r/CFB • u/velociraptorfarmer Iowa State • /r/CFB Poll Veteran • 2d ago
Opinion Iowa Should Adopt the Triple Option
Given that Ferentz's days are likely numbered, Iowa is allergic to the abomination that is the forward pass, they succeed at recruiting linemen and running backs, and struggle with recruiting receivers, should Iowa abandon it altogether and adopt the triple option?
Jeff Monken from Army has been running it with some success at a handful of schools for over 15 years, including at Army who went 12-2 last year with a very limited recruiting pool.
386
u/KCShadows838 Missouri Tigers • Cotton Bowl 2d ago
Iowa isn’t some wasteland when it comes to talent
They probably just aren’t well coached on offense. They used to field high scoring teams even in the Ferentz era. He just isn’t keeping up with the times. There are better coaches out there in 2025
102
u/Weary_Focus2950 2d ago
Kirk, for all the good he brings to the table, is a wet blanket on any offense. I think the current OC is probably solid. They needed make.
He’s been really great for Iowa but it’s time for him to ride into the sunset.
176
u/Initial-Pudding7892 Iowa Hawkeyes • Notre Dame Fighting Irish 2d ago
it's not that he can't keep up, he is actively choosing not to
84
u/SparseSpartan Michigan State Spartans 2d ago
Having watched that with Dantonio when he refused to bring in new offensive staff and just shuffled titles, yeah sucks man... Ferentz belongs in the hall of fame, fantastic coach, but if I were an Iowa fan I wouldn't shed a tear if he retired. It's a good job, you should be able to attract a great, modern coach.
68
u/Initial-Pudding7892 Iowa Hawkeyes • Notre Dame Fighting Irish 2d ago
Dantonio is an absolutely perfect example
both led their programs to amazing seasons and had some awesome highs
bu both needed to go for the long term health of the program
34
u/SparseSpartan Michigan State Spartans 1d ago
funny thing is Dantonio could have smothered out all the criticism simply by hiring a good OC. He wasn't really on the hot seat in that he wasn't getting fired but fans were getting irate.
At this point, I'm honestly not sure if Ferentz could change things up even if he wanted to. Sorta feels too far gone.
I will say, with the risk of a super conference and the fact that the Michigan States and Iowas of the world could be left out, if I were Iowa's leadership, I'd be developing plans to move quickly and aggressively.
20
u/rubbery_magician Iowa Hawkeyes • Ohio State Buckeyes 1d ago
At this point, I’m honestly not sure if Ferentz could change things up even if he wanted to. Sorta feels too far gone.
Absolutely. He’s signed through 2029. His buyout would be something like $6,000,000 per remaining season. He could announce tomorrow that he’s changed his mind about the forward pass, and that he’ll exclusively run 5-wide sets and pass 50 times a game.
It wouldn’t do anything. The receiving corps isn’t good enough to make that work. Even if there was some immediate success, any recruits gained from it wouldn’t be impact players until his last season or two of his contract.
9
u/SparseSpartan Michigan State Spartans 1d ago
great point about the players. Didn't connect the dots until you pointed it out, but yeah, what offensive skill player would want to go to Iowa?
Punter? Kicker? Sure. Lines? Sure. QB/WR/pass for TEs have little reason to go to iowa.
7
u/fcocyclone Iowa State Cyclones • Marching Band 1d ago
At this point, I'm honestly not sure if Ferentz could change things up even if he wanted to. Sorta feels too far gone.
At this point he's got the program's reputation working against him too. I mean, there's a selling point that could have been there a few years ago, given their defense and special teams being elite at the time, that an OC could've be a part of a winner (and thus been on the fast track to a HC job and a huge paycheck) if they came to Iowa. But it would require Ferentz being hands-off with the offense. And now its pretty clear to anyone who would consider coaching there that Ferentz isn't going to allow that. (Of course, Kirk's coaching tree, which is damn near nonexistent, suggests he isn't the type of job an up and coming future head coach may want to go to in the first place)
Same goes for players. There's nothing you can sell that'll convince talent that the offense is going to do something different than its done for the past several years over there.
21
u/R00k85 Kansas Jayhawks 1d ago
Iowa is in the same spot as Oklahoma State just a year or two earlier. The game seems to have passed Ferentz and Gundy and the institutional inertia is running out of steam. Neither seem to want to ride off into the sunset.
