Triple Option Means Triple Threat

The Rice University Triple Option traces its roots to West Texas High school football. Emory Bellard invented wishbone triple option football in the summer of 1968. Coach Bellard always liked option football and the advantages three back formations gave an offense. He started toying with the concept while coaching at Ingleside and Breckenridge High Schools. Coach Bellard felt to be successful on offense, one needed to: • Have a blocker on a defender with a ball carrier behind. • Have two blockers on one defender with an option play. • Create one-on-one match-ups in the passing game. Coach Bellard was hired to coach linebackers at the University of Texas in 1967. In the spring of 1968, Texas head coach Darryl Royal moved Emory from coaching linebackers to the offensive side of the ball. Coach Royal was always a fan of the option offense. In looking at the personnel Texas had, Coach