Has To Be A Better 'Option'

Georgia Tech's head football coach Paul Johnson insists on running the option on offense. This typically leads to slow, methodical, plodding drives. This offense also tends to rely on 'the homerun ball' to get points on the board. This past Thursday night vs. ACC rival Clemson was no different.

For the first quarter of play, apparently coach Johnson had one of those giant STAPLES red buttons, because Tech fans everywhere were saying, "That was easy!" The Yellow Jackets had an 82-yard TD run, an 85-yard punt return for a TD, and a fake field goal which led to a 34-yard TD pass from the kicker to Demaryius Thomas.

Then....the red button broke.

For the remainder of the game, Georgia Tech struggled to get anything cooking on offense, while their defense simultaneously wore down. When your offense is based upon three yards and a cloud of dust, it presents a number of challenges as a game unfolds:

When time becomes a factor, can you move the football? Are you equipped to run the 2-minute drill consistently at the end of the game, particularly with a quarterback who throws fewer balls than Yankee closer Mariano Rivera. For that matter, what happens when this team falls behind by more than two touchdowns at any point during a game this season? When you need a quick score, you must be able to throw the football.

Looking at the bigger picture, will Paul Johnson ever recruit a capable pocket passer, who can lead a team 80 yards in 2 minutes? Tech Quarterback Josh Nesbitt was average at best in the game winning drive which lead to a field goal. Prior to that, he was throwing most of his passes into the 'big booster' seats. Time will tell if running the option will affect recruiting. The obvious challenge is attracting star wide receivers to this style of offense, but what about the quarterback position? Will Paul Johnson only be able to recruit the athletic, 'run-first' type of player, while neglecting to go after the traditional skilled marksmen?

For now, Coach Johnson will evade his critics as long as the Yellow Jackets keep winning. They dodged a bullet, defeating Clemson Thursday night. Clemson isn't Miami or Florida State. The Hurricanes host Georgia Tech next Thursday night. Miami will be faster on defense and more capable on offense. Paul Johnson doesn't care. His philosophy and style won't change. So get ready south Florida, the forecast for next Thursday calls for consistent clouds of dust.