Triple Option Football - Navy & ND (IU Needs To Consider)

[IUFANBB]

Like many on this site, I believe that Allen's defense with a "take the air out of the ball" offense is going to set us apart in the B10 East. Kind of like what Whisky did to turn the corner in basketball to gain an identity of not being a basketball doormat in a tough league.

Being a Power 5 & running a true triple option will be unique. For once IU football will be unique. Once we run this offense for 3 or 4 years, IU Football will have the identity/tradition which Hep was always seeking. We will be IU Football the triple option offense & tough defense. Run, Run, Run, the football. Run, Run, Run, the clock..

We would just need road graders up front, we would get a top 5 Triple Option QB every year - guaranteed, just a stable of RBs & Fullbacks (Charlie Spiegel as our FB in an option offense), WR's who can block, & really good special teams.

I know many of you think that this is a ridiculous notion, but when your watching Navy tonight play ND, imagine those Navy uniforms in Cream & Crimson trying to grind out a win running the ball & shortening the game vs. an overmatched front line. You don't need to hold your blocks long in this offense. We don't have to block OSU & PSU for 5 seconds a pop on 50 drop-backs. That just gets people hurt. When you have injuries at QB in this offense, it is much easier to have ready back-ups. You don't ask your 4 star freshman to come out & scramble for your life & chuck it around vs a top 3 team.

IU has the digs now; we just need to do something radically different at this point. If we really want to achieve a B10 Championship under CTA, something away from the norm is needed. If we truly go a new direction on offense, now is the time for the triple option.

 

[CC Mac]

We need to do whatever it takes to shorten the games.
I’ll never understand why we snap the ball with 10-15 seconds left on the play clock

 

[TMFT]

I’m all in on a gimmicky offense for IU right now.

I’m not 100% all in with service academy style triple option necessarily but I’d listen to the conversation.

Triple option, power option, air raid, whatever. I personally prefer air raid because it’s hard to score points in a comeback game with the option.

I also strongly believe that whichever gimmick we’d pick, we’re basically capping a season at 10 wins best case. Gimmick teams don’t win championships. I’d personally be knocked ass over tea kettle if IU could be that consistent 8 to 10 win team, but I recognize that no one is going to the CFP with the flex bone. I’m cool with that though.

 

[vesuvius13]

Like many on this site, I believe that Allen's defense with a "take the air out of the ball" offense is going to set us apart in the B10 East. Kind of like what Whisky did to turn the corner in basketball to gain an identity of not being a basketball doormat in a tough league.

Being a Power 5 & running a true triple option will be unique. For once IU football will be unique. Once we run this offense for 3 or 4 years, IU Football will have the identity/tradition which Hep was always seeking. We will be IU Football the triple option offense & tough defense. Run, Run, Run, the football. Run, Run, Run, the clock..

We would just need road graders up front, we would get a top 5 Triple Option QB every year - guaranteed, just a stable of RBs & Fullbacks (Charlie Spiegel as our FB in an option offense), WR's who can block, & really good special teams.

I know many of you think that this is a ridiculous notion, but when your watching Navy tonight play ND, imagine those Navy uniforms in Cream & Crimson trying to grind out a win running the ball & shortening the game vs. an overmatched front line. You don't need to hold your blocks long in this offense. We don't have to block OSU & PSU for 5 seconds a pop on 50 drop-backs. That just gets people hurt. When you have injuries at QB in this offense, it is much easier to have ready back-ups. You don't ask your 4 star freshman to come out & scramble for your life & chuck it around vs a top 3 team.

IU has the digs now; we just need to do something radically different at this point. If we really want to achieve a B10 Championship under CTA, something away from the norm is needed. If we truly go a new direction on offense, now is the time for the triple option.

I would counter your way of thinking by looking at offenses with a wide open short passing game that defenses struggle to stop. Right now IU isn't selling out on the pass like in the Wilson/Littrell teams scoring at will against the best teams despite having terrible defenses at IU. Triple option is more smash mouth offense, in a since, risking injuries to key players while the wide open passing games puts the game in the hands of open receivers in a hurry. With more HS running offenses similar to this it creates an overload of talented receivers and outstanding QBs.

 

[bang63]

With a triple option game they would need to sell Nodoze instead of beer at the games.

