The Case For Georgia Tech And The Option Offense

[GlennW]

Every year, football pundits and experts say the same thing about Georgia Tech. It usually goes something to the tune of “They’re good, but is the option offense still a viable one?” I am here to say that the answer to that question is a resounding “yes”.

The 2014 season provides perfect evidence to show just how successful the option offense can be when done right. Tech was projected to finish 6th in the ACC’s Coastal Division, and Johnson was a few bad games away from being fired. They instead finished 1st in the Coastal and came two points (and star wide receiver DeAndre Smelter’s ACL) away from beating then-undefeated Florida State in the ACCChampionship Game. They then went on to demolish early-season favorite Mississippi State in the Orange Bowl on New Years Eve.

Here is how the option offense ranked nationally for the 2014 season:

#1 in rushing yards

#6 in yards per attempt

#2 in rushing TDs

#11 in total yards

#10 in points per game

#6 in 1st downs

#1 in 3rd down conversions

http://thesportsquotient.com/ncaa-fb/2015/9/8/the-case-for-georgia-tech-and-the-option-offense

 

[cuttysark]

@GlennW:

You are 100% correct on the triple option offense being here to stay. As is CPJ at GT.

The real interesting question is: when will another Power 5 School reach out and take away the Naval Academy Coach "Kenny?" They are the only other school running the CPJ offense and with very good results too.

Unfortunately for the Naval Academy, I expect to see this move or offer being made very soon considering the spotlight on GT and the success of this type of offense at this level.

 

[00Burdell]

Not only were we #1 in 3rd down conversion rate in 2014, we are #1 in the history of the statistic (20 years, I think).

 

[deeeznutz]

It's always funny to hear the same questions being asked year after year...as if this year is when the house of cards we've built is going to crumble. Seriously, if it hasn't happened in the last 25 years, why would it now?
We really aren't that different from everyone else, it's all about players executing their assignments. No matter what scheme you run, you have a chance to be successful if your players are able to do what they're supposed to do. Why is this concept so hard for so many people to get?

 

[DC Bee]

You are 100% correct on the triple option offense being here to stay. As is CPJ at GT.

The real interesting question is: when will another Power 5 School reach out and take away the Naval Academy Coach "Kenny?" They are the only other school running the CPJ offense and with very good results too.

Unfortunately for the Naval Academy, I expect to see this move or offer being made very soon considering the spotlight on GT and the success of this type of offense at this level.

Jeff Monken at Army is running it too, IIRC, just hasn't had the success yet with the transition. Air Force runs a variation of spread option too I think. Someone can correct me.

I think that JT has proven that it takes a special QB to make the right reads at warp-speed for the offense to go to the next level. We did pretty good with Nesbitt and Washington, but JT is unreal.

I have no idea why more schools don't run it, but CPJ is also special and has been calling it for years and Ken, of course, is a disciple of his. The future will be interesting if GT becomes a dynasty w/ CPJ at the helm.

 

[deeeznutz]

Jeff Monken at Army is running it too, IIRC, just hasn't had the success yet with the transition. Air Force runs a variation of spread option too I think. Someone can correct me.

I think that JT has proven that it takes a special QB to make the right reads at warp-speed for the offense to go to the next level. We did pretty good with Nesbitt and Washington, but JT is unreal.

I have no idea why more schools don't run it, but CPJ is also special and has been calling it for years and Ken, of course, is a disciple of his. The future will be interesting if GT becomes a dynasty w/ CPJ at the helm.

As much as I respect and love Tevin Washington for what he did here at Tech, I think his tenure (plus Vad's one year) will be the low-water mark for our offense for a while. He was very good at making the reads, but his problem was that his limited ability to burn defenses himself allowed them to cheat away from him to funnel as many reads as possible to QB keepers. Then, when he made the decision to keep they were generally able to close in and stop him for a relatively short gain. It was a very effective strategy based on how our team was built then, but now if someone tried that they would get torched. With a higher level of athleticism at QB, every option we have is made more dangerous.

 

[GTech63]

Jeff Monken at Army is running it too, IIRC, just hasn't had the success yet with the transition. Air Force runs a variation of spread option too I think. Someone can correct me.

I think that JT has proven that it takes a special QB to make the right reads at warp-speed for the offense to go to the next level. We did pretty good with Nesbitt and Washington, but JT is unreal.

I have no idea why more schools don't run it, but CPJ is also special and has been calling it for years and Ken, of course, is a disciple of his. The future will be interesting if GT becomes a dynasty w/ CPJ at the helm.

Our problem in the days of Nesbitt and especially Tevin was a terrible D. The D helped a lot with Turnovers last year. If we can get a top 30 D with this offense NCAA D1 BEWARE!! Go Jackets!!! THWG!!!!

 

[Boomergump]

We really aren't that different from everyone else, it's all about players executing their assignments. No matter what scheme you run, you have a chance to be successful if your players are able to do what they're supposed to do. Why is this concept so hard for so many people to get?

Generally I agree. However, I will add a clarifying point. Many other offenses heavily rely on superior physicality or speed to work. They all try to put a defense at a disadvantage schematically to some degree, but the closer you get to the pro style, the more you are counting on imposing your will to be successful. The pro style offense will never work unless you have a highly skilled passer with a big arm, physically dominant OLs (including pass pro), WRs who can get separation despite double coverage at times, and punishing RBs.

The GT flexbone offense has been successful regardless. Lately, we have seen what it can be when the beef, talent, and system all mesh into one.

 

[buzzinanut69]

I haven't personally heard any of this this year. Maybe it's because I live in Texas, but everyone seems to really respect the offense and the team over here.

