Will the Wreck Ramble in Blacksburg or Will the Hokies Survive a Death by 1,000 Cuts

It's that time folks, my favorite time of the year. While most of Hokie Nation loathes the discussion about an unconventional offense, cut blocks, and Paul Johnson's sour puss, I enjoy the film prep for Georgia Tech week because, like it or not, Georgia Tech is one of the few teams that understands how to effectively run block. There's a soft spot in my heart for their approach because it is how I was taught football should be played. Their blocking technique emphasizes quickness and blocking low, which sometimes does lead to illegal chop blocks when two players engage. Johnson's offense forces defenders to play an assignment, play low and tackle again, and again, and again. As Bud Foster told The Key Play over the summer, "They're a pain in the tail. We change our whole scheme for that game. We probably had more [coaches] try to come and talk to us about that as much as anything."

For fans, the matchups between the Hokies and the Ramblin Wreck have not been for the faint of heart. This year's Yellow Jackets bring to Blacksburg an offense that has looked terrific against overmatched opposition and a defense that looks, well, not so wonderful against the same opposition. Expect another hard hitting, leg-flying, stressful afternoon in Blacksburg.

Georgia Tech run a flexbone triple option based offense. While the alignment can change, the base set is a "B-Back" that lines up directly behind the quarterback. Conventional offenses would refer to him as a fullback, but he's not just a blocker in the flexbone. Then the Yellow Jackets feature two "A-Backs" that align a step back from each offensive tackle. While sometimes the Yellow Jackets will use a tight end, most often they will use two wide receivers.

A "triple option" play means that the quarterback has three options where the ball should go, based on quick reads of unblocked defenders. At the snap, the quarterback will open up and create a mesh point with the B-Back and read an unblocked defender, usually a defensive end. If the end crashes hard to the inside to take away the dive, the quarterback keeps the ball. If he stays outside, the quarterback will hand the ball to the B-Back up the gut. B-Back Zach Laskey is 6-1, 218 and is very experienced. He also has terrific speed compared to a traditional fullback, so even a small seam can turn into a big play.

Here is the handoff to the B-Back Laskey on the dive.

Here is the keeper. Note how the outside linebacker tackles the B-Back, and the quarterback keeps the ball.

After the first mesh point, the quarterback runs to the sideline, maintaining the appropriate distance or "pitch relationship" to his play side A-Back. In football lexicon, "pitch relationship" means making sure that the back is close enough to the quarterback to take an effective pitch, but not too close that one defender can defend two potential ball carriers. If the second option man takes the quarterback, the quarterback pitches the ball. If the second option man takes the pitch, the quarterback keeps.

Here is Georgia Tech executing the pitch. Note how the outside linebacker takes the dive. The safety takes the quarterback, and the pitch is open.

Several varieties of the triple option can be run from the flexbone. Above I described a base triple option that first reads the defensive end. Johnson can call a midline option, which means the offense will leave a defensive tackle unblocked and the QB will read him.

The third is a counter option, meaning the quarterback may create a mesh point with the B-Back to one side, but if the QB keeps, he spins around to establish pitch relationship with the pitch man going in the opposite direction.

To go with their option package, the Yellow Jackets only run a handful of additional plays. The quick pitch (a pitch out to a in-motion "A-Back") has given the Hokies fits over the years.

In short yardage, the Yellow Jackets often turn to their version of a power play called a "double dive" or "B-Back lead." On this play, the quarterback fakes the dive to the B-Back, and then follows the B-Back (who effectively becomes the lead blocker) right into the hole. Here, they execute the play as a "belly" play, meaning the B-Back goes off tackle rather than right off the center. Georgia Tech ran this "belly" double dive look, with the B-Back either keeping or the quarterback following him, more times in the first two series against Georgia Southern than I can recall them running against the Hokies since Paul Johnson became the head coach.

It looks like a triple option, however, note how the B-Back takes an outside angle, and Georgia Tech pulls a guard to trap the defensive end instead of leaving the end unblocked to option. Georgia Tech loves varieties of this play in short yardage situations. Quarterback Justin Thomas is a 5-11 fireplug, but he is much more natural as a runner executing the option than last year's quarterback Vad Lee.

Over the years, Bud Foster's approach to defending this system has varied wildly, but several things must happen to stop Paul Johnson's offense.

Take away the B-Back dive. The Hokies often devote both defensive tackles, the mike linebacker, and often crash the play side defensive end to take away the dive. The dive doesn't sound sexy, but in Georgia Tech's system, it is the running play that is the most likely to consistently gain big chunks of yards if not defended properly.

