Know Their Quarterback: Tim Jefferson

[stoops the eternal pimp]

Tim Jefferson
6' , 200lb

Jefferson is the 3 year starter of this unusual Triple Option offense that Air Force runs. What makes it different is some of the formations that they will run out of and he is a junior who can run this offense in his sleep, but there is something very unusual about the way he runs it..

Jefferson rarely keep the ball...Its hard to label him a true running quarterback...So rare that over the course of his 3 years of starting, he has never broken the 100 yard rushing mark.. Only once against UNLV has he gotten close(99 yards a couple of years back)..He is excellent at getting the ball to his backs at the right moment and making the correct reads which are:

1. Read the DE
2. Read the MLB

Jefferson statistically just isn't impressive, but he IMO is even a better option quarterback than GT's Josh Nesbitt..His talented fullback Tew will get a number of carries as well as probably the only guy on the offense with possible NFL draftable talent, RB Asher Clark..Many of Tew's yards up the middle are because of Jefferson's ability to read the D...Expect a slew of fullback dives Saturday...and quite a few end arounds.

What AF will do is get a defense in the habit of cheating up to stop the run and then PA pass over the top of them for the big play..Looking back at his career, he has games with a decent amount of yards but few attempts because of big pass plays..Its not an accurate arm, but a pretty strong one.

How could their PA pass hurt OU? They hit almost all of their big pass plays over the middle of the field, which is typically the soft spot of the OU defense..They run the old option PA where the quarterback will go down the line, typically to the FS side to draw him up, and get something over the middle against the SS...And Jefferson is really good at it..

What's his weaknesses? He'll put the ball on the ground more than he should and he has been dinged up in the past..If the defense can force him to carry the ball by taking away the pitch man, it means more opportunities to tackle him and strip the ball away...He throws the ball up for grabs too much really and has been fairly lucky he hasn't been picked off more..

Wort is going to have to play disciplined football in this game..He is going to make some mistakes, but he has to play his assignments right...Air Force didnt run for 400 yards against BYU because they were faster or bigger, the defense just didn't play strong assignment football..They allowed all the movements to fluster them.

Brandon Everage made himself a star in this game years back..Which safety is going to step up this game and be that guy? Because even though the DE and MLB are the important reads to the QB, the safeties are the important part of stopping it..and the SS has to be be ready for those plays up the middle...

Jefferson will have this offense ready and no way are they intimidated..I wouldn't be surprised to see them score early and have a fair amount of success running the football in the 1st quarter or half..

Their OL is young and the D needs to be ready to be cut blocked..Jefferson is patient enough that he will give his guys opportunity to make the blocks they need..

Q. Carter should have a heap of tackles, at least 10...a few TFLs...Jonathan Nelson should get a pick and expect probably a total of 3 to 4 TOs in this one...

[KantoSooner]

Oh, this should be fun! Back to option football. We'll be just fine if we take away anything between the tackles, where option football begins.

Any word on how Taylor is feeling?

[NormanPride]

If we can turn them over and hold onto the ball then they're in for a long day. Tony Jefferson and Q. Carter are my keys for this one. Wort will screw up - this we know. He will also blow up tons of plays because he's 10x more athletic than most of the MLBs they'll see. It's nice to have DE's like Alexander and Beal. Smart guys that are really good at stretching plays out.

How similar are they to what we saw against USU? I know their stuff was from the shotgun, but the disciplines might be similar.

[rawlingsHOH]

Their OL is young and the D needs to be ready to be cut blocked...

Is A. Taylor really ready?

[Collier11]

STEP is sexy with all his manliness, good jorb. I expect Tony Jefferson and Ibiloye to get a lot of PT, you agree?

[stoops the eternal pimp]

Utah State was a lot more athletic at the QB position.. Jefferson can make plays with his feet, but not like the Borel kid...Your going to see a lot of the fullback in this one as well...

[primetime43]

I'm fairly confident Stoops we'll have the guys ready. Historically under Stoops he is great against the option.

[stoops the eternal pimp]

Is A. Taylor really ready?

Thats why I brought that up...I don't know how much if any I would play him against this offense...

[stoops the eternal pimp]

STEP is sexy with all his manliness, good jorb. I expect Tony Jefferson and Ibiloye to get a lot of PT, you agree?

