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  • Preseason All-American Team: Offensive Tackle

    Preseason All-American Team: Offensive Tackle

    As we approach the start of the college football season we will be releasing our 2022 Preseason All-American team.  Two offensive tackles and four honorable mentions were selected and discussed.

    Check out our other selections in these links.

    Offense: QB RB WR TE

    Defense: DL Edge LB CB

    Entire series

    The offensive tackles selected are…

    OT Peter Skoronski – Northwestern

    OT Paris Johnson Jr. – Ohio State

    Skoronski returns to the Wildcats after being named First Team All-Big Ten by the coaches. He has started in every game in his collegiate career at Northwestern. He was the leader on the offensive line, and helped create run lanes for 1,000 yard rusher Evan Hull.

    Skoronski returns as one of the top offensive lineman in the country regardless of position, and could potentially be the second offensive tackle taken from Northwestern in the First Round of the NFL Draft in the last 3 seasons, along with former teammate Rashawn Slater.

    Johnson is a former 5-star recruit who has already gained experience at multiple positions along the offensive line in his first two seasons for the Buckeyes. After starting all 13 games of the 2021 season at right guard, Johnson is projected to switch positions and become Ohio State’s starting left tackle in 2022. He will be tasked with leading OSU’s line, paving the way for 1,000 yard rusher TreVeyon Henderson, and protecting the blind side for Heisman candidate C.J. Stroud.

    Honorable Mentions

    OT Jaxson Kirkland – Washington

    OT Kadeem Telfort – UAB

    OT Blake Freeland – BYU

    OT Zion Nelson – Miami

    Kirkland, an All-Pac 12 First Team selection, returns for his sixth season and is one of  the most experienced left tackles in the country. He has played in 39 games in his career and has started in every one.

    Telfort is a massive left tackle who returns to the Blazers with All-CUSA Honorable Mention honors from the 2021 season. He started all 13 games and helped lead the UAB running backs to reach over 2,700 yards rushing last season.

    Freeland enters his 5th season as the leader of BYU’s offensive line and hopes to improve his NFL draft stock. After a very successful season last year, he has a lot of momentum heading into the season and has a chance to be an All-American at the end of the season.

    Nelson earned the starting left tackle position as a true freshman in 2019 and enters his 4th season as a name to watch. His combination of size, athleticism, and skill are hard to find and if he has another successful year, could hear his name called early in the 2023 NFL Draft.

  • Preseason All-American Team: Linebackers

    Preseason All-American Team: Linebackers

    As we approach the start of the college football season, we will be releasing our 2022 Preseason All-American team.  Two linebackers were selected (not including Edge rushers). We also picked three honorable mentions and discussed them in-depth as well.

    Check out our other selections in these links.

    Offense: QB RB WR TE

    Defense: DL Edge CB

    Entire series

    LB Noah Sewell – Oregon

    LB Jack Campbell – Iowa

    Noah Sewell quickly made a name for himself at Oregon. As a true freshman in 2020, he was named Pac-12 Freshman Defensive Player of the Year and was on numerous Freshman All-American teams. In 2021, he took it a step further and was named First Team All-Pac-12 as well as a Butkus Award semifinalist (nation’s top linebacker). He is riding incredible momentum heading into his 3rd season and he could hear his name called early in the 2023 NFL Draft with another strong year. He is big, fast, and intelligent and has a chance to wreak havoc on the Pac-12 all over again.

    Jack Campbell continues the trend of high-end linebackers that come out of Iowa. His massive 6’5″ 250 pound frame allows him to handle the physical Big Ten. His presence is felt in both the run and pass games as he ranked 2nd in the Big Ten in tackles last season. His impact for the Hawkeyes is immense as he was named to the Player Council, Leadership Group, and received the Roy Carver Most Valuable Player (defense). He heads into his 4th season looking for the elusive Big 10 title.

    Honorable Mentions

    LB Henry To’o To’o – Alabama

    LB Trenton Simpson – Clemson

    LB Deshawn Pace – Cincinnati

    To’o To’o transferred to Alabama from Tennessee before last season and immediately stepped into the starting role. He was named All-SEC Second Team after leading the Crimson Tide in tackles, while contributing 4 sacks as well. He is in line to have a massive season and will have the luxury of playing with high-end talent all around him.

