[Hellhound152]

Yeah, transparency is going to fix the problem…

This schedule inspires nothing, the fact that the league is hell bent on making sure there are no rivalries developed by rotating every 4 years is a head scratcher. Pods, divisions, or anything would be better than this.

[Hellhound152]

He didn’t seem to have great vision or feel. I don’t know if that was a product of the injuries but usually those intangibles are not something you learn. You either have them or you don’t.

I got blasted last time for saying this board wanted to burn it to the ground and when the flames started they ran for their buckets. Well this is what burning it to the ground looks like. Utah got the top two RB transfers on their board. The writing is on the wall, and the new offensive coaching staff is retooling the roster.

[Hellhound152]

Yes, there will be penalties, the play requires the offensive line to behave in an unnatural way. Unless it is timed perfectly like Jared Goff at Cal the men downfield is a constant threat. 3 yards is pretty nebulous when you are supposed to be run blocking.

[Hellhound152]

That is a loaded question. The first question is are you speaking of Utah directly. If that is the case, Ludwig would still used the speed option (the play you are describing) often times on 3rd and short particularly with Huntley and Moss to the short side of the field. Less frequently with Rising and Bernard due to Thomas’ short yardage abilities. The zone read option which is technically Utah’s base run play, that everyone on this board loves so much, was what Bottari used on the drive against Iowa State where he pulled and ran for the big gain and the TD. The dump/shovel triple option has not been used since Meyer left with the exception of a couple of times in 2005 due to BJ’s discomfort with the play. The standard shotgun triple option with the dive and pitch option, again phased out in 2005. The wide option, used occasionally while Troy Taylor was OC where the play starts as a standard zone read and the third option is a lateral/linear forward pass to a wideout on the edge behind the line of scrimmage. And finally, the RPO, which as stated above is not actually a designed QB run at all.

Overall, the last true “wishbone” team was OU, The Nebraska I formation triple option ended with Solich. The service academies currently run a version of the flexbone and more modern shotgun based option attacks, GT with Paul Johnson was the last true “flex bone” offense left. So yes, the option is alive and well, it is just not your Grand Daddy’s option but all of the reads and principles are the same as they were when Darrel Royal, Bear Bryant, and Bill Yeoman were strolling the sidelines. It is just coming at you from different formations.

Remember, the option only works in the sense that it stresses the Defense by forcing defenders play their 1/11th rather than attacking the ball. This was why Bronco Mendenhall’s defenses always fared better that Whitt’s against Airforce. Less athletic players are typically more assignment sound by necessity. But I digress.

[Hellhound152]

80% of the teams in college football run the same playbook currently with different nomenclature. The RPO is not some magic thing, it is zone read plus… As stated, the difference is discipline and if the history is any indicator, Utah O-line has a hard time holding up and staying in the 3 yards.

It is not like Beck is bringing a revolution. Frankly, a more triple option focused book especially in short yardage would make me content.

[Hellhound152]

Yup, only those slack jaw programs like Texas, Texas Tech, Nebraska and several other P4 schools play Wyo out of conference in home and homes. I love the hubris and delusion but Utah is legitimately 15 years removed from relying on those home and homes to build SOS. The P5 home and homes mixed with one and done games with top BCS teams built the credibility of the program before the PAC12.

Also, not sure if you have paid attention but none of the FCS programs ever get a return game…

[Hellhound152]

I wish I was Ludwig’s burner. I would be sending this from my boat in the Caribbean. As it stands, I am just a guy who really enjoys option football and schematics.

[Hellhound152]

Head coaches and coordinators seem to move before bowl games, position coaches generally finish out the season with their teams and show up later. At least that seems to be how it goes.

[Hellhound152]

I wouldn’t be surprised to see some movement on the staff front in the coming weeks. The players are on more of a time crunch. Most of the assistant targets are still coaching right now.

[Hellhound152]

Hate to be the one to break it to you, but the dog water offense this season had more to do with player execution than scheme. Kuithe, Singer, and Bernard were the only ones consistently executing all year and that was in spite of having to make circus catches on simple timing routes, breaking off routes they had separation on because someone was holding the ball waiting to get sacked, or running into 9 guys who were being blocked by 6 because someone could not be trusted execute an intermediate play action pass.

Players make plays… Or not.

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