Zone Read Options?

[sewardite4NU]

I remember watching Florida where if Tebow kept it on a zone read, he would head outside with a running back trailing, but then tight end Aaron Hernandez would also be coming across in front of them looking like a pulling blocker and Tebow would pitch it ahead to him after the defense was past him; essentially a triple option shovel pass. Seemed to catch the defense off guard a lot, and I wouldn't mind seeing something similar with Kyler Reed and his speed.

 

[Spartness]

What I like hearing the most is Beck and Pelini saying they will keep running the same play over and over again until the defense can stop it. Kind of something that T.O. use to do. It's all about execution rather than predictability.

 

[bshirt]

What I like hearing the most is Beck and Pelini saying they will keep running the same play over and over again until the defense can stop it. Kind of something that T.O. use to do. It's all about execution rather than predictability.

Yeah, just that part alone is a HUGE change indeed from the last three years. Sounds good to me!

 

[Enhance]

But here's a question I asked a while back. Can you make the zone read into a triple option, where the QB either hands off to a RB, QB runs it, or pitches it to another back (in the slot) trailing the QB?

Absolutely. I forget who I saw doing this last year, but there were a ton of variations of this kind of triple option. Someone ran this play in the NFL playoffs on a two-point conversion and the option man was a WR swinging around behind the formation.

If I'm not mistaken, we ran this against Idaho. If you look up the highlights from that game (the 10 minute long one), it should be in there.

Either way, I'm sad the option wasn't a more focal point of the offense last year. As far as I can remember we ran that play once the entire year. Even if it was against Idaho, Burkhead still took the pitch for a 10+ yard gain.

As far as your point about the WR in the flat catching the ball play OP, I'm not a fan of them especially at Nebraska. The reason being is I very rarely remember seeing that play work because we don't have the speed on the outside necessary to turn that play into a gain. And I know some other people are still bitter about the pick 6 against Oklahoma in 2008 when we ran a similar play.

Throwing the ball into the "flat" is different than a WR screen. The "flat" is basically 10 yards into the defensive backfield, between the hashmark and the sideline. We used to show option and throw to a receiver in the flat all the time (Turner Gill was a master of this, Frazier was pretty good too). It will work great at Nebraska if we are running the spread option, because it compliments that running game.

Yes but that's not the point I was trying to make. I can't think of one wide receiver we have right now capable of turning any of those plays into substantial gains, which is why I don't like them. Kinnie is our most experienced receiver but he's not a speed receiver. Behind him we have unproven guys.

I have no problem with short dump passes in the flat or WR screens if the speed is there, but I don't think we have the speed to do it successfully against the better defenses in the Big 10.

 

[Hercules]

But here's a question I asked a while back. Can you make the zone read into a triple option, where the QB either hands off to a RB, QB runs it, or pitches it to another back (in the slot) trailing the QB?

Absolutely. I forget who I saw doing this last year, but there were a ton of variations of this kind of triple option. Someone ran this play in the NFL playoffs on a two-point conversion and the option man was a WR swinging around behind the formation.

If I'm not mistaken, we ran this against Idaho. If you look up the highlights from that game (the 10 minute long one), it should be in there.

Either way, I'm sad the option wasn't a more focal point of the offense last year. As far as I can remember we ran that play once the entire year. Even if it was against Idaho, Burkhead still took the pitch for a 10+ yard gain.

As far as your point about the WR in the flat catching the ball play OP, I'm not a fan of them especially at Nebraska. The reason being is I very rarely remember seeing that play work because we don't have the speed on the outside necessary to turn that play into a gain. And I know some other people are still bitter about the pick 6 against Oklahoma in 2008 when we ran a similar play.

Throwing the ball into the "flat" is different than a WR screen. The "flat" is basically 10 yards into the defensive backfield, between the hashmark and the sideline. We used to show option and throw to a receiver in the flat all the time (Turner Gill was a master of this, Frazier was pretty good too). It will work great at Nebraska if we are running the spread option, because it compliments that running game.

Yes but that's not the point I was trying to make. I can't think of one wide receiver we have right now capable of turning any of those plays into substantial gains, which is why I don't like them. Kinnie is our most experienced receiver but he's not a speed receiver. Behind him we have unproven guys.

I have no problem with short dump passes in the flat or WR screens if the speed is there, but I don't think we have the speed to do it successfully against the better defenses in the Big 10.

Picking up 3 or 4 yards sometimes is all you need. Besides, the idea is that it's an option play. If the receiver runs a quick slant and gets 5-10 yards downfield while the QB is showing option with the RB, you can get the secondary to bite on the run. When they peel off their coverage to stop the option run, you've got a receiver that's completely uncovered. Even if he only picks up 5-10 yards, that's a substantial gain, but the misdirection will give our guys more room to run even when they aren't Percy Harvin.

 

[knapplc]

I have no problem with short dump passes in the flat or WR screens if the speed is there, but I don't think we have the speed to do it successfully against the better defenses in the Big 10.

Really? I think we'll match up pretty well with any defense in the B1G regarding speed. Kinnie as our possession guy, then Kenny Bell and Quincy Enunwa as the burners, with Kyler Reed at TE, that's going to pose speed matchup problems for most any team, and especially in the Big 10.

 

[iowahusker09]

I have no problem with short dump passes in the flat or WR screens if the speed is there, but I don't think we have the speed to do it successfully against the better defenses in the Big 10.

Really? I think we'll match up pretty well with any defense in the B1G regarding speed. Kinnie as our possession guy, then Kenny Bell and Quincy Enunwa as the burners, with Kyler Reed at TE, that's going to pose speed matchup problems for most any team, and especially in the Big 10.

agreed. b10 defenses are big and bulky. Kyler Reed may end up being one of the most valuable players on our offense this season