The Option...

[usfgrad84]

Well, my opinion is that I certainly hope he didn't shut down something that was working effectively on purpose just to keep it under wraps for conference play. Against Stoneybrook or WKU maybe, but not against a defense as good as UF. Not against the number 2 team in the country. If you have something that would lead you to a signature win against a team like that I would ride that baby until the wheels fall off. If you have something that effective against a defense as good as the Gators defense is supposed to be I would it and then keep running it in conference play and let those guys figure out how to stop it.

Would we really want a coach here that has a mentality of well we have the tools to beat the number 2 team in the country, but we really didn't want to. We wanted to wait until later in the season before we showed what we could really do.

I highly doubt a coach of Holtz caliber would shut it down to hide it. Doesn't make any sense.

[RickUSF]

I highly doubt a coach of Holtz caliber would shut it down to hide it. Doesn't make any sense.

its crazy how much of a difference our new coaching staff is vs. our old one, isnt it?

whatever we did in the first half, i hope we keep on doing it.  only thing i would change would be less BJ running, more of the running backs running.  seems like when BJ gets tired, he becomes a bad passer with bad decisions.

[beastiebull]

Please.  If it were effective USF would not have gone away from it.  We're not stockpiling secrets.  Holtz would have done anyhting he could have to win that game.  He realized UF caught onto it and their defense is way to fast for it to be effective over the long haul. 

[Paisa el Toro]

Please.  If it were effective USF would not have gone away from it.  We're not stockpiling secrets.  Holtz would have done anyhting he could have to win that game.  He realized UF caught onto it and their defense is way to fast for it to be effective over the long haul. 

Agreed. When UF started stacking players in the box, no nifty running "trickeration" was going to fool that many fast players for too long. They forced USF to start passing, and either a lack of WR depth and/or QB turnovers did us in. I did, however, like the implementation of this variation of the option into our offense. I've always thought that with as many fast athletes as we have, it would work well to keep defenses from keying in on the offense.

[The Dude]

250 or so yards rushing.  UF stopped our running game????  The numbers prove they didn't.    You run for 250, play good defense, like we did, and all we have to do is not turn the ball over, again and again.  It's a simple equation.  Again, Daniels KILLED US(F).

[Bull94]

Please.  If it were effective USF would not have gone away from it.  We're not stockpiling secrets.  Holtz would have done anyhting he could have to win that game.  He realized UF caught onto it and their defense is way to fast for it to be effective over the long haul. 

Agreed. When UF started stacking players in the box, no nifty running "trickeration" was going to fool that many fast players for too long. They forced USF to start passing, and either a lack of WR depth and/or QB turnovers did us in. I did, however, like the implementation of this variation of the option into our offense. I've always thought that with as many fast athletes as we have, it would work well to keep defenses from keying in on the offense.

we averaged 7.54 yards per carry in the 3rd quarter. we averaged 6.35 yards per carry in the entire second half.

we were 22 for 136 in the first half = 6.18 yards per carry.

we were 17 for 108 in the 2nd half = 6.35 yards per carry.

they didn't stop us. our turnovers did.

[Bull94]

Please.  If it were effective USF would not have gone away from it.  We're not stockpiling secrets.  Holtz would have done anyhting he could have to win that game.  He realized UF caught onto it and their defense is way to fast for it to be effective over the long haul. 

Agreed. When UF started stacking players in the box, no nifty running "trickeration" was going to fool that many fast players for too long. They forced USF to start passing, and either a lack of WR depth and/or QB turnovers did us in. I did, however, like the implementation of this variation of the option into our offense. I've always thought that with as many fast athletes as we have, it would work well to keep defenses from keying in on the offense.

Here is the breakdown by quarter.

1st  15 for 88  5.87 ypc

2nd 7 for 48  6.86 ypc

3rd 13 for 98  7.54 ypc

4th 4 for 10  2.50 ypc

this shows we were running the ball well until we were down by enough to have to pass. in fact we were getting better until the 4th quarter when we hardly ran the ball.

[twillybull]

The option is very effective against speedy, over-aggressive defenses like UF, but if you're implying Holtz purposely threw that game, I think you're giving too much credit to Skip.  We got cute and started throwing it around in the second quarter, not when we were behind...  We altogether abandoned the run after that 3rd quarter fumble.  Too many things point to Skip not being ready for the pressure / environment of that game, not Skip being underhanded and sneaky to win games later down the road...