Did Iowa prove us Option lovers wrong

[JTrain]

I personally think the whole "triple option is worthless when the opponent has a month to prepare" theory is complete nonsense. Iowa beat Georgia Tech because they completely dominated the line of scrimmage on both sides, not because of anything schematically brilliant. Look at what Navy and Air Force did in their bowls.

Regardless of what type of offense you run, you need a good defense. That's important. Georgia Tech's defense has been pretty bad this season. Also, Nesbitt is a flat-out bad passer. That isn't a given with the triple option offense. And just as others have said, the type of offensive lineman you need to run that offense are not there yet. Only one of PJ's recruits was starting this year.

For someone to come in, completely overhaul the offensive system, have very little defensive talent (outside of two players) and win the ACC in his second year... the triple option is completely fine.

 

[MCAT800]

MCAT800

damn it........ I was trying to make myself feel better about "loving the option" so much, and you ARE NOT HELPING. I was sooooo stoked to watch GT bury Iowa with the offense that I absolutely love, and it blew up in my face (not to say "yellow Jacket fan".....where is he by the way).

I hate Iowa and love the option, so I was really bummed, which led me to this topic. The first few responses made me feel better, but then the last number of posts, makes me still miss the option.

** Knapplc is correct.... I personally like to see the option as a basee with a great play-action game off it, but if you can't establish the run, play-action doesn't work very well.

Thanks for NOT HELPING

Sorry I couldn't help you out

I to was pumped for this game. Only NU's and the NC game ranked higher in must see bowl games for me.

 

[beanman]

I am posting this here only because this has been a topic that's been disussed at nausem (sp).....

I for one, love the option and miss the glory days of NU option football, but did Iowa show last night that the option offense might not be the greatest thing in the world. GT has great athletes, running a very sound system, yet, will finish somewhere near the bottom or outside the top 25.

Iowa's defense is very very good, but they made GT look horrible. Does this prove that anytime you give a good DC time to practice, that they will put a scheme together to beat the option....and show that today's athletes are fast enough to counter the option.

** I know that after watching last night that I still love the option, but I will really have a hard time defending it anymore.

I don't think Ga Tech was running with nearly the same talent as we had running it, even in those years when we were getting stopped in the big bowl games. Their offensive line was completely dominated. Their backs looked slow. Their QB looked slow of foot and can't throw. Their defense was even worse. Seeing their D-Line not being able to get off blocks makes you appreciate the technique that the Pelini bros. have brought to our D. Not to take anything away from Iowa's D; they are very good and I think 94 could have started for us... But Ga Tech just didn't look like a good team to me.

 

[beanman]

I am posting this here only because this has been a topic that's been disussed at nausem (sp).....

I for one, love the option and miss the glory days of NU option football, but did Iowa show last night that the option offense might not be the greatest thing in the world. GT has great athletes, running a very sound system, yet, will finish somewhere near the bottom or outside the top 25.

Iowa's defense is very very good, but they made GT look horrible. Does this prove that anytime you give a good DC time to practice, that they will put a scheme together to beat the option....and show that today's athletes are fast enough to counter the option.

** I know that after watching last night that I still love the option, but I will really have a hard time defending it anymore.

I don't think Ga Tech was running with nearly the same talent as we had running it, even in those years when we were getting stopped in the big bowl games. Their offensive line was completely dominated. Their backs looked slow. Their QB looked slow of foot and can't throw. Their defense was even worse. Seeing their D-Line not being able to get off blocks makes you appreciate the technique that the Pelini bros. have brought to our D. Not to take anything away from Iowa's D; they are very good and I think 94 could have started for us... But Ga Tech just didn't look like a good team to me.

I will add that I got the feeling any time Ga Tech had 3rd and more than 6 they had zero chance of getting the first down and if they got down by more than a TD they'd never catch up. I never had that feeling with our option offense, it must have been the big red Koolaid.

 

[WVhuskerXX]

I will add that I got the feeling any time Ga Tech had 3rd and more than 6 they had zero chance of getting the first down and if they got down by more than a TD they'd never catch up. I never had that feeling with our option offense, it must have been the big red Koolaid.

