Option offense
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The option offense is a generic term that is used to describe a wide variety of offensive systems in American football. Option offenses are characterized as such due to the predominance of "option" running plays employed in these schemes. Option offenses have traditionally rely heavily on running plays, though modern option offenses now incorporate a large quantity of passing plays.
At the heart of all option offenses is the option run. This relatively complicated running play may take on many forms. All option runs, however, rely on a two common principles. Whereas the traditional running play typically designates the ballcarrier prior to the snap. The ballcarrier in an option running play is determined by reading the defensive alignment or the actions of defensive players. This may occur at the line of scrimmage or after the ball is snapped. The second principle of the option run is that it conceptually must include two or more potential ballcarriers. These "options" perform a predetermined route, or "track" that pose a unique threat to a defense. It is these threats that form the conceptual basis for the option running play and is the primary reason for its effectiveness. By threatening the defense a multitude of ways, the option run forces the opponent to maintain extraordinary discipline during a play. Defenders must focus on their assignments. This stresses the defense and often mitigates its speed, size and aggressiveness, which makes it an excellent offensive scheme for less athletic teams.
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[edit] Option Runs
Option running plays are as numerous as the schemes that employ them. However, nearly all option running plays can be characterized as either a double option or triple option. This is determined by the number of choices available during the play.
- Triple option. Perhaps the most classic option play is the triple option. In these highly complex running plays, three potential ballcarriers are available. In its most generic version, A triple option typically features three components: a "dive" track, a "keep" track and "pitch" track. The dive track is typically carried out by a running back. At the snap of the ball, the running back attacks the line of scrimmage somewhere between the offensive tackles as designated by the type of triple option play. This player is often the first choice in the triple option. His goal is to quickly attack the defensive interior in order to either pick up yardage or freeze the defense and prevent their pursuit to the outside. This quick surge into the interior of the defense is traditionally called a dive. The quarterback determines whether to hand the ball to the running back by reading a "dive key." The dive key is typically a defensive lineman. If the dive key does not try to tackle the dive back the quarterback will hand the ball off to him. If the designated defender attempts to tackle the dive back, the quarterback will keep the ball himself. This decision usually takes place while both the dive back and the quarterback are holding the football. This intricate procedure is called the "mesh" and it is one of the characteristic and most complicated components of many option running plays. On the keep track, the quarterback may run upfield for yardage or pitch the ball to another ball carrier on the "pitch" track. This player is called the "pitch back" and the quarterback determines whether or not to pitch the ball by reading the "pitch key." The pitch key is typically a linebacker or defensive back. If the pitch key does not attempt to tackle the quarterback, he will carry the football upfield for yardage. If the pitch key attacks the quarterback, the quarterback will pitch the ball to the pitch back.
- Double Option. The double option is essentially the same play minus the first running back. In addition, various forms of the double option and triple option may allow the quarterback the choice of passing the ball. In this case, the pitch read is faked, with the quarterback motioning as if to pitch, before the quarterback drops into the pocket in preparation to pass. A very popular type of double option is the read option. It is typically run out of the 1-RB shotgun formation. The quarterback reads the defensive end on the side in which the play is designed to take the running back. If the defensive end is playing inside the tackle after the snap of the ball, the quarterback hands the ball off to the running back. If the defensive end is playing outside of the tackle after the snap, the quarterback keeps the ball and runs counter to the blocking scheme. This scheme has been successfully utilized by former Texas Longhorn quarterback Vince Young, Chase Daniel of the Mizzou Tigers, Juice Williams and Rashard Mendenhall of Illinois, the 2007 Heisman Trophy winner Tim Tebow of the Florida Gators, West Virginia quarterback Patrick White and running back Steve Slaton. As well as the Oregon Ducks Dennis Dixon and Jonathan Stewart.
[edit] Option Offenses
Variants of the option-based attack are run out of multiple formations and schemes, including the Wishbone formation, the Flexbone formation, the Veer, the Air option, the Spread offense, the Double Wing T, the Freeze option, and the I-formation. Some of the most popular versions include:
- Wishbone Option Offense. Known simply as the ’bone, the wishbone offense is traditionally credited to Emory Ballard. However, many believe that the basic formation was developed by a high school football coach in Fort Worth, Texas named Charles Cason. The wishbone offense is named after its basic formation which includes a quarterback with a fullback aligned four to five yards behind him. Two halfbacks are traditionally aligned on each side of the fullback and a yard to two yards deeper. The result is a backfield alignment that resembles the shape of a "wishbone." This formation and its variants provide extraordinary platforms for running the triple option. The wishbone was designed to facilitate a run-based scheme. However, its three running back sets and heavy formations often limit the passing capabilities of the offense. While the wishbone's popularity reached its zenith in the 1970s at all levels of college football, it's popularity has declined significantly in favor of more dynamic schemes. It is still employed by many high school and small college teams.
