The Pragmatic Revolution: Why Triple Option Coaches are the Ultimate Realists
January 6, 2026
In the high-stakes world of high school and collegiate football, there is a lingering romanticism about “the process.” Coaches speak in platitudes about character, tradition, and complex schemes that look beautiful on a whiteboard but disintegrate under the Friday night lights.
Then, there are the pragmatists.
These are the coaches who recognize that they don’t have five-star recruits, a 300-pound offensive line, or four years to wait for a “rebuilding phase.” They need to win now, with the players they have, using a system that yields the highest possible return on investment. This is the world of the Triple Option Football Academy, led by Dr. Lou Cella. It is a world where sports science, mental conditioning, and the 80/20 rule collide to create a “pragmatic revolution” in football.
The Psychology of Pragmatism: The Dr. Lou Cella Approach
To understand why the triple option is the ultimate pragmatic choice, you have to look at the man behind the modern installation of the system. Dr. Lou Cella is not just a coach; he is a Doctor of Sport and Performance Psychology. His background isn’t rooted in traditional coaching “lore,” but in the clinical application of efficiency.
His research study, “Utilizing the 80/20 Rule to Improve Football Coaching Performance,” is the manifesto of this movement. The 80/20 rule (the Pareto Principle) suggests that 80% of your results come from 20% of your efforts. In football terms, most coaches spend 80% of their time practicing things that rarely happen in a game.
The pragmatists at the Triple Option Football Academy do the opposite. They focus exclusively on the “vital few”—the handful of plays and movements that dictate the outcome of 90% of snaps.
Creating an Elite Performance Environment
Pragmatism requires an elite performance environment. You cannot achieve “self-mastery” or “peak experience” in a chaotic or inefficient practice. This is why the Triple Option Academy camps are structured with surgical precision.
A typical camp consists of a 64-play sequence per day. There is no standing around. There are no “fluff” drills. By the time a three-day camp concludes, players have run over 600 plays.
“We appreciated Dr. Lou Cella’s no-nonsense approach… his desire to teach every kid, then let them get as many reps as possible with their new skills. The camp was organized and an overall quality event.” — Josh Bell, Head Coach, Tyrone (OK)
This is the height of performance-enhancement education. It is designed to create actualization and awareness through repetition. When a player runs a Zone Dive 200 times in three days, he isn’t thinking anymore; he is executing. That is the pragmatic path to self-mastery.
The Triple Option as a Great Equalizer
The most pragmatic reason to run the Army/Air Force Flexbone Triple Option is simple: It works when you are smaller, slower, and have fewer players than your opponent.
Consider the case of Bayfield High School (CO). They reached the state championship with an offensive line that averaged a mere 180 pounds. In a traditional “pro-style” or “spread” offense, that line would be bullied off the field. In the triple option, those 180-pounders are weapons of precision, using angles and the defense’s own momentum against them.
Tactical Pragmatism: The Core Offense
The system taught by Dr. Cella focuses on a specific, current core offense used by the service academies. Zone Dive, Midline Triple Option, and Rocket Toss.
By focusing on this specific progression, coaches take the guesswork out of the game. You aren’t “playing around” with the triple option; you are implementing a biological and mechanical certainty.
Case Studies in Immediate Turnarounds
The data doesn’t lie. Pragmatism is measured in wins, points, and championships. The history of the Triple Option Football Academy is a litany of “impossible” turnarounds.
1. The “Zero to Hero” Phenomenon
Haverford High (PA): Went from 1-9 in 2023 to 11-2 in 2024, breaking the school record for wins after just one spring camp.
Questa (NM): In 2024, they won as many games as the previous eight years combined.
Timmonsville (SC): Finished 1-9 in 2010. After a 2011 camp, they reached the State Semifinals with a roster of only 21 players.
2. The Small School Survival Guide
Pragmatism is a necessity for small schools with limited depth. Wyman King Academy (SC) dressed only 14 players for the majority of their 2022 season. In most systems, one injury would end the season. In the triple option, the system’s simplicity allowed 7 different players to score touchdowns, leading them to the State Championship game.
3. Ending the “Droughts”
Falls City (TX): Won their first regional and state championship in school history after their 2010 camp.
Lakewood (SC): Had only one winning season in school history before 2011. After the camp, they started 5-0 and broke the school record for wins.
The Efficiency of the “3-Step Clinic”
The Academy offers a 2026 3-Step Clinic and a massive video library (100+ hours) that allows coaches to master installation without having to “reinvent the wheel.”
Traditional coaching involves visiting colleges, buying random DVDs, and using trial and error. This is the opposite of pragmatism. As Dr. Jimmy Woods of Timmonsville noted, the traditional research method takes about three years to gain a full understanding. Dr. Cella’s system reduces that learning curve to days.
The Practice Mastery Plan
The pragmatic coach knows that “practice makes permanent,” not perfect. The Academy provides a Training Camp Mastery Plan designed to get 1,200 live plays in the first three weeks. This volume of reps ensures that by the time the first game kicks off, the offense is an extension of the players’ nervous systems.
“The camp brought a much higher level of focus and understanding to our team… Now when we tell our kids to ‘trust the system’ they know what we’re talking about.” — Marshall Hahn, Head Coach, Bayfield (CO)
Defensive Pragmatism: The Secret Benefit
A common theme among Triple Option Academy clients is that the offense makes their defense better.
1. Time of Possession: By running the ball and controlling the clock, the opponent’s high-powered offense stays on the sideline.
2. Field Position: Systematic ball movement ensures the defense isn’t defending a short field.
3. Physicality: The “Zone Dive and Option” mentality creates a culture of toughness that permeates both sides of the ball.
As Brock Berryhill of Scobey (MT) put it, “The mentality this offense creates makes your defense better! We were more physical on both sides of the ball this year.”
The Ultimate Support System: 24/7 Accessibility
Pragmatism also means having an answer when things go wrong. Most “gurus” disappear after the check clears. Dr. Cella provides 24/7 On-Call Support. Whether it’s a question about a specific defensive front on a Tuesday night or a pregame warmup routine, the “doctor is in.”
This level of support is why programs like Bethesda Chevy Chase (MD) and Hereford (MD) return to the Academy year after year. It isn’t just a playbook; it’s a partnership in performance.
Conclusion: Are You Ready to Be a Pragmatist?
The Triple Option isn’t just an offense; it’s a decision to stop making excuses. It is a decision to stop worrying about the size of your players or the prestige of your opponents. It is a commitment to a procedural-based practice that has been proven to work in every corner of the country, from the 8-man games in Nebraska to the Class 4A powerhouses in Nevada.
In 2025 alone, three Academy clients (Fort Sumner, Scobey, and Oak Hall) won state championships in the same weekend. The results are undeniable.
If you are tired of “taking your lumps” in a system that doesn’t fit your personnel, it’s time to embrace the pragmatic revolution. It’s time to take the guesswork out of football and start building a championship contender.
