When Kam Chancellor of the Hokies Talks, Defensive Coordinators Better Listen
Do you remember those old E.F. Hutton financial brokerage commercials that were on television in the 80′s? For those of you who don’t, let me provide a little background for context. There are 2 people sitting across from each other in a very busy and lavish restaurant having a conversation about the stock market amongst the hustle and bustle around them. There are probably in excess of one hundred other patrons seated at tables, along with several waiters, bus boys, and servers. Then one of the people at the table says; “My broker is recommending that I should buy the stock what does your broker think?” Then the other person says; ”Well my broker is E.F. Hutton, and E.F. Hutton says…” Then at that very moment everyone in the crowded restaurant stops talking and leans in on the conversation to hear just what good old E.F. Hutton has to say about that particular stock.
This summer I heard the modern day version of that old E.F. Hutton Brokerage commercial courtesy of the Virginia Tech Hokies’ starting safety, Kam (“The Answer Man”) Chancellor. Kam told everyone in attendance at the ACC media day in July that he knew how to stop the Georgia Tech Option. Well come this Saturday, Kam will have his chance.
Here is the quote:
Virginia Tech safety Kam Chancellor said that during a film session he thinks he has figured out what Tech is going to do, just from the blocking schemes. “I can tell run, pass, who’s getting the ball,” Chancellor said. “If they keep it like that, then we’re all good.”
Based on that statement alone, I’m sure that Bud Foster is taking the rest of the week off from his duties as the Virginia Tech defensive coordinator. After all, if Kam knows how to defend the triple option, the Hokies will be just fine. So for everyone who thinks that Bud Foster is burning the midnight oil this week and dropping No-Doze as he works on completing his game plan for dismantling the triple option offense of Paul Johnson, forget it. Bud is sleeping in late and staying at home all week with the family. In fact, while I’m on the topic of old television commercials; Bud Foster is making the “Maytag Repairman” look busy this week. If you don’t remember that one, go ask your parents.
This is what I love the most about college football. Despite 28 years of films and comprehensive defensive game plans put together by coaches who I’m guessing have in excess of several hundred years of collective football experience on their resumes’, twenty (20) year old Kam Chancellor was somehow able to figure this whole thing out by watching a couple of videos of the Georgia Tech offense. I’m eagerly waiting for his next epiphany. Hopefully it will be on how to solve a Rubik’s Cube. That thing has been sitting on my desk collecting dust and cobwebs for the past couple of decades. Maybe after the game Kam will be kind enough to provide me some insight on solving that mechanical puzzle.
Normally we go through a college football season week to week without any major verbal snipes at an opponent, but given that Kam was brazen enough to make his sentiment known prior to pre-season camp starting, I’m anxious to see him keep his word. So on Saturday it is put up or shut up time for Kam Chancellor and his visionary statements. I’m going to bring my binoculars and keep an eye on his performance.
Mickey Andrews and the entire Florida State University defensive coaching staff have firsthand experience playing against the triple option system. They squared off against Barry Switzer and the Oklahoma Sooners with their wishbone offense several times back in the 80′s with no luck in slowing it down, let alone stopping it cold in its tracks. With their vast game experience and extensive knowledge of playing against a similar scheme, they looked helpless on the sidelines this past Saturday evening as the Yellow Jackets went up and down the field racking up the points at will.
Their frustration came forth when after scoring a touchdown, the Noles tried an onside kick just to keep the Georgia Tech offense from having possession of the football. That tactic failed and guess what? That’s right. Tech scored another touchdown. So bear with me as I try to absorb the fact that neophyte free safety Kam Chancellor of the Virginia Tech Hokies has successfully mapped out the football version of the genome known as the Georgia Tech Triple Option Offense.
This is why I am so looking forward to this football game Saturday night at Bobby Dodd Stadium. Forget the fact that Virginia Tech is #4 in the country. I’m personally looking forward to the Kam Chancellor defensive performance to see if he in fact has found the vaccine to cure the college football world of this nightmare of an offense. My hunch is that he has not. Just as that famous explorer Ponce De Leon ventured far and wide to find the fountain of youth, Kam Chancellor will also find that his certain cure is nothing short of a Mirage. See you Saturday!