    Simpson does it all for Clemson. He is an explosive player who can rush the passer, drop in coverage, and stop the run. His versatility is key for the Tigers’ defense and he should see an expanded role this season as a contributor to one of the best pass rushing units in the country.

    Pace was a massive force on one of the top defenses in the country last season at Cincinnati. With so many players departing for the NFL, he will be asked to take an even bigger role. He is another guy that can do it all, with 9 TFLs and 4 INTs last season.

  • Preseason All-American Team: Defensive Line

    Preseason All-American Team: Defensive Line

    As we approach the start of the college football season, we will be releasing our 2022 Preseason All-American team.  Two defensive linemen were selected (not including Edge rushers). We also picked two honorable mentions and discussed them in-depth as well.

    Check out our other selections in these links.

    Offense: QB RB WR TE

    Defense: Edge CB

    Entire series

    The defensive linemen selected are…

    DL Jalen Carter – Georgia

    DL Bryan Bresee – Clemson

    Carter burst onto the scene for the national champion Georgia Bulldogs in the 2021 season. Even though he totaled just 3 sacks last season, he was second on the team in total pressures (29), trailing only the No. 1 overall pick in the 2022 NFL Draft, Travon Walker (32).

    The All-SEC Second Team player will look to take on a much bigger role this season as he is getting early buzz as the nation’s top interior defensive lineman and a potential Top 10 pick in the 2023 NFL Draft.

    Bresee is a former 5-star prospect and No. 1 recruit that was a consensus Freshman All-American in the 2020 season. Bresee was sidelined with an ACL and shoulder injury after playing in only four games in the 2021 season. However, he still made All-ACC Third Team.

    Even in a limited number of snaps last season he totaled 3 TFLs, 1.5 sacks, and an INT. Look for Bresee to have a big comeback season alongside a loaded defensive front including potential Top 10 pick, running mate Myles Murphy.

    Honorable Mentions

    DL Byron Young – Alabama

    DL Jonah Tovai – San Diego State

    Look for Byron Young to be the next star defensive tackle on the Alabama defensive line. After making only seven starts last year, Young projects to take on a bigger role heading into the 2022 season. He had 9 TFLs and 2 sacks last season, and he should see an increase in production rushing inside next to teammate Will Anderson, who will surely command a lot of attention.

    Tovai was a First Team All-American according to multiple outlets last season. He ranked in the Top 5 nationally among all DTs  with 40 total pressures in 2021. He finished the season with 14 TFLs and 8.5 sacks. 

  • Preseason All-American Team: Tight Ends

    Preseason All-American Team: Tight Ends

    As we approach the start of the college football season, we will be releasing our 2022 Preseason All-American team. In this article, we’ll name our tight end and a few honorable mentions. Check out our other selections in these links.

    Offense: QB RB WR

    Defense: Edge CB

    Entire series

    TE Brock Bowers – Georgia

    Bowers returns to Georgia for his sophomore season after helping Georgia win the National Championship last year. Bowers, who won SEC Freshman of the Year and was on the All-SEC First Team in 2021, is coming off a season in which he scored 13 touchdowns, which led tight ends in FBS.

    Bowers’ 882 receiving yards were 3rd in the country, his 586 yards after the catch were tops in the FBS, and his 215 yards after first contact were good for 2nd.

    While his individual numbers jump off the page, his overall value to Georgia is even more impressive. His 46.8 EPA led all tight ends  (expected points gained/lost by a team on a play). His 19.8 Total Points was 8th in the country and 1st in the SEC among tight ends.

    Bowers was dominant as a receiver, but he also was effective as a blocker, with an 0.4% Blown Block%.

    Honorable Mentions

    TE Michael Mayer – Notre Dame

    TE Sam LaPorta – Iowa

    TE Kemore Gamble – UCF

    Mayer is coming off a season in which he had 71 receptions for 840 yards and 7 touchdowns for the Fighting Irish. He finished Top 5 in the country in receptions, yards, and yards per game, while those 7 touchdowns put him within the Top 10 among tight ends.

    Laporta’s 52 receptions and 667 receiving yards were both first among Big Ten tight ends in 2021. He averaged 47.6 yards per game which put him 2nd in the Big Ten. His 20.1 Total Points was good for 7th in the country at the position.

