Grant Reynolds hasn’t grown a mustache or mutton chops, at least not yet. And the veteran Chattanooga Christian School football coach hasn’t been seen driving a 1982 Chevy Camaro Z28 to practice either.
But if the throwback offense he has uncovered and unleashed continues to handle its business as effectively as it did in the Chargers’ 34-28 season-opening win at Ooltewah last week, Reynolds might just embrace a lot more aspects of everyday life that tie back into the early ’80s retro vibe.
It was sometime during the early portion of offseason workouts that Reynolds recognized the talent returning for this season did not mesh well with running a spread offense. A lack of overall numbers on the CCS roster and a shortage of the speed needed for big-splash chunk plays meant the Chargers would need to somehow limit the touches by opposing offenses.
And that’s when he remembered that his college alma mater, Harding University in Searcy, Arkansas, has been massively successful since switching to the flexbone offensive formation four years ago. During that time, the Bison have compiled a 51-5 overall record, including winning the NCAA Division II national championship in 2023.
An old-school triple-option scheme first introduced in 1982 by Air Force, it has been used primarily by the military academies because it’s a style that fits players who are big on physicality and grit but may lack the overall speed and athleticism better suited for spread offenses.