Comments
By Michael Goldfeder on October 14th, 2009 at 1:45 am Michael Goldfeder(Quote)
Hi Old Bush, I’m really dissapointed that nobody has stepped forward and interviewed “Kam” about his statement now that it is game week. Obviously, Frank Beamer was not happy when he heard this back in July and no doubt hoped that it would go away on its own and be complete forgotten by now. My hunch is that Paul Johnson has grown so tired of hearing all of the same nonsense for the past 28+ years, that he wasn’t expecting to hear this from a player who wasn’t even born yet when the option was in its prime. Kam will be very busy on Saturday as I expect to see the Tech offense on the field for a good part of the afternoon. He might even make a lot of tackles 12 yards past the line of scrimmage as he tries to figure out who really has the ball. Kind of like Fred “The Hammer” Williamson of the Kansas City Chiefs in Super Bowl I against the Green Bay Packers who was also talking it up big before the game. He wound up being carried off the field after one of Vince’s players knocked him on his rear end when he tried to make a tackle.
By Old Bush on October 13th, 2009 at 9:54 pm Old Bush(Quote)
Well Mike, I’m in agreement with you. I think Mr. Chencellor has let his mouth
overload his arse. I’ve been in love with the triple option offense for a long time. Even when it was called the “belly series” in the late 50′s. The beauty of this style of offense is that the QB can read and run the true triple option. Also each element of the option offense can be run with blocking called to make each part work. How Mr. Chancellor can determine all this while he is tying to play defense would truly be a miracle. Since Tech has also developed a good passing game to compliment triple option, this offense can be very difficult to stop as FSU found out. The only thing I’ve not seen in this offense is a trap play to the back side (opposite the flow). This reverse action can be very difficult to stop. I’m sure PJ has it in his play book.
I’m also sure, as you stated, PJ will use Mr. Chancellor’s words as a motivational tool for the game. Lets hope the guys buckle their caps on tight and that they will be hitting on all cylinders; both offense and defense.
Total Comments by Old Bush: 23
By Michael Goldfeder on October 13th, 2009 at 7:26 pm Michael Goldfeder(Quote)
Hi Harmanb, By the way I meant to say Stafford Mays’ kid, Taylor.
By Michael Goldfeder on October 13th, 2009 at 7:17 pm Michael Goldfeder(Quote)
Hello Mr. Elliott, I really appreciate your generous comments. You are correct that this Paul Johnson offense is not the old wishbone from the 70′s. One of the main differences is Paul Johnson’s ability to not only call the right plays, but his game adjustments are nothing short of amazing. I just know that he has been sitting on this “Kam” material since the summer. I will always remember his witty response to Eric Zeier’s nasty little snipe a couple of weeks earlier about the triple option offense in the media room right after we beat “them dawgs” last year; “That high school offense looked pretty good today.” Paul Johnson can not only flat out coach, but his leadership skills are even more impressive. That is why I am looking forward to our Yellow Jackets taking care of business this Saturday. Josh is looking better running this offense than Jack Mildren did back at Oklahoma, and he did a heck of a job for those Sooners. A very big game!
By Michael Goldfeder on October 13th, 2009 at 6:59 pm Michael Goldfeder(Quote)
Hi Tripleoptionrocks, Nice name. I was catching up on a podcast this morning and the studio hosts said the most obnoxious fans in the ACC are the folks at Virginia Tech. Apparently they are not very pleasant to Yellow Jacket fans at Lane stadium. Too bad, but then again, perhaps that explains Kam’s statements to the media.
By Michael Goldfeder on October 13th, 2009 at 6:52 pm Michael Goldfeder(Quote)
Hardman, Sorry I left out the “d.” While I was writing I was also thinking that Kam was such a dope! And there went the “D.”
By Michael Goldfeder on October 13th, 2009 at 6:50 pm Michael Goldfeder(Quote)
Hi Harmanb, Glad you enjoyed the article. I think we should all make it a point to show “Kam” a very enjoyable time this Saturday from the stands. I’m confident our offense will do the same on the field. He might think that he is an elite safety and did everyone a favor at Virginia Tech by returning to school this year in lieu of turning pro. But he is not an elite safety like Eric Berry, Stafford Mays, or Morgan Burnett. None of whom by the way make such bold statements.