    Gamble is transferring to UCF for his final year. He previously played for Florida where he combined to have 39 receptions for 546 yards and 7 touchdowns the previous two seasons. Gamble has been valuable as a blocker as well, with an 0.7% Blown Block%.

  • Preseason All-American Team: Wide Receivers

    Preseason All-American Team: Wide Receivers

    As we approach the start of the college football season, we will be releasing our 2022 Preseason All-American team this month and next. Today we’re adding two wide receivers and some honorable mentions.

    Check out our other selections in these links.

    Offense: QB RB

    Defense: Edge CB

    Entire series

    The wide receivers selected are…

    WR Jordan Addison – USC

    WR Jaxon Smith-Njigba – Ohio State

    As the recipient of the 2021 Biletnikoff award winner, given to the most outstanding FBS receiver, Jordan Addison has little to prove entering his third year in college football. After a phenomenal season in which Pitt won the ACC Championship and QB Kenny Pickett jumped draft boards all the way to the first round, Addison will take his talents to Venice Beach and team with offensive mastermind Lincoln Riley and highly-touted QB Caleb Williams,  Addison has the ideal package to translate to the next level after the season.

    With requisite size, Addison plays even bigger than he is. He creates separation with ease and makes acrobatic catches that could place him in Cirque du Soleil, if not for NFL teams lining up to draft him early in the first round.

    Jaxon Smith-Njigba thrived in 2021 on an Ohio State offense that featured two receivers taken No. 10 and No. 11 overall in this past draft, as well as a 3rd-round tight end. Though some question Smith-Njigba’s ability to work outside of the slot, his value is undeniable. He led the nation in Yards per Target (14.2) and Yards per Route Run (4.4). He also led the nation in SIS metrics for receivers such as: Total Points (47.8), Points Above Average (38.9), Expected Points Added (97.4), and Positive Play Percentage (73.5%).

    With the potential No. 1 pick in the draft, QB C.J. Stroud, and a bevy of highly recruited and talented receivers, Smith-Njigba is in a position to repeat his breakout season and show that he can do it all.

    Honorable Mentions

    WR Josh Downs – UNC

    WR Cedric Tillman – Tennessee

    WR Xavier Worthy – Texas

    WR Jalen Cropper – Fresno State

    There are many receivers that could find themselves on the first team. Though Josh Downs and Cedric Tillman find themselves deservedly high on draft boards, second year receiver Xavier Worthy, of the Texas Longhorns, proved as a true freshman that he was able to shine immediately at the collegiate level. The dynamic playmaker could follow a Ja’Marr Chase-like path and solidify himself as the top receiver in the nation in just his second season. 

    When taking a look at players from outside of the Power 5 conferences, it is impossible to overlook Jalen Cropper of Fresno State. Cropper was one of the hottest names in the transfer portal until deciding to stay at Fresno State. Cropper and QB Jake Haener will maintain one of the most dynamic duos in college football. Cropper is a wiry, electric athlete that plays bigger than his size and challenges the defense on every snap.

  • Preseason All-American Team: Cornerbacks

    Preseason All-American Team: Cornerbacks

    As we approach the start of the college football season, we will be releasing our 2022 Preseason All-American team throughout this month and next. Among our selections were three cornerbacks, along with six honorable mentions. 

    Check out our previous articles in these links:

    Offense: QB RB

    Defense: Edge

    Entire series

    The cornerbacks selected are…

    CB Kelee Ringo – Georgia

    CB Cam Smith – South Carolina

    DB Malachi Moore – Alabama

    After sitting out his first year in Athens due to an offseason surgery, Kelee Ringo quickly proved that he is one of the top cornerbacks in the nation and that NFL teams should be drooling over the possibility of having him at the next level.

    Listed at 6’2” and 205 lbs., Ringo looks more like a Will linebacker than a college cornerback. Ringo uses his physicality like a seasoned veteran and blends it with fluidity and speed that you don’t see from players that size. Though he made his name known to all with a stellar National Championship game, Ringo was that dude all year. He allowed only a 37% completion rate when targeted, along with a 47.5 QB Rating.