 

[destewart]

Like many on this site, I believe that Allen's defense with a "take the air out of the ball" offense is going to set us apart in the B10 East. Kind of like what Whisky did to turn the corner in basketball to gain an identity of not being a basketball doormat in a tough league.

Being a Power 5 & running a true triple option will be unique. For once IU football will be unique. Once we run this offense for 3 or 4 years, IU Football will have the identity/tradition which Hep was always seeking. We will be IU Football the triple option offense & tough defense. Run, Run, Run, the football. Run, Run, Run, the clock..

We would just need road graders up front, we would get a top 5 Triple Option QB every year - guaranteed, just a stable of RBs & Fullbacks (Charlie Spiegel as our FB in an option offense), WR's who can block, & really good special teams.

I know many of you think that this is a ridiculous notion, but when your watching Navy tonight play ND, imagine those Navy uniforms in Cream & Crimson trying to grind out a win running the ball & shortening the game vs. an overmatched front line. You don't need to hold your blocks long in this offense. We don't have to block OSU & PSU for 5 seconds a pop on 50 drop-backs. That just gets people hurt. When you have injuries at QB in this offense, it is much easier to have ready back-ups. You don't ask your 4 star freshman to come out & scramble for your life & chuck it around vs a top 3 team.

IU has the digs now; we just need to do something radically different at this point. If we really want to achieve a B10 Championship under CTA, something away from the norm is needed. If we truly go a new direction on offense, now is the time for the triple option.

You overlook the reason why it works successfully at service academies. They are unable to recruit OL conducive to effective road grading and pass blocking offenses. They rely on smaller, well conditioned and very intelligent OL. Combine that with the fact very few opponents see the offense more than once in a season at most and you have a chance for success. However, they also lack the ability to recruit stud defensive players so you better be able to score lots of points. The biggest drawback would be developing OL.

 

[Orbit7958]

You overlook the reason why it works successfully at service academies. They are unable to recruit OL conducive to effective road grading and pass blocking offenses. They rely on smaller, well conditioned and very intelligent OL. Combine that with the fact very few opponents see the offense more than once in a season at most and you have a chance for success. However, they also lack the ability to recruit stud defensive players so you better be able to score lots of points. The biggest drawback would be developing OL.

As if IU has been able to recruit OL conducive to effective road grading and pass blocking offenses.

Stick to Purdue sports

 

[kmathum]

With a triple option game they would need to sell Nodoze instead of beer at the games.

exactly. boring as hell.

 

[fkfootball]

I posted this exact thread 2 weeks ago. It’s worth a shot!

 

[welshman#]

Like many on this site, I believe that Allen's defense with a "take the air out of the ball" offense is going to set us apart in the B10 East. Kind of like what Whisky did to turn the corner in basketball to gain an identity of not being a basketball doormat in a tough league.

Being a Power 5 & running a true triple option will be unique. For once IU football will be unique. Once we run this offense for 3 or 4 years, IU Football will have the identity/tradition which Hep was always seeking. We will be IU Football the triple option offense & tough defense. Run, Run, Run, the football. Run, Run, Run, the clock..

We would just need road graders up front, we would get a top 5 Triple Option QB every year - guaranteed, just a stable of RBs & Fullbacks (Charlie Spiegel as our FB in an option offense), WR's who can block, & really good special teams.

I know many of you think that this is a ridiculous notion, but when your watching Navy tonight play ND, imagine those Navy uniforms in Cream & Crimson trying to grind out a win running the ball & shortening the game vs. an overmatched front line. You don't need to hold your blocks long in this offense. We don't have to block OSU & PSU for 5 seconds a pop on 50 drop-backs. That just gets people hurt. When you have injuries at QB in this offense, it is much easier to have ready back-ups. You don't ask your 4 star freshman to come out & scramble for your life & chuck it around vs a top 3 team.

IU has the digs now; we just need to do something radically different at this point. If we really want to achieve a B10 Championship under CTA, something away from the norm is needed. If we truly go a new direction on offense, now is the time for the triple option.

IMO the triple option systems run at the service academies (which differ slightly from each other) wouldn't work in the B1G 10 (or SEC) because def coordinators would put 7-8 players in the box and 3-4 behind, usually in a shallow Cover 2 or even Cover 1, and dare the offense to try to throw downfield more than 10 yards.