Yeah and Jefferson has an opportunity to have a monster game

[Collier11]

we were flying around last week so well on D and now we are literally going to have to reign the guys in a bit, this game calls for very disciplined D

[Sooner04]

I cannot wait to see what kind of looks they give us. God, I love option football.....especially when it's run correctly.

Watch out for those chop blocks. :)

[primetime43]

STEP...any concerns with there defense??

[Collier11]

They had a top 15 D last year, that is helped by their ball control offense...id say the bigger issue is maximizing our opportunities on offense

[rawlingsHOH]

Thats why I brought that up...I don't know how much if any I would play him against this offense...
I agree.

[stoops the eternal pimp]

Could be early on, they played well against BYU but its not the same BYU team from last season..BYU is having some problems offensively trying to figure out who their qb is what their offensive identity is...The guy they switched to in the game ended up running for 95 yards and throwing some, they just couldnt throw the ball.. Cornerback Reggie Rembert is a pretty good player for them over there..Their secondary is their strongest aspect

They were a top 10 or 15 defense last year in the MWC, so they can play D...Probably a close game at the half, but I think this Offense should/could wear them down

[NormanPride]

Think we see a lot of the I out of our boys? Not sure if the size/strength advantage in the trenches is big enough to go that route.

It will be a tough test for our young D, for sure. I'm just glad that our safeties are smart and experienced, and that our corners tackle well.

[BillyBall]

When you only see an offense like this once a decade, it is a little concerning. I am confident that we win, but I don't like this game.

[rawlingsHOH]

I like the fact we saw a bit of Triple Option against USU.

[agoo758]

Our secondary may be the most important factor in this game. While option offenses do not pass very much, it seems to me that the best teams running it are the ones with quarterbacks who can make the deep throw to the receivers. If they can do that, defenses can't overload the attack on the line, otherwise the QB can just audible out and go deep every time. I am looking for AF to test our secondary early with a few deep throws to see if they can spread us out. Those may be the most important plays of the game.

[cvsooner]

Defense: AF basically shut down Case Keenum and the Houston Cougars in their bowl game. They're a very disciplined defense, play great assignment ball. About half their starters from last year are back.

Offense: one helpful note (for us) is the ace fullback Tew reportedly may have a broken bone in one hand...which means he might not play.

[KantoSooner]

Defending the option requires
1) great lateral speed
2) mental discipline
3) ability of LB's and Tackles to take care of their assignments

I think we handle all three pretty well this weekend. It's going to be interesting to see how our ends handle these guys.

[cvsooner]

Looks to me, from the videos posted, that most of the damage they do is due to a fairly effective passing game. Suck everyone up to cheat the run and then, bam, over the top.

I see us having a little trouble early, with a breakdown or two, but I just don't see AFA hanging with us from a physical standpoint. I think part of the key here will be to outlast them. Especially if it's hot and humid...not much of that around Colorado Springs...though admittedly it didn't seem to bother USU much.

The problem we had with USU was the fact that they were completing those passes. And they kept going back to it. I dunno if AFA is confident enough for that against OU at home.

The BYU team they clobbered is definitely not the BYU team of last year, which was mostly experienced seniors, most of whom are now gone. I figure BYu will get thumped big time by FSU next Saturday in Tallahassee.

[stoopified]

AFA is going down in flames.

[KantoSooner]

CV, I can see your point on the long passes, but the QB apparently floats the ball a bit. If our guys are not completely out of position, their chances to pick the ball are pretty good.

[Mark_in_Tulsa]

To stop their running game we will have to be on our running game. They eat up way to much clock with their game plan. Our D even tho deep will get wore out, especially with all those damn chop blocks....etc.

We control the clock, and it keeps their O from getting a rhythm and keeps our D from getting tired.

[BlownGP]

To stop their running game we will have to be on our running game. They eat up way to much clock with their game plan. Our D even tho deep will get wore out, especially with all those damn chop blocks....etc.

We control the clock, and it keeps their O from getting a rhythm and keeps our D from getting tired.

x2

Just saw the sats on the BYU game, AF had the ball almost 15 more minutes.

