In the article titled Option Thoughts by Larry Beckish – The origins of today’s Midline Option, “The ‘Ol Coach” begins with the following introduction ..

“The option series developed at Wichita State University in 1978 was labeled the Trap Option by the staff at W.S.U. and was labeled the Freeze Option and the Midline Option, among other things by high school and college coaches over the years. But, from the time as the Xs and Os were scribbled on the blackboard like a mathematical formula they comprised the 40-60 Series.”

Coach Beckish recently sent us 14 “new” Option Football plays that he had sketched out by hand . We were in good company – the plays were sent to a number of today’s well known option football coaches, including Florida’s Urban Meyer and Clemson’s new Head Coach Dabo Swinney (Coach B visited with Coach Swinney and delivered the plays in person).

The ‘Ol Coach said he would love to run these new option plays against today’s defenses, along with the original ones he created and discusses in his book, The Trap Option. Coach Beckish believes the option concepts, principles, fundamentals and coaching points are the same.

We decided to “draw up” the first two plays in the latest version of the Playmaker Pro (Version 4.5) football playbook software. A future will feature another pair of plays from Coach Beckish that we will “draw up” in Coach’s Office Version 8.

We’re sure the ‘Ol Coach would be happy to discuss these plays further.. as well as talk option football, and football in general.

For more on the option from Coach Beckish:

Click here to Listen to Coach Beckish talk Option Football on the Coach’s Corner Radio Show

Looking for the Web’s #1 Site for Option Football? CLICK HERE to Visit www.optioncentral.net.

Coach Beckish is an expert on Option Football. The list of coaches that Larry his worked with reads like a “Who’s Who” among coaching legends. His coaching stints include stops in the ACC, SEC, and Big Ten.

Larry played for four years at Wichita State University (1960-1965), and was team captain in 1963. Upon graduating from Wichita State, Beckish began his coaching career at the University of Tampa where he coached both the offensive and defensive lines.

After two seasons at Tampa, Beckish headed north to serve as the receivers coach at Clemson under the legendary Frank Howard. He moved south again for a season at the University of Miami before returning to Clemson as receivers coach and he coached the Tigers from 1971-1976.

After Clemson, Beckish returned to his alma mater to work with the legendary Willie Jeffries, who made history by becoming the first African-American head coach in Division 1-A. At WSU Coach Beckish, the quarterbacks coach and offensive coordinator and the staff developed the Trap Option.

Following three years with Jeffries, Beckish became an assistant at East Carolina for a season before joining the Arizona Wranglers of the now-defunct USFL. He later coached three seasons at the University of Minnesota as the quarterbacks coach and offensive coordinator for Lou Holtz.

After brief retirement Larry returned to coach two seasons at Ole Miss (1990-1992) as well as a season with the Charlotte Rage of the Arena League. From 1995 through 1998 he coached at Duke. Larry recently worked as a ‘volunteer’ coach at Hilton Head High School in 2001 and 2002 before returning to college football in 2003.

During retirement from 1987-1990, he wrote ‘The Trap Option – 40 Plus 60 equals Option.’ He also authored, ‘I Believe in Cream, Apples, and Football – Thoughts for Coaches’.