Those systems or similar ones might work in the ACC (like they sometimes but not always did for Johnson at Ga Tech) but the defensive players at the best B1G or SEC programs would be able to shut them down due to their being one-dimensional (with many of their pass plays being of the "Hail Mary" variety and typically only averaging somewhere around 8-10 attempts per game, at least in 2021).

What COULD work IMO (warning: "broken record" post coming ahead) is the option systems that Wake Forest and Coastal Carolina run, since they include legitimate passing threats that opposing teams would have to defend against consistently.

Especially Coastal Carolina--I don't remember ever seeing a triple option team that could throw the ball like CCU does. As of yesterday here are some of their FBS offensive stats:

---2nd in FBS 3rd down conversion %
---1st in FBS 4th down conversion %
---3rd in FBS in pass completion %
---1st (tie) in FBS for fewest pass intercepted (2 in 8 games)
---1st in FBS in team passing efficiency
---3rd in FBS in pass yds per completion (17 yds per completion---this is not a dink-n-dunk pass offense)
---1st in FBS in fewest # turnovers lost (4 in 8 games IIRC)
---10th in FBS in rushing offense and 21st in passing offense (good mix of both)
---3rd in FBS in scoring offense
---6th in FBS in total offense

CCU's system, or Wake Forest's, or better yet some combination of the two, is an offense that I think IU could recruit to and run in the B1G in a way that could make them their most competitive--or at least more competitive than they are now. And it doesn't hurt that they've already got a QB on their roster (McCulley) who could flourish in it with the right coaching.

Ay, there's the rub: the right coaching matters too.

 

[F.Fletch]

Like many on this site, I believe that Allen's defense with a "take the air out of the ball" offense is going to set us apart in the B10 East. Kind of like what Whisky did to turn the corner in basketball to gain an identity of not being a basketball doormat in a tough league.

Being a Power 5 & running a true triple option will be unique. For once IU football will be unique. Once we run this offense for 3 or 4 years, IU Football will have the identity/tradition which Hep was always seeking. We will be IU Football the triple option offense & tough defense. Run, Run, Run, the football. Run, Run, Run, the clock..

We would just need road graders up front, we would get a top 5 Triple Option QB every year - guaranteed, just a stable of RBs & Fullbacks (Charlie Spiegel as our FB in an option offense), WR's who can block, & really good special teams.

I know many of you think that this is a ridiculous notion, but when your watching Navy tonight play ND, imagine those Navy uniforms in Cream & Crimson trying to grind out a win running the ball & shortening the game vs. an overmatched front line. You don't need to hold your blocks long in this offense. We don't have to block OSU & PSU for 5 seconds a pop on 50 drop-backs. That just gets people hurt. When you have injuries at QB in this offense, it is much easier to have ready back-ups. You don't ask your 4 star freshman to come out & scramble for your life & chuck it around vs a top 3 team.

IU has the digs now; we just need to do something radically different at this point. If we really want to achieve a B10 Championship under CTA, something away from the norm is needed. If we truly go a new direction on offense, now is the time for the triple option.

Shoot, I'd hire Paul Johnson tomorrow.

 

[Upset Alert]

Jason Garrett. You heard it here first.

 

[daddyhoosier]

Strongly disagree. Triple Option is antiquated. P5 D's would easily gobble it up. The novelty factor might get you a win or two in season one, then what?

 

[Univee2]

Strongly disagree. Triple Option is antiquated. P5 D's would easily gobble it up. The novelty factor might get you a win or two in season one, then what?

Agree.

In South Bend now, eating breakfast before hitting the road.

Navy was totally helpless yesterday. 1-3, 18 yards passing. 166 total yards rushing, most of that on two runs, one for 32 and one for 18. Several bad tosses, resulting in fumbles.

You need superior and exceptionally fast QBs and running backs to make it work. ND just gobbled up Navy and stuffed them. Navy didn't have a particularly good (small and quick, but just over-matched at this level) back-up at QB when their starter went out before the half. Just highlighted that you need a stable in the backfield in order for this to work. And they all need to be outstanding. Otherwise, this offense is just futile. I don't think IU could get the quantity to make this work.

