No option but to contain the triple-option

The Idaho Vandals have faced true running teams before, but never one that ran the triple option, at least in the Paul Petrino era as coach.

Idaho will be tested trying to defend that version of old-school football today, when Cal Poly (2-6,1-4 Big Sky) visits Idaho (3-5, 1-3) at the Kibbie Dome.

“You can’t let the fullback kill you on 4-yard gains, play after play after play,” Petrino said. “Or they’ll just melt the clock and stay on the field forever. And then you can’t let the quarter-back and pitch man get big plays.”

Fortunately for Idaho, Petrino has some experience with that offense.

“That’s what I grew up around my whole life, the option,” he said.

Idaho had a bye last week, and Petrino said it was good to have the extra week for his defense to get used to defending the triple option, as run by the scout team in practice.

Petrino said the key is playing “assignment football.”

“What you can’t do,” he said, is “you can’t let the magic of the fakes get you confused, and not do your assignment. You have to play assignment-sound football.

“We’ve really got to be disciplined with our eyes,” Idaho cornerback Sedrick Thomas said. “They show a lot of eye candy.”

Candy is particularly popular this time of year, having too much of an affinity for it can be bad for you.

Nearly two-thirds of Cal Poly’s yards have come on the ground this year. The Mustangs have rushed for 1,886 yards and 14 touchdowns.

But when the opponent starts salivating too much over that “candy,” Cal Poly has also thrown for 1,083 yards and 11 TDs.

“When they pass the ball, it’s when teams are “loafing” in the backfeld,” Thomas said.

Senior J.J. Koski is their leading receiver, as he was the past two seasons. He has 32 catches this year, five for scores.

“No. 6, every pro scout that has come through here has talked about him,” Petrino said of Koski.