Punahou’s four-wide set turns into triple option

It began with some classics, new and not so new.

There was the shotgun, four-wide set and two-back West Coast attack implemented by then-offensive coordinator Darryl Kan. As Punahou’s program developed a unique depth of running backs, new offensive coordinator Teetai Ane and his father, head coach Kale Ane, delved into the possibilities of a three-back formation.

This is what they came up with: a fullback lines up very close to the offensive line in the vicinity of the tackle; a tailback lines up behind the fullback; to the side of the tailback, directly behind QB Larry Tuileta (14), yet another tailback.

In this set, the fullback can be Reupena Fitisemanu (42), a 260-pound bulldozer. It can also be 6-foot-3, 310-pound Semisi Uluave, who normally lines up at left guard.

The solo tailback is Wayne Taulapapa (34), the regular tailback in the two-back set. The addition is the other tailback behind the fullback, Luke Morris (12). Visually, it looks like an unbalanced line.

Larry Tuileta, Punahou’s prolific passer, is the key to this. Each of the backs has a simple role. It’s Tuileta who has to master the footwork and timing of this formation and the many other sets in the playbook.

Here, Taulapapa blasts up the middle and Tuileta has the option of handing the ball to him or keeping. Tuileta keeps and advances right. The fullback, Fitisemanu, has already cross-blocked from left to right, taking on the defensive end. With only one unblocked defender in sight, Tuileta can lure him or simply let the pigskin pitch go. The linebacker fills the wrong gap, Tuileta gains a few yards outside, and then delivers the ball to Morris, who had already raced right in tandem with Fitisemanu. It’s a cleanly executed pitch left for a 15-yard gain.

Punahou came up with this package at midseason, and it wasn’t refined when employed in the second half of a close 35-32 win over Saint Louis. Unfortunately, for the Crusaders, there was no way to prepare for Punahou’s new triple option.

Punahou hasn’t used this much since that night, but the possibilities remain. They lined up in this set for just one play in a playoff game against Kamehameha. Instead of running the ball, however, they executed a reverse pitch and deep pass that fell incomplete. The Warriors were prepared, closing the play off in the backfield until the reverse pitch.

It will be telling if Mililani can prepare for both the option and that tricky reverse pass, or perhaps play-action off this formation.