San Diego St. coach talks about what he saw on film, UM vs. Air Force
From today's Rocky Long show, his weekly in-season appearance on local sports talk show. SDSU plays Air Force this weekend. Odd audio player doesn't show the time but the Michigan / AF talk starts just past the halfway point, at about the 53% mark.
https://www.iheart.com/content/2017-09-20-the-rocky-long-show
His thoughts:
- Michigan O got frustrated in first half by the aggressive AF D. Missed some big plays by not breaking tackles.
- simplified blocking schemes in 2nd half, went zone.
Then he gets into the difficulties of playing against an option offense and how they are preparing for it. "The best offense that has ever been designed."
*my first ever thread start, please light on the roasting.*
September 21st, 2017 at 5:55 AM ^
Georgia Tech ran all over Tennessee. They had all offseason to get ready for them. Tech has won 3 of their last 4 bowl games.
September 21st, 2017 at 8:53 AM ^
September 21st, 2017 at 9:10 AM ^
Sent from MGoBlog HD for iPhone & iPad
September 21st, 2017 at 6:18 AM ^
September 21st, 2017 at 11:35 AM ^
With all that running, you are putting your QB at greater risk of injury. Another problem is with all that split-second reacting and pitching, you are at a greater risk of turnovers from fumbling, so you have to rep the heck out of the option game, leaving you little time to install a passing game.
September 21st, 2017 at 8:23 AM ^
I would imagine coaches don't want to run it so they don't get pigeon-holed as a gimmicky coach...
September 21st, 2017 at 1:59 AM ^
Two primary reasons teams don't run the offense:
1. Can't recruit because it doesn't translate to the NFL
2. If you fall behind early, it's almost impossible to get back in the game
Georgia Tech is a team I follow outside of Michigan and they have suffered in recent years from both of these issues (along with a poor defense).
September 21st, 2017 at 5:57 AM ^
I hear that all the time and I guess it's true, but man, I'd love to see a coach at Bama or USC or something run the triple option and see what happens.
September 21st, 2017 at 6:29 AM ^
September 21st, 2017 at 8:22 AM ^
September 21st, 2017 at 9:58 AM ^
September 21st, 2017 at 3:03 AM ^
Yeah it's late on the west coast, and yeah I've had a few Lagunitas, but can I get an amen that we have coaches Harbaugh and Brown? Man M football is in such good hands. Really glad these men have dedicated themselves to Michigan football. Thank you.
September 21st, 2017 at 5:01 AM ^
September 21st, 2017 at 7:19 AM ^
September 21st, 2017 at 11:58 AM ^
September 21st, 2017 at 6:30 AM ^
September 21st, 2017 at 7:59 AM ^
September 21st, 2017 at 8:03 AM ^
September 21st, 2017 at 7:20 AM ^
...is a great offense only as long as the Q-back remains healthy. Worthman had to feel like crap this past Sunday morning!
September 21st, 2017 at 7:46 AM ^
...oh wait damn
September 21st, 2017 at 7:48 AM ^
Thanks for the tip, and welcome.
September 21st, 2017 at 8:01 AM ^
September 21st, 2017 at 9:44 AM ^
It is homecoming for them, so everything has been booked for months.
September 21st, 2017 at 8:26 AM ^
September 21st, 2017 at 11:59 AM ^
My folks moved west after graduating from UM in the late 60's.
September 21st, 2017 at 9:17 AM ^
To swamp AF.
September 21st, 2017 at 9:53 AM ^
If it's so awesome, why don't more teams employ it? Imagine that offense executed by 4 & 5 star top talent athletes.
Wouldn't it be unstoppable?
It's like we see every single defense shake in their boots at the prospect of playing the triple offense. You'd think eventually the "market" for offensive schemes would move in that direction if it was truly that effective.
September 21st, 2017 at 10:03 AM ^
September 21st, 2017 at 11:36 AM ^
Follow-up dumb question:
Why wouldn't it translate to the pros?
I understand why 4 and 5 star guys wouldn't want to play it in college if the NFL also didn't use it. But again--if the triple option is so incredible, why haven't a few NFL offensive coordinators adopted it?
I mean, homo sapiens are still homo sapiens in the NFL. It isn't like NFL defenses are suddenly stacked with dudes who are 8 feet tall or who have 4 extra limbs or something. Presumably the talent jump from college in the NFL on the offensse is about proportional to the talent jump from college to the NFL on the defense. The biomechanics are the same at both levels.
So if triple option works at the college level, presumably it'd also work at the NFL level as well. And at that point, if a half dozen or a dozen NFL teams used triple option principles in their schemes, you'd then think that any college team employing the similar scheme would no longer be at a disadvantage--thus lowering the barriers for more college teams to adopt it.
Is it just that NFL offensive coordinators don't want to have to start from scratch to spend the time & energy to teach their NFL offensive rosters how to run it?
September 21st, 2017 at 10:46 AM ^
Ga Tech is a better comparison. Yeah they're not pulling down top 10 recruiting classes but they do have better athletes than AF. It's a bitch to scheme against them too. Why more people don't run it? Some thoughts:
1. How many 4 and 5 stars with their sights set on the NFL want to go to a triple option shcool.
2. How many coaches are there who have the expertise to run it like AFA or Ga Tech?
I think the answers to both are "not many"... which is why it's probably not more widespread.
The triple O is a vehcile which allows lesser (and I don't mean that as a slight) teams to compete better.
September 21st, 2017 at 12:02 PM ^
The triple option is an equalizer. If a group of lightly-rated recruits executes that scheme well, they can compete with teams that are a lot more talented. But it leaves a team one-dimensional. Good defenses can take away the triple option, as we saw Michigan do to Air Force, and if that happens the offense doesn't have a way to counterpunch.
You see this with Georgia Tech somewhat, as the only P5-conference flexbone offense. Sometimes their offense looks like an unstoppable machine, and sometimes they flounder around helplessly.
September 21st, 2017 at 12:35 PM ^
September 21st, 2017 at 12:34 PM ^
My 2 cents. Rocky Long is considered by his peers as one of the very best defensive minds in the game. He was the reason Brady Hoke looked so good at SDSU (duh) and Hoke tried to bring him to AA without success. That man knows football.
Don't forget Air Force has to play Navy, both tripile option schools. That should be good.
Nebraska won with the triple option and a bus load of convicts. So of course the good Nebraska voters sent the ring leader to Congress.
September 21st, 2017 at 12:34 PM ^
My 2 cents. Rocky Long is considered by his peers as one of the very best defensive minds in the game. He was the reason Brady Hoke looked so good at SDSU (duh) and Hoke tried to bring him to AA without success. That man knows football.
Don't forget Air Force has to play Navy, both tripile option schools. That should be good.
Nebraska won with the triple option and a bus load of convicts. So of course the good Nebraska voters sent the ring leader to Congress.
September 21st, 2017 at 12:35 PM ^
My 2 cents. Rocky Long is considered by his peers as one of the very best defensive minds in the game. He was the reason Brady Hoke looked so good at SDSU (duh) and Hoke tried to bring him to AA without success. That man knows football.
Don't forget Air Force has to play Navy, both tripile option schools. That should be good.
Nebraska won with the triple option and a bus load of convicts. So of course the good Nebraska voters sent the ring leader to Congress.
September 21st, 2017 at 1:44 PM ^
September 21st, 2017 at 1:26 PM ^
September 21st, 2017 at 4:41 PM ^
i didnt see game but only saw a few clips, but boy i love that offense...moreso than RichRods.