By Bruce Elliott on October 13th, 2009 at 6:05 pm Bruce Elliott(Quote)
This is one of the most excellent articles I have read about Tech all season! Right on. We(Tech) went to East Lansing in 72 and stopped the bone cold at Michigan State by bringing in a sophomore by the name of Joe Harris (he wound up at Minnestoa and Washington for quite a while) and ran what was an effetive 6-3-2 against it. Coach Bill Lewis and Coach Jerry Glanville cooked that one up. We did that because the Spartans could not throw the ball even though they had a guy by the name of Billy Joe Dupree (Dallas Cowboys fame) at tight end. We bottled him up at the line of scrimage and he could not get off the ball and that fouled up the entire passing attack that MSU had (what little there was).
Tech circa 2009 if FAR more a difficult team to stop. The option that they run is far more sifisticated than the “wishbone” and they have a very formidable ability to throw the ball as well.
Cannot wait to see what happens this Saturday. I have all the confidence that the guys will play well begining at 6:00PM EST! May not win it, but they will play extremely well both sides of the ball!
Total Comments by Bruce Elliott: 2
By tripleoptionrocks on October 13th, 2009 at 5:28 pm tripleoptionrocks(Quote)
perhaps if VT had spent more time in spring and summer drills concentrating on Alabama instead of preparing for a game not to be played until mid October, maybe they would be ranked number one…hope CPJ makes copies of those comments and tapes them to the lockers on all the offensive players..I detest this school worse than anyone..pompous and arrogant hillbillies
Total Comments by tripleoptionrocks: 8
By Hardmanb on October 13th, 2009 at 12:46 pm Hardmanb(Quote)
Thanks for the reminder. I will remind my group about Kam’s comment for Saturday’s game. As usual, your pre-game column has given us another way to enjoy the game. Cheers!
Total Comments by Hardmanb: 10
By Michael Goldfeder on October 13th, 2009 at 10:46 am Michael Goldfeder(Quote)
Hi Rduck, I remember watching Frank Beamer and Bud Foster on the sideline in last year’s game up at their place. For the first time that I can ever remember, they were both perplexed on how to stop this thing and were urging the officials to keep the clock running toward the end of the game because they knew that the Tech offense was going to score again if they got the ball back with any time remaining on the clock. And that was before we actually became good at executing it like we are doing this year. Kam gets his chance on Saturday at Grant Field.
By Michael Goldfeder on October 13th, 2009 at 10:40 am Michael Goldfeder(Quote)
Hi GT Nuke, The best thing about a 20 year old kid shooting off his mouth, is that we have 20 year kids who don’t. This kind of statement is always great for someone like Paul Johnson to use in some special way. The team will be fired up for this game just based on the challenge and Coastal Division Championship implications alone. But the best part about it is that it has Frank Beamer just cringing.
By rduck on October 13th, 2009 at 10:20 am rduck(Quote)
Didn’t UNC think they had found the “magic” spell for the triple option also? If anyone thinks there is one certain way of stopping this offense, then they are in for a big suprise. Every offense in the nation gets slowed down from time to time by a good defense, but the good offenses make adjustments on the run. That is what CPJ does so well during a game. He will see what you are trying to take away and use that to his advantage. VT has a great defense almost every year with Bud Foster as one of the best DC’s in the country, but even they can be scored upon. Should be a great chess match between the two coaches Sat. Also keep in mind that GT played VT early last year before it found it’s way. This year’s team seems to have hit it’s stride just in time for the Hokies. Go Tech!!!!!!!
Total Comments by rduck: 32
By GT Nuke on October 13th, 2009 at 9:41 am GT Nuke(Quote)
Hey Mike, I hope that coach uses this statement to fire up our team on Saturday night. Usually when a kid from the opposing team shoots off his mouth like that, it creates fuel for the team to feed on for their emotional work up to the game. Let’s hope that CPJ is as good at psychological scheming as he is at offensive scheming, because a motivated team plays better, hands down!
Personally I take stuff like this with a grain of salt. Let’s face it, he’s a 20 year old kid who doesn’t know jack! But if the comment can be used to fire up the Jackets, then bring it, dude, bring it! See ya.
Go Jackets! THWG!
Total Comments by GT Nuke: 49