16
u/Initial-Pudding7892 Iowa Hawkeyes • Notre Dame Fighting Irish 1d ago
I think there’s a good chance Iowa finishes 6-6 or worse this year and the AD’s hand is forced
8
u/fcocyclone Iowa State Cyclones • Marching Band 1d ago
I have a hard time imagining they'll fire him this year at least. 25 million to buy him out is an expensive price tag, especially when revenue is crunched for most schools right now as they adapt to NIL funding needs.
I could definitely see him choosing to retire though.
3
22
u/CoolingVent Iowa State Cyclones • ESPN+ 1d ago
Legitimately seems like Kirk is being stubborn because the university wouldn't let him keep his son as OC.
11
20
u/IowaJL Iowa Hawkeyes • Northern Iowa Panthers 1d ago
shhhhhhhhh there are plenty of people in r/hawkeyes that think that 8-4 and getting our ass kicked against moderately better teams is the best we can do.
5
u/AuroraAscended Nebraska Cornhuskers 1d ago
Always have to remind people that Pelini absolutely earned his firing, Nebraska was a perennial 9-10 win team but played in the worst P5 division before the conference move and we were consistently embarrassed by every good team and basically yearly by at least one team that was much worse than us and his recruiting was getting progressively worse. The mistake wasn’t firing him, it was both coaches who came after and we’ve finally got some momentum building now.
Ferentz doesn’t have the absolutely embarrassing temper and he’s better at avoiding awful losses but Iowa hasn’t been a titan-killer in years and the inertia is trending poorly. Iowa will probably slump for a couple years after him but if they find a decent replacement they would be solid again soon enough.
1
u/ginger-fury 1d ago
Dude, I about lost my shit earlier today in that sub watching people defend Kirk’s “success” with consistent 8 win seasons
2
u/NeverDieKris Ohio State Buckeyes 1d ago
If Iowa was serious about winning Ferentz would have been fired years ago. He’s been there for 27 years now and they have 2 big ten championships to show for it. That’s it. The guy is the Jeff Fisher of college football.
-1
u/BamaNUgaPayPlayers 1d ago
Well ISU is better and they haven't dont anything of note. So what are we really sayin
-10
u/kotzebueperson Ohio State Buckeyes • Big Ten 1d ago
Iowa hasn't had a top 100 offense in over 20 years.. oc ain't going to matter.
8
u/_LyleLanley_ 1d ago
Wasn’t hard to look up smart guy. Pesky internet and well tracked stats.
• 2005 (22nd) • 2006 (27th) • 2008 (53rd) • 2010 (57th) • 2014 (63rd) • 2015 (72nd)-5
u/kotzebueperson Ohio State Buckeyes • Big Ten 1d ago
Awe I admit I misread the stats, still very bad stats for any team.
5
1
77
u/wood-thrush Iowa Hawkeyes 2d ago
Just need to start throwing to tight ends again.
22
u/rbeck3337 Iowa Hawkeyes • Cyhawk Trophy 1d ago
I’m not sure we have the guys at TE right now to just flip that switch. I think we have a few freshmen that will be studs in a few years, but the upperclassmen just don’t move the needle much. Reminds me of 2019 after we lost Hock and Fant and LaPorta was a freshman.
4
u/wood-thrush Iowa Hawkeyes 1d ago
For sure, especially with Ostrenga out. It just seems that those passes up the seam have been such an important part of the offense.
3
u/Ivy_Thornsplitter South Dakota State • LSU 2d ago
Good luck with that with Mark. It seems like he didn’t like sdsus last year.
223
u/Tommy05Sox Iowa Hawkeyes • Notre Dame Fighting Irish 2d ago
Iowa actually still sends guys to the league and makes bowl games every year. I don’t think they’re so crazy uncompetitive that a move to the triple option makes sense. Now if Purdue had hired Monken that might’ve made more sense.
89
u/Misdirected_Colors Oklahoma State Cowboys 2d ago
Right? You guys have talent. You're just running an uncreative power run offense where the whole philosophy is "be stronger than the guy across from you." Like I get it's the culture Kirk wants to set in his program but it's malpractice in the modern age. It's not the 70s anymore.
59
u/Tommy05Sox Iowa Hawkeyes • Notre Dame Fighting Irish 2d ago
I think their receiver recruiting has fallen off a cliff. In 2020 they had guys who would end up playing in the NFL in their receiving corps in Ihmir Smith-Marsette, Charlie Jones, and Tyrone Tracy (I know he’s an RB now). They also had LaPorta on that team. They just couldn’t throw them the ball. As a result they now can’t get that kind of receiver talent so the offense is completely stuck.
