DanielHouse
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When Georgia Tech head coach Paul Johnson was a defensive assistant at Georgia Southern, he realized how difficult it was to defend the triple option. After experimenting with the system, Johnson knew he wanted to run the package as a head coach. He brought the concepts with him to three different stops, before cementing the system as a staple of Georgia Tech’s program.
After 11 seasons, Johnson is set to coach his last game at Georgia Tech in the Quick Lane Bowl. During Wednesday’s bowl appearance, the Gophers will have the honor of defending Johnson’s infamous triple option one last time.
The vast majority of Georgia Tech’s playbook emphasizes run-heavy option plays, but the threat to pass out of these packages is equally possible. Johnson has added various wrinkles to the spread flexbone over the years, including the use of motion to confuse defenses. This type of deception makes it difficult for the defense to determine the strength of the formation. Elusive quarterback TaQuon Marshall commands attention and the Yellow Jackets continually rotate running backs into the formation.
If the offense wants to pass, they can motion to a doubles set or get into a twins set at the last second. In the event someone is overplaying a certain tendency, an adjustment can be made to attack it. The cornerbacks also can’t take a vacation on the outside because it takes just one play action look to get burned over the top.
Not only that, but the way these receivers are aligned puts stress on the second level of defenses. In the triple option, wide receivers are usually split out at three-foot depths instead of the traditional two-foot distance. This makes the angles difficult for defenders from the alley and limits the ability of backside defenders to chase down plays.
It is important to restrict the amount of success Georgia Tech has on first and second down. If they’re in third-and-long situations, the entire landscape of the offensive set changes. When triple option teams manage to control the tempo, things can get out of hand. This is the type of offense that can simply chew clock and wear you down.
This season, Georgia Tech led the country in total rushing yards with 4,019 (5.73 yards per carry). The Yellow Jackets always rank in the top half of rushing because of this unique system. Teams who have Georgia Tech on their schedule often start dedicating portions of spring practice to triple option circuits. Every coach has a different mentality when it comes to teaching players to defend this system. In the triple option, there are essentially three main things to keep track of: the dive back, pitch man and quarterback.
<iframe src="https://giphy.com/embed/64a8Jpw4vVPwlJJ0yi" width="480" height="222" frameBorder="0" class="giphy-embed" allowFullScreen></iframe><p><a href="https://giphy.com/gifs/64a8Jpw4vVPwlJJ0yi">via GIPHY</a></p>
Many coaches I’ve spoken with have a three-ball circuit where the quarterback, pitch and dive players all have the football. The point of this drill is to teach the responsibilities and reads. If each player knows their role and keeps their eyes in the right spot, the offense loses its firepower. Generally, Johnson and his staff will tweak the formations, motions and alignments based upon what the defense is giving them early in the game. It’s those adjustments that throw a wrinkle into defending this offense.
There are a few necessary traits for the defense to emphasize when trying to stop a triple option system. The most important thing is eye discipline. With so many different motions and subtle formation tweaks, it sometimes can be hard to identify the strength of the formation. If a linebacker makes a poor read and gets too far up field, the space in the alley makes the angles difficult for the backend. Each player has to execute the correct read in order to prevent big plays. The A and B gap players have to take care of the dive player, while the high safety usually has to help cover the quarterback and redirect if the ball is pitched. The play side defensive end has to crash and contain to force the pitch. After that, the safety must flow downhill and protect the alley (the space between the outside wide receiver and the defensive end). More importantly, the nose tackle has to get a good push to help the second level players flow downhill.
More, including a couple other scheme possibilities: http://www.1500espn.com/gophers-2/2018/12/can-gophers-defend-georgia-techs-triple-option/
After 11 seasons, Johnson is set to coach his last game at Georgia Tech in the Quick Lane Bowl. During Wednesday’s bowl appearance, the Gophers will have the honor of defending Johnson’s infamous triple option one last time.
The vast majority of Georgia Tech’s playbook emphasizes run-heavy option plays, but the threat to pass out of these packages is equally possible. Johnson has added various wrinkles to the spread flexbone over the years, including the use of motion to confuse defenses. This type of deception makes it difficult for the defense to determine the strength of the formation. Elusive quarterback TaQuon Marshall commands attention and the Yellow Jackets continually rotate running backs into the formation.
If the offense wants to pass, they can motion to a doubles set or get into a twins set at the last second. In the event someone is overplaying a certain tendency, an adjustment can be made to attack it. The cornerbacks also can’t take a vacation on the outside because it takes just one play action look to get burned over the top.
Not only that, but the way these receivers are aligned puts stress on the second level of defenses. In the triple option, wide receivers are usually split out at three-foot depths instead of the traditional two-foot distance. This makes the angles difficult for defenders from the alley and limits the ability of backside defenders to chase down plays.
It is important to restrict the amount of success Georgia Tech has on first and second down. If they’re in third-and-long situations, the entire landscape of the offensive set changes. When triple option teams manage to control the tempo, things can get out of hand. This is the type of offense that can simply chew clock and wear you down.
This season, Georgia Tech led the country in total rushing yards with 4,019 (5.73 yards per carry). The Yellow Jackets always rank in the top half of rushing because of this unique system. Teams who have Georgia Tech on their schedule often start dedicating portions of spring practice to triple option circuits. Every coach has a different mentality when it comes to teaching players to defend this system. In the triple option, there are essentially three main things to keep track of: the dive back, pitch man and quarterback.
<iframe src="https://giphy.com/embed/64a8Jpw4vVPwlJJ0yi" width="480" height="222" frameBorder="0" class="giphy-embed" allowFullScreen></iframe><p><a href="https://giphy.com/gifs/64a8Jpw4vVPwlJJ0yi">via GIPHY</a></p>
Many coaches I’ve spoken with have a three-ball circuit where the quarterback, pitch and dive players all have the football. The point of this drill is to teach the responsibilities and reads. If each player knows their role and keeps their eyes in the right spot, the offense loses its firepower. Generally, Johnson and his staff will tweak the formations, motions and alignments based upon what the defense is giving them early in the game. It’s those adjustments that throw a wrinkle into defending this offense.
There are a few necessary traits for the defense to emphasize when trying to stop a triple option system. The most important thing is eye discipline. With so many different motions and subtle formation tweaks, it sometimes can be hard to identify the strength of the formation. If a linebacker makes a poor read and gets too far up field, the space in the alley makes the angles difficult for the backend. Each player has to execute the correct read in order to prevent big plays. The A and B gap players have to take care of the dive player, while the high safety usually has to help cover the quarterback and redirect if the ball is pitched. The play side defensive end has to crash and contain to force the pitch. After that, the safety must flow downhill and protect the alley (the space between the outside wide receiver and the defensive end). More importantly, the nose tackle has to get a good push to help the second level players flow downhill.
More, including a couple other scheme possibilities: http://www.1500espn.com/gophers-2/2018/12/can-gophers-defend-georgia-techs-triple-option/
