For anyone who knows about Miles' offensive philosophy...

Dirt Dog · May 22, 2005

I love the option, mainly in high school though. Very few schools are married to the option. Most colleges that run the option do so here and there, and they basically run a single or double option with outside zone blocking schemes. I would like to see the Tigers put this in. Would like to see it out of several different formations.

locoguano · May 22, 2005

THIS is what I want to see...

http://www.collegefootballnews.com/2003/Columnists/MZ/MMQ/Dec_1.htm

The Fisher King

Jimbo Fisher was king of the coordinators this past weekend. Too bad that he won’t get to engage Brent Venables (not Mike Stoops) in a chess match on January 4.

Fisher seemed to learn a lot from his pedestrian and predictable play-calling performance against Ole Miss the previous weekend, because in the Tigers’ SEC West finale against Arkansas, LSU’s offensive coordinator released the hounds in a brilliant display of putting exceptional talent and sensational speed merchants in position to make plays. Whereas some play callers and offensive gurus—you listening, Walt Harris of Pittsburgh???—take their meal-ticket players right out of the game, Fisher gave his playmakers every possible chance to have a profound impact on the Arkansas game. Sure enough, Fisher’s boldness was rewarded.

On a general level, the biggest and best thing Fisher did against the Hogs was to give touches to Skyler Green as a runner. On more than one occasion, Green got a handoff or pitch on an end-around that, given his pre-snap momentum—a by-product of going in hard motion behind the line of scrimmage—put him in position to turn the corner and steam upfield, racking up a big gain for the Bayou Bengals in the process.

Beyond Fisher’s overall trends, however, the brain behind the Tigers’ offense also displayed one of the best and most creative plays ever witnessed on a football field. It gained only two yards because of unbelievable reactions from Arkansas’ defense, but it is a play that can and should represent the best of offensive playcalling in the 21st Century. Let’s break it down…

Fisher had Matt Mauck line up in a shotgun formation, fake a handoff, hesitate (to freeze the Hogs’ defense), and then run to his right with an option pitchman still available and—here’s the wrinkle—a receiver in the right flat who was easily available for a pass, given the initial hesitation at the line of scrimmage, which cleared out the passing lanes toward the edges.

Usually, when teams use option plays (this is especially true for option/wishbone teams), they have the quarterback “break the bone,” which means running down the line to sell option, only to then drop straight back and throw a pass deep in the backfield. The genius of this play from Fisher was manifested on several levels: first, it had the feel of an option play, but it was able to gain that feel from a pro-set shotgun spread formation. Secondly, the play’s misdirection element enabled the quarterback (Mauck) to be able to comfortably throw a forward pass without having to “break the bone,” a very potent proposition for offenses and an equally scary one for defenses. Third, Mauck’s execution of the play showed why this play—or variations of it with similar principles—has a chance to be so consistently devastating throughout the 21st Century. (Offensive coordinators, I hope you’re taking notes here…)

One concept that needs to be part of a newly innovative and creative brand of play calling that will modernize and advance college football (not to mention football at any other level) is the clever use of the line of scrimmage. A boatload of creative plays can and should come from the fact that ballcarriers can sucker defenses by running at full speed up to the line of scrimmage, only to then throw a lateral or forward pass that will leave defenses totally dumbfounded.

Matt Mauck perfectly executed Fisher’s fabulous play because he ran the option at regular speed, went down the line, and, without moving away from the line of scrimmage—but without running PAST the line of scrimmage at the same time—immediately uncorked a forward pass.

Let’s face it: how many times do you see a quarterback run an option down the line and, just when you think he’ll release the ball by pitching to the pitchman, suddenly throw a forward pass? That’s just it—you hardly ever see that kind of a play from a coordinator and the quarterback to whom he entrusts a play with an option look. The use of the line of scrimmage will enable teams and their skill position players to throw forward passes precisely when defenses don’t—and can’t—expect them. Having players throw forward passes or laterals at full speed while being just half a yard behind the line of scrimmage is the next frontier in play calling (and while we’re at it, slick ballhandling and the practice drills that will cultivate such skills).

Jimbo is the Fisher King after a magnificently creative display on Friday against Arkansas

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I REALLY hope he pulls this and plays based off of this back out of the hat, because I truly believe the spread option/pass is going to be big.

Mr. Peabody · May 22, 2005

Donovan Woods is one of those QBs that can run or throw. However, he was really weak at the quick short routes, but did pretty decent on the longer ones. Intermediate range passing was nothing to write home about either.

When OSU had Josh Fields, who was a respectable passer, Miles took some advantage of the Fields to Rashaun Woods combo, but I think he counted on the run for the most part. Bell/Shaw/Morency were pretty reliable.

Les was an O-lineman at Michigan. O-liinemen like to pound the rock. He's all about the run. OSU had a pretty damn good running game during the Miles era. I'd expect to see a brutal running attack in the next few years.

red55 · May 23, 2005

Modern defenses with speedy linebackers can defend the option sucessfully . . . if they know its in your package. But if used sparingly enough to be a surprize, the option can be very effective in the red zone. If you catch a defense reacting and not playing assignment football, the option can burn them badly.

I doubt if Russell will do much option running, but I suspect Jimbo will make it part of Flynn's and Perrilloux's packages.

TejasTiger · May 23, 2005

CParso said:

I think the Option is a big part of why he got Perrilloux. I'm sure Miles saw that JaMarcus isn't a rusher & while Flynn can be elusive, he probably isn't an option type QB. That's why he went after Perrilloux so hard & also probably why he got him. I imagine he told Perrilloux that his running ability would allow him to do some option plays etc. (which would seperate him from the other QBs) and used that to help recruit him.
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True, but I like to think LSU will recruit any highly-touted All-American from Louisiana, regardless of position or playing style.

CParso · May 23, 2005

TejasTiger said:

True, but I like to think LSU will recruit any highly-touted All-American from Louisiana, regardless of position or playing style.
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Very true. I'm also sure that it didn't hurt that Miles wanted to make a strong intro by getting the most highly touted recruit that LSU was after & Saban couldn't get as well. :hihi: :hihi:

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For anyone who knows about Miles' offensive philosophy...

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