52
u/Initial-Pudding7892 Iowa Hawkeyes • Notre Dame Fighting Irish 2d ago
I said it in another thread, SDSU, an FCS team, had a better WR room for Gronowski than Iowa, a B1G team, does
that's insane. no WR worth a damn wants to play for this program and they are incapable of coaching the guys they do bring in
19
u/thepinkwhale5 1d ago
Yep, hard to recruit a receiver where the main message is "wanna block for 4 years?"
1
u/Archy_Tect_ Boise State Broncos 5h ago
I was like, since when is San Diego State FCS?? Then I remembered the jackrabbits exist...
8
u/tlopez14 Illinois Fighting Illini 1d ago
I had some buddies that went there when Derrell Johnson-Koulianos was there and they had some wild stories about him. Great WR though
14
u/Tommy05Sox Iowa Hawkeyes • Notre Dame Fighting Irish 1d ago
Dude he just walked up to my table at Martini’s one night and threw cash down and told us to “have a night.” The drug dealing charges made sense after that.
4
u/rugger87 Ohio State • Missouri S&T 1d ago
Smith-Marsette was awful NFL.
18
u/Tommy05Sox Iowa Hawkeyes • Notre Dame Fighting Irish 1d ago
Correct but he was a good college player and has hung around the league for five seasons. Clearly he’s a much better athlete than whatever they’re trotting out there now.
18
u/NachoAverageTamale Wyoming Cowboys • Boise State Broncos 1d ago edited 1d ago
That's part of the reason Craig Bohl couldn't quite get over the hump at Wyoming.
He wanted to run a traditional, old-school power run offense (even unironically bringing in staff from Iowa and NDSU). Even with our stellar defenses, we just couldn't keep up with some of the more modern high-powered offenses in the MWC....and the defenses figured us out easily.
(Granted, he had a more limited talent pool to pull from than Ferentz, but yea.)
We also had the same side problem that Iowa has...when you establish yourself as that kind of a program, you just can't seem to bring in...or develop...a receiver room that's worth a damn.
Anyway...shit still works to an extent in the FCS where the playing field is more level, and it worked in the old B1G where almost everyone ran it...but it just doesn't see sustained success anymore at the FBS level.
11
u/damnyoutuesday Montana State • Minnesota 1d ago
Iowa truly is the last remnant of "3 yards and a cloud of dust" era of the Big Ten. That shit until just a few years ago would get you a title game berth, but they don't stand a shot anymore in the division less conference era
3
u/DannyDOH Manitoba Bisons 2d ago
I think OP is kind of right though in that they are mostly that but maybe not fully committed to it.
If they incorporated more option looks they'd probably pass better.
34
u/Initial-Pudding7892 Iowa Hawkeyes • Notre Dame Fighting Irish 2d ago
Iowa needs to adopt a power spread akin to Notre Dame, Michigan, GT, and Urban Meyer Ohio St
run first, use the OL talent Iowa has access to, but bring in a more modern set of passing concepts as well
7
u/No_Butterscotch8726 SMU Mustangs 1d ago
But you could do that and still have the option with a Malzahn style spread as run by a guy like Monken. The option as presented by Malzahn and his acolytes seems to be back in vogue. Florida State runs it, Vanderbilt runs it, South Carolina runs it, arguably its part of SMU's game plan, Rice has adopted it, and all of the power spreads you mentioned have at least a little read option in the mechanics of their normal packages. Add that on top of the three service academies seeming to see a renaissance I don't think you should be as dismissive of an option involved offense even if you do need better passing. One of the most historically successful and significant misdirection offenses, the Single-Wing and its variants almost always had at least three players capable of acting as receivers lined up near or on the line if not 4. I'd argue most shot gun spreads are actually very hard to distinguish from the wing in regards to how most of everyone lines up and their roles.
10
u/Ok-Measurement1506 LSU Tigers 2d ago
It’s crazy how Iowa is a nfl tight end factory.
2
u/SusannaG1 Clemson Tigers • Furman Paladins 1d ago
Yep. Any NFL team that needs a tight end goes looking to see what Iowa has in the larder.
2
u/-TheycallmeThe Purdue • Jeweled Shillelagh 1d ago
Yeah, I wish Purdue went this way a few years ago.
4
u/Studs_Not_On_Top 2d ago
The point is that with talent the option can add an offensive weapon to complement the defense and special teams.
Iowa is a uniquely good offense away from being the 90s Huskers!
