Leave the Option to the Helluva Engineers

[Bruce Wayne]

I know Mullen has had option plays in his arsenal over the years but how about when they run a pitch play and Golden just lights the kid up and forces the fumble Rook-Chungong recovered?


My brother and I were like: "Now, see here Miss State, you want to be leaving that option and pitching stuff to the professionals."

On their first possession FSU ran an option play and they also got blown up and eventually had to settle for a field goal.

I am not claiming that CPJ is inspiring a trend as option plays and elements are actually fairly common in CFB anyway, but in the light of how well the Tech O played last night I think such attempts by other teams deserve a bit of mock condescension.

 

[ilovetheoption]

Watching FSU try and run the option is agony. PITCH THE BALL JAMEIS, IT WAS THERE.

 

[GTHomer]

If Jameis pitches the ball, they score a touchdown. Perhaps he did not watch JT close enough.

 

[southernhive]

the option is not as easy as it looks.

 

[SavannahBee]

the option is not as easy as it looks.

Never thought about it like that, but when executed well, it does look easy.

 

[Longestday]

Golden reading that so well was what made that play.... The blocker could not get to him because Golden was running into the backfield like he knew the play.

 

[B Lifsey]

He was on a rail like the int against Clemson...

 

[Hoss]

Robinson was pretty shaken up after that hit by Golden

 

[Bruce Wayne]

Robinson was pretty shaken up after that hit by Golden

Robinson saw the camera on him after on the sideline and shaked his head at it as if to say "no mas, I got to get ready for the draft." Didn't see much more of him after that.

 

[flounder]

The Michigan State QB had an option pitch sail over the RBs head in their game, too. It's ok for these guys to look up to Justin Thomas, but they shouldn't try to be him. They'll only get hurt. We need to put a disclaimer on all his highlights "Do not try this at home".

 

[Ash]

I watched a lot of Gamecocks football this year due to living in the same house as a fan. They run a speed option at least once or twice a game and I have never seen it not get at least 10 yards. It's almost always a pitch, almost never a keep.
LSU is the only other team I see running option plays with any sort of precision outside of the option teams.

 

[Supersizethatorder-mutt]

I watched a lot of Gamecocks football this year due to living in the same house as a fan. They run a speed option at least once or twice a game and I have never seen it not get at least 10 yards. It's almost always a pitch, almost never a keep.
LSU is the only other team I see running option plays with any sort of precision outside of the option teams.

They could have beat Georgia in 2013 if they had run the option late in the game. I still remember watching that game and wondering why Spurrier didn't use the option more, because every time Connor Shaw ran it, they got big yards.

 

[takethepoints]

This is a little off topic, but what I liked about this clip is the way Roderick recovered the fumble. None of this "pick it up and run with it" crud; he goes down on top of the ball and covers it up to secure possession. That, sports fans, is the way to recover a fumble. Leave the scoring to the O unless the opportunity is simply too good to pass up. (Which, I might add, it almost never is.) This is a prime example of good coaching and players who pay attention to it.

 

[Bruce Wayne]

This is a little off topic, but what I liked about this clip is the way Roderick recovered the fumble. None of this "pick it up and run with it" crud; he goes down on top of the ball and covers it up to secure possession. That, sports fans, is the way to recover a fumble. Leave the scoring to the O unless the opportunity is simply too good to pass up. (Which, I might add, it almost never is.) This is a prime example of good coaching and players who pay attention to it.

Yeah if a ball is bouncing around then you kind of have to try and catch it as falling on it often means making it squirt out farther away. But when it is stopped on the ground you just lie down on it and brace for impact.

 

[Bruce Wayne]

They could have beat Georgia in 2013 if they had run the option late in the game. I still remember watching that game and wondering why Spurrier didn't use the option more, because every time Connor Shaw ran it, they got big yards.

I don't watch the pros very much (or any sport non GT) but I remember about 4-5 years ago in a playoff game where the Steelers had it at first and goal at the 3 or so. They did the whole I formation hand the ball to the fullback at the 8 yard line and everyone on the field stacks up at the goalline and he runs into that big pile of bodies. So on 2nd and 2 I was thinking "great get to watch that same stupid 20 car pile-up at the goal line 2 more times and then they will settle for a FG" while thinking how awesome it is to have CPJ's offense which can try about 15 different ways to score from a first and goal at the three and in which you are genuinely shocked if they do not convert a TD and have to settle for a FG. But then . . . all of a sudden Roethlisberger takes the snap and runs a double option to the left side and his RB goes ahead and cuts in front and blocks for him and he walks into the endzone past the pylon untouched. My jaw dropped.

The lack of option concepts and packages simply mystifies me. But then these bowls seem to be showing that as I said at the outset maybe the option needs to be left for the brainier sort of teams like we have here at Tech.

 

[Whiskey_Clear]

Golden reading that so well was what made that play.... The blocker could not get to him because Golden was running into the backfield like he knew the play.

He did know the play. Was quoted saying CTR made them rep that play 50 times in bowl prep.

 

[CamBam]

The option in any form when executed well by teams like GT or Navy is a beautiful offense, but it can go for a TD or a TO.

 

[GTL]

Guys, just in case anyone doesn't realize it, Golden blew up that play because of the coaching he's received and the film study he's done, not because "GT is an option team".

But I do appreciate the sentiment of the OP. Leave it to the guys who know how to run it.

 

[dressedcheeseside]

saw this comment on a MSU board and thought you guys would like it:

"This style is not called a thinking mans offense for nothing, it's a thinking mans offense down to the molecular, no the atomic level. multiple formations running the same plays or a tweek of the same play, and counters off of everything. What kind of block is coming at you? A rub block? A "regular" block? A "cut" block? In fact we could easily incorporate some of this stuff into our offense and not change the schemes per se. Today's offenses have focused so much on getting the super athlete in recruiting (nothing wrong with that in itself) that it seems fundamentals have been underemphasized. Playing in a sound, fundamental, and disciplined manner will take you a long, long, way with lesser talent. Get superior talent and do the same thing and you are practically UNSTOPPABLE."

 

[Chas_Jacket]

Did anyone else question whether this was a forward pass? Have rewatched several times and am still not sure. If it was it makes up for the bogus progress stopped fumble somewhat.