The triple option. No, not 1995 Nebraska triple option, the more modern, spread type.
Line up with two backs like this:
Now that is explosiveness. Two speedy, tough runners, a WR playing TE and whichever two WRs we want on the field. Everybody is a threat. Plus, by playing Finley in the slot, we have an excellent blocker out there to use in a couple ways.
This is the option I'm talking about. McGee gets the dive, or zone, or whatever play you want to run here. He is a decisive, strong runner who can handle running between the tackles. We also don't need to waste a spot on a fullback, using it instead on someone who can hit a homerun on occasion. Knowing that, the end will likely want to pinch down and make Colt keep the ball. Colt reads the end and does so.
But alas! He is not alone anymore. Now instead of having Colt try his hand at running into Big 12 LBs, he can pitch to one of the fastest players in the country in space. It's basically a zone read with a trailing option. A&M does it really well, WVU does it really well, pretty much any run based shotgun team worth a damn runs it. We don't. I don't know why. It puts the pressure on the backside of the defense that we have been missing. It also gives us the numbers advantage the defense usually has. We have 5 blockers, two fake runners and a runner. That's 8 people to worry about for a 7 man front. And if they are really concerned with Charles and Colt, we hit them with McGee right up the gut:
Now McGee can find space and cut upfield, which is what he does really well. This picture really illustrates what it is this play creates: a 3 on 2 on the edge. We have three options, and they only have two guys to stop it; the linebacker and the end. And if they want to bring an 8th man in the box, not only do we now have one on one matchups outside, but on run downs it lends really well to our WR screen that we run:
Two plays to complement what we already do, put our best players in positions to run and put pressure on the defense. It's one tiny change that would take us from stagnant to fairly powerful again in the run game.
"DON'T LISTEN TO HIM!"No, really Evil Greg. It will help us because we can move away from just running the zone play that teams have caught on to and are shutting down. We can once again hit the backside of a defense with speed instead of Colt's plodding ass.
"You are right, my son."
Thanks, Angel Greg. I knew you'd listen.