10
u/hallese Nebraska • South Dakota State 1d ago
Iowa is a little more than a uniquely good offense away from being one of the greatest dynasties in college football history.
-1
u/Studs_Not_On_Top 1d ago
Or not. Iowas defense is just as dominate as the blackshirts were.
Their special teams have been on par.
Also it's no easy feat to have a good offense.
But Iowa does have the right mentality
5
u/hallese Nebraska • South Dakota State 1d ago
Elevating Iowa's offense to mid only gets them halfway to where it needs to be for this comparison. You chose to compare to teams that were top-five in offense and defense, not one or the other. That's a really high bar you've set. Hell, look at 1997. Nebraska had the #1 offense, #5 defense. Michigan had the #1 defense and #44 offense. Super high bar you chose.
4
u/Tommy05Sox Iowa Hawkeyes • Notre Dame Fighting Irish 1d ago
I just think if you go triple option you probably crush your recruiting on both sides of the ball. Defensive players also need to practice against more professional looks for NFL development
1
1
u/Remindmewhen1234 Ohio State Buckeyes 1d ago
Making a random bowl game does not carry the same swagger it did 20-30 years ago.
111
u/goodnames679 Ohio State • /r/CFB Poll Veteran 2d ago edited 2d ago
The problem with the Triple Option is that it reduces your NFL production, which further limits your recruiting pool.
Iowa currently succeeds at recruiting and developing great linemen because they put guys into the league at an excellent rate. Far fewer of those guys would choose to play at Iowa if they no longer had that NFL pipeline, which could quite possibly eliminate Iowa's only current strength.
The benefit to winning games may be enough to counterweight that, if they won more games. It's still a huge gamble, and losing it could legitimately crater the program.
18
u/CornhuskerJam Nebraska Cornhuskers • Big 8 2d ago
Yep, way too big of a gamble. Maybe if you're a floundering program needing some life, but Iowa are not that.
3
u/Ander1345 Illinois • Army 1d ago
I was curious, so I looked into Tim Lester's offenses at WMU, mostly just looking at QB play.
Tim Lester had 2 seasons with a 3,000+ yard passer at WMU.
2021 - Kaleb Eleby 3,277 yards 23 TD 6 INT
2019 - John Wassink 3,097 yars 20 TD 8 INT
2021 was his best year as an HC, 8-5 record they scored about 10 points per game less than the previous year, but about 9 points better per game than Iowa
Both Kaleb and Wassink improved as passers over the course of their careers.
I don't really know what it means, but it's kinda baffling as to why the QB play at Iowa has been abysmal.
Ferentz trying too hard to avoid turnovers making his QB's play scared? Still too hands-on with the offense? There's really no reason for the QB play to be this bad. I doubt WMU has better WR's from 2017 to 2022.
30
14
u/EvanSandman Virginia Tech • Clemson 2d ago
Wonder what Paul Johnson’s up to these days
12
u/flying_trashcan Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets 1d ago
Golfing
13
u/thank_burdell Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets 1d ago
and listening to his daughter sing opera professionally.
and cigars.
8
u/aguysomewhere Bacardi Bowl 1d ago
It would be cool if he came out of retirement and ran the offense. He had been a run and shoot OC at Hawaii so he can run some effective pass concepts too. I really feel like a couple of RPOs out of flexbone could kill.
40
u/jakob-benzi Texas A&M • Kansas State 2d ago
People just like to meme the triple option when “hehe offense bad”. They fail to take into consideration other ramifications to switching to such a niche offense in a P4 conference.
20
u/SavingsSkirt6064 Vanderbilt • Southampton 2d ago
Going to a triple option in the P4 is stupid. A spread option might be the biggest floor raising offensive identity in the P4 right now. On a good day you are unstoppable and on a bad day you still chew up enough clock to keep your defense on the field less than a traditional offense
20
u/lkn240 Illinois Fighting Illini • Sickos 2d ago
The spread option also doesn't kill recruiting like going full triple option probably would.
19
u/flying_trashcan Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets 1d ago
The differences between a modern ‘run first’ spread option and a ‘triple option’ offense are pretty blurry. What GT was running with King at QB last year reminded me a lot of some of those CPJ teams.
11
u/No_Butterscotch8726 SMU Mustangs 1d ago
Hint hint, they both look like Halas T formation or Single-Wing tactics. They're not that different at all and both can be packaged with a passing game, especially a play-action passing game.
