1st Triple Option Master

[Skeptic]

Fans of the triple option will be interested to learn that its first zen master, so to speak, Eddie LeBaron, has died. He was 85. Playing for the then College of Pacific, LeBaron made his name running what Bobby Dodd would steal and christen the "belly series". (Wasn't there, but from what I have read.) Dodd coached LeBaron in the since abandoned college all-stars vs. an NFL team in 1950, I think. The guy allegedly was a magician with the ball and despite being only 5-7 at about 165 pounds played 11 years in the NFL. So the next time you see Thomas run the triple, remember a guy who was even smaller running it. And one head ball coach smart enough to steal and adapt it, and now another smart enough to refine it further and make it much quicker. Those real football heads on the board may know more or better and I'd like to hear from them.

 

[jayparr]

Fans of the triple option will be interested to learn that its first zen master, so to speak, Eddie LeBaron, has died. He was 85. Playing for the then College of Pacific, LeBaron made his name running what Bobby Dodd would steal and christen the "belly series". (Wasn't there, but from what I have read.) Dodd coached LeBaron in the since abandoned college all-stars vs. an NFL team in 1950, I think. The guy allegedly was a magician with the ball and despite being only 5-7 at about 165 pounds played 11 years in the NFL. So the next time you see Thomas run the triple, remember a guy who was even smaller running it. And one head ball coach smart enough to steal and adapt it, and now another smart enough to refine it further and make it much quicker. Those real football heads on the board may know more or better and I'd like to hear from them.

And a large DL was only 240lbs and not near as strong as the 240's are today nor near as fast!! FACTS

 

[Jean-Baptiste Rochambeau]

Fans of the triple option will be interested to learn that its first zen master, so to speak, Eddie LeBaron, has died. He was 85. Playing for the then College of Pacific, LeBaron made his name running what Bobby Dodd would steal and christen the "belly series". (Wasn't there, but from what I have read.) Dodd coached LeBaron in the since abandoned college all-stars vs. an NFL team in 1950, I think. The guy allegedly was a magician with the ball and despite being only 5-7 at about 165 pounds played 11 years in the NFL. So the next time you see Thomas run the triple, remember a guy who was even smaller running it. And one head ball coach smart enough to steal and adapt it, and now another smart enough to refine it further and make it much quicker. Those real football heads on the board may know more or better and I'd like to hear from them.

Was awarded the Bronze Star for valor in Korea. Before there was an Atlanta team, the Redskins were our adopted NFL team. LeBaron was their quarterback and a fan favorite.

 

[jayparr]

Was awarded the Bronze Star for valor in Korea. Before there was an Atlanta team, the Redskins were our adopted NFL team. LeBaron was their quarterback and a fan favorite.

agree with your final 2 points

 

[B Lifsey]

And a large DL was only 240lbs and not near as strong as the 240's are today nor near as fast!! FACTS

And the average OL blocking protecting him was???

 

[redmule]

Eddie LeBaron rear ended me on I-75 back around 1978. I had a good size bumper on my Toyota Hi-Lux pickup truck, and it really messed up the front of his Mercedes. We had to show up in traffic court the next week. I figured, no big deal right, he rear ended me. When I got there, Eddie was sitting with his lawyer. Guy had on a suit that must have cost more than I made in a year then. I thought to myself, "Oh Hell, I'm going to jail before this is over!" Judge listened to the cop's report, and told me I could go home, so I left as quickly as I could. I realized later that LeBaron probably expected me to show up in a neck brace and claim some injury. Probably could have gotten my truck loan paid off if I had been thinking.

 

[jayparr]

And the average OL blocking protecting him was???

not near as big today. You remember the name Perdoni? I believe was about 230 as an all american dt. Carl Vereen an of tackle for Tech in the mid 50's was huge at that time. I believe he was listed at 240 maybe 230.

 

[Essobee]

I go back a long ways, obviously, because I used to watch Eddie LeBaron in beautiful black and white on a 17" TV console. His favorite receiver was John Carson from UGA. The Redskins' helmets had a feather up the back instead of the side emblem used today.

I also enjoyed watching Carl Vereen at Tech. Yeah, players were small and slow compared to today's athletes. IIRC, Bill Fulcher told me he weighed 175 and played on the OL line (actually, they played both offense and defense in those days). Perdoni? For some reason, 233 sticks in my foggy mind as his weight.

