Johnson's Spread Option Passing Attack

[beej67]

It still boggles my mind, that we can’t get a QB that can hit half of his passes.

That's really not fair. If you put a 65% completion QB from another team into our offense and only called our passing plays they wouldn't hit 65%. A lot of QB completion percentages nationwide are inflated by screens and dumps.

 

[TampaBayJacket]

What you are saying is our coaching and our system in general is fine, but we just don't have a team that is talented enough to execute.

Not exactly. I'm saying its a talent issue. You cant teach someone to suddenly have long arms and an athletic tuck, two requirements for dominating pass pro. Our guys look more like meat grinder, drive block or cut block body types. Quick off the ball and light on their feet but not complete linemen that would work in any system.

 

[bravejason]

Pass protection has been better lately? If Taquan was not incredibly mobile, he would have died on the football field last year. We would have had 1000 yards passing and -1500 yards in sacks.

It’s a relative thing. Before, the DL was in the backfield about the same time as the QB received the snap. Now the DL doesn’t get there until QB completes his drop. I’m exaggerating, of course, but it was better. Note that better does not mean good enough. The pass blocking still needs improvement.

 

[bravejason]

You can blame player execution but really it's personnel. Our OL just arent the type of guys passing teams want but they are good in our system. I guess everybody wants the 4/5-star huge+super athletic linemen that would work in any system, but the guys we get seem best suited for our system at the sacrifice of perhaps the pass-pro body type.

I’m not sure that body type has that much to do with it. I’d say that talent, execution, and coaching are far more important, though I don’t know how much each of those is responsible for the current state of pass blocking competency.

 

[RamblinWreck92]

Not exactly. I'm saying its a talent issue. You cant teach someone to suddenly have long arms and an athletic tuck, two requirements for dominating pass pro. Our guys look more like meat grinder, drive block or cut block body types. Quick off the ball and light on their feet but not complete linemen that would work in any system.

yep - guys that fit in better to Navy's scheme or GSU's scheme - not really P5 guys.

 

[GTRules]

What you are saying is our coaching and our system in general is fine, but we just don't have a team that is talented enough to execute.

Hey asshole. Thanks for getting that Norwegian Wood song stuck in my head.

 

[cyclejacket]

Hey asshole. Thanks for getting that Norwegian Wood song stuck in my head.

Should be preferable to seeing Norwegian wood stuck in your wife.

 

[GTRules]

Should be preferable to seeing Norwegian wood stuck in your wife.

Meh, ain’t worried. He wouldn’t be going deep anyway.

 

[cincyjacket]

Seems like we should be able to at least add a rollout pass to the Triple O to hit the receiver who bumps and releases on the side of the rollout.

 

[samsgt02]

Seems like we should be able to at least add a rollout pass to the Triple O to hit the receiver who bumps and releases on the side of the rollout.

Just remember, on roll out passes you can’t have anyone downfield blocking. I’m sure opposing safeties are taught to look at how we’re firing off the line.

I do like our QB draw play in obvious passing situations. But it only usually works once per game for a big gain.

 

[beej67]

Seems like we should be able to at least add a rollout pass to the Triple O to hit the receiver who bumps and releases on the side of the rollout.

We've used this before, and it's worked well. VT 2014 had some rollout stuff in it that was literally a 1 man route. (maybe 2 tops) Worked great, with a run-pass-option built into it.

But yeah, have to watch very closely for ineligible downfield on those plays.

 

[GSUsTALON]

A lot of it has to do with scheme. CPJ likes to swing for fences in the passing game, so the completion percentage is always going to be low. That said, I agree we ought to complete at least 50%. Keep in mind the QB is only part of the problem. The OL has to block and the receivers have to run good routes. Both of the later have been issues in the past.

A very good dual threat QB is surly needed at GT, but your right, the O line has to block and ALL wide outs & backs need to do their part as receivers.
Most of your passing is done through a roll out play action scheme.

The reason I originally posted the last 4 minutes of the 1985 GSU National Championship game , used in 1986 also, is to show that PJ had a Run & Shoot package for Tracy Ham and his 85 & 86 Spread Option offense.

** Again, its my hope that GT can achieve the same running and passing attack in the next few years. I would really like to see the passing game threaten the opponents defense to the point that it acts like a can opener for the running game against the opponent’s defense and allow GTs running game to run wild.



[CM1]

 

[GSUsTALON]

A lot of it has to do with scheme. CPJ likes to swing for fences in the passing game, so the completion percentage is always going to be low. That said, I agree we ought to complete at least 50%. Keep in mind the QB is only part of the problem. The OL has to block and the receivers have to run good routes. Both of the later have been issues in the past.

bravejason
Yes, the wideouts streak rout have always been a great part in an option teams passing attack.
Still the B & A backs need to play more of a part.

 

[GSUsTALON]

Anyone watch the video? Notice how the offense used standard splits between the offensive linemen? I can understand how our current splits are much better for the running game, but clearly they are a disadvantage in our passing game. Maybe CPJ eventually decided he had to make a choice, and he chose run.

In that game GSU's ground game was stymied in the first half by Furman's defense. The move to the Run & Shoot attack HAD to be used. We were lucky that our QB and Offense had the ability to run it. GSU still had the QB and Fullback running plays to use as the Linebackers started to drop back.

 

[GSUsTALON]

Need a qb, receivers, and enough practice time to learn it.

The practice time is a problem I think. The R&S and the 3O both take a lot of practice.

I agree that any additional passing game outside the T-Option's play action does take extra time.
I will say however that a Very Basic Run & Shoot package can be done.

 

[GSUsTALON]

Glenn Tiger Ellison of the Run & shoot concept of Passing attack.
http://pistoltripleoptionfootball.com/glenn-tiger-ellison-greatest-innovator-football-history/




Ted Seay's opinion , but not a true Run & Shoot package
"Many coaches are interested in adopting the Spread Option attack first popularized by Coach Erskine "Erk" Russell & Paul Johnson at Georgia Southern University. The fact that one variation of Coach Russell's formation is identical with the Run-and-Shoot Spread formation first developed by Coach Glenn "Tiger" Ellison has led some pioneers to combine the two attacks. The potential benefits are great. Defending the Triple Option requires disciplined "assignment football" by the defense, while stopping the Run andShoot's quick passing game puts a very different set of demands on defenders -the offense has the ability to control the ball with the pass, yet one slip and the defense gives up six points."

http://www.playbookexchange.net/playbooks/Offense/01020301-SpreadOption.pdf