The following is a rundown of the specifics behind the terms thrown around by TV commentators about option defenses.

Loading the box This is a favorite color commentator term. The box is the area near (usually within 5 yards of) the line-of-scrimmage and between the tight ends. NOTE: the area outside of the box is often referred to as space, as in, He blocks well out in space. When teams load the box against Nebraska, they are crowding the LOS with nine or ten men. This usually involves bringing one or both safeties up into linebacker areas. This simply makes it tough to block everyone. NU counters this in a couple of ways. The most obvious is the play-action pass, especially to the tight end. The TE is often involved because pass defenses often use the safety to cover him, a difficult task if the safety is very close to the line. Nebraska also is able to exploit loading the box with running game. The wide recievers can usually run off their defenders because they are locked on in man-to-man coverage. If NU can find a blocking scheme to handle the outside LB, then outside running plays can work. Counter and power plays can still be successful, because, even though there are many defenders in teh box, NU can still out-number them at a specific point of attack through varying blocking schemes. History has shown that loading the box against strong Husker offenses is Russian Roullette: eventially the play-action will get you if the dominate line doesnt just move you out of the way.
Inside-out Sometimes option defenses are described as inside-out attacks. This means the heart of the defense (defensive tackles and middle linebackers) are attacking the dive and quarterback parts of the option. The outside linebacker or defensive end that the offense is using as the pitch key will attempt to force the QB to keep by playing the pitch back. The idea is to force QB keep because the players in the middle are focusing on him. This was the tact descibed by the Texas defensive co-ordinator for the first Texas game of 1999.
Outside-in In this attack the pitch key tries to force the QB to pitch the ball, slowing down the play enough for the MLB and safeties to move outside and make the play.
Slow-play Slow-playing is an example of the defense being forced by the option offense to worry about timing. The OLB/DE plays the pitch, but first he tries to confise the quarterback by faking at him, hoping to slow down his decision to pitch or not and allowing the inside players time to get outside and get involved.
Oklahoma State Jet Defense (1998) Okie State confounded a young NU offensive line in the 1998 game in Kansas City with a relic from the fifties: the Jet defense. This is a wide-tackle defense with three middle linebackers and only two real defensive backs. Besides being an example of loading the box, the Jet caused problems with Nebraskas zone blocking rules because they are based on covered and uncovered linemen. The Jet, with no defensive tackles between NUs guards made these rules difficult to execute. With two defensive linemen outside of the offensive tackles along with the outside backer, it was a difficult defense to run wide with power or option football. The tackles often slanted hard to the inside, causing more problems inside. Since the OSU success with the Jet, other teams have tried it against the Big Red, including Kansas State in 1999. The experience and health of the 99 line made this just another defensive front.
Assignment football TV analysts often refer to assignment football as a basic need for defenses playing the option. This refers to assigning defenders to each prong of the option. One (or more) defender(s) is assigned to the dive, the QB and the pitch. Part of the assignment football philosophy is to switch these assignments among defenders in order to put pressure on blocking schemes. Some common combonations of assignments: dive: defensive line QB: MLB pitch: OLB dive: MLB and DT QB: OLB and DE pitch: safety dive: MLB and defensive line QB: safety pitch: OLB   Besides varying from play-to-play, these assingments will often change from the strong side to the weak side of the offensive formation.