 

[AE 87]

With all due respect to the memories of some, the offense was more than fine under Tevin. We've had the most efficient, or nearly most efficient, offense (points per drive vs pwr 5) in the ACC every year since CPJ arrived. 2010 and 2013 were down years for different reasons, but 2013 was still pretty good. Here's a plot of our offensive ppd and that of our 2014 opposition (Tulane is cut off at bottom because they haven't been playing enough pwr 5 opp's).

The purple line at the top shows how much more efficient our offense has been over the others most years. So, yes 2014 took it to another level, but we were still significantly better than most in 2011 and 2012 as well.

 

[dressedcheeseside]

As much as I respect and love Tevin Washington for what he did here at Tech, I think his tenure (plus Vad's one year) will be the low-water mark for our offense for a while. He was very good at making the reads, but his problem was that his limited ability to burn defenses himself allowed them to cheat away from him to funnel as many reads as possible to QB keepers. Then, when he made the decision to keep they were generally able to close in and stop him for a relatively short gain. It was a very effective strategy based on how our team was built then, but now if someone tried that they would get torched. With a higher level of athleticism at QB, every option we have is made more dangerous.

Vad Lee will be the low water mark for CPJ at GT not Tevin. Tevin's '11 offense did very well, btw.

 

[deeeznutz]

Vad Lee will be the low water mark for CPJ at GT not Tevin. Tevin's '11 offense did very well, btw.

Well, yeah, that's why I included it (although I think 2010 was worse...Tevin just flat wasn't ready to be the starter, especially halfway through a road game at VT). I've got nothing but love for Tevin, I always felt he gave it everything he had. He would have been a much better QB with better pieces around him, too, but he was the "transition" QB between Nesbitt and the guys who will take us where we want to be.

 

[Oldgoldandwhite]

@GlennW:

Unfortunately for the Naval Academy, I expect to see this move or offer being made very soon considering the spotlight on GT and the success of this type of offense at this level.

I think most people see Navy football being a step or two below when CPJ was there. Unless Monken turns things around, that ship has sailed also. I do not see another candidate out there at this time, unfortunately.

 

[cuttysark]

IIRC isn't Tevin Washington the all time ACC leader in rushing TD's for a QB? He played his best football and worked his tail off to learn the playbook inside and out. I have the utmost respect for him as a player and person.

 

[iceeater1969]

To me it is more of A case to abandon the conventional power 5 offense because smaller , high academic schools (baylor, gt, and tcu) more than hold their own using prolific offenses and very average defenses. These teams force the opponents defense into positions of weakness using lessor talent. Baylor and tcu make the defenses defend the whole field - sideline to sideline and all the way to goal line on every down. Gt makes the defense line up and then takes one player out of the play by option.


I doubt that many will go to the spread option verses the air raid. I could be mistaken, but I have heard that Oklahoma u has gone to the air raid.

Note to self since skipping tulane game, watch ou verses Tennessee this weekend

 

[Boomergump]

I have been pretty consistent in saying this, and I will say it again without reservation. I would take TW to run my flexbone offense before I would take JN. Before your brain explodes, I am not saying I don't like JN or that I don't think he was good. We all know JN was a warrior. I just think TW was better.

 

[AE 87]

Well, yeah, that's why I included it (although I think 2010 was worse...Tevin just flat wasn't ready to be the starter, especially halfway through a road game at VT). I've got nothing but love for Tevin, I always felt he gave it everything he had. He would have been a much better QB with better pieces around him, too, but he was the "transitiWe on" QB between Nesbitt and the guys who will take us where we want to be.

2010 was bad for a variety of reasons. Regardless, it seems to me--correct me if I'm wrong--that you still have a "God bless his little heart" attitude to Tevin.

So, let me try and put in other words what my graph has failed to communicate. In 2011 and 2012 (admittedly the latter includes Vad's UNC game but also includes his lesser contributions), GT averaged 2.82 pts/drive, the #8 most efficient average for those two years. We were #9 in Off ppd vs BCS AQ in each of those years. You're right that a better OL and better receivers would have made these numbers even better, but those are still pretty impressive.

I think that a lot of people formed negative opinions about Tevin and then relied on confirmation bias to keep those opinions.

 

[lv20gt]

Tevin should have had the role that Byerly has had. A career back up. Would have fit him perfectly. But as a starter. No thank you.

 

[iceeater1969]

Assuming the qb can make reads and run the offense at speed, Exceptional Power or exceptional speed, or passing is essential to make the the TO go to next level.
To me Kevin was fine as a general but not exceptional power, speed, passing.

He suffered with a terrible defensive strategy - keep thinly talented defense on field till thay are exhausted in fourth quarter then hoping the offense would score last. Had they trusted kevin and just blitzed, I feel he could have with more reps developed as a passer ( and the opponents defense would be tired.

We all saw that vad was faster, but we didn't know that he was not as skilled at running the offense. When JeT got proficient at the TO , his speed made a heck of a difference in the offense.


We are lucky to have had tevin at tech as a quality qb and as a tech man.

 

[bke1984]

As much as I respect and love Tevin Washington for what he did here at Tech, I think his tenure (plus Vad's one year) will be the low-water mark for our offense for a while. He was very good at making the reads, but his problem was that his limited ability to burn defenses himself allowed them to cheat away from him to funnel as many reads as possible to QB keepers. Then, when he made the decision to keep they were generally able to close in and stop him for a relatively short gain. It was a very effective strategy based on how our team was built then, but now if someone tried that they would get torched. With a higher level of athleticism at QB, every option we have is made more dangerous.

Jeez, I don't know about this regarding Tevin. Our offense was actually pretty good in 2011 and 2012. The issue those two years was that our defense was a wet paper bag. 2012, especially...we went 8-5 and easily should have beat VT and Miami to be 10-3. The MTSU game probably doesn't go the way it does if we win those two either...

That team could have easily been a 10 or 11-win team.