Spotlight on Auburn's triple read-option

[StatTiger 3,188]

Lost in all the excitement of the game-winning touchdown by Chris Davis was Auburn's 2-minute drive to tie the game at 28 all. The game tying drive was polished off with a perfectly executed triple-option pass play by the Auburn offense. This is the very type of play Auburn will need against Missouri this Saturday in Atlanta.

On this play Auburn has the ball 1st & 10 at the Alabama 39-yard line. This play was set up with 6 consecutive run plays on the drive, which featured Auburn's up-tempo pace to fatigue the Alabama defense. The run plays had the Alabama defense scrambling to defend the read-option, setting up the play-action pass to Sammie Coates.

At the snap, the OLB crashes down to defend the inside run because Tre Mason had just carried the ball all 6 times on the drive. Nick Marshall pulls the ball out and bounces outside on the perimeter. Marshall now sets up the pass by initially running with the football in his left arm.

Both the CB and safety covering Sammie Coates bite on the outside perimeter run-option by Nick Marshall, leaving Coates uncovered down field. At the last second, Marshall switches the ball to his right hand and makes the throw to Coates. Sammie Coates hauls in the pass and sprints the remaining 25-yards for the game-tying touchdown.

The Auburn pass-offense enters the SECCG ranked No. 12 nationally in their ratio of pass-plays of 25-yards or more. Auburn should be able to run the ball against Missouri but it will still be essential for Nick Marshall to make plays in the passing game for Auburn to win this Saturday.

[C'viewTiger 242]

Thanks again Stat. I think Mizzou seeing that down field pass off of the option will cause their DBs to stay back a little and open up the run a little more. Thanks again, great work.

[Newbomb 193]

Again thanks for what you do Stat... I have a question that is getting lost in another post about the game. Many people were worried about the review of this play as to whether a NM was past the line of scrimmage and the play would be overturned. butt... There was no flag on the play so could it of been brought back? I have never seen a penalty applied after the fact from the booth.

[AU64 10,122]

Thanks for the pix and analysis. A great power drive by AU.

[auclong 1]

Stat, I am sure you know we had run this play at least once earlier in 1st half. Bama was looking for this play but had no idea that we would ever throw off this as they didn`t have confidence that Nick could pull it off. Great read by Nick when he saw db`s close on him. Bet his eyes were big as saucers. Enjoy all of your analysis.

[AUEnder 0]

Again thanks for what you do Stat... I have a question that is getting lost in another post about the game. Many people were worried about the review of this play as to whether a NM was past the line of scrimmage and the play would be overturned. butt... There was no flag on the play so could it of been brought back? I have never seen a penalty applied after the fact from the booth.

This was emailed to me:

DEAS: SEC Coordinator of Officials Steve Shaw comment Reply

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

I contacted the SEC office to ask about Auburn's touchdown pass to tie the game in the fourth quarter. By league custom he does not comment on the play itself but here is his clarification of the rules regarding the quarterback throwing a pass when past the line of scrimmage, and on linemen being past the line of scrimmage on a pass play:

On ineligible receiver downfield:

"No originally ineligible receiver shall be or have been more than 3 yards beyond the neutral zone until a legal forward pass that crosses the neutral zone has been thrown. The key word is thrown - it is where the players are when the pass is released."

As far as blocking:

"It is not offensive pass interference when after the snap an ineligible receiver immediately charges and contacts an opponent at a point not more than 1 yard beyond the neutral zone and does not continue the contact more than 3 yards beyond the neutral zone."

As far as a passer beyond the neutral zone:

"It is an illegal forward pass if it is thrown by an offensive player whose entire body is beyond the neutral zone when he releases the ball. Key words are entire body."

I will add that I haven't seen anything that establishes that there should have been a penalty on that play regarding these rules -- it seems clear to me that it was a legal forward pass, as Marshall had not completely crossed the line of scrimmage, and all the screen shots that I have seen show Auburn linemen within the 3-yard legal zone.

[ClawAndTalon 0]

I've always been under the impression that it's where the ball is the second it leaves the passers fingers, parallel to the ground in relation to the line of scrimmage. So in other words the passers feet, non throwing arm, face mask et al. can be past the line and the QB still be making a legal pass.