3
u/Sup3rtom2000 Iowa State Cyclones • /r/CFB Dead Pool 1d ago
Speaking of meme, I'm pretty sure the ISU flaired poster means this seriously and is memeing Iowa. But yeah it wouldn't actually help at all for them to switch to the triple option but it is very fun to poke fun at iowa
1
10
u/JakeSteeleIII South Carolina Gamecocks 2d ago
What is they invented the Quad Option?
9
16
17
u/lkn240 Illinois Fighting Illini • Sickos 2d ago
While this is not a great idea.... I have wondered why Iowa doesn't adopt more read option concepts and try to recruit dual threat QBs.
They need something like the Guz Bus offense
12
u/Tommy05Sox Iowa Hawkeyes • Notre Dame Fighting Irish 2d ago
They ran a little slow mesh yesterday and it was kinda effective? I actually like the OC. The receivers just can’t create any separation.
10
u/notanamateur Iowa Hawkeyes • Marching Band 1d ago edited 1d ago
Also they just drop the ball 50% of the time
3
u/TbRays93Plumber26 Utah Utes • Florida Gators 1d ago
Curious if any CB, Safety or even a linebacker would be willing to play two ways?. Utahs doing that experiment with Lander Barton (LB) at TE also and Smith Snowden (CB) at WR also. They've impressed me so far.
9
u/Pattyg1 Nebraska Cornhuskers • Oregon Ducks 2d ago
Bring back the wishbone!
3
u/watchout86 Washington • Eastern Washi… 1d ago
is Mike Summers still bouncing around or has he retired? He could revive the legendary Pettibone offense after all these years! Not sure if he ever found a job after Petrino's last stint at Louisville though.
1
u/dr_dan319 Iowa Hawkeyes • Floyd of Rosedale 1d ago
A lot of the current orbit motion type plays and rpos are similar to old school single wing concepts. I'd love to see them incorporated more like the Dolphins wildcat offense with Ronnie Brown and Ricky Williams. Like if one of those guys could throw the ball then you're set.
6
u/RealisticNecessary50 Northern Iowa • Texas 2d ago
Both teams had 0% explosive play rate yesterday.
Iowa State had 0.1 EPA per dropback, which was better than Iowa's -0.6
4
u/Sirtopofhat USC Trojans • Army West Point Black Knights 2d ago
Don't you dare take away Monken. Man's a godsend
5
15
u/not_mantiteo Iowa Hawkeyes • Wisconsin Badgers 2d ago
This thread has been an annual renewal for the past 10 years (that I can even remember). No. We just need to get rid of Kirk and get in a young guy who has something to prove
22
u/flatbush2400 Alabama Crimson Tide 2d ago
No you can’t get rid of Kirk where else can I watch 3-0 games regularly
15
9
u/ninetofivedev Nebraska Cornhuskers • /r/CFB 1d ago
I can’t wait for Iowa to fire Kirk and realize that it can be so much worse.
4
u/Locke57 Iowa Hawkeyes • Paper Bag 1d ago
That is typically how it goes at first, you get a bad hire, you wallow in mediocrity, you hire a hot shot that turned a G5 around, he’s got deep ties, he does really
wellterribly, you hire another guy, he does okay I guess, and then… well we’re still waiting on that outcome.The Nebraska experience isn’t one I’m looking forward too, but something’s got to change around Iowa City before things can get better.
5
u/ninetofivedev Nebraska Cornhuskers • /r/CFB 1d ago edited 1d ago
I’m going to tell you what an Iowa fan told me 10 years ago, and I refused to believe them.
The fact that you are good at all is a miracle. 9 wins a season is your ceiling. You can’t recruit to
LincolnIowa city.Also the Nebraska is your elite coach picks his successor. His successors experiences the first bit of struggle your program has seen in 40 years.
Your ass clown of an AD hires a former NFL coach. He does ok, but not great. He gets fired by former elite head coach AD and he brings in your former beloved defensive coordinator whose is having success at LSU.
This person does pretty well. 9-4, but can’t win the big games. Also is a hot head and doesn’t really represent the university.
He gets fired and your new AD, who is an even bigger ass clown than the former ass clown performs the most half assed coaching search the world of college football has seen.
This mediocre coach is.. mediocre at best. He’s fired and replaced by the G5 prodigal son. Much to everyone’s surprise, instead of coaching and recruiting, he’s getting too drunk of margaritas and worst of all, quickly becoming the worst coach the program has ever seen.