 

[IUHartselCol]

I have heard this suggestion of the Triple Option for IU since Bruce's site. How much validity is there is this idea really? You must recruit for that. Could our players actually make it work? My gut say no but I have never played it or watched it much. Not sure its relevant but all ideas should be on the table for the future...and future only. I would be happy to just see a scheme that fits the talent we have, not wish we had as the coaches sometimes seem to plan. Oh well...

 

[Crossblock]

Like many on this site, I believe that Allen's defense with a "take the air out of the ball" offense is going to set us apart in the B10 East. Kind of like what Whisky did to turn the corner in basketball to gain an identity of not being a basketball doormat in a tough league.

Being a Power 5 & running a true triple option will be unique. For once IU football will be unique. Once we run this offense for 3 or 4 years, IU Football will have the identity/tradition which Hep was always seeking. We will be IU Football the triple option offense & tough defense. Run, Run, Run, the football. Run, Run, Run, the clock..

We would just need road graders up front, we would get a top 5 Triple Option QB every year - guaranteed, just a stable of RBs & Fullbacks (Charlie Spiegel as our FB in an option offense), WR's who can block, & really good special teams.

I know many of you think that this is a ridiculous notion, but when your watching Navy tonight play ND, imagine those Navy uniforms in Cream & Crimson trying to grind out a win running the ball & shortening the game vs. an overmatched front line. You don't need to hold your blocks long in this offense. We don't have to block OSU & PSU for 5 seconds a pop on 50 drop-backs. That just gets people hurt. When you have injuries at QB in this offense, it is much easier to have ready back-ups. You don't ask your 4 star freshman to come out & scramble for your life & chuck it around vs a top 3 team.

IU has the digs now; we just need to do something radically different at this point. If we really want to achieve a B10 Championship under CTA, something away from the norm is needed. If we truly go a new direction on offense, now is the time for the triple option.

I have posted this before. The problem with trying to consistently run the triple option is finding the parts. Very few high schools run it. Just finding a traditional blocking fullback is tough. The Service Academies are able to run it because of some of the restrictions they face in recruiting. They can't recruit 6'8' 350 pound linemen. Some of the people who end up as QB and RB in these Offenses played other positions in High School. the Academies recruit intelligent people Who are willing to learn and are able to set aside their egos for the betterment of the Team.

One of the problems with these Offenses is that if you fall behind in a game, You don't have a sophisticated passing game to score points.

 

[Columbus-Boiler]

It's just not viable at the P5 level in a major conference. It's a great HS offense, but there is a reason it dies out in college and nearly disappears in the NFL except for the occasional set for a team here and there in short yardage. If Navy consistently had better players and QBs they wouldn't run it either.

 

[td75]

This is a bad idea. Indiana has had high flying offenses through the years. Kevin Wilson had the best offense in the Big Ten several years in a row. Wilson did this with good oline play, good QB play and a scheme that had guys catching a boatload of passes because it was effective. Nick Sheridan couldn't get Randy Moss open for God's sake.

No thanks to gimmicky schemes...Recruit/develop/scheme/coach properly. Earn your paycheck; these guys are making mega bucks!!

 

[Pazhoosier85]

The Cam Cameron offense was option based that you could throw out of. Although you probably need an ARE type QB type to run it.

 

[welshman#]

Just a reminder: there are (now) numerous variations of triple option offenses and not all of them require exceptionally fast QBs or even use true “fullback” types.

if you’re talking about running the traditional kind of triple options that the service academies run then, yes, the better B1G and SEC defenses would shut those down by just putting 7-8 men in the box and playing a shallow C2 or even C1 shell in the back.

but that approach would not work as easily vs a team that ran a triple option system which also included a legit passing attack (assuming the option school had recruited good enough athletes to run it).

five years ago I would have said “and no team out there does that” but now some teams like Coastal Carolina have figured out how to actually do it. Do I think their system could work in the B1G? Dunno but CCU’s passing stats (which I listed in a previous post) have convinced me of 2 things: their system would have a much greater chance of working than a classical triple option would, and their system could not work any worse than the “offense” IU is trying, and mostly failing, to run now.

 

[vesuvius13]

As if IU has been able to recruit OL conducive to effective road grading and pass blocking offenses.

Stick to Purdue sports

IU does have those kind of OL players but our OL coach doesn't teach it. Coach needs to get rid of him and another one or two offensive coaches [one is the OC, the other may be the WR that can't stop the drops or poor blocking by receivers].