Running the Option Suits Georgia Tech
Posted by GameSetMatch on October 14th, 2009
When Paul Johnson is asked about Georgia Tech’s triple-option offense, he sounds puzzled by the intrigue surrounding the scheme he has coached for some 20 years. But when lining up against that option attack, opposing defenses sometimes react with similar perplexity.
‘That offense is going to be a pain in the tail’ to defend, said Bud Foster, the defensive coordinator for No. 4 Virginia Tech (5-1, 3-0 ACC), which faces No. 19 Georgia Tech (5-1, 3-1) in Atlanta on Saturday. ‘They’re going to get yards, and they’re going to get rushing yards.’
When Johnson took over at Georgia Tech in December 2007 after five seasons leading division I-AA Georgia Southern and six seasons as the coach at Navy, the question was whether his option offense — which is often used by smaller schools to neutralize disadvantages in athleticism — would translate successfully to a Bowl Championship Series conference.
The numbers are not conclusive, but the Yellow Jackets have had offensive success and they have been winning. So far, Georgia Tech’s offense is outpacing its production from last year, ranking fourth nationally in rushing offense (277 yards per game) and 24th in total offense (426.7 yards per game). The Yellow Jackets have rushed for more than 300 yards in four games this season. In a 24-7 win over North Carolina on Sept. 26, they held the ball for 42 minutes 6 seconds.
Click here to read the full article – By Mark Viera of The Washington Post
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