[proudsoonergal]

Offense: one helpful note (for us) is the ace fullback Tew reportedly may have a broken bone in one hand...which means he might not play.

Yeah, I think Tew is out - I read a quote about that from their coach. Apparently Tew's backup is a senior with plenty of experience, though, so I don't know if there will be much dropoff.

[oudivesherpa]

Air Force has a very sound football team, they were +22 in turnovers last year, which was best in the country, they had the 4th best special team rank and while they lost 5 games, there were no blowouts. Four of there 5 losses were on the road. By 7 to Minn, by 3 to Navy, by 3 to Utah and by 17 to BYU; their only home loss was to TCU by 3. This is a sound football team, well coached. We should win but but I wouldn't look for a route like last weeks FSU game.

[Leroy Lizard]

Tim Jefferson
6' , 200lb

Jefferson is the 3 year starter of this unusual Triple Option offense that Air Force runs. What makes it different is some of the formations that they will run out of and he is a junior who can run this offense in his sleep, but there is something very unusual about the way he runs it..

Jefferson rarely keep the ball...Its hard to label him a true running quarterback...So rare that over the course of his 3 years of starting, he has never broken the 100 yard rushing mark.. Only once against UNLV has he gotten close(99 yards a couple of years back)..He is excellent at getting the ball to his backs at the right moment and making the correct reads which are:

1. Read the DE
2. Read the MLB

Jefferson statistically just isn't impressive, but he IMO is even a better option quarterback than GT's Josh Nesbitt..His talented fullback Tew will get a number of carries as well as probably the only guy on the offense with possible NFL draftable talent, RB Asher Clark..Many of Tew's yards up the middle are because of Jefferson's ability to read the D...Expect a slew of fullback dives Saturday...and quite a few end arounds.

What AF will do is get a defense in the habit of cheating up to stop the run and then PA pass over the top of them for the big play..Looking back at his career, he has games with a decent amount of yards but few attempts because of big pass plays..Its not an accurate arm, but a pretty strong one.

How could their PA pass hurt OU? They hit almost all of their big pass plays over the middle of the field, which is typically the soft spot of the OU defense..They run the old option PA where the quarterback will go down the line, typically to the FS side to draw him up, and get something over the middle against the SS...And Jefferson is really good at it..



So essentially we're going up against Steve Davis.

I didn't want to hear that.

[Collier11]

When Jefferson goes 32-1-1 for his career, call me

[oudavid1]

Lol My Cousin at the Academy dated him, no joke. There is alot there, but im not getting into on here. He is a great kid though.

[Crucifax Autumn]

Is your cousin a dude?

[NOVSooner]

Yeah, I think Tew is out - I read a quote about that from their coach. Apparently Tew's backup is a senior with plenty of experience, though, so I don't know if there will be much dropoff.

doesn't tell us anything really except Tew doesn't have a broken hand:

http://gazetteafasports.freedomblogging.com/2010/09/13/tew-doesnt-have-broken-bone-in-hand/6834/

[goingoneight]

I don't think anybody expected a rout last week, and we all did the week before. One: just goes to show you it's a one-week-at-a-time life in college football. Two: we have no way of knowing how much heart and determination these guys have to avoid inconsistent play the rest of the way out.

[Crucifax Autumn]

And let's stomp a mudhole in veryone from here on out regardless of what we expect!

[oudavid1]

Is your cousin a dude?

lol no. I said i wouldn't get into it on a public board. Its not that hard to figure out.

[Collier11]

you brought it up David, just sayin :D

[oudavid1]

you brought it up David, just sayin :D

lol just picture everything i say with a :)

its nothing like personal to me. just not board appropriate

[Sooner04]

PIITB?

[stoops the eternal pimp]

Defending the option requires
1) great lateral speed
2) mental discipline
3) ability of LB's and Tackles to take care of their assignments

I think we handle all three pretty well this weekend. It's going to be interesting to see how our ends handle these guys.



AF will use a lot of no-huddle and quick tempo stuff themselves which is pretty different for an option based offense....Looking at how Jefferson runs this offense, he will catch this defense out of position probably a few teams, especially early.

[KantoSooner]

Quite possibly. I'd include that under items 2 and 3 above. IF our guys stay focused and take care of their assignments (and know what they are), we do okay. Do I expect some busts? Yes. I just don't see that they cost us the game.
Anything can happen on the field, though.

