Triple Option

[bearcat_veer]

Hey guys I was hoping to get some information as to what teams in D3 Football run the triple option. Thanks in advance.

[Knightstalker]

Springfield College and Salisbury off the top of my head.

[Redmen09]

Ripon College and UW-River Falls in WI

[BoBo]

Ripon College and UW-River Falls in WI

Incorrect about UWRF. They stopped running the 'bone a couple years ago, maybe '06 or '07. They run a multiple set offense featuring the running of one back (Taylor Edwards). They throw the ball more in 1 season now than they did in 10 years running the wishbone.

[Redmen09]

Ah good to know, haven't looked into that in awhile

[K-Mack]

Five schools mentioned in there, and really No. 6 at the time (W&L) runs it too.

http://www.d3football.com/columns/around-the-nation/2010/giving-themselves-options

[frank uible]

Of course, the triple option does not have to be limited to the wishbone.

[K-Mack]

Of course, the triple option does not have to be limited to the wishbone.

Nor does the option have to be limited to the triple option. Was just telling the guys last week about speed option, belly option, dive option. You can run it from the flexbone or with wingbacks, from the I, etc.

And then of course read option is all the rage these days.

Perhaps another discussion for another day, but I was reminding myself to be careful how I describe the option and delinate between offenses. It came up with regard to how we should describe what W&L was running (a multiple spread option offense, with occasional triple option plays? Haven't seen it, that was my best guess)

[jknezek]

Of course, the triple option does not have to be limited to the wishbone.

It came up with regard to how we should describe what W&L was running (a multiple spread option offense, with occasional triple option plays? Haven't seen it, that was my best guess)

I think part of the problem with defining W&L's option is that as near as I can tell it's a package of plays that the qb runs well. The whole offense is more or less geared around Westphal and what he is comfortable doing. It seems to me they took as many different option ideas as could be found, let him run them in practice, and wrote a playbook around the ones he liked. Kind of odd, but it worked pretty well this year. I guess with the problems W&L has recruiting and retaining appropriate kids there just isn't much choice but to build around what you have instead of recruiting to fit a specific system.

[skunks_sidekick]

Of course, the triple option does not have to be limited to the wishbone.

It came up with regard to how we should describe what W&L was running (a multiple spread option offense, with occasional triple option plays? Haven't seen it, that was my best guess)

I think part of the problem with defining W&L's option is that as near as I can tell it's a package of plays that the qb runs well. The whole offense is more or less geared around Westphal and what he is comfortable doing. It seems to me they took as many different option ideas as could be found, let him run them in practice, and wrote a playbook around the ones he liked. Kind of odd, but it worked pretty well this year. I guess with the problems W&L has recruiting and retaining appropriate kids there just isn't much choice but to build around what you have instead of recruiting to fit a specific system.

Interestingly enough, Coach Kehres was quoted in a coaching article regarding this very thing.  He and his staff sit down after every year is over, evaluate who they have coming  back, and what their strengths are as players.  They then design their offense around those skill sets.  That is why in the 90's Mount was more of a passing team, but morphed into a strong running team with Moore, Pugh, and Kmic.  Now I think they are more of a balanced attack, but at the end of the day will rely more on throwing to Shorts & Miller.

I don't think you can be "just" a running team if your goal is to get far in the play-offs.  Defenses are just too good at that level.  Unless your QB can consistently get to option #4 (throwing) with skill, they will eventually be shut down.

[jknezek]

Of course, the triple option does not have to be limited to the wishbone.

It came up with regard to how we should describe what W&L was running (a multiple spread option offense, with occasional triple option plays? Haven't seen it, that was my best guess)

I think part of the problem with defining W&L's option is that as near as I can tell it's a package of plays that the qb runs well. The whole offense is more or less geared around Westphal and what he is comfortable doing. It seems to me they took as many different option ideas as could be found, let him run them in practice, and wrote a playbook around the ones he liked. Kind of odd, but it worked pretty well this year. I guess with the problems W&L has recruiting and retaining appropriate kids there just isn't much choice but to build around what you have instead of recruiting to fit a specific system.

