Base and Veer Option

Base and Veer Option

Playcall: 11/19 Base or 11/19 Veer

Backfield action: In the dive option the fullback dives to the outside hip of the playside guard andtakes a fake. To the stong side of the formation iis usually an anextra blocker to attack support from the secondary; to the weak side he is responsible for inside LB. The QB opens to the play to fake to the FB. (Sometimes there is a great fake, but other times, the FB is more concerned with bouncing outside to block. In the second case, the FB path looks a lot like Belly Option. An easy way to tell the difference is to check the QB footwork. If he opened to the play it is Dive Option.)

11/19 Base indicated that the QB would fake to the fullback and run double option outside. I think that 11/19 veer may indicate that the Huskers are running triple option, where the quarterback is reading the defense to decide to handoff as well as pitch.

Blocking: This option is blocked using Outside Zone principals. Speed and Arc option are also blocked this way up front. This use of one line blocking scheme for several plays is one factor that allows Nebraska to have so much in its offensive playbook.

Formations: Nebraska can run veer (dive) option out of any two-back set. Because of the zone blocking, it can be run to or away from the TE side, which makes it a flexible call. It can also be run out of the three-back Power set, with the second FB leading the pitch back.

Companion Plays:

11/19 Option Pass. Nebraska throws play-action passes off of this option, with several different patterns. The Quarterback makes the fake to the fullback and takes one more option step before dropping three quick steps to throw. Tight end crossing patterns are common. (See one example at the lower right.)

11/19 Dive This calls the give to the fullback on this option. For years Osborne said Nebraska didn't run trile option, but instead, called handoff and keeps in the huddle. Since 1997 I've suspected that the Huskers have experimented with some triple option.

11/19 Veer This may be the call used to indicate the QB will read the handoff to the fullback for a triple option. This call is heard in A Day in the Life of Nebraska Football and a FB dive is run on the video. Nebraska is running at least a little triple option. Whether this call has something to do with it or not is just a guess.