What it is

The triple option is a running play, used mostly in high school and college football, where the quarterback reads a defender after the snap and chooses among three choices: hand the ball to the fullback, keep it himself, or pitch it to a trailing back.

In a game

Some teams, such as the service academies, have built whole offenses on it. The fullback becomes the main inside runner and a threat on every play, which forces the defense to cover three ball carriers at once.

More detail

The quarterback makes two reads. First he watches a defensive lineman, the give key: if the lineman stays wide, the quarterback hands the ball to the fullback up the middle, and if he crashes inside, the quarterback pulls the ball away. He then watches the next defender and either keeps the ball or pitches it to the trailing back. The play works because each defender has to guess whom to stop, and the offense takes whatever he gives up.

Animated diagram

1. The quarterback takes the snap and reads one defender, usually the defensive end. His choice decides the play.
2. First he can hand off to the fullback on a dive, which is the first option.
3. If the end stays wide, he keeps the ball and runs along the line. When a defender comes at him, he pitches to the trailing halfback, who has space to run.