 

[Skeptic]

Eddie LeBaron rear ended me on I-75 back around 1978. I had a good size bumper on my Toyota Hi-Lux pickup truck, and it really messed up the front of his Mercedes. We had to show up in traffic court the next week. I figured, no big deal right, he rear ended me. When I got there, Eddie was sitting with his lawyer. Guy had on a suit that must have cost more than I made in a year then. I thought to myself, "Oh Hell, I'm going to jail before this is over!" Judge listened to the cop's report, and told me I could go home, so I left as quickly as I could. I realized later that LeBaron probably expected me to show up in a neck brace and claim some injury. Probably could have gotten my truck loan paid off if I had been thinking.

Well, you had the option, so to speak. Good story.

 

[Skeptic]

And a large DL was only 240lbs and not near as strong as the 240's are today nor near as fast!! FACTS

Facts, no doubt. But you know, 5-6 is 5-6 in any era, and in a QB's case -- he supposedly had a great arm -- the linemen's height was way more important than his weight when it came time to chunking the ball, and a 230 pound guy tackling a 165-pound guy has, shall we say, a big advantage. Regardless, the thread was not to bemoan the guy's size, but to identify the source of the triple option Nile.

 

[takethepoints]

And let's not forget the coach who saw what he had in LeBaron and built the belly series T around him: Clark Shaughnessy. He's right up there with Paul Brown and Bill Yeoman as a football innovator. His LeBaron teams were invulnerable. He also is credited with introducing the T formation to pro ball; George Halas hired him as a consultant to teach Sid Luckman how to run it. My dad saw the results in the 1940 NFL championship game (Bears 73, Redskins 0). He always said that was the worst beating he ever saw a pro team take in any sport; the Bears ran over the Skins like a tank and Luckman only threw the ball 6 times.

 

[Skeptic]

And let's not forget the coach who saw what he had in LeBaron and built the belly series T around him: Clark Shaughnessy. He's right up there with Paul Brown and Bill Yeoman as a football innovator. His LeBaron teams were invulnerable. He also is credited with introducing the T formation to pro ball; George Halas hired him as a consultant to teach Sid Luckman how to run it. My dad saw the results in the 1940 NFL championship game (Bears 73, Redskins 0). He always said that was the worst beating he ever saw a pro team take in any sport; the Bears ran over the Skins like a tank and Luckman only threw the ball 6 times.

And that night the Bears message board was awash with "We gotta have a more balanced offense" complaints, right? That's a good history lesson there. I knew about the T formation but the belly series was kind of fuzzy to me. It is hard to believe that college football has evolved so much in 75 years, while college basketball has become a pro rasslin' match with a couple of flying wedges thrown in. Thanks.

 

[collegeballfan]

Eddie LeBaron - "The Little General", as I recall from the Redskins being the only pro game on TV in those days.

 

[croberts]

And a large DL was only 240lbs and not near as strong as the 240's are today nor near as fast!! FACTS

I think 5'7" and 165 was a solid player back then. 240 linemen were not common in those days. Our roster in 69 or 70 only listed two players over 200 with Perdoni the only starter at 235. 5 years earlier Bama won a national championship with the O line averaging 190.

 

[Skeptic]

Eddie LeBaron - "The Little General", as I recall from the Redskins being the only pro game on TV in those days.

Ah, yes. When territories were assigned. And the South being segregated and the Redskins being segregated, the South got viewing rights to an awful football team.

 

[Skeptic]

I think 5'7" and 165 was a solid player back then. 240 linemen were not common in those days. Our roster in 69 or 70 only listed two players over 200 with Perdoni the only starter at 235. 5 years earlier Bama won a national championship with the O line averaging 190.

Well, again. It wasn't the weight he had to worry about. It was the height. 5-6 trying to throw over 6-0 or 6-1 back then was not good, which is why he like Thomas rolled out a lot. To find a viewing lane.

 

[iceeater1969]

not near as big today. You remember the name Perdoni? I believe was about 230 as an all american dt. Carl Vereen an of tackle for Tech in the mid 50's was huge at that time. I believe he was listed at 240 maybe 230.

Remember Rock P at spring training - believe it was jerry Glanville as the dc. He was yelling and encouraging RP to stay low . Which he did to perfection.

 

[augustabuzz]

And a large DL was only 240lbs and not near as strong as the 240's are today nor near as fast!! FACTS

The bigger guys were typically too slow for that game. Holding and "Illegal use of hands" were 15 yard penalties. OL was not allowed to use his hands in blocking.

 

[Jean-Baptiste Rochambeau]

Remember Rock P at spring training - believe it was jerry Glanville as the dc. He was yelling and encouraging RP to stay low . Which he did to perfection.

Smylie Gebhart was an All America DE at 190 lb.

 

[LongforDodd]

And a large DL was only 240lbs and not near as strong as the 240's are today nor near as fast!! FACTS

240 might have been stretching the avg. back then. Shoot... back in 1977 the largest guy on one particular SEC roster was 276.