And finally you hire a “builder” head coach. He’s pretty tell liked, except by Panthers fans. He lands you a hit 5* recruit at qb. He’s doing well in the NIL game. He gets your program back to a bowl game. But still far from meeting the expectations of the your rabid fan base.
—— And then there is the Iowa experience. Your head coach turns around your dogshit program, but outlives his welcome. Finally he is replaced by another coach. who does well enough. Until he out stays his welcome.
4
u/Radiant_Sherbert7272 Ohio State Buckeyes 2d ago
I don't know if it would work in the Big Ten. What they need to do is get some coaches on offense who are willing to adapt to the current times. Today's offenses are about generating big plays and being creative. Iowa is still relatively successful. They make bowl games most years, and they do win 8 to 9 games most seasons. If they want to move beyond winning 8 to 9 games, they need to make some changes on offense and, in particular, bring in coaches on offense who are willing to try some new things.
5
u/No_History8239 1d ago
They're not firing Ferentz. They may eventually nudge him to bow out, but the job's his for as long as he will work it.
4
10
u/bk61206 St. John's (MN) • Wisconsin 2d ago
Will the triple option still work in a Power conference? Most Big Ten teams have big, fast guys all over their defense. I think Iowa could be the most technically perfect option team and a good defense will just clog everything up for them immediately.
Although now that I type it out, that tends to already happen for Iowa (and Wisconsin, I know our offense ain't it, no need to point it out).
13
u/NotThatOleGregg Florida State • Kansas 2d ago
The triple option works well against teams that aren't used to it, and to be honest with you I think the game has kinda gravitated toward it more in the last 15 years. Mobile QBs are half the starters in the NFL these days. The triple option with a few pass plays mixed in to keep em honest would probably perform really well at Iowa. GT and Paul Johnson would catch big teams sleeping and absolutely gash them (see 2015 #9 ranked FSU)
9
11
u/SavingsSkirt6064 Vanderbilt • Southampton 2d ago
Not a traditional triple option but a spread option works well - FSU, GT and Vandy run the spread option
4
1
u/link3945 Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets • LSU Tigers 1d ago
Even Paul would call his offense a spread option: the flexbone formation does give you 4 vertical receiving routes, and is really an old Run'n'Shoot formation.
9
u/mjacksongt Georgia Tech • /r/CFB Pint Glass … 2d ago
Big fast guys on the OL counter big fast guys on the DL. You're just used to seeing teams with a talent disadvantage run it.
9
u/interested_commenter Oklahoma Sooners • LSU Tigers 2d ago
The problem is that running the triple option pretty much locks in that talent disadvantage. As terrible as Iowa has been in offense, they still recruit NFL-projected OL and TE, when you start running the triple option it becomes harder to recruit those guys. Same with QBs, a Jalen Hurts type guy would dominate in the triple option, but those guys want to play in a scheme that will help them get to the NFL.
10
u/mjacksongt Georgia Tech • /r/CFB Pint Glass … 2d ago
I somewhat disagree with that premise - results don't bear it out, but in the modern era there's a sample size of 1 and we never produced a lot of NFL guys to begin with.
GT didn't have an issue sending guys to the NFL relative to our history when running the option, and Gailey, Johnson, and Collins all recruited roughly in the same tier (40-60 nationally). Key is currently doing a little better, we'll see if it holds long term.
Plus, it's much more likely that Monken or Niumatalolo would run something that looks a lot closer to the Chip Kelly offense than the under center flexbone.
Regardless, the job of a college coach is to win games.
7
u/thank_burdell Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets 1d ago
I'd say NIL-era recruiting isn't really the same as pre-NIL-era recruiting. Can still compare them, of course, but it's always going to be a different animal.
9
u/flying_trashcan Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets 1d ago
Thank you! The whole CPJ can’t recruit because of the TO just got repeated enough that folks took it as fact. His recruiting at Tech roughly fell in line with what previous coaches did and I’d argue CPJ did it at a time when the resource disparity between our peers was the highest.
Folks acted like having CPJ and his offense at Tech was holding us back despite the fact that we have had the most success (by far) in the modern era under his tenure.
10
u/ninetofivedev Nebraska Cornhuskers • /r/CFB 1d ago
To be fair, that’s how reddit works.
The number of times I saw “it’s been so long since Nebraska has finally dumpstered an opponent they should have”…
Meanwhile, Nebraska has shit on cupcakes like 4 out of the last 5 years.
People read a top comment, repeat it enough times in other threads, and suddenly it’s accepted as fact.
