them can't do that.....can't work in the NFL though right? I love it

 

[dinglefritz]

I remember serveral years ago, they interviewed Lance Van Vant, Monte Kiffin and Charlie McBride about Osborne and the interview was very telling as they all said that it would come as a shock to most about how well Osborne knew Defense and Monte stated that Osborne knew Defense so well that he could've been a DC at any big name school out there and had success. Is it any wonder why he was such a sucessful play caller and mastered the art of calling plays from the hip? 95+ % of the time they always worked as he could read a defense.

Not only that, Osborne called the entire 94 OB against FSU from the sideline as the headsets on our side were down the entire game and the only adjustments that were made were at halftime. There was nothing wrong with Bobby B's headset though and he used it. Man that old OB stadium was a real curse to us over the years from locker room issues, practice schedule issues to the issue I just mentioned as well as other things. That stadium was never kind to us.

Gee I wonder why our headsets were "down" at the Orange Bowl. College football is so stinking dirty.

 

[BleedRed78]

That is exactly the opposite of true. Teams with lesser talent, like the academies are running it to equalize the playing field. It does not take superior talent to run the option. The reason NFL teams aren’t running it (although zone read is a version of it) is because they don’t want to get their multi millionaire QB’s killed.

Exactly this. And I'd rather get qbs that wanna win rather than ones that want to go to the NFL as one anyway. Sending QBs to the pros is not the only sign of success for a program...

 

[TruHusker]

He ran it in practice at UCF to simulate N

With that said, we did run it some vs OSU in 2018 with success as a change of pace.

We ran one series and basic trap plays. That was it, hardly a good sample size.

Frost is good at keeping things quiet and coming up with a bring surprise - the I and then Like this year against OSU. Nice flashes and everyone gets all excited wanting more but it is not a long term answer. Teams, good ones, adjust.

 

[RealTucoSalamanca]

Good gravy. Mahomes ran one option play. He faked a pitch and the two defenders fell over themselves going after the pitch man. If this were the staple of their offense, one of the defenders would have annihilated Mahomes whether he pitched the ball or not and the other would have tackled the ball carrier. The thing to look at is that there were 2 defenders in position to make a play, and I doubt the Bucs gameplanned for the option at all.

 

[SLOHusker]

Yeah the option would work great. A third of the time we’d be facing 1st and 15, due to false starts and with other penalties we could be facing 3rd and 20 or so several times a half. But since Frost played qb running it and is such a great coach he could be very successful running the option. Maybe win 40% of our games.

If the team practices it routinely they won't make stupid mistakes. Fumbles can happen if the timing is off but that comes with practice as well. The negativity toward the option is foolish in my opinion. If you can pass effectively with an effective option game its incredibly difficult for defenses to handle. McCaffrey and Smothers appear to be better suited to the option than the current offense so we might as well make the change sooner than later.

 

[steinek11]

The funny thing about the option is that we were our own point of reference. We were just running this thing and refining it for years. Osborne wasn't looking to other programs to get ideas about the offense. That does speak to his overall genius as a coach. He knew how to put stress on a defense.

 

[Oiler402]

The funny thing about the option is that we were our own point of reference. We were just running this thing and refining it for years. Osborne wasn't looking to other programs to get ideas about the offense. That does speak to his overall genius as a coach. He knew how to put stress on a defense.

Not only that but he made many changes to the plays during the game. Such as blocking the DE and optioning off a LB instead.

 

[zrob_rivals105618]

I hope Luke gets a good amount of carries.
IF Frost can be creative and use him correctly that kid is still a huge playmaker.

 

[dinglefritz]

Not only that but he made many changes to the plays during the game. Such as blocking the DE and optioning off a LB instead.

yeah....kind of like a zone read option. TO was not afraid to adopt things from other coaches and he has said his offense would have morphed more toward what Urban Meyer was doing with his option game.