I am a big proponent of the option offense, and I think a lot of programs would be better off if they ran it, but one thing I will say is that the best athletes aren't going to option programs or playing quarterback anymore. You look at great Nebraska (for example) programs and they had Eric Crouch, Tommie Frazier, Scott Frost, and many others playing QB. Now-a-days those guys would be playing wide receiver, safety, etc. So Georgia Tech, Navy, Air Force, New Mexico, Georgia Southern, etc now have guys that are good athletes but not as good at the QB position as the option guys of old.
Even the best running backs aren't going to the option programs, like they did back in the day.
If last years team had:
QB: Khalil Tate
BB: SaQuon Barkley
AB: TaQuon Marshall
AB: Qua Searcy
WR: Jalen Camp
WR: Ricky Jeune
They probably would have been in the hunt if the defense was any good. This is just a player issue. If the best players come and play option football, they will be one of the best teams. The offense does cover up for lack of size and in some cases lack of overall talent (see military academies for details), but it absolutely can be elite if you have the right players.
Which begs the question.... why don't guys like Khalil Tate, Lamar Jackson, SaQuon Barkley, etc come to Georgia Tech? Perhaps academic requirements, or perhaps they feel it won't put them in the NFL. Perhaps they don't want to get hit so much. If Barkley came to Georgia Tech and ran for 2,000 yards or something he would be drafted. Lamar Jackson didn't get much respect as a QB anyway in terms of the pro scouts... Khalil Tate from Arizona will have the same problem..