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AFM Magazine

AFM Magazine


Level the Playing Field

by: Sam McCorkle
Head coach, Tennessee Martin
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When we came to Martin a year ago, we knew that we were nearly starting from scratch. We only had thirty-eight players on our team for our first spring practice. Knowing that our numbers were low and we were going to have to play a very tough I-AA schedule with many young players, we had to try and find a way to do something different that would level the playing field. Having seen the Academies become very successful with less talent than their opposition by playing option football, and studying closely some of the things that Rice University was doing to move the ball and score points, we felt that the triple option was a great way to go. We also visited with Coach Gerry Dinardo and studied the I-Bone, which he so effectively employed at Vanderbilt and Colorado.

We felt that this strategy would help us with recruiting. We could recruit some outstanding players other schools would pass over because they might be an inch or two short or a little smaller than they desired. We felt that we could take pressure off of our linemen and also control the ball and shorten the game.

All in all, we believed taht the triple option gave us our best chance at success.

TENNESSEE-MARTIN OFFENSIVE PHILOSOPHY

1.Based on the Triple Option

The essence of triple option is that you have the opportunity for a quarterback to hand the ball off to a diving back, the opportunity for the quarterback to keep the ball himself, or the option to pitch the ball to a trailing back. All of this is predicated on the reaction of the defense. If you are able to perfect the execution of this play, it very well could be the best play in football.

2.Fullback

You must start with an attacking fullback. He must be the toughest player on offense, and he must always gain positive yards. Our fullback must be able to attack straight up the middle, behind the center, and both "B" gaps. The defense must stop the fullback from outside/in which leads to quarterback and pitch-back making big gains.

3.Big Splits

We want our OL to take big spits. This spreads the defense out. Big splits give the fullback a good running lane and also helps with the quarterback read.

4.Team Oriented

Every player must be tough. We don't make a pre-determined call as to who runs the ball, we are going to attack what the defense gives us. This is a very disciplined offense and all players must adhere to its principles.

5.Be on Schedule

If we can get four yards on first down, we feel we can get six yards in the next two. Our belief is if we execute the option correctly, we can gain three yards a play. This helps us move chains, control the football and clock and score points.

6.Play Action Pass

With defenses stacking to stop the run, this gives us many man-on-man opportunities to get big plays off of play action passes. Therfore, we make certain we are proficient at this aspect of our offense.

7.Game Plan

We know this is a tough offense to prepare to play against. Defenses must usually prepare a different type of game plan when defending the option. The option forces them to play assignment football. This take away the aggressiveness that defensive coaches love. Also, it is easy for our game planning because we start at the same place every week.

8.Short Yardage - Goalline

A plus in running the option is that you already have a short-yardage and goalline package built in and this saves practice times as well as game preparation time.

TEACHING THE OPTION

When we begin our drills and footwork, we use a clock to designate where the quarterback should step.


Diagram 1. Clock

The quarterback faces 12:00 with 6:00 behind him. For example, if we are running the option to the right, we would tell the QB to step to 4:00. If going to the left, he steps to 8:00. This helps make our communication very clear. The quarterback must execute footwork to perfection.

We do a drill called, "Ride and Decide", that teaches our backs the correct technique of the triple option. This drill uses the following option tracks to teach correct footwork and tracks.


Diagram 2. Ride & Decide

We expect our backs to follow these tracks to perfection in order to execute the option flawlessly. We will not accept a back getting off track. This results in turnovers and turnovers are often timethe biggest factor in winning and losing football games. This track is painted on our field and the diagram must be perfect.

The quarterback begins in a good stance with his feet shoulder width apart (shoulder width is feet under armpits). Every time possible, you should have a center snap the ball to the quarterback. When the QB takes the snap he steps to 4:00 (going to the right) or 8:00 (going to the left). As he steps, he brings the ball straight back in order to mesh with the fullback. The fullback has started the drill with his hands exactly six feet behind the quarterback's heels. The ball should not go past the quarterback's back knee. His eyes should be focused on the dive read. As the quarterback meshes with the fullback, he takes a slide step riding the fullback and reading at the same time. He must make a decision by the time the ball reaches his front leg. If he waits until the ball is past his front leg, there is danger of putting the ball on the ground. We want to take care of the football at all costs.

