Why don't more teams run the Triple Option?

[ShotgunDawg]

Listened to a story on Paul Johnson this morning & was curious why more teams don't run the Triple Option when it is obviously the best offense to run for lesser talented teams to compete with more talented teams. If Georgia Tech can be one the best teams in the country while running it with the players they recruit, what could this offense look like with more talented players?

Is it a pride issue?

Does running this offense hurt your recruiting ability?

What's more important, winning games or recruiting?

Here are teams that I think should run the Triple Option:

Should absolutely run the Triple Option:

1. Nebraska
2. Iowa
3. Arkansas


Running the Triple Option would be interesting if there were a coaching change:

1. Kentucky
2. Mississippi State
3. Missouri
4. South Carolina

WOW, if they ran the Triple Option, they'd be unbeatable:

1. LSU
2. Alabama

[msstate7]

I agree about Nebraska. They were the one of the best programs in the country when they ran the triple option. They have fallen hard since moving away from it. If I were Nebraska, I'd hire ken niumayatalolo and get back to what they did when they were great.

About us... While Mississippi doesn't produce good passing qb's, I think we could produce a good option qb every year

[MetEdDawg]

I've wondered the same thing. I love watching it and although it sucked watching Tech ram it down our throats, you have to admit that it was a thing of beauty.

If high schools WRs were smart, they would realize that the triple option can actually be a great way to prepare you for the NFL. You learn how to block and you learn how to dissect and beat a lot of man coverage. Calvin Johnson and Demaryius Thomas are two of the best WRs in the game and both are products of a triple option offense.

[dawgs]

the spread option is a lot of the same concepts except with more passing threat and more attractive offense for recruits.

[dawgs]

I've wondered the same thing. I love watching it and although it sucked watching Tech ram it down our throats, you have to admit that it was a thing of beauty.

If high schools WRs were smart, they would realize that the triple option can actually be a great way to prepare you for the NFL. You learn how to block and you learn how to dissect and beat a lot of man coverage. Calvin Johnson and Demaryius Thomas are two of the best WRs in the game and both are products of a triple option offense.

they are physical freaks and it didn't matter what offense they played in.

and a big reason that GT ran it down our throats was our lack of DC during bowl prep. triple option offenses tend to do worse in bowls and when the opposing team has a bye week prior to the game, because it's all about assignments on D. our problem last year was the turmoil on the D coaching staff left us unprepared.

[msstate7]

they are physical freaks and it didn't matter what offense they played in.

and a big reason that GT ran it down our throats was our lack of DC during bowl prep. triple option offenses tend to do worse in bowls and when the opposing team has a bye week prior to the game, because it's all about assignments on D. our problem last year was the turmoil on the D coaching staff left us unprepared.

Yeah, bowl performance for triple option teams does seem to suffer. Triple option teams do seem to have an advantage in the regular season though... 12 > 1. I think if Mullen happen to leave and we broke out the triple option, we'd be hell in the west. I think the way our HS programs play that the triple option would be a good fit. The contrasting style would be really tough for west teams to adjust in a week

[dawgs]

Yeah, bowl performance for triple option teams does seem to suffer. Triple option teams do seem to have an advantage in the regular season though... 12 > 1. I think if Mullen happen to leave and we broke out the triple option, we'd be hell in the west. I think the way our HS programs play that the triple option would be a good fit. The contrasting style would be really tough for west teams to adjust in a week

i prefer getting the ball to guys in space to make moves. you don't need a great passing QB to have a great spread option offense but it still is beneficial to have the greater threat of passing (e.g. wvu pat white teams).

[ShotgunDawg]

Yeah, bowl performance for triple option teams does seem to suffer. Triple option teams do seem to have an advantage in the regular season though... 12 > 1. I think if Mullen happen to leave and we broke out the triple option, we'd be hell in the west. I think the way our HS programs play that the triple option would be a good fit. The contrasting style would be really tough for west teams to adjust in a week

I agree.

We also have to remember that, while GT has struggled in bowl games, they are playing teams that likely have more talent than them. MSU recruits better than GT, so I would assume, that the affects would be less in bowl games.

IDK, I'm not advocating that MSU move to the triple option right now because I really like Mullen's offense & he can obviously coach it. However, someday Mullen will leave & MSU will be forced to make a decision about which direction it wants to go, & with what type of players Mississippi produces, I believe the triple option could be very very successful at MSU. It would make us hell to prepare for & we could recruit extremely well towards it.

It also runs the clock down & decreases the necessity for huge depth on the defensive side of the ball, since your defense doesn't have to play as downs.

It would take balls by Stricklin to go this direction, but I think it would be successful