gtne91

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you sir know your football

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Well, to be fair, everything I know about option football (other than loving to watch it when it is well run), I have learned since PJ got hired last december. Ive read a lot of websites discussing the different offenses and how they developed. Part of it was figuring out all the technical terms so you can see the differences between say, what Urban Meyer is doing and what Paul Johnson is doing and what Rich Rod is failing to do.

Oh, and OT, Thanks for Anthony Allen. He has been impressive in practice this year, from what I have heard. I live in the ville, was at the MTSU game last year when he ran all over them.

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Yes. Va Tech's computer ranking got a HUGE boost... because they played (and got blownout) against LSU.

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Not (necessarily) true. In the Colley, for example, a loss will always hurt you. Although, a loss to LSU last year would hurt almost none at all. Also, the BCS wont let the computers consider score, so getting blown out by LSU made no difference and thats the way the BCS bigwigs want it.

Looking at last year's Colley (which had VT #2 and OSU #4), VT had the #24 SOS and OSU the #73.

OSU's problem was a weak conference and OOC wins over the #77, 98 and 113 teams + Youngstown St. Illinois at #18 was the only top 20 team and you lost it.

VT lost to #1 and #11. They also beat #11 and the rest of their schedule wasnt nearly as weak as OSU's.

10-7 actually. And closer than the score. We blocked at the end to prevent OT.

To understand that game see Michigan. We played our 3rd and 4th string QBs. Our 3rd stringer is pure drop back passer and, uh, we didnt have any of that part of our offense implemented yet, so he had to run the option.

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it has been interesting to hear about what their offense does and how it could morph into more of a pass happy offense in the future.

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It will never* be pass happy. The mix will change some, maybe from 85/15 to about 70/30. With games where teams sell out to stop the run so the mix may even favor pass for the game. As the year went on, we saw much more trips formation and less of only the double slot formation. More proficiency in running the run-an-shoot package will just add another element the defense has to worry about.

One thing I like about the mix is that the zone blitz was basically created to shut down the run-and-shoot. Regular blitzes got eaten alive by the r&s. However, blitzing against the TO is a quick form of suicide. Blitz to stop the R&S and the TO takes it to the house. Play base defense to stop the TO and the R&S will pick you apart.

We wont see much of it tonight, but I like our future.

*never is a long long time. Who knows what the future really holds.

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They can call it what they want but its not more than the wing-t.

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Wing T is a single wing formation. This, if anything, is a double wing. Also, the winged T used Tight Ends.

Part of the distinction is the lack of use of Tight Ends. The ends are "spread" out.

The spread is a formation not an offense. GT plays out of a spread formation. 4+ wideouts (2 WR, 2 slots, although our slots are tighter than in most modern spreads), single back max, wide line splits. These are the characteristics of the spread formation. What plays you run after that is beside the point, you are running them from the spread.

Our formation is very similar, as pointed out above, to Tiger Ellison's original run-and-shoot, before Mouse Davis got hold of it. Ga Southern was running r-and-s the year before Johnson took over as OC. My understanding is that Erk wanted to switch to the I and have more power running, Johnson convinced him to stay with the spread formation, added option elements and, as the 101 video showed, could run I plays via quick motion while keeping pre-snap balance.

The offense evolved thru GSU, Hawaii and Navy (losing most of the run-and-shoot elements at Navy because they didnt have the QBs to run it).

Both Johnson and Leach have noted the similarity of the offenses GT and TT run. Most people would think they couldnt be more different, but the similarities are in the details, not the play calling.

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Somehow, Gardner-Webb held GT to a whopping 79 yds rushing (47 attempts!) and 120 passing, only 9 first downs, and outgained them 227-199 Losing to GT by only 10-7. How difficult can it be?

Seriously, I'd like to see film of that game.

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Watch film of any Michigan game.

For the GW game, we didnt have an option QB available. We played our 3rd and 4th string, one is a drop back QB and the other is a redshirt freshman walkon.

We ran the option anyway, because that is the only offense we had installed at that point.

Add to that one of our starting linebackers having seizures on the sideline and that kind of takes the players minds out of the game. We were playing poorly before that happened, so that might not have changed anything, but it didnt help.

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I believe they take full advantage when a team overloads the box, and leaves the too much open. Discipline will be the key.

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Yep, that is what happened in the Duke game. They sold out to stop the run and we threw for 230 yards in that game. Still only 9 completed passes, but by far the biggest passing day of the year.

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They could play Boise State again.

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I dont think we have ever played Boise St.

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They haven't won shite in 20 years.

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1990 was only 18 years ago.

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Run and shoot from the flexbone? Now, that's something I'd like to see.

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See Ga Southern/Hawaii film from when Johnson was OC at them. Not as much as HC at GSU or at all at Navy.

Also, Tiger Ellison's original run and shoot was from a formation very, very similar to the flexbone. Two WRs, two slotbacks, QB under center, 1 running back is standard original run and shoot formation. The flexbone slotbacks are a little tighter probably, but not much. The original (pre Mouse Davis) run and shoot was a run first offense, hence the name. If the D overloaded the box, the QB checked into a "shoot" play.

Davis was responsible for moving the QB back into the shotgun and making it a pass first offense.