Ensure the least threatening runner gets the ball. Since I have started reviewing film for The Key Play, Tevin Washington and Vad Lee have more often than not been forced to keep on the triple option because Foster concluded they're not as much of a threat as the B-Backs. Plus, the wear and tear that comes from getting 15-plus carries has resulted in those quarterbacks making a mistake late in the game. It will be interesting to see if Foster regards Thomas, who is more natural at executing the option than Washington and Lee, as a more dangerous threat than the group of speedy A-Backs that Johnson rotates throughout the game. If he focuses on stopping the pitchman, expect Thomas to get solid yardage, but take a large number of hits during the game. Using that strategy in the past, the physical and mental wear and tear on Washington and Lee seemed to contribute to some poor decisions in executing the option in critical late game situations, including wrong reads on fourth downs, fumbles, and interceptions. The quarterback will start anticipating a read rather than making a read. Foster will then switch assignments at critical moments. Fooled, the quarterback gets rocked and puts the ball on the ground. If you go back and watch all the Hokie matchups against Georgia Tech since Josh Nesbitt graduated, you can find a critical mistake generated by a change up in the Hokies option defense late in every game.

Force turnovers and minimize big plays. Coach Foster usually isn't as aggressive against Georgia Tech, and the defense usually concedes some offensive gains. But the more reads the quarterback is forced to make, the more opportunities the Hokies have to force a turnover. Each mesh point and pitch could be a disaster for the Yellow Jackets. Coach Foster wants to keep the Yellow Jackets from scoring quickly to maximize those opportunities for turnovers.

Play with the lead. Much like Ohio State, Georgia Tech can have an effective passing attack, but it works off play-action. If the Bees are forced to throw to get back into a game, their offensive line isn't accustomed to picking up blitzes. Coach Foster loves the boundary corner blitz late in the fourth quarter against Georgia Tech when he has played with the lead. I don't expect that to change.

Even though Paul Johnson's system is very tough to deal with, perhaps no coach has had more success in stopping the flexbone offense than Bud Foster. Foster has tweaked his approach against Georgia Tech over the years, and discussed how the approach the Hokies used against Ohio State came from his work with the Ole Miss staff to combat Georgia Tech. Regardless of if we see Double Eagle \ Bear, the whip playing in an interior gap, or a wacky looking 4-3 with two deep safeties, you can usually expect to see the Hokies using cover 2 and inverted cover 2 against the Yellow Jackets.

Man coverage is not ideal against the triple option. Once run is keyed, every defender has run-stop assignments. Man coverage would allow Georgia Tech's wide receivers to fake go-routes all game, and the Hokie corners would be forced to turn and run with them, effectively taking them out of run support without even being blocked. A cover 2, where the safeties roll out over the top with the corners taking short zones, isn't as effective because your safeties have to run from the middle of the field to take away a fade or go pattern, as demonstrated here by 6-5, 241 pound WR Darren Waller.

Waller slips behind the short corner, and the safety can't get to him. Waller's huge frame gives Thomas an easy target.

But the inverted cover 2 can be very effective. The safeties are coming forward at an angle that puts them in perfect position to defend both the pitch on a triple option or the short flat on a quick screen or play-action. Meanwhile, the corner bails deep, which creates space with the receiver. The corner can then either use his superior speed to avoid the block, or he is already deep to take away a fade route while keeping his eyes in the backfield (instead of being turned around and chasing the ball).

The inverted cover 2 is weakest against a pass down the seams, where the free safety has to cover a large space. The Yellow Jackets have smaller scatback type A-Backs who are fast enough to slip behind the defense, but are usually only dangerous as receivers off play-action when they are wide open. Against coverage in late game situations, those A-Backs are not as much of a threat to get open. I am more worried about straight fly patterns by a pair of gigantic receivers on the outside. 6-3, 222 pound WR DeAndre Smeltzer and Waller are physical specimens that can go up and win jump balls against our corners.

With smaller corner Donovan Riley playing in the place of Brandon Facyson, the Yellow Jacket receivers will have a huge size advantage over both corners. Those receivers run a relatively limited package of routes, with go routes, post routes (that look like crack-back blocks) and quick screens as the primary routes. After last week, expect Georgia Tech to test Riley either with a jump ball or a quick screen early.

The Yellow Jackets always prove to be one of the most challenging opponents for the Hokies. No game on Virginia Tech's schedule is more physical. No game requires more emphasis on fundamental tackling and pursuit. And, with the added wrinkle of an improved passing game, no team presents a more vexing scheme to stop than Georgia Tech. The Hokies have been on the winning side of this rivalry because their defense has prevented big plays while forcing turnovers and then getting just enough offense to get the job done. This week, the Hokies have to "re-learn" how to defend the option with only four days of practice and a tired, beaten up defensive front. Furthermore, while it seems like the young corners may not factor as much against this kind of foe, one mistake over the top in a game where each possession is so critical can put the Hokies behind the eight ball in the Coastal Division.