:koolaid2: :koolaid2: :koolaid2: :koolaid2: :koolaid2: :koolaid2: :koolaid2:

 

[husker B-rent]

you see it comes down to the line of scrimmage, Iowa had a better Dline that Gtech had an oline.

the triple option is an unstoppable play against any defense if you run it perfectly, but if you make the smallest mistake then it will be stopped for little or no gain.

simply put Gtech does not yet have the athletes to run the triple option, the current recruits were recruited before johnson got there. give him two more years and i would not be surprised to see gtech in the MNC....

 

[sd'sker]

I am posting this here only because this has been a topic that's been disussed at nausem (sp).....

I for one, love the option and miss the glory days of NU option football, but did Iowa show last night that the option offense might not be the greatest thing in the world. GT has great athletes, running a very sound system, yet, will finish somewhere near the bottom or outside the top 25.

Iowa's defense is very very good, but they made GT look horrible. Does this prove that anytime you give a good DC time to practice, that they will put a scheme together to beat the option....and show that today's athletes are fast enough to counter the option.

** I know that after watching last night that I still love the option, but I will really have a hard time defending it anymore.

I don't think Ga Tech was running with nearly the same talent as we had running it, even in those years when we were getting stopped in the big bowl games. Their offensive line was completely dominated. Their backs looked slow. Their QB looked slow of foot and can't throw. Their defense was even worse. Seeing their D-Line not being able to get off blocks makes you appreciate the technique that the Pelini bros. have brought to our D. Not to take anything away from Iowa's D; they are very good and I think 94 could have started for us... But Ga Tech just didn't look like a good team to me.

I will add that I got the feeling any time Ga Tech had 3rd and more than 6 they had zero chance of getting the first down and if they got down by more than a TD they'd never catch up. I never had that feeling with our option offense, it must have been the big red Koolaid.

i think a lot of conferences were exposed (and redeemed, including, for me at least, the Big 10). the acc just is not that strong, and a lot of schools really never faced a stout 'd' all season (i.e. the Pac 10 and the ACC). the option could work, but it needs a great line, a creative quarterback, and a solid running back. the good teams out scheme, great teams out execute. a good enough option can work against any 'd'. you either force change, or you are forced to change. iowa was the better team and ga. tech was forced to change, which they did not and therefore they lost.

 

[knapplc]

I personally think the whole "triple option is worthless when the opponent has a month to prepare" theory is complete nonsense.

Steve Spurrier agrees with you.

 

[Yellowjacketfan]

Games are won by Joe's and Mo's not X's and O's. When GT has superior athletes on the field the option will roll. It did so 11 of 14 games this season. We have the skill players but no O-line and no defense (last night was the best the defense has looked in a long time). Against above average and even some very good teams you can hide your O-line and defense with great skill players but Iowa had a D-line that blew up our O-line and had an offense that was good enough .... which is not hard to be ... against our D. I look at the bright side ... maybe such a poor performance will cause draft stock to drop for our great juniors and thus they will come back. If so GT will be the best unranked team in the nation haha.

 

[REDSTEEL]

The option G Tech was running looked a lot different then the one Nebraska ran. It almost looked more like the wishbone Oklahoma used to run.

 

[mmmtodd]

Games are won by Joe's and Mo's not X's and O's. When GT has superior athletes on the field the option will roll. It did so 11 of 14 games this season. We have the skill players but no O-line and no defense (last night was the best the defense has looked in a long time). Against above average and even some very good teams you can hide your O-line and defense with great skill players but Iowa had a D-line that blew up our O-line and had an offense that was good enough .... which is not hard to be ... against our D. I look at the bright side ... maybe such a poor performance will cause draft stock to drop for our great juniors and thus they will come back. If so GT will be the best unranked team in the nation haha.

Nesbitt=average, at best. I know you guys like him, but he is not a good option qb. Receivers in the blocking game have it down it seems. Ballcarriers are solid. O-line is crap, and QB looks like a compromise. I think a guy like Nesbitt would be better suited to a Tyrod Taylor type role, but his arm is frightening. His pitches are even scary.

