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play side (the side where the play is going) inside linebacker (usually called the "mike", or middle linebacker). The quarterback then reads the unblocked defensive lineman. If the lineman attacks the fullback, the quarterback pulls the ball from the fullback's gut and continues down the line, but if the defensive lineman goes outside to contain the play, he hands off inside to the fullback. The offensive tackle on the side of the play's direction does not block the defensive end and instead moves to block the first threat, usually the linebacker stacked behind the defensive end. In the traditional triple option the backside tailback will take a parallel course down the line of scrimmage keeping a three to five yard separation from the quarterback. If the defensive end comes inside toward the quarterback, he will pitch it outside to the trailing halfback. If the defensive end retains outside leverage and covers the trailing halfback closely, the quarterback will keep the ball and run upfield inside of the defensive end. The tailback to the play side is responsible for blocking one of the defensive backs, usually one of the deep safeties. The wide receiver (WR) to the play side is responsible for blocking the corner back assigned to cover them if the defense were playing man coverage.
173:(FB) or, based on his read of the defense, to keep the ball. If the QB does choose to keep the ball after the initial snap, he still retains the third option of handing the ball off to the tailback. If, for example, the defensive end (DE) is blocking the FB or for any other reason it appears to him that his group of ball-carriers are otherwise limited, he will simply keep the ball himself instead of handing it off. If the DE runs straight upfield or directly at the QB, then the QB gives the ball to the FB. The triple option can be complemented by fixed running plays which look like the triple option when they start, but use traditional
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execute the play depending on the initial actions of one or two "key" defenders. In an RPO play, however, one or more receivers run a pass route, and the quarterback has the option to throw a pass. Because the offensive line (and usually some receivers) run block at the snap, any pass must be thrown very quickly, before blockers have pushed forward three yards. A properly executed RPO is difficult to defend, as a quarterback who correctly reads the defense will run the version of the play which has the best chance for success.
403:(TE). The "inside veer" play is similar to the wishbone triple option, but the dive option is performed by the halfback on the side of the play, and the other halfback becomes the pitch man. The veer is more challenging to run to the weak side (the side without the tight end) because there is no lead blocker for the pitch man. The "outside veer" moves the halfback dive option outside the offensive tackle, forcing the outside linebacker to stop the halfback dive, and forcing the defensive backs to play the pitch option.
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If this is run properly it can be extremely effective as most all defensive players are accounted for by blockers. Once the quarterback or tailback gets beyond the line of scrimmage there should be nobody in front of him because the tackle, guard, tailback, and wide receiver are all downfield picking
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A slight variation of this formation is the "flexbone", where the running backs move to just outside the tackles, but still behind the line of scrimmage. The running back that the play is using for the third option motions in, and while in motion the ball is snapped. The triple option, in this case,
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First, the quarterback receives the football from the center. The quarterback then starts the play in one direction by appearing to hand the football to the fullback right behind the play side guard on a standard fullback dive play. The guard "chips" the 3-technique (defensive tackle) and blocks the
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A 2009 NCAA rule change that allowed linemen to block three yards downfield on a pass (as opposed to one yard in the NFL) opened the college game to the run-pass option (RPO) plays. Much like in a traditional option attack, the quarterback "reads" the defense at the snap and quickly decides how to
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have used an inside zone triple option from the spread. The quarterback reads the defensive end for "give" or "keep". If the defensive end squeezes down to take the dive, the quarterback will pull the ball and take his reading progression to the outside linebacker or defensive back. If the
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The triple option can be run out of the I formation as well. With two running backs, it is sometimes called the "I-veer", as the play is similar to the two running back veer offense. Three running back I formations such as the
Maryland I and the stack I are more similar to the wishbone play.
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The RPO has also been utilized in the NFL despite rules disallowing linemen to block more than one yard downfield on passing plays, though NFL QBs must make quicker reads to avoid a penalty if they decide to throw a forward pass.
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The rule change that resulted in the widespread use of RPOs by college offenses was controversial. By "destroy the ages-old division between passing plays and running plays" the RPO changes offense, defense and officiating roles.
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The triple option forces defenses to worry about multiple running options on a single play. For the offense, the decision of who is to carry the ball—which option to use—is made during the play by the
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and zone read offenses have become popular, many teams have begun to run variations of the triple option with the quarterback in the shotgun. This has been greatly popularized by the success of coaches such as
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The play is called the triple option as the fullback dive is the first option, the quarterback keeping the ball is the second option, and the quarterback pitching to the halfback is the third option.
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The
Outside Veer (or "high dive") is shown vs. an Oklahoma defense (3–4 or 5–2). The square indicates the dive read while the diamond indicates the pitch read.
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linebacker/defensive back takes the quarterback, the quarterback will pitch the ball to his running back who is running in formation with the quarterback.
