Gun option vs traditional option

I would agree with what you're saying. We came from a flexbone type of offense and evolved into the spread gun. We always ran a little bit of gun, but it was mostly for passing. One offseason, we started researching the run out of the gun to add a couple of runs to the package (I guess that was four years ago). We never meant to go the whole way. The more we researched, the more we bought into the whole concept and realized the transition wouldn't be that difficult.

For us now, being under center is that small package. We use the same schemes either way. You do have to kinda think in a cock-eyed sort of way from the gun though since your reads are on the backside for many of the base plays (compared to under center). We don't like the midline out of gun, but we still like the veer.

The timing is different too. You don't have the fullback hitting fast like under center. That was an adjustment in thinking also.

In general, I think it's easier to teach a QB the reads out of the gun because there is more time and a greater distance to the key - it's more forgiving.

I think you could call the crazy option a triple/veer scheme. Utah does pull the backside guard on it, but if I was going to defend it, I would defend it like the triple. I would also agree with your point about the incomplete pass versus a botched mesh. We're putting the shovel in this year.

Last, I think you have to formation the defense in the gun. We did the same thing with the flexbone, but it was more a numbers game from side to side. With the gun, it's similar, but you're also concerned about creating space and width - counting the box.

BTW -- I just read the quote from Plato. It made me feel like a fool (lol).

Sure do tog, and we're going to really test that theory this year - lol. We graduated a good group and will be working with some "inexperienced" personnel this year. I'm hoping that adding the jet sweep, shovel option (and most likely your zone t) is going keep our opponents off-balance. This stuff came at a good time for me. I needed something a little different for this group. I gotta hand it to 'em though, they're working awfully hard right now.

Tog, can you explain your "Zone T" I've looked on the board and didn't see a post about it.