 

[strigori]

think about what some of you are saying. Iowa having better athletes that GT? Iowa players have better technique but certainly not raw ability.

I like some option elements in an offense, but not a triple option set up. Just not enough abilty to score when you really need to. A two min drill with an option team almost takes just luck.

 

[Stu]

As Nebraska fans, I don't think we have any right to criticize, put down, or make fun of ANYONE elses offense.

Nebraska would LOVE to put up the numbers GT's offense did this year.

 

[Yellowjacketfan]

Games are won by Joe's and Mo's not X's and O's. When GT has superior athletes on the field the option will roll. It did so 11 of 14 games this season. We have the skill players but no O-line and no defense (last night was the best the defense has looked in a long time). Against above average and even some very good teams you can hide your O-line and defense with great skill players but Iowa had a D-line that blew up our O-line and had an offense that was good enough .... which is not hard to be ... against our D. I look at the bright side ... maybe such a poor performance will cause draft stock to drop for our great juniors and thus they will come back. If so GT will be the best unranked team in the nation haha.

Nesbitt=average, at best. I know you guys like him, but he is not a good option qb. Receivers in the blocking game have it down it seems. Ballcarriers are solid. O-line is crap, and QB looks like a compromise. I think a guy like Nesbitt would be better suited to a Tyrod Taylor type role, but his arm is frightening. His pitches are even scary.

I'll accept a lot of comments about GT, but Nesbitt is really not average. He is the heart and soul leader of the team. Maybe he doesn't throw that well (actually, he DOESN'T throw well), but take him off the team and we have 2-3 more losses. He single handedly won the Florida State game and was the determining factor in the Wake Forest game. Finding an athlete like him may not be hard, but he is a fullback as a quarterback and a great leader. Tebow like in his leadership but without the SECSPN hype ... I believe he also received first team all-ACC honors. I don't think you have watched GT enough if you think Nesbitt is average.

 

[mmmtodd]

Games are won by Joe's and Mo's not X's and O's. When GT has superior athletes on the field the option will roll. It did so 11 of 14 games this season. We have the skill players but no O-line and no defense (last night was the best the defense has looked in a long time). Against above average and even some very good teams you can hide your O-line and defense with great skill players but Iowa had a D-line that blew up our O-line and had an offense that was good enough .... which is not hard to be ... against our D. I look at the bright side ... maybe such a poor performance will cause draft stock to drop for our great juniors and thus they will come back. If so GT will be the best unranked team in the nation haha.

Nesbitt=average, at best. I know you guys like him, but he is not a good option qb. Receivers in the blocking game have it down it seems. Ballcarriers are solid. O-line is crap, and QB looks like a compromise. I think a guy like Nesbitt would be better suited to a Tyrod Taylor type role, but his arm is frightening. His pitches are even scary.

I'll accept a lot of comments about GT, but Nesbitt is really not average. He is the heart and soul leader of the team. Maybe he doesn't throw that well (actually, he DOESN'T throw well), but take him off the team and we have 2-3 more losses. He single handedly won the Florida State game and was the determining factor in the Wake Forest game. Finding an athlete like him may not be hard, but he is a fullback as a quarterback and a great leader. Tebow like in his leadership but without the SECSPN hype ... I believe he also received first team all-ACC honors. I don't think you have watched GT enough if you think Nesbitt is average.

I think you missed my point. Im not questioning his leadership, heart, or any of that. Im simply talking about his ability to run the option. I watched GTech every chance i got this year, just like i watched Navy...I love watching option football. Its what i ran in high school. Its what Nebraska kids my age grew up doing in the backyard; flip the wrist, fingers held high, thumb to the sky...not throwing bombs. You said it best by calling him a fullback. He gets square and headed downfield, hes an unstoppable brute. But getting to the corner takes forever, and he doesnt have a great cut step when he finally commits to keep. I kept waiting for an Iowa corner to snag one of his pitches out of the air and house it. Paul Johnson will get a QB in there at some point that can truly do these things, and then you will see the difference.