Dive option anybody?

SW Robert:
Are you talking about a hand-off or mesh with the TB or a pitch? There are great discussions on the belly, double dive/midline belly on this and the option under the center forums which would relate to the 2d back handoff/mesh.
Greg B
The amature

If I have the right conception of what your saying, it's nothing more than a lead dive. If you ride the 1st back through (FB if I formation)and then pull it, is it a predertermined give to the 2nd back through? It would appear to me that it would have to be and he would then follow the FB on a veer path with the ball. If it isn't that way, can't see it be a practical play for any type option unless you had a backside slot back who could be put in motion and then become the pitch back on a double option with the QB after he pulls it and fakes to both backs already through the hole. If for nothing more than the elapsed time of the play, it doesn't appear to be very sound play to me. IMO, as always. Am missing something?

Coach Easton

Was Jamel Holloway their QB then, I can't remember his years there at Oklahoma right now, may have been later, having a senior moment I guess. At any rate he was the best I ever saw, and the only QB who could make the pitch blind and never make a bad one! He had the quickness of hand and feet to make a play like that go I guess. Frank Broyles was great with the Belly option in his day, Tommy Frazier at Nebraska years later of course, Dee Dowis at Air Force were all great option QBs. But, Holloway was the best all around in my opinion, I'm sure other folks have their favorites also.

Coach Easton

No, was always in South Georgia (Valdosta). Like I say we all have our favorites. I lived but a short distance from GSU when Tracy Hamm was the man followed by Rodney Gross. I had a son who was a good QB and we spent the day one time with Irk Russel when he was recruiting my boy. I told him that Rodney was the only QB I ever saw who played option QB standing up( he was his option QB at the time) do you remember when Rodney Played, how he rode the Dive back in his chest instead of the conventional cradle position? My son ended up signing with Clemson and played for Ken Hatfield who is a died in the wool triple option guy. He is given credit for being one of the originators of breaking the bone (flex bone) and is the 5th all time winingest coach in NCAA history (Div 1-A). Watts was great too, no doubt about it, and your pick Shealy!

Coach Easton

I think it was in the seventies?

Hey Tiger;
I never played past my frosh year in HS. I am a really poor athelete-good enough to be a successful Army INfantry officer but no more. Burton was there for the Taafe years. I lived in a Chas suburb from 9s
2-95 and really enjoyed seeing most every home game during the 92 So Con champions until 95. When I moved to Wake Forest NC to go to seminary in 96 is when the coach got in trouble. I was in Korea during Gene Brown's phenom year. He was a defensive back in my sr year (86-87) when TK Moore was coaching with a big time passing offense that we just couldn't recruit great passing QB's to keep it. My college roommates little brother was the Citadel QB from 89-92 (Jack Douglas) who also was a great option running QB and an all-around great QB his sr. year. The line coach you are referring to is Dave Sollazzo who is also now at Maryland and is a candidate for head coach at the Citadel. Our coach got a job with the Jets in Feb and as of yet, I don't think we have hired a new guy. He will inherit a promising So option QB from Conway SC. What position did your son play at Clemson? I really thought Ken Hatfield got a raw deal from Clemson. He cleaned up the program and only had one bad year. For all of Tommy Bowden's hype (also a good man) and passing spread offense, he has done no better than Hatfield's flexbone.
Thanks for an excuse to remember my alma mater's glory days.
Greg Bailey

PS: Are you still here in South Carolina coaching? Maybe I can sneak away for a day sometime and watch your team work. I have emailed through the forum here, several area coaches that have asked me to come by and I am going to do my best to do that. But, my schedule makes it so hard.

Coach Easton

Beetle,

Thanks for your reply. It me on my personal email anytime: jerryeaston1@aol.com

Coach Easton

Hey Lochness,

Been missing your posts! Glad to hear from you. The main concept of the belly has always been send one back through one hole, another back through another hole. I have never heard of the belly with both backs through the SAME hole, is that what you guys are calling "double dive" on the forum here?

Coach Easton

Hey Guys,

Sorry I haven't been around lately. Been fairly busy on my end lately (believe me, it's a rare thing...hahaha).

From everything I've head of, "Double Dive" and "Belly" are the same thing we've discussed in several of the threads here. You send your first back off the playside guard, and your second back off-tackle. Give or fake to either one. I would think that maybe to someone who's just seen the play a few times and hasn't had the opportunity to research it on film might think that both backs are going through the same hole, particularly if their blocking scheme or perhaps the defensive alignments have forced the second back to take a tighter course.

If it is a "midline" style of option, then sometimes the second back (usually a TB) is coached to "replace the 3 technique immediately," so that type of path would very well make it look as if both guys are going through the same hole.

Otherwise, I've not heard of such a thing. My suggestion would be to take a careful look at film. Check where the first back's landmark is, then watch the blocking develop (is it truly option or are they man / combo blocking?) and carefully watch the path of the tailback. Try to watch the QB. Is he making a read or is he just making a predetermined give / fake?

I hope this helps, guys! Good to be back.