How do you stop the speed option?

[kbell97]

I am just wondering, I have not gone into the lab yet on stopping the speed option? One of my freinds runs will run speed options with Vick and I wanted to see if you guys had some good Ideas on how to stop this. I am thinking the double spy plays from the 4-2-5 and 3-3-5 should be suffient enough unless you guys have any better ideas.

[Air Raid]

kbell97-

Well as you might have read in other posts I run the Power Spread and the Speed Option is part of that type of gameplan.....It is very hard to stop if you have someone who knows what they are doing....

The first idea is somewhat obvious and that is to bring heat from the outside with LB's...this will work well if you are playing someone who doesn't know how to counter it.....if they do know how to counter it they will either bang the ball up the middle (QB Draw, HB draw, HB direct ect.) or take their QB and turn it up field as fast as possible and expose the area that was left by the LB.....

The second idea is to bring heat with your corners.....once again this might surprise someone and work, but a veteran will kill you with a wheel route or a slant....(However, the amount of dropped passes will even the playing field)

The third idea is to bring the house....again if you guess right this will work, but guess wrong and it is 6.....

The best idea is probably spy plays and learn to strafe and control your spys so that you can punish the QB if he keeps it (the biggest problem I have running this type of offense is fumbles by the QB and injuries to the QB)... plus if you can play Bumb and Run (talented CBs) you can do that and have more players to attack the pitch...... :rolleyes:

The toughest time I have running the Speed Option (I don't use anybody ranked higher that WVU...so I don't know if this would apply if I used Texas or VT) is against a 3-3-5 stack and pressure comes right off the Ends and I have to commit to the pitch to early, if I recognize it I can cut up the middle but with the Safty tucked in there it is sometimes hard to recognize.... :eek:

[mad_bomber]

What seems to give me problems is when my offensive linemen are pushed into the backfield blocking the path of my quarterback :mad:. I just played Texas and I was Middle Tenn State and the only way my run game was stopped was due to my offensive linemen getting pushed around. But if you can force a quick pitch by the quarterback you'll generally be okay.

[kbell97]

Some plays I looked into from the lab and liked , mainly out of the 3-3-5 or 4-2-5.

1.of coures the double spy plays
2. 4-2-5 crash gold, shown like in the VG playbook, except I strafe with the FS.
3. 3-3-5 crash 3 run to the stong side, with a few minor adj.
4. 3-3-5 Cb Heat to strong side


Thanks for the suggestions Air Raid :D
Bomber you are right, when an Olineman get pushed back it jus blows up the whole play

[Arnie71488]

i think the problem with stopping the option in general is some what the defensive AI's fault. It seem like when the QB gets about to turn up field just as he passes the TE, the DE from the other side will come along and drag him down by the back of his shoulder pads, and also so will the OLB, it's just like "geez u dumb arse OLB, you didn't need to go after the QB cause the DE had him fine" so then with the OLB outta the way, the other guy gets like 10-12 yards a play, cause the CBs will run away from the ball carrier even when he is like 5 yards past the LOS, so i guess what i'm sayin is you kinda have to commit to the option not just the run in general.

[carolinamadden]

As a user of the speed option, the last thing I want to see presnap is a DE spreading out or sliding over to the side where I want to run it....when the playside DE is highlighted, that makes it 10 times worse.

QB's are instructed to read the DE for the pitch....if he commits to you, pitch it, if he's tied up, keep the ball and cut it upfield.

So it boils down to controlling the playside DE....if you can get in there and blow it up, the QB will have to pitch it early. You might even cause an errant pitch and recover a fumble! *not like thats happened to me of course ;) *

I really don't like calling 3-3-5 CB Heat or 4-2-5 Crash Gold to stop the option. If I'm wrong, someone's going to be single covered by a safety at best. Not too reassuring. I try to rely on making him pitch the ball before he wants to by controlling the playside DE and getting into the backfield. If he's more of a master with the option game, then i'll start bring some occasional heat with those 2 blitzes.

[getting awn]

To counter the option period, I will normally control a linebacker. It is so hilarious when u have a linebacker coming for the Qb. I have purposely ran right by the Qb and went for the running back. When u approach the qb close enough, 9 times out of 10, they r going to pitch it... That is my purpose for attacking with the manually control plyer. I run close enough to the qb that he gets nervous and pitches to the man I am really aiming for. Once he starts to keep the ball, I start slamming his qb. The 4-2-5 and 3-3-5 double spys work really well against all options. U must attack the running back tho. Bcause the spy will attack the qb. :D

[blackpowdereer]

I agree with Awn....the 3-3-5 and 4-2-5 spy plays works really well....also the SS Dogs work good if you have good stick control and are a patient type player.

However, Like AirRaid said....if you are against someone that knows how to play the speed option....it can give you fits. I will run it from the I Form Y Trips.....I watch for the WeakSide DE. If he is stunting....I will motion the TE to the weakside. If my opponent switches to the OLB or SS then I will generally turn the QB into the #2 gap and get a couple. Or...I will audible to the Slot Post and burn them with my WR on a streak route.
If I can get an isolation on the SS or OLB or CB....I can routinely get by them. Either a fake pitch....or use the option juke....and I can get by them if they are not watching....if they key on my QB....my RB's are both FAST.

Against someone that KNOWS how to utilize the Option in all it's forms is a very dangerous player. There are so many looks and sets to run it out of....that it's almost impossible to stop over 30% of the time.

Madbomber....If the DT blows your OLine back....use the option juke to dive into the line or juke out before making a pitch. Use it....KNOW that when the DT blows your guy off the line....You are gonna cut inside of him.....instead of trying to get around him....it takes a sec for the DT to release....and by that time the QB can be two steps deep into the Defensive Backfield.

Sorry, I regress. the BEST plays to stop it, again are the 3-3-5 and 4-2-5 SS Spy and SS Dogs. I have found that a player will favor either strong or weak side to run the majority of his option plays. Look for trends....it may take you into the second half before you can really guess what he is gonna do....but by that time you can blow it up EVERY play or they just quit running it cause your stuffing them every time.

[TrojanNole]

I had mentioned this before in another forum about putting more speed on the field by subbing ur faster plyers on the field. DE's for LB's and outside LB's for CB's.

This concept was used to stop THE PUPIL in 04. He used Vick and the Hokies. The concept if using the Spy 3 defenses made into the 30 stacks via the 3-4 was excellent in stopping the internal run and forcing him out toward the fast DE's who were actually LB's. Good speed to the sidelines, cause the LB's were CB's.

Get my point?