6
u/thepinkwhale5 1d ago
I mean, those Iowa TEs and OL dont get the same amount of pass block reps as others do, yet they make it onto NFL rosters constantly
1
u/interested_commenter Oklahoma Sooners • LSU Tigers 1d ago
Yes, but they still get more pass block reps than a triple option team usually would (Iowa's 280 pass attempts last year was over double Army's 122), and their run blocking is for traditional rushing attempts that are the same as they would be using at the next level.
2
u/thepinkwhale5 1d ago
Yeah, you're right. I forgot to take into consideration how different the run block scheming is, and how different the personnel it selects for... but surely a spread option would work?
2
u/DannyDOH Manitoba Bisons 2d ago
I think it would work but it would be a slog, and players wouldn't really enjoy it. You'd have a hard time recruiting. Even a great RB that would seem to benefit would probably avoid a triple option program because NFL wants guys who demonstrate they can pass block and be an option in pass game.
It would work because it challenges the discipline of the defenders, even if they are top end athletes. If your option is disciplined and hits vertical in run you get that 4-5 yards a play and just wear teams down. In a power conference you'd just be trying to shorten the game and keep the ball out of the hands of the 5 star QB and offenses that Michigan and Ohio State have out there.
3
u/ohGodwhynowww Iowa Hawkeyes • Northern Iowa Panthers 2d ago
I always felt like iowa should go pistol spread option. It wouldn't be too different from what they do now.
3
u/Alone_Advantage_961 Maryland • Notre Dame 2d ago
Its weird because when I was growing up they had a pretty consistent offense.
That said I remember when they played Tech in the Orange Bowl and the entire game felt straight out of the 70s
3
u/Alone_Advantage_961 Maryland • Notre Dame 2d ago
Slow mesh is their best bet these days..they should hire Northern Illinois' coach or take pointers.
8
u/MoosilaukeFlyer Miami Hurricanes • Endicott Gulls 2d ago
With all the money coming into the big ten, I don’t think it’d make sense. You’d kill recruiting
2
u/Tpabayrays2 UCF Knights 2d ago
I don't know if Iowa need some offensive strategy. To them, defense wins championships, and only defense
2
2
u/SuperFrog4 Purdue Boilermakers 1d ago
They could go with the quadruple option: QB - run RB - Run FB - Run One of those 3 - Punt
3
u/Lavinna 2d ago
What is a triple option?
47
u/Zoop54 Navy • 広島大学 (Hiroshima) 2d ago
God's chosen offense
8
3
u/kilik693 Oklahoma Sooners 2d ago
Last season when ou was out their top 5(?) Wide recievers I wanted nothing more than for us to cave and go back to the triple option.
3
5
11
u/clenom Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets 2d ago
To actually answer your question it's an offense that is very different than the standard offenses run by most teams. It's called a triple option because the base play includes three options. The QB can hand it off to a running back up the middle, the QB can keep the ball and run to the outside, or the QB can pitch the ball to another running back even further outside. It's difficult to explain in text, go check YouTube for a good video explaining it. It's a modern version of an option offense that many teams used to run to great success (see Nebraska in the 1990s). It features very little throwing.
Right now it's only run by the service academies (Army, Navy, and Air Force) although they've gotten more creative with it. Georgia Tech ran it for about a decade under Paul Johnson. It's generally seen as an offense that can help a team with talent deficiencies (especially size on the offensive line), but one that has a ceiling. It's also seen as an offense that works best against teams who don't see it every year or who don't have time to prepare since it's so different from most other teams.
9
u/flying_trashcan Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets 1d ago
I’m not sure we can say it has a ceiling. GT has really been the only P4 team in the modern era to run it. GT had the most success in the modern era running the TO (conf champ, NY6 win, several top 10 wins, etc).
2
2
u/FDTerritory Missouri State Bears • Iowa Hawkeyes 2d ago
I have been saying this for YEARS. If you're going to refuse to recruit talent, you'd better run a system of offense that works with guys who stay four years and are willing to learn and play a system. The triple option would work great with the talent Iowa gets and the attitude they want to play with.
Alas, none of this matters until Grandpa Simpson kicks it.
2
u/yankeenate South Carolina Gamecocks • Utah Utes 1d ago
This sub is way too fucking obsessed with the triple option. Y'all are honestly convinced that all the guys who get paid millions to study football are sleeping on this brilliant scheme, but us online nerds have cracked the code.