The first lineman past the B-gap is our dive read. If this man does anything other than take the fullback, we give the ball. We tell our quarterback that if the defender can get his head in front of the fullback, the quarterback must disconnect and get outside. In our "Ride and Decide" drill, we have a defender lined up outside the B-gap who tries to give the quarterback every look possible.

We have a second defender lined up who is the pitch read. The pitch read is the first unblocked defender past the dive read. When the quarterback clears the fullback he takes two good steps parallel sprinting as hard as he can, attacking the outside shoulder of the pitch read. By attacking the outside arm, we feel we can get the pitch read to commit more quickly and also are more apt to get a pitch to the outside. For years, we attacked the inside shoulder, but David Lee of Rice, convinced us that the outside shoulder is the better choice.

The quarterback will keep the ball until the pitch read takes him. If he takes him, he pitches the ball arm's length in front of the tailback's face mask. The tailback is responsible for the pitch relationship. We tell him to be five yards from the quarterback - mirror him and get downfield as quick as possible. He should always expect the pitch.

We run this drill every day in practice and we expect near perfection. We also always expect the quarterback to carry out the play full speed to the numbers regardless of whether he gives, keeps, or pitches.

UT MARTIN TRIPLE OPTION (VS 50 Defense)

The Offensive Linemen take care of every thing inside the B-gap. They must come off the ball aggressively, stay on defenders, and never let anyone cross their face.

The dive read is the first defender on the line of scrimmage past the B-gap. Every offensive player should know this because we are not going to block him. The next unblocked defender past the dive read is the pitch read. He is the man who determines whether the quarterback keeps the ball or pitches to the tailback.

In the option, the quarterback opens to 4:00 (to the right) and 8:00 (to the left). He then takes a slide step with his eyes focused on the inside tip of the dive read's shoulder pads. The quarterback gives to the fullback if the defender does anything except come inside. If the quarterback is unsure, he gives to the fullback. The quarterback always make the decision by the time the football gets to his front foot. As soon as the quarterback clears the fullback, he attacks the pitch read (the 1st unblocked defender past the dive read). He makes the same type of decision on pitch read as on dive read except we attack the outside shoulder.


Diagram 3. Circle - Dive Read
Triangle - Pitch Read

If pitch read takes the quarterback, we first look to see the pitch back. The quarterback should get within arm's length of pitch read before he pitches the football (never pitch the ball blindly). We pitch the ball an arm's length in front of pitch back's face mask. We want him to catch the ball on the run. The quarterback continues his path after pitching. If he has attacked the pitch read as he should, his path will carry him into pitch read and this will cause him to serve as a blocker.

UT MARTIN TRIPLE OPTION VS. 4-3 DEFENSE


Diagram 4. Circle - Dive Read
Triangle - Pitch Read

Tight End - Arc block to #4 defender

Playside Tackle - Veer block B-gap to next level. (Coaching point: may tag or fold with playside guard).

Playside Guard - Man on, mash or tag (Tag - Tackle and Guard).

Center - Playside A-gap to 2nd level; mash

Backside Guard - Scoop

Backside Tackle - Scoop

Backside TE - Scoop

Fullback - Run perfect track (through Guard's outside ankle). Mesh with the Quarterback. If he doesn't get the ball, he continues on track to block pursuit.

2-Back - Runs outside of the dive read. Blocks playside linebacker to next level.

Tailback - Sprint pitch path. Mirror Quarterback (stay five yards away). Keeps his eyes on the Quarterback's pitch hand.

X - Sprints off football as quickly as possible for at least fifteen yards. Block deep 1/3 - if rolled up Corner, run off defender for at least fifteen yards.

Quarterback - Pivot at 4:00 or 8:00. Read the first man past the B-gap for dive. If "Give" after placing ball in Fullback's stomach, sprint as hard as possible off his hip and attack pitch read. The pitch read is the first unblocked man past the dive read. If he is blocked, he continues to the next defender. If he disconnects, he continues in the same manner and reads pitch read. QB must think run until it is taken away. If he is taken, pitch it arm's length in front of pitch back's face mask; he must see pitch back before he pitches. Pitches only off the pitch read, never anyone else. Attack the defender.






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