The option was not a viable option Saturday.
With mobile quarterbacks Zack Mills and Michael Robinson under center, the Penn State assistant coaches in charge of the respective Blue and White squads took a chance to experiment with opening up the offense via the option.
The Blue team broke it out on their first possession of the game, when Mills ran left with Mike Gasparato behind him. As the defense closed on Mills he pitched out to Gasparato, who was still two yards behind him. Defensive end Michael Haynes had read the play and was there to capture Gasparato for a one-yard loss.
Three plays later, after Blue's turnover on downs, Robinson tried the same play. But Shawn Mayer had moved up from the safety position between the quarterback and tailback Larry Johnson after making a quick read on the play. He corralled Johnson for a four-yard loss.
The trouble continued all day, as pitches went awry and the defense stymied the flow of the play time after time.
The offense remained undeterred.
"It's something that we like," Johnson said. "because it takes the pressure off a bit. You don't know who's going to get the ball, so you can make your decision on the field from what you see."
Saturday was not an accurate indication of most aspects of football. The wet grass slowed the quicker players. Also, the format of the game allows the defenses to sit back more, whereas the option is meant to break up and surprise hard-charging defenders.
"It was pretty tough to do anything out there with the defenses sitting back," Robinson said. "They just hung the two safeties back there, so you couldn't pass deep. But they could also move up on the run."
