Tag: option

Dissecting the Option Football Read

The most important aspect of option football is the read. It is the primary factor controlling whether or not your team will be successful.

I have seen option football teams with good offensive lines and solid running backs have less than average results when the quarterback struggles to make the correct read. With this in mind lets explore how a read is made. For the purposes of this article, I will be discussing the Inside Veer play out of a Flexbone set versus a 4-4 front using the “Ride and Decide” mesh method.

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Option Football 2012!

College football camps across the country opened up this week and needless to say I’m excited. We also start fall camp at the high school level next week. Ready to do some work!

Anyway, I will be spending a lot of time watching and breaking down option football teams this fall. Be sure to check back regularly for updates.

Oregon Spring 2012

 

 

Option Football History: The Split-T Play Sequence

In the last post we explored the center/quarterback exchange in the Split-T and discussed how this was manipulated to help the quarterback get to his path more quickly.  We will continue to explore the mechanical aspects Faurot named as being important to the success of his scheme. Today we will discuss play sequence.

  1. Line Splits
  2. Quarterback Path
  3. Center/QB Exchange
  4. Play Sequence
  5. Backfield Stance
  6. Ball Handling
  7. Position Requirements
  8. Flexibility

 

Faurot’s play sequence is the beginning of option football as we know it. It was his insights that led directly to the concept of leaving defenders unblocked and forcing a 2 on 1 situation where whatever choice they made was wrong. Lets explore how Faurot explained his new ideas.

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Option Football History: The Split-T Center/QB Exchange

In the last post we explored the quarterbacks path in the Split-T and discussed how this helped to make the offense more effective.  We will continue to explore the mechanical aspects Faurot named as being important to the success of his scheme. Today we will discuss how Faurot taught the Center/QB Exchange .

  1. Line Splits
  2. Quarterback Path
  3. Center/QB Exchange
  4. Play Sequence
  5. Backfield Stance
  6. Ball Handling
  7. Position Requirements
  8. Flexibility

Continue reading Option Football History: The Split-T Center/QB Exchange

Option Football History: The Split-T’s Innovative Quarterback Path

In and earlier post we discussed the line splits used against different fronts within Don Faurot’s Split-T offense. As stated before, Faurot identified nine mechanical aspects of his offense that he felt separated the Split-T from other systems.

  1. Line Splits
  2. Quarterback Path
  3. Center/QB Exchange
  4. Play Sequence
  5. Backfield Stance
  6. Ball Handling
  7. Position Requirements
  8. Flexibility
In today’s post, we will discuss the quarterbacks path.

Option Football History: Line Splits in the Split-T

In the last post we looked at reasons to run the Split-T. If we take a close look at these reasons we see they are really just the results of the offense. If the Split-T was only successful with great players, or wasn’t successful at all, there would be no inherent reason to stay with the system.

So the pertinent question is why?

Continue reading Option Football History: Line Splits in the Split-T

Option Football History: 4 Reasons Don Faurot Believed in the Split-T

Don Faurot developed the option football concept while the head coach at Missouri.

In 1941 Don Faurot, football coach at Missouri, sat in a gymnasium watching a basketball game. As he watched he became enamored with the fast break and an idea began to form in his mind. When he emerged from the gymnasium a vision had rooted itself deeply in his mind. A vision so bold and effective it would leave an imprint on the game of football that is still clearly visible after more than 70 years.

Continue reading Option Football History: 4 Reasons Don Faurot Believed in the Split-T

Split-T series coming Soon!

Photo from Secrets of the Split T Formation by Don Faurot

Over the course of the next few days I will be doing a series on Don Faurot’s Split-T. If you didn’t know, Don Faurot developed the option concept and is the reason we have option football today. I will cover the basics of the formation (alignment, splits, etc), the plays Faurot ran out of it, and a few variations. This is likely be a long series and is derived from Faurot’s book Secrets of the Split T Formation. Let me know if there is anything specific you would like to know and I will do my best to answer any questions or cover any topics of interest. Additionally, the links attached to the books titles are affiliate links showing where the book can be purchased from Amazon. It’s a great read for option football coaches as well as fans.