Interestingly enough, Coach Kehres was quoted in a coaching article regarding this very thing.  He and his staff sit down after every year is over, evaluate who they have coming  back, and what their strengths are as players.  They then design their offense around those skill sets.  That is why in the 90's Mount was more of a passing team, but morphed into a strong running team with Moore, Pugh, and Kmic.  Now I think they are more of a balanced attack, but at the end of the day will rely more on throwing to Shorts & Miller.

I don't think you can be "just" a running team if your goal is to get far in the play-offs.  Defenses are just too good at that level.  Unless your QB can consistently get to option #4 (throwing) with skill, they will eventually be shut down.

I have no doubt that most teams do this kind of evaluation. I just find W&L's option attack to be so varied among the types of option sets, and yet so consistent among the plays they actually run, that it seems an odd combination. As for W&L running deep in the playoffs... I'm not sure I'd live to see the day. It's hard to imagine too many circumstances that would bring enough of the right kinds of kids to W&L for any system. But then again, when I was there in the late 90s if you said W&L would win the ODAC twice in 5 years we'd have all been a bit shocked. I guess that's why we play the games!

[K-Mack]

(was also in the ODAC in the late 90s and never lost to W&L even though they were never the worst team we played either)

Very true about Kehres. From Ballard, Borchert & Smeck through the latest incarnations, they've always done what they have the players to do.

The '05 championship season was one of the most impressive too because I think that was not only the first without Montgomery, but I think like Matt Campbell or somebody was calling the plays and Zac Bruney maybe was in on it, and Vince had the D ... someone correct me if I'm sketchy on the details. (I'm sure I wrote about it and could look them up on this here site). But basically many of the key assistant coaching spots turned over and Larry let them grow into their roles during the course of the season with just enough hands-on and just enough hands-off.

[HScoach]

^  Yup. 

[Kira & Jaxon's Dad]

(was also in the ODAC in the late 90s and never lost to W&L even though they were never the worst team we played either)

Very true about Kehres. From Ballard, Borchert & Smeck through the latest incarnations, they've always done what they have the players to do.

The '05 championship season was one of the most impressive too because I think that was not only the first without Montgomery, but I think like Matt Campbell or somebody was calling the plays and Zac Bruney maybe was in on it, and Vince had the D ... someone correct me if I'm sketchy on the details. (I'm sure I wrote about it and could look them up on this here site). But basically many of the key assistant coaching spots turned over and Larry let them grow into their roles during the course of the season with just enough hands-on and just enough hands-off.

I seem to remember Coach Kehres taking over the offensive play calling duties in the Stagg bowl that year though...

[sfury]

(was also in the ODAC in the late 90s and never lost to W&L even though they were never the worst team we played either)

Very true about Kehres. From Ballard, Borchert & Smeck through the latest incarnations, they've always done what they have the players to do.

The '05 championship season was one of the most impressive too because I think that was not only the first without Montgomery, but I think like Matt Campbell or somebody was calling the plays and Zac Bruney maybe was in on it, and Vince had the D ... someone correct me if I'm sketchy on the details. (I'm sure I wrote about it and could look them up on this here site). But basically many of the key assistant coaching spots turned over and Larry let them grow into their roles during the course of the season with just enough hands-on and just enough hands-off.

I seem to remember Coach Kehres taking over the offensive play calling duties in the Stagg bowl that year though...

Who called the plays during the 2003 Stagg?

Come on, a Johnnie has to cling to that.

Speaking of the Johnnies, they ran a "quadruple option" in the late '70s, including during their 1976 title. Set a bunch of rushing records and Gagliardi basically installed it after first using his kids as guinea pigs in the backyard during the summer.