    With Georgia losing nearly its entire defense to the NFL, Ringo will need to become a leader and be the face of a defense that wants to prove that its predecessors were no fluke.

    Cam Smith is a physical cornerback with good size and mirror abilities. He projects as a high-level press-man cornerback at the next level. Smith shows speed to run with receivers, early eyes lead him to the ball, and he can take the ball away from an intended receiver. He is on a rising South Carolina defense that could lead the Gamecocks to a surprisingly successful season.

    Along with the impressive physical traits, Smith shows the technique to contain his opponent, which came through in his numbers. Smith had 3 interceptions, allowed just 5.5 Yards Per Attempt, and had a QB Rating of just 35.4 when targeted. 

    Whether listed as a cornerback or a safety, Malachi Moore is a difference maker. Rated as one of the top safeties in his recruiting class, Moore has become the ideal modern positionless player. Moore lines up primarily in the slot, but has snaps at outside cornerback, deep safety, in the box, and as an edge.

    When in coverage, Moore performed well, allowing a 77.3 QB Rating when targeted and only 5.6 Yards Per Attempt when targeted. Against the run, Moore took the role of a third LB and had an average tackle depth of 2.1 yards. Moore was also able to rush the passer efficiently, generating a pressure on 11.2% of his pass rushes. That number outpaced the 10.1% rate posted by First-Team All-Universe Edge, Will Anderson Jr.

    Honorable Mentions

    CB Eli Ricks – Alabama

    CB Riley Moss – Iowa

    CB Tre’Vius Hodges-Tomlinson – TCU

    CB Tykee Smith – Georgia

    CB Joey Porter Jr. – Penn State

    Darrell Luter Jr. – South Alabama

    With a plethora of talented cornerbacks across the country, there are multiple flavors to fit everyone’s taste. There’s those like Joey Porter Jr. of Penn State, with prototypical size to translate directly to the next level. There’s also those like Tre’Vius Hodges-Tomlinson of TCU, whose skill set would put them on the top of everyone’s draft board if they had the typical size NFL teams look for.

    When looking at production though, it is impossible to highlight anyone other than Darrell Luter Jr. of South Alabama. Luter put up staggering numbers when targeted in coverage: a 22% completion percentage, 2.9 yards per attempt, and a 0.0 QB Rating when targeted. Luter also performed well based on SIS metrics, leading the nation in Total Points Per Play and Points Above Average per play among cornerbacks.

  • Preseason All-American Team: Edge

    Preseason All-American Team: Edge

    As we approach the start of the college football season, we will be releasing our 2022 Preseason All-American team. Today, we’re adding a pair of Edge rushers, along with some honorable mentions.

    You can check out the previous articles below:

    QB RB Entire series

    The Edge players selected are…

    ED Will Anderson Jr. – Alabama

    ED Will McDonald IV – Iowa State

    The 6-foot-3 Anderson was arguably the best player in college football in 2021, leading all defenders in sacks as well as total pressures, where he was 11 better than the No. 2 pick in the NFL Draft, Aidan Hutchinson, who finished second.

    Anderson won the Bronko Nagurski Trophy (nation’s top defender) and will look to repeat his success in order to solidify himself as the nation’s best player before presumably entering the NFL Draft as a likely Top 5 pick.

    McDonald finally got his chance to start in Iowa State’s 3-3-5 defense and starred throughout the 2021 season, primarily lining up as a 5-technique. Among defensive ends, McDonald led the BIG 12 in total pressures and was third in sack percentage. McDonald did lead all FBS defenders in Points Above Average in 2021, just edging out Anderson, and will look to continue his ascension as one of the best defensive players in the country.

    Honorable Mentions

    ED Myles Murphy – Clemson

    ED BJ Ojulari – LSU

    ED Nolan Smith – Georgia

    ED Nick Hampton – Appalachian State

    ED Isaiah Foskey – Notre Dame

    Myles Murphy was a wrecking ball on Clemson’s defensive line in 2021. He had a team best 14 TFLs and 7 sacks. He is also 2nd among returning ACC Edges in Total Points. His wonderful blend of speed and power, and his nose for the ball, makes him a dangerous threat off the edge in both the pass and run game. 

