Leveling the Playing Field With an Option Offense.

Thanks to its basic structure, the option can be run successfully with average personnel

COACHES WHO LACK THE PERSONNEL to build a high-powered attack must look elsewhere to level the playing field against superior opponents.

I believe that the option offense offers an excellent alternative. It doesn't really require players with a lot of special skills. Thanks to its advantageous blocking angles and double-teams at the critical points of attack, it can be run successfully with average personnel.

You can even get by without an outstanding quarterback. In fact, you don't need a quarterback at all. All you need at the position is a running back who can take the snap from center.

Yes, I am exaggerating in order to make my point. Realistically, the QB should be a player with more than minimal skill as a passer and runner. But the main ingredients are brains and guts. The QB must be able to make wise decisions and have the resiliency to take a lot of hits.

All of these factors, plus the natural deception of the option itself, will come in handy against superior opponents.

Although the option appears to be made for the gifted athlete because of its big-play potential, its basic design makes it particularly suitable for average players. Since it forces the key defensive player to make "a choice and be wrong," the option tends to make the average QB look great and allow the average running back to put up the big numbers.

The greatest advantage of the option lies in its blocking schemes. Since at least one defender is being optioned, the offensive line does not have to block him, allowing them to double-team someone along the line.

The down block by the other play-side linemen is easier to execute than the face-up drive block. The lineman is blocking only half a man rather than the whole man required in the face-up drive back. With the offensive man already positioned on the proper shoulder of the defender, it becomes a much easier block to execute.

We are always willing to take our chances with a double-team and good down-block angles.

Another bonus is provided by the passing game. Since the secondary must quickly support the run, the defense tends to neglect the receivers who are running routes. This can be tremendously exploited by our play-action passing game.

It is difficult for a cornerback or a safety to eye his man or zone when he is being asked to continuously key the backfield. Once the defense starts fearing the threat of the QB running with the ball, it becomes vulnerable to rollout passes.

We also know that the defensive coverage usually becomes predictable when it tries to account for the option and all its components.

It enables us to exploit the coverage with specially designed pass routes.

One of the major ways in which an option game can level the playing field is by slowing down the defense and forcing it to play good assignment football. The defender must make a number of reads before committing himself to the play; and the more a player has to think, the less aggressively he is going to play.

A number of reads and responsibilities can also decrease the defenders' ability to stunt and blitz, once again slowing them down. A basic premise of the option is that it can hit any weakness in the defensive structure for a big gain.

The triple option can be blocked in numerous ways. I prefer the scheme shown in Diags. 1 and 2 because it provides a double-team at a critical penetration point and provides good down-block angles for our center, playside tackle, and tight end.

Basic rules vs a 40 or 50 defense (Diags. 1 and 2):

Weak Tackle: Check the hard charge and/or stunt by Will or end, then go downfield through a cutback window.

Weak Guard: Vs 40, protect inside gap and cut-out the DT. Vs 50, protect inside gap from stunt or blitz, then go downfield through a cutback window.

Center: Vs 40, chip to Will. Vs 50, post on the Nose as part of a double-team, then protect playside A -gap.

Strong Guard: Vs 40, post on DT. Vs 50, chip to backside LB.

Strong Tackle: Vs 40, punch tackle while eyeing Mike, prevent penetration. Come off on Mike as he starts to scrape. Vs 50, post on DT.

Tight End: Down-block and prevent penetration. Vs 50, punch DT while eyeing LB. Come off on LB as he starts to scrape.

The fullback dive sets the tone for the triple-option. It forces the LB to step up and tackle the back. If the backer sits or flows with the tailback, the QB must give the ball. The give may only achieve a minimal gain, but it opens up the outside part of the option by keeping the backer from flowing hard to the outside to help out on the keep or pitch.

As the outside portion takes shape, the QB must read the end. I want the QB to make the end decide by running at him hard with the ball as on a keep, causing him to pitch late rather than early -- which is what I want.

I like blocking the triple-option this way because it best suits our overall scheme--leveling the playing field anyway possible. The purpose of leaving two defenders unblocked is to increase our chances of blocking the defenders we truly have to block.

We'll let the optioned defenders make the wrong choice, which is the whole premise behind an option attack.

We want the inside LB to tackle the fullback or at least step up in the gap, either of which will slow the LB down and probably take him out of the play.

We want the DE to commit to either the QB or the running back. Slow-playing the option is not a concern as it usually means the DE can't cover the pitchman the way he would prefer.

Basically, we want to force the optioned defenders to take themselves out of the play or block themselves.

The blocking scheme also gives us a numerical advantage over the defensive front, which requires the secondary to become involved quickly. The fact that the secondary must provide quick run support weakens its ability to cover the passing game.

Play-action passes now become big plays for the offense. When you're facing a superior opponent, any kind of advantage can help level the field and give you a chance to win.

Without natural speed to get to the outside on pitches and sweeps, we must set up the outside with some inside plays. Running the mid-line option along with the give of the triple option allows us to run a high percentage of inside plays that can help open up the outside.

Diags. 3 and 4 delineate our basic rules for the mid-line option vs basic 40 and 50 fronts:

Weak Tackle: Check for hard charge and/or stunts by Will or End, then go downfield (run through a cutback window).

Weak Guard: Vs 40, protect inside gap and cut out the DT. Vs 50, protect inside gap from stunt or blitz, then run downfield through a cutback window.

Center: Vs 40, chip to Will. Vs 50, post on the Nose as part of double-team.

Strong Guard: Vs 40, release inside the Mike. Vs 50, chip to backside LB.

Strong Tackle: Vs 40, block out on Sam. Vs 50, release inside to LB.

Tight End: Block out on DE. Vs 40, possibly double-team on Sam if DE is a hard charger.

Combining these two types of options gives us a varied attack that can be used against either a reading defense or an attacking/upfield defense. Counter-trap and fullback trap are good plays to include in this package, as well.

Diag. 5 is a play that I like to run after the option has been established. The play works great against a DE who is a hard, upfield charger.

The tight end can either block the DE or leave him unblocked and help double-teams.

The linemen block the same as if it were trap or midline.

The QB makes a quick mid-line fake to the fullback, then hands off to the tailback running through B-gap. The tailback takes an initial step as if going outside before hitting the line.

The QB can also keep the ball around the end or bootleg as added twists.

Play-action pass is another great play with which to complement the option. The option forces the secondary to support the run, making them susceptible to the pass. Faking the dive then pulling up to throw is a simple way to exploit the defense.

Play-action doesn't have to be fancy. It can be either a one-receiver route or a multi-receiver route, any combination, depending on what type of coverage you are likely to see.

Mixing high-percentage passes with the option should keep the defense honest enough to allow you to keep the sticks moving.

Diag. 6 shows a typical play-action pass:

The flanker starts at the outside shoulder of the invert, just as he would on the option. But he lets the safety beat him inside so that he can get depth and sit in a window at about six to eight yards from the LOS. Note: He must key the DFL and LB and not run into coverage.

The split end runs a post pattern. He also eyes the FS and adjusts his route accordingly. The post should be open for a big gain if the FS tries to rob the curl.

The tailback runs a swing route, not the typical banana type of route. It must look similar to his option path, with only a slight arc. He should be open if the inverted safety stays on the curl too long.

Obviously, you can do a lot of things with an option scheme. But you must have players who understand their roles and play hard all the time.

We have found that whenever a player believes in an offense and knows his role in it, he will exert a great effort.

I hope that you have picked up an idea or two that can help "level the field" for you.