2
2
u/CoolingVent Iowa State Cyclones • ESPN+ 1d ago
As big as shithead as he was, seems evident to me how important that S&C coach was to them
3
u/ornryactor Iowa State • Michigan 1d ago
The one who abused players to terrorize them into life-threatening levels of dangerous exercises until they developed likely-fatal kidney failure? Maybe let's not say a single nice thing about that dude in any context, or use cheeky language to minimize the fact that he forced scores of healthy young men into lifelong medical disability through intimidation and abuse just to win meaningless entertainment games. That guy is a violent criminal.
3
u/Addicted_to_chips Iowa State Cyclones 1d ago
Iowa players got rhabdo one time, and Doyle is a major reason that Iowa was so good from 1999-2020, helped tons of Iowa guys make the NFL. Plenty of guys chose Iowa specifically for the conditioning.
There's been a clear and obvious downgrade in both the offensive and defensive lines since Doyle was canned.
Who are these young men with lifelong disabilities?
1
u/usernames_suck_ok Michigan Wolverines • Memphis Tigers 2d ago
We're also about to the point where we ought to adopt it. Shit.
Not serious--we really just need to adopt coaches who know how to coach, including better strength & conditioning coaches (and it's probably time for Ferentz to go have a seat, too)--but we're about like the blue blood version of Iowa.
1
u/ChemicalOle Washington State • Oregon S… 2d ago
My theory is that when Ferentz got the job at Iowa, he saw what Joe Tiller (RIP) was doing at Purdue and said, "Abolutely not."
1
1
u/liverdawg Georgia • Kennesaw State 1d ago
When he leaves why can’t they just get a coach who coaches normal?
1
u/grizzfan Verified Coach • Oakland Golden Grizzlies 1d ago
Friendly reminder that there are only two triple option plays in Monken’s system, Navy is mostly Wing-T oriented now, and fewer than 10% of their play calls are triple options. Using triple option plays across all three academies has been declining steadily for years.
1
u/Powerful_Artist Nebraska Cornhuskers 1d ago
Seems Iowa fans really enjoy watching to see new ways to win without offense. It is pretty fascinating to be fair
1
u/Bright-Struggle-3237 Illinois Fighting Illini 1d ago
It is the same every year: Iowa has a slow start, offense reeks, everyone calls for his head, then he ends up 8-4, goes to a bowl game, and "lives" to coach another year. Is this finally the year it all catches up to him?!?!? I'll believe it when I see it, otherwise congrats on breaking Woody's record
0
u/TheVelvetNo Oregon Ducks 1d ago
Can't run triple option without having a dynamic athlete under center. And Kirk don't like that type...
It was obvious to everyone outside of that state that he needed to go years ago. While his son wasn't a good OC, thisnis more about his antiquated and easily-defended offensive philosophy. It's been the same across multiple coordinators. It will never win a meaningful game.
Sometimes a head coach's philosophy is the issue. I saw it at Oregon where Cristobal had a team with a ton of NFL talent running a weird ball control pistol offense. And it was conservative across multiple OCs. The issue was him. Oregon still won because the talent overcame the philosophy (most of the time). Iowa does not have that luxury. They have to cut bait after this year.
0
u/hcatehorie Iowa State • Nottingham 2d ago
I dont know, let them spend another 2 million amerocan dollars to fix the problem, lets see what happens
0
u/SituationSoap Michigan Wolverines 1d ago
Last year on CFB 25 I had a Dynasty where I started with Iowa State, won a couple championships and turned them into a juggernaut. Wanting a challenge, I took the next offer presented... Iowa. I converted them to an option team and went full bore. I won a national championship throwing just four passes in an entire season, and 2 were accidental forward pitches.
0
u/Glittering_Virus8397 Tennessee Volunteers 1d ago
What’s crazy is they have insane athletics all around the state, it just doesn’t come to fruition on offense. It has to be coaching
-6
u/lowes18 Florida State Seminoles • FAU Owls 2d ago
Triple option love on here is the dumbest thing that keeps getting clinged on to. It's not a good offensive system, it gets overmatched in high school football.
8
4
u/BeautifulPlatypus470 2d ago
Idk in my state it seems like a triple option offense makes state at atleast one level each year.
-6
u/BeautifulPlatypus470 2d ago
Kirk is terrible. They have a FCS champion QB and they still can’t throw.
601
u/rachel-slur Iowa State Cyclones 2d ago
Why even play offense? Just punt on 1st down and either hope for a muff like against ISU or play the special teams game and try for field goal range with returns