    BJ Ojulari from LSU is 4th among returning SEC Edge rushers for Total Points behind only Anderson, Nolan Smith, and Brenton Cox Jr. He’s also 2nd among returning SEC rushers in Pressures and Pass Rush Total Points. 

    After the dominant defensive performance of Georgia’s defense during their title-winning 2021 season, Nolan Smith will look to maintain the excellence. He is 2nd among returning SEC Edge rushers in Total Points  

    Nick Hampton of Appalachian State set the Mountaineers FBS-era record for sacks in a season with 11. He was among 7 other rushers with at least 11 sacks in the 2021 season and will be a player to keep an eye on in 2022.

    Isaiah Foskey of Notre Dame led the Irish in sacks with 10 in 2021, and ranked 3rd  in Points Above Average among returning FBS players with a minimum of 30 pressures. He plays with leverage and a good mix of speed and power to work into the backfield and will need to use these traits to be a leader again along the Irish’s line.

  • Preseason All-American Team: Running Backs

    Preseason All-American Team: Running Backs

    The votes are in and we’ve picked our 2022 Preseason All-American team. We’ll announce a couple of positions per week right up to the beginning of the season. You can find all of our selections here.

    We move to running backs today and make two sections, along with five honorable mentions listed below that were discussed in- depth

    Our running back All-Americans are…

    RB Bijan Robinson – Texas

    RB Zach Charbonnet – UCLA

    Bijan Robinson and Zach Charbonnet not only led their respective conferences in Rushing Total Points, but led all FBS running backs returning in Total Points, each accounting for at least 60.

    Robinson had a breakout year in Texas’ offense last season, rushing for over 1,100 yards despite missing the last two games due to injury. He was near the top of the FBS in Broken + Missed Tackle % for all players, and tops among running backs in 2021. He should return healthy, and is primed to have another stellar season. His mix of power, elusiveness, and acceleration make him an all-around threat in the run game. 

    Charbonnet is a bruising back from UCLA and had over 1,100 yards with the Bruins last season. In 2021, he was an SIS FBS leader in Total Points Per Play when facing an overloaded defensive box. He also had a low Bust % which allows him to be a positive force in the Bruins offense. His ability to bounce off tackles and accelerate downfield minimizes the potential for negative plays, when hit behind the line of scrimmage. He is poised to continue his dominant running this season.

    Honorable Mentions

    RB Sean Tucker – Syracuse

    RB TreVeyon Henderson – Ohio State

    RB Jahmyr Gibbs – Alabama

    RB Lew Nichols III – Central Michigan

    RB Rasheen Ali – Marshall

    Sean Tucker will be one of the ACC’s top returning rushers in Rushing Total Points after rushing for nearly 1,500 yards last season.

    Henderson was a Doak Walker Award and Walter Camp Semi-Finalist as a freshman last year. He contributed 42 Total Points during his freshman campaign. He will look to take on a greater role in the Ohio State offense and improve upon his freshman mark with the loss of their top two offensive threats. 

    Alabama transfer Jahmyr Gibbs spent last season at Georgia Tech. Although he was not a 1,000-yard rusher at Georgia Tech, he was a versatile weapon for the Yellowjackets. He will battle for the starting spot at Alabama and is poised for a big year. 

    We also want to highlight Lew Nicholls III from Central Michigan. Last year, he led all FBS rushers in yards and yards per game. He ended the year with over 1,800 rushing yards and 2,100 all-purpose yards. He was a vital part to the Chippewas offense, and his ability to lower his shoulder to fight for extra yards will be vital to maintaining that high mark for the 2022 season.

    Finally, we wanted to give an honorable mention to Rasheen Ali from Marshall. Ali is the returning Total Points leader for running backs in Conference USA. He is a downhill runner that amassed around 1,400 yards last season 

  • 2022 Preseason All-American Team: Quarterbacks

    2022 Preseason All-American Team: Quarterbacks

    As we approach the start of the college football season, we will be releasing our 2022 Preseason All-American team over the next several weeks. Only one quarterback could be selected to the team but we have a few honorable mentions that were discussed in depth as well.

