Defending the triple option

SB:

Like I just posted to the question about defending the 'wishbone' - is this a true triple option? What age are the kids and is the QB 'reading' the dive key and then the pitch key?

Also, what set or formation is used?

The simple answer is that you have to assign a man or men to the dive, the QB, the pitch and the possible pass after a dive fake.

If the QB is truly reading, you need to get defenders to the point of attack, quickly and in numbers sufficient to account for all the offense can do.

Obviously, one of the approaches is to confuse (or delay) the QB's reads, causing indecision which slows down the attack, thereby allowing more help to get to the POA.

Remember a true triple option team does not know who will carry the ball until after the snap takes place. That is because the defense will then tell the QB what to do by the way they react to what the offense shows them. IOW, if the dive key closes on the dive back, the QB disconnects and moves on to the 2nd read. If the dive key came straight upfield ignoring the dive back, the QB would/should make the exchange and allow the dive back to carry the ball. In its purest sense the triple option forces the defense to assign 5 defenders on each side of the center to the three 'options' - dive, QB keep or pitch - AND the pass coverage of playside pass threats. This forces the defense to be balanced - 5 to a side, with one defender - a defender playing on the mid-line of the offense (a safety or MLB) to be the "extra player' you want to get to the side the offense attacks.

That being said, it becomes VIP to know if the QB is truly reading or the play is a designated give or pull, or what have you.

Obviously, if there is something about the offense that might give away just what side of the field they are attacking, your chances for defensive success go up as you can move people to that side of the ball, even if you are not sure whether it s give or pull and pitch or keep.

Again, this is far from a complete answer, but it tells you what other informationis required before the question can really be addressed.