As the Ohio State Buckeyes prepare to face the Florida Gators int he 2012 Gator Bowl the elements of Urban Meyer's new offense will have a chance to audition for the roles they will play in 2012. With the news that Ohio State will be banned from postseason play following next season, this is a chance to get in extra practice and repetitions that will not be there next season:
Meyer's Florida offenses were perhaps most associated with inside option routes. Meyer's heavy use of option routes comes straight from the original one-back coaches. The base play is simple. As Chris Brown states, "the outside receivers were to run straight and try to get open deep [or deep comebacks]. The inside receivers were to burst upfield to eight to twelve yards depending on the call. Against man-to-man, they cut inside or outside depending on the defender’s leverage; against zone they found a void between defenders and settled in it."
Quarterback Braxton Miller should thrive with the inside option routes. His ability to run the ball will likely fare well in Meyer's offense, especially since Tim Tebow thrived as both a runner and a passer under Meyer.