    The quarterback selected was…

    QB Bryce Young – Alabama

    The 2021 All-American and Heisman winner did it all last season. Despite not winning the national championship game, he had an incredible sophomore campaign. With another year under his belt, Young will look to repeat his success after a season in which he finished 2nd in the country in passing yards and touchdown passes, trailing only Bailey Zappe of Western Kentucky.

    Among returning quarterbacks, Young led the FBS with 212 Total Points, finishing 40 points better than his main Heisman rival, C.J. Stroud of Ohio State. With his supporting cast having some turnover, Young will look to create chemistry quickly, throwing early and often as Alabama begins its national title pursuit.

    Honorable Mentions

    QB CJ Stroud – Ohio State

    After missing the CFP in 2021, Stroud looks to lead the Buckeyes to the national championship in 2022. Stroud finished 2nd in Total Points and 3rd in touchdown passes among FBS quarterbacks in 2021, trailing Young in both categories. With a star-studded offense, it would not be surprising to see a Heisman in Stroud’s future.

    QB Grayson McCall – Coastal Carolina

    McCall is the front man for Coastal Carolina’s high octane offense, which averaged 40.9 PPG last season. In 2021 McCall led all FBS quarterbacks in TD% as well as traditional quarterback rating and should continue his dominance in 2022. 

    QB Jake Haener – Fresno State

    Haener seems to be the class of the Mountain West going into the 2022 season. He finished behind only Carson Strong in On-Target% and Completion% in the Mountain West and should be viewed as one of the top non-Power 5 quarterbacks in college football.

  • Why Kansas Should Embrace The Triple Option

    Why Kansas Should Embrace The Triple Option

    Kansas football over the last decade has been, to put it mildly, less than stellar. Since the end of the 2009 season, Kansas has gone 23-118 overall and 7-99 in the Big 12. The Jayhawks had lost 56 consecutive Big 12 road games, before beating Texas this past season, and 44 consecutive games against AP-ranked teams. 

    During this stretch, they also set the FBS football record for most consecutive road losses with 46 until they beat Central Michigan in 2018. Lance Leipold is the sixth head coach of the program since Mark Mangiano resigned and inherited a program that hasn’t been ranked since 2009. 

    Leipold has his work cut out for him as Kansas struggled in just about every area in 2020 and continued to do so in 2021. The Jayhawks were outscored by almost 22 points per game in 2021.

    They averaged 3.8 yards per rush while allowing 6.0. They’ve completed 61% of their passes to their opponents 70%. It’s a rough watch.

    Kansas has become the laughingstock of college football and is a non-threat year in and year out.

    So how does a team that has gone winless in two of the last seven seasons compete in the high-octane Big 12? 

    Embrace the triple option

    The triple option is not a glamorous offensive scheme, but it can still be highly effective. Kansas doesn’t attract the same level of recruits as the more successful Big 12 teams so it can’t play the same game at their level. Instead, Kansas should slow the game down and run the ball in a conference historically known for poor, or at least exposed, defenses. 

    Let’s start with some of the triple option principles.

    Triple option offenses need their linemen to get after the opposing defensive linemen, a smart quarterback who can make the correct read, and several effective running backs. The entire offense needs to be well-disciplined, but because players aren’t asked to win one-on-one battles in space often, the scheme can help eliminate some of the talent gap. 

    Offenses move at a slower pace in the triple option, which will allow the Kansas defense to rest more and take the ball out of the opposing quarterback’s hands. Running this scheme will result in some negative plays, but they aren’t as prevalent and are usually minor losses, putting the offense in a lot more short-yardage third-down situations.

    Since 2017, triple option runs have averaged more yards per carry (5.5) than non-triple option designed runs (4.9). In addition, they have a significantly higher positive yard percentage and a significantly lower negative yard percentage.

    Triple Option Runs  Non-Triple Option Runs
    Positive Yardage 87% 80%
    Negative Yardage 7% 12%
    No gain 6% 8%

    Triple Option in the NCAA Today

    Army, Navy, and Air Force are some of the most recognizable triple option teams in college football and have had a lot of recent success running the scheme. Army has had at least 8 wins in five of the last six years, Navy has had at least 8 wins in 15 of the last 19 years, Air Force has had a winning record in 10 of the last 15 years, and Georgia Tech in the late 90’s and early 2000s had 13 straight seasons with a winning record, running primarily the triple option. 