In light of this Marshall was making a legal pass.

I've made peace with the fact that I'll never fully understand 'ineligible receiver down field' rules. So, I'll leave it to the fact that the officials didn't see it, so there wasn't one.

On a very side footnote. Not to look a gift horse in the mouth, but after Davis scored, he didn't follow team rules and hand the ball to the official. In fact, he almost dropped it too soon, as he crossed the end-zone. Did anyone else catch this?

[McLoofus 35,182]

On a very side footnote. Not to look a gift horse in the mouth, but after Davis scored, he didn't follow team rules and hand the ball to the official. In fact, he almost dropped it too soon, as he crossed the end-zone. Did anyone else catch this?

No. And the only reason they hand the ball to the officials is so they can get it set as quickly as possible for the next play. There was no next play, so there was no reason for him to hand the ball to the official.

Tha was a senior scoring perhaps the greatest touchdown in Auburn football history on his last play ever in Jordan Hare. A senior who was hurt on the opening kickoff of the BCSCG, survived 3-9 and then came back this year to be in the conversation as the best defensive player on the 11-1 SECW Championship team. You might have already taken all of that into consideration, but I am compelled to mention it nonetheless.

[meh130 1,043]

Again thanks for what you do Stat... I have a question that is getting lost in another post about the game. Many people were worried about the review of this play as to whether a NM was past the line of scrimmage and the play would be overturned. butt... There was no flag on the play so could it of been brought back? I have never seen a penalty applied after the fact from the booth.

This was emailed to me:

DEAS: SEC Coordinator of Officials Steve Shaw comment Reply

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

I contacted the SEC office to ask about Auburn's touchdown pass to tie the game in the fourth quarter. By league custom he does not comment on the play itself but here is his clarification of the rules regarding the quarterback throwing a pass when past the line of scrimmage, and on linemen being past the line of scrimmage on a pass play:

On ineligible receiver downfield:

"No originally ineligible receiver shall be or have been more than 3 yards beyond the neutral zone until a legal forward pass that crosses the neutral zone has been thrown. The key word is thrown - it is where the players are when the pass is released."

As far as blocking:

"It is not offensive pass interference when after the snap an ineligible receiver immediately charges and contacts an opponent at a point not more than 1 yard beyond the neutral zone and does not continue the contact more than 3 yards beyond the neutral zone."

As far as a passer beyond the neutral zone:

"It is an illegal forward pass if it is thrown by an offensive player whose entire body is beyond the neutral zone when he releases the ball. Key words are entire body."

I will add that I haven't seen anything that establishes that there should have been a penalty on that play regarding these rules -- it seems clear to me that it was a legal forward pass, as Marshall had not completely crossed the line of scrimmage, and all the screen shots that I have seen show Auburn linemen within the 3-yard legal zone.

Correct on all points. This information is available in the NCAA Football rulebook which is freely downloadable from the NCAA's web site.

Note the OL on the play initially fires off straight ahead, and then turns in the direction of the play, then sets up a screen of sorts to prevent the backside rush from moving towards the play. Because of this lack of aggressive zone blocking to one side of the DL, if the RB keeps, he is not likely to make the usual yardage. My guess is the RB may not be a real option in this play. Instead, this play is designed to complement the standard read option when the defensive end is playing the RB, and the secondary is playing the QB keeper.

The OL blocks differently on a standard two-option read option.

All in all, this is a well executed play which only works when the standard read option has been run a number of times.

Another play that complements the standard read option at is the Cam Newton inside read option against LSU. Both the playside and backside DEs are left unblocked. Both think the play is coming their way, and that they are being read. The result was 10 blocking 9 with Cam behind the 10 blockers.

[EagleReedle 14]

Don't we also have a "quad-option" when Marshall utilizes the lateral or backwards pass to the receiver?

[eibua12 81]

Don't we also have a "quad-option" when Marshall utilizes the lateral or backwards pass to the receiver?

If you look at the read option where Nick pulls the ball and shoots it out the receiver they are well of the LOS most of the time, if they backup a bit more and Nick does a lateral I can see a double pass in the future but it would need to be bam bam! with some great blocking on the edge by Prosch. Coates would need to run a deep post and if the safety bites, which I would expect them to do after the first pass it could be wide open