If we’re honest with ourselves as fans of college football, there’s always a little added intrigue when a playoff contender takes on a triple option foe.
Before I get into this, spare me your triple option, veer, wishbone, or single wing variations. Let’s not get wound up on the intricacies and naming conventions – you all get the idea.
Who among us doesn’t love watching Notre Dame a little bit more when they take on Navy? Or The U when they take on Georgia Tech? Are you aware Air Force has taken three of the last four from Boise State? Watching a more conventional, oftentimes superior, team struggle to defend a polished option ground attack is a beautiful disaster. Sure, the service academies are an ideal fit, but as far as power five conference teams go, there may be nothing better than Russell Athletic wearing Georgia Tech. It’s a damn shame they’re switching to Adidas.
While this exercise could extend to group of five conferences without a triple option team, I’m going to focus on the power five conferences that are lacking. If they’re truly playoff contenders, they should all have to prove it against a triple option foe.
Big Ten
Is there a more obvious answer? Nebraska fans love to live in the 90’s anyway. Reverting back to the option days of old is a perfect fit.
“Look y’all, we’ve tried this forward pass thing for damn near two decades now. I think it’s time we stick to a corn fed power rushing attack”
I’m already fired up. I hope they hire Ken Niumatalolo. GBR.
Big 12
There were a couple directions I could have gone here. Iowa State could slide into an era of Georgia Tech like sustained success – something they haven’t seen. Kansas seems like an obvious choice because clearly nothing else is working. However, I think there’s a better option…
Texas Tech switches from the air raid to the triple option.
I kid, I kid.
When Snyder retires, I think K-State should full on adopt a ground and pound attack.
Personnel wise, I think this would be a fairly simple transition. Solid offensive line play, dual threat quarterbacks, sneaky explosive receivers. You’d almost think they’d been doing this all along!
Look, Bill Snyder averages an 8-4 season over his 26 year tenure at Kansas State. He accounts for 208 of the school’s 524 wins. Think about that. Kansas State is averaging 8 wins per year in the 26 years with Bill Snyder at the helm and just over 3 wins per year in the 96 years without. We already saw what happened in the Ron Prince era. I think the best way to avoid falling back into their rightful place as one of, if not the worst power five program historically, they need to make the permanent switch to the triple option.
Pac 12
I can’t think of a more fitting mascot for a triple option school than the Beavers. While Oregon hoards all of the flash and pizzazz in the state, I think Oregon State should go full heel and just be the most physical, angry and punishing team in the Pac 12. Outside of Stanford, is there really another team in the Pac 12 heading that direction? Washington maybe?
I hear Corvallis is beautiful, but I can’t imagine too many collegiate athletes get excited for a weekend trip there. Here’s to hoping Benny Beaver just embraces their place and makes them regret every showing up.
SEC
The answer is simple. ROLL TIDE ROLL.
What in the world is left for Nick Saban to prove in the college football world? Winning a national championship coaching a triple option team might be the end of the list for him. When the game gets too easy you have to find ways to stay interested and this seems like a logical fit.
Come on, you know you want to see it.