Air Force is elite at every aspect of running the football. That’s why they were able to average 5.08 yards per rush in 2023 even though they’re known for being a very run heavy offense.
Sometimes one of the toughest areas to run the football is right into the teeth of the defense. That’s why today we’re going to talk about one of Air Force’s triple option variations that has allowed them to attack the interior of the defense!
Learn all of the ins and outs of elite option football in our latest release: The Air Force Option Offense – The Complete Series
Air Force’s Slot Insert Triple Option
Above is a pre-snap picture of Air Force about to run a variant of their triple option where they trade their veer-arc principle.
This allows the tackle to arc block to the outside while the slot back inserts for the LB.
In order to do this, your slot back needs to be tough to be able to block the larger defender and it’s essential that they keep a low pad level to position them for success on the rep.
What this allows Air Force to do is to take care of a second level defender with the iso blocker, and execute a double team on the 2i with the C and RG.
With this in mind, after the snap the 2i loops to the outside which gives the QB a clear give read to the FB.
This isn’t a flashy play, but it allows the offense to give the ball to a tough runner on the interior who can put his shoulder down and gain 5 yards which gets Air Force ahead of schedule.
Learn how the best option offense in the country runs their schemes with The Air Force Offense: The Complete Series
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