UW started prepping last spring for Army’s triple-option offense
MADISON – Facing a triple-option offense can be a daunting task even with an extra week of prep time.
Facing a triple-option offense in the middle of league play, with no extra prep time, is even more demanding.
That is why Wisconsin’s defensive coaches began studying Army’s offense last spring and gave the players a taste during preseason camp in August.
UW (2-3) hosts Army (4-1) at 7 p.m. Saturday and there is no way Jim Leonhard was going to wait until this week to get his payers up to speed.
“You have to,” Leonhard said of the extended prep work, “especially knowing you didn’t have a week to prepare inseason. The guys have seen everything we’re talking about and why you have to do things a certain way and now it is having that one week of prep to get it done.
“We spent a lot of time, as coaches, going back to the spring and summer, knowing that this week is go time.”
Army has run the ball on 90.1% of its plays (325 of 358), averages 4.9 yards per carry and 318.2 yards per game, and possesses the ball for 39 minutes 46 seconds per game.
“It starts with the physicality and the style of play,” Leonhard said. “They know who they are. They know what they do. They’re going to roll it out there every week and be as physical as possible.
“They’re very patient in what they do. You’ve got to find ways to create negative plays. You have to tackle well.
“You have to get off the field on third down or fourth down. You understand you’re going to play a lot of fourth downs if you don’t get them behind the chains.”
The numbers support Leonhard’s point.
Army has converted 13 of 18 fourthdown chances (72.0%) and 36 of 72 third-down chances (50.0%).
The Black Knights have two quarterbacks who can run the scheme effectively — Christian Anderson and Tyhier Tyler.
Anderson averages 7.4 yards per carry and a team-best 107.8 per game. He also leads the team in rushing touchdowns (five).
Tyler averages just 2.7 yards per carry and 36.3 per game. He has scored twice.
UW might not see Anderson, however.
The senior suffered a shoulder injury Sept. 25 in Army’s 23-10 victory over Miami and was held out the next week in a 28-16 loss to Ball State. Army was off last week.
Defensive end Matt Henningsen noted the Black Knights feature smaller but athletic offensive linemen who execute a variety of blocks.
No Army offensive lineman is listed at more than 290 pounds and the Black Knights are adept at executing cut blocks, designed to attack the legs of defenders.
“They do a lot of different types of blocks we don’t necessarily see all the time,” Henningsen said.
The key for UW’s defense will be for each player to handle his particular assignment. If you are responsible for the dive, handle it. If you have the quarterback, hit him. If you have the pitch man, stick with him.
“As a defense,” Henningsen said, “you attack this by being as assignment-sound as you can be.”
Henningsen explained that Army, like other triple-option teams, probes by gap to see if a defender is out of position.
“He is good?” Henningsen said. “Move to the next gap. They keep going down the line.
“And if there is one person who is in a little bit of a compromised position, they’ll take it whether it gets 5 yards or 50 yards or 3 yards. They’re going for every single inch they can get. “We’ve got to stop them.”
The Black Knights have three backs who have at least 25 carries.
Tyrell Robinson has 25 carries for 237 yards, a 9.5-yard average. Fullback Jakobi Buchanan, 6-foot and 260 pounds, has 57 carries for 187 yards and four touchdowns. Anthony Adkins has 40 carries for 185 yards and three touchdowns.
“They have multiple playmakers they can put the ball in their hands,” Leonhard said.
Leonhard, whose unit held Illinois to 93 yards last week, sounded like a coach eager for the challenge.
“I think our guys … it will be a plan that they can execute, play fast and play with confidence," he said. "That is what you need first and foremost.
“We’ve played a lot of teams that have been committed to the run. I like our guys. I like the matchups.”