    Some of the positive effects can be clearly seen with 2021 data.

    Air Force ranked 1st out of 130 FBS teams in time of possession, Army was 2nd, and Navy was 5th, while Kansas was 38th. This keeps the opposing offenses off the field and slows the game down for teams that struggle to stay with high powered offenses.

    Two of the most telling stats are plays per game and opponent plays per game. Air Force, Navy, and Army were 34th, 85th, and 97th respectively in offensive plays per game while Kansas was 124th. 

    Army, Navy, and Air Force were 2nd, 3rd, and 4th respectively in opponent plays per game while Kansas was 43rd. When you combine those numbers, the average Air Force game and Kansas game had about the same amount of plays, but Air Force ran about 10 more offensive plays a game while their defense conversely was on the field for 10 fewer plays.

    Keeping the defense fresh and establishing a running game early are major factors in a triple option offense, and over the course of a season, it adds up.

    Triple Option in the Power 5

    All of these stats are nice, but could it actually work in a Power 5 football conference? 

    Oklahoma had firsthand experience with the difficulty of a triple option team in 2018.

    Oklahoma was ranked 5th in the country heading into a home game with Army. Oklahoma was favored by 28.5 points at kickoff and its fanbase was expecting an easy win. Army had other plans. Though the Sooners ended up winning the game, they needed to go to overtime to defeat the pesky Black Knights. 

    The reason it was so close wasn’t that Oklahoma couldn’t move the ball on offense. The opposite in fact. Oklahoma averaged nearly 9 yards per play, but Army kept the ball out of future Hesiman winner Kyler Murray’s hands. 

    Army had the ball for an unbelievable 45 minutes of game time. It averaged 4.3 yards per play, putting itself in a lot of 3rd-and-short situations. It converted 13-of-21 3rd-down conversions and 4-of-5 4th-down conversions. Oklahoma only had three 3rd downs all game and Army ran 87 plays to Oklahoma’s 40.

    There were a total of 16 possessions, including overtime, in the game. While Army did lose, it did everything right to keep the game within reach and an extra turnover was the only real thing that kept them from winning.

    Even in games where the time of possession is more balanced, triple option teams have a way of hanging around. Michigan was favored by 22.5 points against Army in Ann Arbor in 2019, but still needed double overtime to win the game. 

    While playing sound defense was a major part of this game, Michigan only had two tackles for loss in the game which allowed Army to have 3rd and short frequently. Even when the Army offense was struggling, they took time off the clock and shortened the game which was nearly enough to pull off the massive upset.

    Kansas’ Recruiting Advantage

    While the service academies may not face Power 5 opponents on a weekly basis, they have been generally effective when they do play. Army, Navy, and Air Force have had the luxury of perfecting their offense over a lengthy period of time, where Kansas would be starting from square one, so where can Kansas make up some ground?

    One advantage Kansas could have against the service academies is recruiting. According to 247Sports, Kansas hasn’t finished above 8th in the Big 12 recruiting classes since 2011 and more often than not, finds itself in last. The vicious cycle is tough to break. Kansas doesn’t win so recruits don’t want to go to Kansas. Kansas doesn’t get recruits so Kansas doesn’t win. It perpetuates year in and year out. They can’t offer the national exposure or NFL development that teams like Oklahoma or Texas can offer so it’s tough to compete against those schools. It can offer a few things the service academies can’t however. 

    Service academies don’t award full scholarships for football, Kansas can. The requirements to get into a service academy are much higher than at Kansas. Players looking to play in a triple option offense in college will now have a more difficult choice which could steer a few talented players towards Kansas.

    If recruits are motivated to play at the next level more by football than serving their country, Kansas can be an attractive alternative. Triple option offense can still be found in high school programs and giving those players a familiar offensive scheme can benefit both sides. Kansas should be able to recruit better players than Army, Navy, and Air Force giving them a chance at a high-functioning triple option team despite a lack of tradition.

    The triple option is not the most exciting offense in the world. It’s an old school, lunch pail style offense, but it can give Kansas a chance to compete, something that it hasn’t done for awhile. The road back to relevance is a long and arduous one, but it is achievable. Kansas has had so little success trying the conventional ways so honestly, what does it have to lose?