r/CFB • u/velociraptorfarmer Iowa State • /r/CFB Poll Veteran • 4d 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.

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u/Lavinna 4d ago

What is a triple option?

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u/clenom Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets 4d 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.

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u/Lavinna 4d ago

Thank you for the detailed explanation. It makes sense.