Is the read-option dead in SF?

Originally posted by theninermaniac:

Originally posted by thl408:

Originally posted by nj9er:
During the Giants game we ran it a few times and they had a defender squat on the opposite side of the play. Exactly where Kap ran to. It worked up until the Super Bowl but the defense figured out how to neutralize its effectiveness. Since the Roman's one trick has been exposed and the explosiveness of Kap and the running the game has declined with it. So now it's back to let's shift around all crazy for 10 seconds to run a draw.

I agree. The 49ers ran it a bunch of times versus NYG. It is still a wrinkle that they go to every now and then. Teams would rather take away Kap's keeper than Gore's dive. As long as Kap is the QB and he has his legs, the read option should stay in the playbook as a wrinkle, not a staple. Hyde came from a college offense where all he ran was inside zone plays so I think using him as the read option RB probably feels more natural to him right now.

I didn't see the read/option much in the game. Some of those plays are misdirections or blasts where kaep was never going to keep the ball. The Hyde TD was no option, it was his the whole way. I think kaep just runs a feign to slow the linemen on a lot of plays.

I think the offense would cash in if they were to reintroduce the true dual threat QB to defenses. And not just by running, but by the play action that it begs for. I just see a vanilla and fairly one demential offense that needs a spark.

I will illustrate why with just a few points:
- have topped 30 points just once this season
-have scored 2 4th qt. TDs on the season
-have scored 20 points or fewer 6 of 11 times, including the last 4 of 5

We've faced only a few defenses that are even considered decent. Right now the offense is conforming to the defense and not imposing its will. The read option will tighten defenses up and lead to some big plays. At least is has in the past.

We did run some read-option against the Giants, but Kap was just crap with his read. On one play in the red zone he pulled the ball down and ran to the left which was where all the defenders were, had he run to his right he could have scored a TD.

The chances are Kap is just so rusty with his read-option plays cos Roman has long stopped coaching it. We need to get back to it cos is in Kap's DNA. You don't break the Division I record with 4,000 yards rushing for no reason.

We can only pray that it is.

it will still make cameos from time to time towards the end of the season , they cant stop what they don't see on game film

Originally posted by theninermaniac:

Originally posted by thl408:

Originally posted by nj9er:
During the Giants game we ran it a few times and they had a defender squat on the opposite side of the play. Exactly where Kap ran to. It worked up until the Super Bowl but the defense figured out how to neutralize its effectiveness. Since the Roman's one trick has been exposed and the explosiveness of Kap and the running the game has declined with it. So now it's back to let's shift around all crazy for 10 seconds to run a draw.

I agree. The 49ers ran it a bunch of times versus NYG. It is still a wrinkle that they go to every now and then. Teams would rather take away Kap's keeper than Gore's dive. As long as Kap is the QB and he has his legs, the read option should stay in the playbook as a wrinkle, not a staple. Hyde came from a college offense where all he ran was inside zone plays so I think using him as the read option RB probably feels more natural to him right now.

I didn't see the read/option much in the game. Some of those plays are misdirections or blasts where kaep was never going to keep the ball. The Hyde TD was no option, it was his the whole way. I think kaep just runs a feign to slow the linemen on a lot of plays.

I think the offense would cash in if they were to reintroduce the true dual threat QB to defenses. And not just by running, but by the play action that it begs for. I just see a vanilla and fairly one demential offense that needs a spark.

I will illustrate why with just a few points:
- have topped 30 points just once this season
-have scored 2 4th qt. TDs on the season
-have scored 20 points or fewer 6 of 11 times, including the last 4 of 5

We've faced only a few defenses that are even considered decent. Right now the offense is conforming to the defense and not imposing its will. The read option will tighten defenses up and lead to some big plays. At least is has in the past.

To the bolded, are you talking about the NYG game or the WAS game? In the NYG game there were read option plays. I'm fairly certain that some of those plays were not misdirection plays. I can tell when it's a misdirection play. I can't tell when it was a RB dive (inside zone) the whole way or if it was indeed a read option.

