wide splits in the option game

I always subscribed to the philosophy that says; the wider the split, the easier the penetration. But, I saw Clemson come within a knats eyelash in 1992 of beating Florida State. Ken Hatfield devised a game plan that incorporated extra wide splits and ran the triple with amazing success that night against one of college's premier defenses. My son played for Clemson that night and I have a complete ESPN game tape, if anyone would care to view it and send it back to me. Even though it is and ESPN production, the angles are pretty good.

Coach Easton

Thunder, email me at : coacheaston@hotmail.com

Be glad to send it to you, if you give me your word as a man and a coach, that you will return it. You may feel free to have a copy made. The original I am sending is 12 years old. Just give me a shout.

Coach Easton

Here is what I have been able to find out regarding wide splits......

The idea is this:

Normal splits are 1 yard between guard and center and 3 yards between guard and tackle. It doesn't matter if they gap that because that defender is the read key. We are not blocking him at all.


If the LB walks up, we read him for the give and turn out the 5 tech with the tackle. If he stays off then we veer block him with the OT or Loop block him with a 4i tech and walked off LB.

The option game is a 3 man deal with the QB, FB and read key.

If the 5 jumps down into the gap on the backside, it doesn't matter, we will chop the back of his legs if he pinches hard. The 9 cannot run it down from behind if the QB gets upfield. We emphasize to our QB, to get up the field on his 3rd step, he never pitches while facing the sideline. He always pitches facing downfield, unless he gets a hot read.

Ok....let's hear the pro's and con's of this....I don't personally run it but I am intrigued by it. I am still looking for a source of tape if anyone has seen anything like this.

The guy I emailed to was at East Surry High School Pilot Mountain, NC in 1999 and seems a bit reluctant to give me any more details.

Anyone know of the program or has seen any tape of these guys? What are your thoughts as a defensive coordinator? Granted, the 1st thing I'd do is crash a LB to the FB but 3 yards is lot of area to cover for one guy. I think the QB might be able to step around it and get upfield.

What do you think?