- Wing T Offense. The traditional "Wing T" offense employs many of the concepts of the wishbone offense. Similar to the wishbone, the Wing T offense often employs three running back formations. This is more prevalent in the Bay City version of the offense and is perhaps, the most classic of all football formations dating back to the earliest years of the game. However, unlike the wishbone, the Wing T employs a significant amount of misdirection running plays as the basis of its offense. The traps, crosses, fakes, pulls, sweeps and counters that characterize this offense is often supplemented by a heavy dose of option runs – most notably the veer triple option. The veer is well suited to the wing T offense, especially the Delaware version. The veer is typically run with a wider “dive” track and stretches the defense laterally to create inside running lanes. The Delaware version of the Wing T, with its predominance of two running back sets, gained significant prominence in the late 1970s and early 1980s and must notably employed by the Notre Dame Fighting Irish during the Parseghian era. It continues to be employed by high schools and small college teams.
- Flexbone Option Offense. A variant of the wishbone offense, the flexbone came to prominence in the 1990s. It was employed originally in midsized colleges, most notably, Georgia Southern, who won a record six Division I-Championship Subdivision National Titles and eight conference titles while using this offense. It was soon adapted by all three football division 1A military academies where it provided strong statistical results. The Navy Midshipmen continue to use this offense and perennially lead the Division I-Bowl Subdivision in rushing. The flexbone offense varies from the wishbone in a few fundamental ways. First, and most notably, the flexbone replaces the halfbacks that are aligned in the backfield of a wishbone with one or two “wingbacks” or “slot backs,” that align off-tackle or off-end. These “hybrid” players are typically very quick and must be adept at running, blocking (particularly cut blocking) and receiving. Due to their positioning, they can more easily facilitate the passing game in the flexbone and serve to stretch the defensive alignment laterally prior to the snap. Teams that employ this scheme tend to amass consistently high rushing averages. This offenses heavy reliance on quarterbacks that are primarily runners, tend to limit its potential in the passing game.
- “I-Option” Offense. Also known as the “ Nebraska I-offense.” The offense derives its name from its extensive use of the “I-formation” with its vertical alignment of quarterback, fullback, and running back. Though balanced attacks from the “I-formation” have been around for decades, the “I-Option” gained extraordinary popularity with its employment by Tom Osborne at the Nebraska Cornhuskers. Using this offense, Osborne had outstanding success from 1969 to1997. His successor, Frank Solich, continued to have success with the offense until his departure in 2003. The “I-Option” offense offered a more traditionally balanced attack. Its balanced formations open up the pass, but the heart of the offense remains a devastating combination of the double and triple option, which are easily run from the I-formation and its variations. The concept of a balanced offensive attack combined with the big play potential of the option enticed vast numbers of top-level college teams to include some components of the “ Nebraska I."
- Spread Option Offense. The spread option offense is a variant of the more generic “spread offense” as has found unprecedented success and widespread employment in college and high school football. It is essentially a hybrid of the traditionally pass-oriented spread offense and the flexbone option offense. The spread option is based on the concept of defensive isolation. The offense "spreads" the defense by aligning in three-to-five receiver sets, using two or fewer running backs in the backfield and often setting the quarterback in shotgun. This “spread” forces the defense to defend more of the field and isolates its players in “space”. To exploit this, the offense employs double or triple option plays which further mitigates the athleticism of the defense and forces it to play their assignments. When used in combination with a consistent passing game, the spread option offense can yield strong results. The means in which option plays are run from the spread option offense vary greatly. Most teams using the spread utilize the “read option,” (zone-read) as the basis of its running game. This play is also known as a "QB Choice" or "QB Wrap." A type of double option, the “read option” is relatively simple play during which the quarterback makes a simple read (usually of the backside defensive end or linebacker) and decides whether or not to hand the ball to a running back on a dive or slant track. Yet others have found even more innovative ways to run the option from spread formations. Creative use of motioning schemes have enabled wide receivers and even tight ends to become running options as evidenced by Wake Forest's version of the spread employed during the mid-2000s. Urban Meyer helped to innovate the option attack out of the shotgun formation. Other pioneers include University of Michigan coach Rich Rodriguez, Kansas State University Coach Bill Snyder and others.
