Is the Option Dead?

[Fan]

The option play isn't dead. It's used quite frequently bymany teams at all levels outside the pros, but usually at most a couple times a game. The bulk of the offense is generally something else.

 

Offenses that relly heavily on this play continue to be common in high school and some divisions of cfb. But it's become nearly extinct at the 1-A (bowl subdivision?) level.

 

The biggest knocks i've heard on these so called "option" offenses is that they are hard to recruit to, they are relatively easy for a speedy defense to counter (which speed has become a major priority to teams around the country) and that your own defense doesn't get much preparation for the opponent as they are facing an option attack all week during practice.

 

 

Like I said before. Florida's base play is the zone read option. They won an NCAA championship in D1. Illinois didn't run the option a "couple times" Saturday. They ran it (including the triple option from shotgun) throughout most of the game. The option is not only alive and well, it is thriving. SPEED DOES NOT COUNTER THE OPTION !!! IT IS DESIGNED TO NEUTRALIZE SPEED!!!! Facing an option attack forces your defense to play assignment football and tackle well. It helps your defense. Besides, teams don't practice against their own offense all week, they practice against what the team they play will run.

[rkhufu7]

The option make speedy, gap control defenses have to read and react, because they have to play responsibilities, not just run up the field to sack an immobile QB. I saw LSU run it for and easy TD vs Florida and South Carolina, and UT walked in vs KSU with an option pitch. Mixing the power game, the spread and the option would be a stapple of Osbournes offense.

[pctopeka]

I miss the NU football of the 60's, 70's, 80's and 90's. College football seems to have changed alot since then. I watched this Misouri game Saturday (well, ONCE ESPN was KIND ENUFF to LET ME watch it!) and I think the NU team we saw was as good as they get. I think that was their highest level of play BECAUSE that is the highest level we can currently coach and highest level we can currently recruit. You don't make Big 12 Championship games like this. When we got beat by USC and then came back to a dismal win over Iowa State, I could tell the kids didn't have the fire we once had. Remember how it USED to be when we lost... my GOD! Whoever we played next was generally left battered, bruised and shaken, confused. Not so much anymore. That being said, I will also say that I am proud of all the NU players. I think they've tried hard all season and will continue to try hard for the rest of the season. One thing this team can REALLY be proud of is their ability to RALLY when down (OK, take away Mizzou, that was just a no-win situation). I can remember the days when IF Nebraska was down at any point in the game, it was a good chance that it was over. This team has rallied nicely in several games when evenly matched on the field. To me, Keller is AWESOME. I think our offense is much, much improved over last year. Defense is improved but something ain't quite right there. The kids seem to be faster than last year. Out of position less? WHY are we not seeing improvement then? We can all scream about coaches (I'm not a big fan of where we are right now either) or we can all scream about players (just remember tho, they are KIDS for god's sake, 20 year old KIDS!) but when it comes right down to it, we need to support them and let them work it out. BUT, god dang it!!! I still miss the option! "Tommy's under center, he takes the snap, he rolls right, he pitches (BIG GASP AND PAUSE....).

 

The option dead now, you can't run it the players are bigger faster meaner and their not like the slow plodders of yesterday Grant Winstrom, Mike Rucker, Ray Lewis, Carlos Polk, Peter Brothers, Kyle Vanden Bosch, Mike Brown. those guys would be your average player now. I mean sure you could run on those types of players but to try it now would be another disaster. Then you could have your small lineman and pancake but now you need those 6'6" 340 pound guys to open those big holes. Look could you really see Will Shields playing now? He be lucky to make second string on USC team. I'm sure more of my fellow the option is dead fans will have more to add to the list.

 

Give player and coaches time it's not like their going to miss the playoffs or allow anyone to come into Memorial stadium and treat them like bitches. What you fans want? To have the freshman play and lose more games? I think it's time for another Black out!! Who is with me?

 

I would sure hate to have a defense stocked with the "slow plodders" that you mentioned. If they are so average, how come many of them have been all-pro for many years? Poor, little, slow, untalented Will Shields...all-pro his entire career. Just retired. You don't have a clue what you're talking about.

 

You can't base the whole offense on the option any more than you can base it entirely on the prissy dink pass. A good offense blends zone blocking, trap blocking, iso plays, draws, screens, short passing and vertical passing in a comprehensive package. This is what Ozzy's offfense did for many years; they simply executed the power running game so well that it was almost impossible to stop. The difference is that Ozzy, as opposed to many other coaches, would stick to something until it was stopped. He also adjusted to his personnel. Maybe you weren't alive at the time, or were still wiping the snot out of your nose, but NU led the nation in passing a couple of times in the 70's.

 

A 4.4 40 is the same speed as it always was, and there are very few who actually run it. Put pads on, and almost noone does. Football speed comes from desire, attitude and determination. Desire, attitude and determination are a product of motivation and pride. Motivation and pride come from two sources: from coaching and from the players themselves.

 

"Black outs", or "white outs", or whatever else you want to call them, are pathetic gimmicks employed by drunken losers to try to feel important and to disguise their lack of knowledge about the game.