[Soonerntxs]

http://media.rockymountainnews.com/drmn/content/img/photos/2008/01/01/435888788_t220.jpg

AFA COACH: Come on son, get up and show em the option one more time!

QB: Please coach, that R. LEWIS knocked my left nut somewhere into my shoe and I think that WORT GUY thinks I was blowing kisses at his girlfriend! Can we just try a 65 yrd. punt?, I mean there is only so much you can ask me to do for this country!

[starclassic tama]

wishes he was tony jefferson... number 1 is gonna be a SUPERSTAR

[stoops the eternal pimp]

Tim Jefferson
6' , 200lb

Jefferson is the 3 year starter of this unusual Triple Option offense that Air Force runs. What makes it different is some of the formations that they will run out of and he is a junior who can run this offense in his sleep, but there is something very unusual about the way he runs it..

Jefferson rarely keep the ball...Its hard to label him a true running quarterback...So rare that over the course of his 3 years of starting, he has never broken the 100 yard rushing mark.. Only once against UNLV has he gotten close(99 yards a couple of years back)..He is excellent at getting the ball to his backs at the right moment and making the correct reads which are:

1. Read the DE
2. Read the MLB

Jefferson statistically just isn't impressive, but he IMO is even a better option quarterback than GT's Josh Nesbitt..His talented fullback Tew will get a number of carries as well as probably the only guy on the offense with possible NFL draftable talent, RB Asher Clark..Many of Tew's yards up the middle are because of Jefferson's ability to read the D...Expect a slew of fullback dives Saturday...and quite a few end arounds.

What AF will do is get a defense in the habit of cheating up to stop the run and then PA pass over the top of them for the big play..Looking back at his career, he has games with a decent amount of yards but few attempts because of big pass plays..Its not an accurate arm, but a pretty strong one.

How could their PA pass hurt OU? They hit almost all of their big pass plays over the middle of the field, which is typically the soft spot of the OU defense..They run the old option PA where the quarterback will go down the line, typically to the FS side to draw him up, and get something over the middle against the SS...And Jefferson is really good at it..

What's his weaknesses? He'll put the ball on the ground more than he should and he has been dinged up in the past..If the defense can force him to carry the ball by taking away the pitch man, it means more opportunities to tackle him and strip the ball away...He throws the ball up for grabs too much really and has been fairly lucky he hasn't been picked off more..

Wort is going to have to play disciplined football in this game..He is going to make some mistakes, but he has to play his assignments right...Air Force didnt run for 400 yards against BYU because they were faster or bigger, the defense just didn't play strong assignment football..They allowed all the movements to fluster them.

Brandon Everage made himself a star in this game years back..Which safety is going to step up this game and be that guy? Because even though the DE and MLB are the important reads to the QB, the safeties are the important part of stopping it..and the SS has to be be ready for those plays up the middle...

Jefferson will have this offense ready and no way are they intimidated..I wouldn't be surprised to see them score early and have a fair amount of success running the football in the 1st quarter or half..

Their OL is young and the D needs to be ready to be cut blocked..Jefferson is patient enough that he will give his guys opportunity to make the blocks they need..

Q. Carter should have a heap of tackles, at least 10...a few TFLs...Jonathan Nelson should get a pick and expect probably a total of 3 to 4 TOs in this one...

hit and miss on this one....the fullback dives..yeah we got a bunch of em
his rushing yards...2nd most in his career..he did put the ball on the ground..pretty sure only TO though

on the point he is patient enough to let his line block....that long TD run was a video tape play on waiting on blocks..

[Cornfed]

hit and miss on this one....the fullback dives..yeah we got a bunch of em
his rushing yards...2nd most in his career..he did put the ball on the ground..pretty sure only TO though

on the point he is patient enough to let his line block....that long TD run was a video tape play on waiting on blocks..

He seemed to be quite the acurate passer to me as well.

[stoops the eternal pimp]

well its hard to say, because none of his throws were difficult and lots of times wide open

[Cornfed]

well its hard to say, because none of his throws were difficult and lots of times wide open

True , for some reason we had a hard time getting ahold of him.