Speed Option

[Millhouse]

I never really bought into the racism thing - at least at the college level.

Penn State had a black QB in 1970.

Michigan State had a black QB in 1966.

We had a black QB in 1949 for gosh sakes.

Etc.

Donnie McPherson did not have a big arm and was very slight. It was his presumed ability that allowed SU to get him - that's my recollection at least.

did they ever throw the ball?

plenty of schools back then would let a black qb run around but the racist stupidity of can blacks be passers was everywhere

 

[Toga]

Yes, a lot of black college QBs.

Including Moon at Washington, Kerry Jackson at Oklahoma, Corneilus Green at Ohio State, Dennis Franklin at Michigan.

And on and on.

Let's agree on the fact there are significantly more black college QBs today than back then. Significantly.

 

[Scooch]

I never really bought into the racism thing - at least at the college level.

It's not all that debatable that the vast majority of black athletes who could have been very successful college QBs were instead played at other positions. Most of those who ended up playing QB were recruited by most schools to not play QB. There were exceptions, but that's just what they were, exceptions. SU was a pioneer in this regard, it is something we should be proud of and something that was absolutely an advantage for us.

 

[Millhouse]

It's not all that debatable that the vast majority of black athletes who could have been very successful college QBs were instead played at other positions. Most of those who ended up playing QB were recruited by most schools to not play QB. There were exceptions, but that's just what they were, exceptions. SU was a pioneer in this regard, it is something we should be proud of and something that was absolutely an advantage for us.

they should be selling that like crazy in recruiting. even if other schools have cast that silliness aside, we can sell the history

 

[Toga]

It's not all that debatable that the vast majority of black athletes who could have been very successful college QBs were instead played at other positions. Most of those who ended up playing QB were recruited by most schools to not play QB. There were exceptions, but that's just what they were, exceptions. SU was a pioneer in this regard, it is something we should be proud of and something that was absolutely an advantage for us.

Pretty much back to back to back outstanding black QBs. It was one of our calling cards during a really good period of our program. It was a key factor in having a really good period of our program. You're right we should be proud of that fact. Those days are gone - which of course is a good thing overall, but represents a real advantage than no longer exists for the program.

 

[longtimefan]

Pretty much back to back to back outstanding black QBs. It was one of our calling cards during a really good period of our program. It was a key factor in having a really good period of our program. You're right we should be proud of that fact. Those days are gone - which of course is a good thing overall, but represents a real advantage than no longer exists for the program.

And Kevin Mason was more than serviceable. And Dr. Keith Downing (boy could we have used him about 12 of the past 15 years) would have been very good if he had not been stuck behind McNabb.

 

[kcsu]

next year we are going to have the best stable of RB that we have had in over 10 years. I say that we go with an unbalanced line and run the sissors play about 20 times a game

 

[LSUBahrain]

Paul Johnson gets a little cranky when people say Georgia Tech's "offense" is the triple option. The triple option is a play, not an offense. GT runs the triple option maybe 40% of its plays - max. It's funny to see him respond to that question.

So anyway, the speed option is also a specific play, and it's not the triple option (which requires two backs in the backfield, whereas the speed option is usually run out of a one-back set). It's designed to force the DE to choose between the QB and the RB, and almost always results in a backwards pitch or sometimes a lateral pitch. A forward pitch would be tough because the DE would be in position to snag the ball.

Here's some cut-ups of what it looks like, for any that aren't familiar with it:

 

[OttoinGrotto]

That low hanging racism fruit was a major advantage to SU back then. One that, thankfully, we won't see again. We still have something unique - the Dome. We need explosive WRs and a guy who can get it to them (Dungey - fingers crossed). High flying offense and risk taking defense = crowds = noise = top 25.

Toga gets it.

 

[Toga]

Toga gets it.

Post of the year.

 

[retro44]

Post of the year.

 

[OrangePA]

It's not all that debatable that the vast majority of black athletes who could have been very successful college QBs were instead played at other positions. Most of those who ended up playing QB were recruited by most schools to not play QB. There were exceptions, but that's just what they were, exceptions. SU was a pioneer in this regard, it is something we should be proud of and something that was absolutely an advantage for us.

Again, that's the conventional wisdom.

Do you have any data?

 

[OrangePA]

did they ever throw the ball?

plenty of schools back then would let a black qb run around but the racist stupidity of can blacks be passers was everywhere

I think Vince Evans and Jimmy Jones at USC threw the ball a bit for Coach McKay.

 

[SWC75]

I read an article on Syracuse.com indicating that Hunt is progressing with the speed option series.

A recurring theme on this board has been the need to employ a wide open passing offense to take advantage of the indoor playing environment afforded by the Dome.

It seems interesting that so many SU offensive coaches have ultimately reverted to the option.

Maloney did it. Mac did it. Pasqualoni did it and now Shafer is doing it. Robinson didn't do it and Marrone didn't do it - though in 2012 he did incorporate some hurry up read option. But the general trend at SU has been to use some form of the option.

Firstly, the option can often exploit the holes in the defense that passing can open up. They are far from mutually exclusive and the modern spread offenses use both. It's often pointed out that teams like Oregon and Baylor run the ball a lot more than we think they do. But it's not Ohio State/Alabama type downhill running: it's runs to the gaps the passing game has opened up. When you're not a football factory, you need an edge and a scheme that puts the defense at a disadvantage can be that edge you need. A combination of passing and the option as a weapon rather than your bread and butter- the dagger rather than the sword- can do that.

Secondly, the argument is circular: the coaches decided not to do something so that must have been the right decision. I realize that Frank Maloney, Dick MacPherson, Paul Pasqualoni and Scott Shafer know more football than the fans do but so do/did Glenn and Bobby Dobbs, Don Coryell, LaVell Edwards, Mouse Davis, Steve Spurrier, John Jenkins, Joe Tiller, Mike Leach, June Jones, Chris Peterson, Skip Kelly, Art Bryles, Kevin Sumlin, etc. etc., all of whom would have looked at the Carrier Dome and seen a paradise for the kind of offense they wanted to run. And the logic that if we ran such an offense, players from all over the country would come her to play in that offense and in the Dome is impeccable. That's exactly what happened at the places they coached, none of whom had a facility so obviously friendly to their concepts as the Dome.

That said, I think our current personnel is more conducive to a running than a passing game, although that might change in the coming seasons, and I believe you should coach to the talent you have. George MacDonald tried to run a hurry-up passing attack with personnel who couldn't run it and the result was disastrous. Let's win and then recruit the guys we need for what we really want to do. I have a feeling when Dungy takes over and he's got Ismael, Estime, Custis, Eniocy and others to throw to, the passing game is going to become paramount in the Dome- finally.