 

:asshat

[REDSTEEL]

I miss the NU football of the 60's, 70's, 80's and 90's. College football seems to have changed alot since then. I watched this Misouri game Saturday (well, ONCE ESPN was KIND ENUFF to LET ME watch it!) and I think the NU team we saw was as good as they get. I think that was their highest level of play BECAUSE that is the highest level we can currently coach and highest level we can currently recruit. You don't make Big 12 Championship games like this. When we got beat by USC and then came back to a dismal win over Iowa State, I could tell the kids didn't have the fire we once had. Remember how it USED to be when we lost... my GOD! Whoever we played next was generally left battered, bruised and shaken, confused. Not so much anymore. That being said, I will also say that I am proud of all the NU players. I think they've tried hard all season and will continue to try hard for the rest of the season. One thing this team can REALLY be proud of is their ability to RALLY when down (OK, take away Mizzou, that was just a no-win situation). I can remember the days when IF Nebraska was down at any point in the game, it was a good chance that it was over. This team has rallied nicely in several games when evenly matched on the field. To me, Keller is AWESOME. I think our offense is much, much improved over last year. Defense is improved but something ain't quite right there. The kids seem to be faster than last year. Out of position less? WHY are we not seeing improvement then? We can all scream about coaches (I'm not a big fan of where we are right now either) or we can all scream about players (just remember tho, they are KIDS for god's sake, 20 year old KIDS!) but when it comes right down to it, we need to support them and let them work it out. BUT, god dang it!!! I still miss the option! "Tommy's under center, he takes the snap, he rolls right, he pitches (BIG GASP AND PAUSE....).

 

The option dead now, you can't run it the players are bigger faster meaner and their not like the slow plodders of yesterday Grant Winstrom, Mike Rucker, Ray Lewis, Carlos Polk, Peter Brothers, Kyle Vanden Bosch, Mike Brown. those guys would be your average player now. I mean sure you could run on those types of players but to try it now would be another disaster. Then you could have your small lineman and pancake but now you need those 6'6" 340 pound guys to open those big holes. Look could you really see Will Shields playing now? He be lucky to make second string on USC team. I'm sure more of my fellow the option is dead fans will have more to add to the list.

 

Give player and coaches time it's not like their going to miss the playoffs or allow anyone to come into Memorial stadium and treat them like bitches. What you fans want? To have the freshman play and lose more games? I think it's time for another Black out!! Who is with me?

 

I would sure hate to have a defense stocked with the "slow plodders" that you mentioned. If they are so average, how come many of them have been all-pro for many years? Poor, little, slow, untalented Will Shields...all-pro his entire career. Just retired. You don't have a clue what you're talking about.

 

You can't base the whole offense on the option any more than you can base it entirely on the prissy dink pass. A good offense blends zone blocking, trap blocking, iso plays, draws, screens, short passing and vertical passing in a comprehensive package. This is what Ozzy's offfense did for many years; they simply executed the power running game so well that it was almost impossible to stop. The difference is that Ozzy, as opposed to many other coaches, would stick to something until it was stopped. He also adjusted to his personnel. Maybe you weren't alive at the time, or were still wiping the snot out of your nose, but NU led the nation in passing a couple of times in the 70's.

 

A 4.4 40 is the same speed as it always was, and there are very few who actually run it. Put pads on, and almost noone does. Football speed comes from desire, attitude and determination. Desire, attitude and determination are a product of motivation and pride. Motivation and pride come from two sources: from coaching and from the players themselves.

 

"Black outs", or "white outs", or whatever else you want to call them, are pathetic gimmicks employed by drunken losers to try to feel important and to disguise their lack of knowledge about the game.

 

:asshat

 

 

LOL just to let you know that was a post. It was just pointing out that players are no bigger faster now then they were back in the 90's no matter how many people claim they are. I take it I can't get you to join the black out?

[HSKRNOKC]

Watching Navy tonight I would have to say that it is not dead and can be lethal with the right players and game plan.

 

Hard to get the hi profile recruits because no nfl team runs that style but at the college level it can damned sure be successful IMO.

[REDSTEEL]

Well was Nebraska really getting the all the big high profile recruits before under Osborne or just getting some and getting players that fit the mold for their offense and could play.

 

I can't remember to many of the Husker Line men getting 4 or 5 stars but some how some those guys became All American. I rather have the 6-1 290 guys that plays like a gorrila then the 6-5 330 guys that look like Tarzan and play like Jane.

 

Hard time thinking that Running backs arent going to get noticed that he would gets just as much of a look from the NFL running for 1400 - 1500 yards under the power I then he would playing for a Pro Set in college.

[pctopeka]

Well was Nebraska really getting the all the big high profile recruits before under Osborne or just getting some and getting players that fit the mold for their offense and could play.

 

I can't remember to many of the Husker Line men getting 4 or 5 stars but some how some those guys became All American. I rather have the 6-1 290 guys that plays like a gorrila then the 6-5 330 guys that look like Tarzan and play like Jane.

 

Hard time thinking that Running backs arent going to get noticed that he would gets just as much of a look from the NFL running for 1400 - 1500 yards under the power I then he would playing for a Pro Set in college.

 

sorry about the prior, man...just frazzled.

 

Agree wholeheartedly with your feelings. I think a lot of these kids simply don't understand the dedicatoin and determinaton it takes to be a the top levels.