[edit] Frequency of use
The option offense is most frequently utilized in the high school and collegiate ranks. It is rarely used in the National Football League for several reasons. First, the speed and athleticism of NFL defenders (in comparason to the large, immobile offensive linemen who are primarily trained to pass block) negates the advantages of an option offense. Second, option quarterbacks are hit and tackled frequently, which increases their risk of injury. Few professional teams, whose quarterbacks have multi-million dollar contracts, are willing to assume this increased risk of injury.
[edit] In the NFL
NFL teams with athletic quarterbacks, such as Vince Young and Jay Cutler, will occasionally employ option packages.
In a December 2007 game against the New England Patriots, the New York Jets ran the option with quarterback Brad Smith, substituting Smith for starter Chad Pennington.[1]
[edit] Service Academies
The United States Naval Academy, still utilizes the option as their primary offensive scheme. Because it's a run-based offense, the option keeps the play clock moving. This allows smaller, slower teams (such as the service academies) to compete with larger, faster teams by keeping their offense on the field and their undersized, overmatched defense on the bench. The option relies on timing, deception, and split-second decision-making under pressure, which, in turn, requires flawless execution and discipline. If run properly, an option offense should be able to gain 2-3 yards before the linebackers and defensive backs can identify who has the football and make a tackle. Due in part to this, Navy rarely punts the ball, which has led many Navy fans to jokingly refer to 4th down (normally a punting situation) as "just another down."[citation needed]
At a time when both Army and Navy ran the option attack, former Army coach Bob Sutton joked that the Army-Navy Game could be played in an hour (because the play clock rarely stopped). Army went away from the option offense in 2000 in favor of a pro-style offense, under head coach Todd Berry. Since then, they have been one of the worst teams in the Division I, going a horrendous (but appropriate) 17-76 from 2000-2008[3]. Many Army alumni have pushed for a return to an option-based offense in hopes of regaining the success they saw under head coach Jim Young in the 1980's and early 1990's.[4] Under Young, from 1983-1990, the cadets went 51-39-1, including 3 bowl appearances[5]. With the beginning of spring practice 2008, Army coach Stan Brock closed practices to the fans and media in order to install a new offensive scheme. Amid the secrecy, Army fans' frustration reached the boiling point. In mid-April, the Times-Herald Record broke the silence and eased the alumni's concerns, by announcing that Brock and Army planned to return to the Wishbone offense for the 2008 college football season[6]. However, many believe that it will be more of a flexbone scheme similar to that employed by Navy.
The United States Air Force Academy also ran the option successfully under coach Fisher DeBerry, often having a run offense near the top of the NCAA. Falcons option quarterback Dee Dowis was a finalist for the Heisman Trophy in 1989, setting an NCAA record for rushing by a quarterback, with 3,612 yards. The option helped the team win the Commander in Chief's Trophy, 16 times, the most among the three major football playing service academies.
[edit] Modern state of the option
When implemented properly, option offensive schemes can be very successful, as demonstrated by the success of the Nebraska Cornhuskers, the Oklahoma Sooners, the Georgia Southern Eagles, and the Syracuse Orange in the 1970's through the early 1990's. Recent years have seen the option's popularity diminish in favor of more "professional style" offenses that are designed to help prepare their athletes for possibly lucrative careers in the NFL.
Recently Urban Meyer has innovated with incorporating the option attack out of the shotgun formation, and includes combining elements of the West Coast offense and the singlewing offense with sorted elements of the flexbone and the wishbone; which he used at Bowling Green State University and the University of Utah, and is presently using at the University of Florida where he won the 2007 NCAA BCS Championship Game.
Urban Meyer's version is based on the spread offense developed by University of Michigan coach Rich Rodriguez. Rodriguez earned "pioneer" status for incorporating wishbone-like running principles (e.g., the QB zone-read, option pitches) into the primarily passing "spread offense." However, it is unclear whether Rich Rodriguez developed the system, or whether Kansas State University coach Bill Snyder developed the zone-read philosophy with QB Michael Bishop in the late 1990s, or whether the two coaches coincidentally developed the system at the same time.[2] The 3- time defending NCAA Division I-AA champions, the Appalachian State Mountaineers, rely on the spread option offense. Like the option offense, some sportscasters recently branded the spread as an "equalizer" that allows less athletic teams compete with larger and faster defenses. Appalachian State--at least for the time being--proved this theory by defeating the heralded Michigan Wolverines at Michigan Stadium during the 2007 NCAA season. Critics label the spread offense as a gimmick offense, which favors deception and "window dressing" rather than head-to-head pro style offenses.
[edit] References
[edit] External links
- CoachSchorr.com A free resource for football coaches featuring several diagrammed and annotated Option offense plays.