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Nebraska in 1980–2003 deployed an I formation triple option. They won 3 national titles with it in 1994, 1995, and 1997.
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triple option. These differ in terms of the personnel on the field and their positioning prior to the start of the play.
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play used to offer six ways to move the football forward on the field of play. The triple option is based on the
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between
Alabama and Clemson, in which both teams "will use to win".
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The wishbone triple option can use several formations including the
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169:(QB). The QB makes the decision whether to give the ball to the
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809:"The Most Dangerous Play in College Football" (subscription)
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184:There are three basic forms of triple option: the
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305:is still run mostly the same as the wishbone.
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312:An example of an inside veer triple option
739:"Dissecting Navy's triple-option offense"
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258:Learn how and when to remove this message
109:Learn how and when to remove this message
815:, January 8, 2017. Retrieved 2017-01-09.
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865:1990's Georgia Southern Option Playbook
399:triple option uses two halfbacks and a
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791:"Urban Meyer explains run-pass option"
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885:1999 Syracuse Freeze Option Playbook
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797:. Big Ten Network. 31 August 2019.
765:"A casual NFL fan's guide to RPOs"
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763:Ruiz, Steven (6 September 2018).
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807:Beaton, Andrew, and Ben Cohen,
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37:
32:This article
30:
26:
21:
20:
1571:8-in-the-box
1328:Bump and run
1214:Fumblerooski
1209:Flea flicker
1010:
986:Buck-lateral
945:Play calling
834:. Retrieved
820:
812:
803:
794:
785:
775:November 16,
773:. Retrieved
768:
758:
747:. Retrieved
742:
733:
719:
715:2017 playoff
710:
707:
703:
688:
679:
668:Please help
663:verification
660:
614:
602:Georgia Tech
594:Paul Johnson
562:
547:
538:
523:Please help
511:
488:
484:
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452:
437:Please help
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347:Please help
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230:Please help
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141:in the 2008
105:
99:October 2019
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41:Please help
36:verification
33:
1446:Pistol-Flex
1406:Single-wing
1219:Hidden ball
1169:Double pass
1151:Trick plays
1131:Stop-and-go
976:Air Coryell
940:Two-platoon
935:One-platoon
836:January 11,
771:. USA Today
769:For The Win
578:Urban Meyer
407:I formation
194:I formation
179:play-action
167:quarterback
1620:Categories
1461:Jump shift
1411:Short punt
1302:Man-to-man
1239:Hard count
1199:Fake spike
1174:End-around
1038:West Coast
1028:Smashmouth
954:Offensive
749:2015-08-14
725:References
621:Ohio State
284:Maryland I
159:option run
69:newspapers
1499:Miami 4–3
1321:Coverages
1194:Fake punt
1018:Pro-style
831:SB Nation
590:Air Force
512:does not
426:does not
401:tight end
336:does not
288:halfbacks
219:does not
181:passing.
127:slotbacks
1605:Category
1436:Flexbone
1431:Wishbone
1066:Crossing
996:Multiple
991:Hurry-up
981:Air raid
956:strategy
280:flexbone
200:Wishbone
186:wishbone
175:blocking
171:fullback
133:. Here,
1566:Prevent
1551:7–1–2–1
1489:2-level
1456:Wildcat
1421:Pro set
1416:Shotgun
1391:Split-T
1312:Tampa 2
1244:Pyramid
1184:Spinner
1179:Reverse
928:Systems
629:Arizona
606:Hawai'i
533:removed
518:sources
447:removed
432:sources
357:removed
342:sources
240:removed
225:sources
83:scholar
1561:Nickel
1441:Pistol
1333:Double
1295:Scheme
1126:Sluggo
1111:Screen
1061:Corner
1048:Routes
1033:Spread
1001:Option
964:Scheme
627:, and
625:Oregon
592:, and
576:, and
565:spread
153:is an
85:
78:
71:
64:
56:
1580:Other
1546:7–2–2
1516:3–3–5
1451:Trips
1359:Stunt
1347:Other
1263:Other
1141:Wheel
1136:Swing
1121:Slant
1056:Chair
90:JSTOR
76:books
1556:Dime
1338:Zone
1307:Zone
1164:Draw
1116:Seam
1106:Post
1096:Jerk
1081:Flat
1076:Drag
1071:Curl
971:A-11
838:2019
777:2020
608:and
600:and
598:Navy
516:any
514:cite
430:any
428:cite
397:veer
395:The
340:any
338:cite
317:Veer
223:any
221:cite
190:veer
149:The
139:Army
135:Navy
62:news
1541:6–2
1536:5–3
1531:5–2
1521:4–4
1511:3–4
1494:4–3
1364:Spy
1101:Out
1091:Hot
1086:Fly
672:by
527:by
441:by
351:by
282:or
234:by
45:by
1622::
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