The only way to tell if it was an inside zone play all the way is for the 49ers to tell us, which happened in the game @NE a couple years ago, or when the unblocked DE sells out to take away the dive and Kap still gives it to the dive (RB). This will never happen because teams are scared of Kap keeping the ball. Here is an example of a read option play from NYG, then the Hyde TD versus WAS. See if you can tell the difference if the Hyde TD was a keeper the whole way.

Kap pulls the ball back to keep it.


Watch #91 the unblocked key defender. Kap will look at him to slow him down. You could be right that the HydeTD was an inside zone play the whole way. I can't tell.


Since this thread is about the read option, I won't touch the whole 'why is the offense sucky' topic. I'll just agree with you that keeping QB run plays in the playbook is the way to go and that the read option is one way to do it.

Originally posted by thl408:

Originally posted by theninermaniac:

Originally posted by thl408:

Originally posted by nj9er:
During the Giants game we ran it a few times and they had a defender squat on the opposite side of the play. Exactly where Kap ran to. It worked up until the Super Bowl but the defense figured out how to neutralize its effectiveness. Since the Roman's one trick has been exposed and the explosiveness of Kap and the running the game has declined with it. So now it's back to let's shift around all crazy for 10 seconds to run a draw.

I agree. The 49ers ran it a bunch of times versus NYG. It is still a wrinkle that they go to every now and then. Teams would rather take away Kap's keeper than Gore's dive. As long as Kap is the QB and he has his legs, the read option should stay in the playbook as a wrinkle, not a staple. Hyde came from a college offense where all he ran was inside zone plays so I think using him as the read option RB probably feels more natural to him right now.

I didn't see the read/option much in the game. Some of those plays are misdirections or blasts where kaep was never going to keep the ball. The Hyde TD was no option, it was his the whole way. I think kaep just runs a feign to slow the linemen on a lot of plays.

I think the offense would cash in if they were to reintroduce the true dual threat QB to defenses. And not just by running, but by the play action that it begs for. I just see a vanilla and fairly one demential offense that needs a spark.

I will illustrate why with just a few points:
- have topped 30 points just once this season
-have scored 2 4th qt. TDs on the season
-have scored 20 points or fewer 6 of 11 times, including the last 4 of 5

We've faced only a few defenses that are even considered decent. Right now the offense is conforming to the defense and not imposing its will. The read option will tighten defenses up and lead to some big plays. At least is has in the past.

To the bolded, are you talking about the NYG game or the WAS game? In the NYG game there were read option plays. I'm fairly certain that some of those plays were not misdirection plays. I can tell when it's a misdirection play. I can't tell when it was a RB dive (inside zone) the whole way or if it was indeed a read option.

The only way to tell if it was an inside zone play all the way is for the 49ers to tell us, which happened in the game @NE a couple years ago, or when the unblocked DE sells out to take away the dive and Kap still gives it to the dive (RB). This will never happen because teams are scared of Kap keeping the ball. Here is an example of a read option play from NYG, then the Hyde TD versus WAS. See if you can tell the difference if the Hyde TD was a keeper the whole way.

Kap pulls the ball back to keep it.


Watch #91 the unblocked key defender. Kap will look at him to slow him down. You could be right that the HydeTD was an inside zone play the whole way. I can't tell.


Since this thread is about the read option, I won't touch the whole 'why is the offense sucky' topic. I'll just agree with you that keeping QB run plays in the playbook is the way to go and that the read option is one way to do it.

I was referring to the WAS game. The differences I see between the two plays are Keeps happy feet in the NYG play and how the speed of the WAS play was way quicker than the NYG play. Kaep looks to be more indecisive on the NYG play with his stutter steps, and the WAS play he looks planted and decisive when he hands the ball off.

Either way, we agree that the threat of Kaep's legs has been what has catapulted his career, and it seems counter intuitive to limit that side of his game. I did notice against SEA that the few positive plays we gained on the ground were from the read option. Any idea as to why we aren't running more play action from the read-option? It seems it would give our WRs an extra second to get into their routes and would slow down the pass rush. It would also get Kaep out of the pocket, which is a good thing IMO.

it works every time they run it with hyde and they hand it to him.

every time
he's actually a read option back
seattle and philly runs it into the ground
and philly is able to run it with an immoble qb
the line blocks better
everything is better
but we don't do it