Rice

[Stallion]

it doesn't appear they lose much with Armstrong-who you should recall almost went to SMU. He had a long TD run against UT and lead Rice to several TDs agsinst SJSU. I wouldn't be surprised to see him become the best in a long line of Rice QBs. It made me very uneasy the day he committed to Rice because he is the proto-type wishbone QB and a great athlete.

[PonySnob]

Wasn't there a game we played with Rice in the not to distant past where they killed us with a lot of pass plays that they ran out of the option?

You could be right, PS, but teams run the option because their QB's are runners not passers. And Henderson (Rice QB) was recruited for his 4.4 40-- not his arm. Saturday, I'll prefer Henderson and/or Armstrong passing than sprinting against our D.

Our biggest issue will be wrapping up the ball carrier by our LB's...

Teams also run the option because they can't get the kind of athletes it takes to be successful running a more conventional offense. The QB at Texas runs much better than he passes and they clearly have a top notch RB, but they don't seem to be running the option like Rice.
I seem to remember that it was a game when Cave-in was here and while we did do a good job covering the run, the QB would pull back and there would be a WR/TE wide open down field because everybody (DB's and LB) had committed to the run.

[Dutch]

I'd have to disagree with the argument that teams only run the option b/c they can't get the quality of players that a 'conventional' offense needs. Nebraska ran the option for 40 some years and it only got them 5 nat'l championships. and when they changed directions this year, they have had no difficulty in recruiting the type of players that they will need to run the west coast style offense that Callahan has brought in. starting with the number 3 pro style QB coming out of high school, Harrison Beck, among other receivers and skill position players.

[giacfsp]

I've talked to players before who have had to defend the option. (I'd love to tell you I've done it, but I was the worst high school LB you ever saw.) They tell me that the scheme for stopping the option is easy - and exactly as SWC2010 says. Stop the FB, clobber the QB and string out the RB to the sideline and swarm him with fast LBs and DBs. Knowing how to stop it is fairly easy. Actually doing it is another matter. If we pull off the win Saturday (I mean WHEN we pull off the win Saturday), I see Wilton McCray and Rico Harris with 15+ tackles apiece.

I'm sorry, but when did Channing Crowder enroll at SMU?

Who?
I'm sure this is funny, but I don't get it. A little help?