By David Weitz
Offensive Line Coach
Warren Central High School (Indianapolis, IN)
Twitter: @DWeitz7

Introduction:

Our offense is looking to spread the field in order to get the ball into space. For us, getting the ball in space could be throwing to an open man in space or running Inside Zone into a 5 man box. We do this by giving our players the ability, and the skills, to get the ball to the man who has the most space and best opportunity to make a play. Our Inside Zone RPO is the way we feel we can best accomplish this. It allows us to use a sound blocking scheme that can handle 6 in the box while having a passing scheme that can stress the defense both horizontally and vertically.

Box Play

The blocking of Inside Zone could, and has, taken plenty of articles for itself. As an offensive line coach, I hate to breeze by line play but there is no way to do it justice and still include the relevant information for the RPO. We block Inside Zone by leaving the backside end man on the line of scrimmage for the quarterback to read. One concept that we really try to hammer home is that, while our double teams must get vertical movement, we want them to be controlled and methodical in their movement of the defensive lineman to the linebacker. Since our QB has so many options on a pull read, he more time before our lineman get downfield. We’ve also found that our kids do an excellent job of getting a feel for if it is a run or a pass and are able to shut it down around the 3 yard line.

The mesh between our quarterback and fullback is a huge part of this play. From the running back’s perspective he is looking to take the ball coming straight downhill with his shoulder square to the line of scrimmage. There are several coaching points we use to help insure this. The first is the alignment of the fullback. We will have him stagger 1 yard behind the QB. In addition to this we will tell our QB to get perpendicular to the line of scrimmage and reach the ball straight back. This creates a situation where, if the fullback wants to get the ball on a clean path, his natural path is to step directly behind the QB and come straight downhill. From the perspective of the QB, we stole a page from the flexbone coaches and tell him that he is going to give the ball unless the read man can tackle him for less than 2 yards. We tell him to read far shoulder, far hip, near knee and just about any other body part imaginable but in the end we found, with practice and film work, our QBs get a pretty good feel for what the end man on the line of scrimmage is going to do. We also try to stress the idea that the longer the ball is in the running back’s pocket the more time he has to read the intentions of the defender.

We tell our running backs that Inside Zone is a physical play and the physicality starts with their running style. Our fullback is going to get his shoulder pads square to the line of scrimmage and chase the play side hip of the center while looking to bang the ball through the play side A gap. In the event that the play side hip of the center isn’t getting movement, he will plant, lower and bend the play through the backside A gap. Just like with the QB, we’ve found the best way to get the running back to play fast is to give him one way decision making. In this scenario, we are telling him you will bang the ball through the play side A gap unless there is no movement. We also tell him we will never get mad at him for banging it through the play side A gap.

By Mike Kuchar

Senior Research Manager

X&O Labs

Twitter: @MikekKuchar

Introduction:

A bit of clarification is needed before we provide our research. We feel it necessary to provide an explanation of exactly what a run/pass options is. Like many other concepts in football, this has different meanings to different coaches. Some of these terms include run/pass combinations, dual read play calls and run/pass marriages.

This entire special report will be centered around run concepts that involve a pass element where the quarterback must make a post-snap read of a defender and decide whether he is handing the ball off or throwing the football.  Which means that a quarterback is reading a certain defender post-snap (known as a read key) to decide whether the ball is thrown or handed off.

These are not to be confused with run/run options (such as read option concepts) or pass/pass options (such as quick game concepts mixed in with screens).

This special report, The Run/Pass Option Concept Study, could perhaps be the impetus behind some ideas that may drive your offense to become more dynamic. The fact is, we all have run concepts in our offense and we have pass concepts in our offense. A short time ago, a group of smart football coaches decided to package their best runs with their best passes, thus taking the guesswork out of their hands and into their quarterbacks.

Now, that isn’t always a popular choice. We’ve interviewed a good deal of coaches like Charleston South High School (SC) head coach Donnie Mays who said, “If I want to run it, I’ll run it. I don’t want my quarterback making that decision.”

It’s important to note that Coach Mays has contributed to this report, because he does believe in the RPO system. But those coaches who have bought in completely to using run/pass options are a relative new crop. We’ve found that the majority of coaches, 43.3 percent, have been using run/pass options between the last 2-3 seasons.  

Benefits of the RPO System:

If taught correctly, a run/pass option necessitates you never getting into a bad play.  At its core, if the quarterback makes the right decision (based off his movement key) it’s a positive play. But we all know our quarterbacks don’t always make the right decision, which is why we dedicated a heavy portion of this research to how coaches are training their signal callers to make the right read. There is a lot of teach time that goes into establishing these run/pass option concepts and many of our contributing coaches detail what they do to progress the system further in this report. We selected several contributing coaches and asked them what they felt the benefits of using the RPO system provided.  Here’s what they told us:

Steve Rampy, Offensive Coordinator, Pittsburg State University (RPOs consist of 25 percent of his offense): “Not every run has a pass complement, but many of our runs have an ability to (have a pass off of them). We have some concepts where if we have a run called and we see an extra defender in the box, we will check the play. We have other concepts where if we see the same scenario, we’ll read him post-snap. You don’t want to get in a bad situation if that player comes into the box early, now you’re stuck. The quarterback makes the communication with the receiver to get it worked out. “

Brian Flinn, Wide Receiver Coach, Villanova University (RPOs consist of 30 percent of his offense): “We just try to get apexed players in a bind, either they play run or they play pass. Every run game is based off a smoke, bubble or free access throw for us. There is no three-step drop unless there is a two-minute drill. If you want to move defenders, have receivers run block.  We zone block and run two-yard hitches. It’s pass for the receiver and run for the offensive line. It’s the QB that has to think and make decisions. You eliminate a lot of things in your offense by doing this. You eliminate three-step protection and most of your play action menu.”

Drew Owens, Offensive Coordinator, Western Connecticut State University (RPOs consist of 50 percent of his offense): “We are a no-huddle team that wants to keep a premium on play call. We never want to read a guy that is influencing the run, and if he plays run, have to throw and read another guy. We put guys that are aiding in the run and forcing them to play the pass. He’s our run control guy. The quarterback has the built-in option to throw the ball allowing him to take less hits. It puts an extreme amount of pressure on a defense to prepare for the option and pass in a single play. There are two plays in one. Regardless of what the defense is in, you have the right play called taking out the need to audible. It also accounts for the sixth defender in the box in a 10 personnel formation (seventh defender if TE attached) and it forces teams to play one-high in normal situations.”

By Mike Kuchar

Senior Research Manager

X&O Labs

Twitter: @MikekKuchar

Introduction:

When conducting our research on RPOs, we noticed two common threads among offensive coaches who were proficient with the system: either these run/pass combinations attack box defenders or they attack perimeter defenders. These are primarily second level players such as linebackers or drop safeties (posing as linebackers). By definition; a box defender is a defender that is in the framework of a tackle box. 

Now, each coach has his own definition of a tackle box, many of which are explained in this report. But, for all intents and purposes, this case will be based solely upon RPO concepts that are used to manipulate those interior linebackers that may have a dual run/pass responsibility in zone coverage. We’ll start with the most popular of these concepts, the Stick/Draw. 

The Stick/Draw Concept:

The main premise of the Stick/Draw is a Draw run concept mixed with a Stick pass concept (simple enough). Typically speaking, the post-snap decision is made by the quarterback off the play side inside linebacker who will either commit to tackling the ball carrier (on the draw) or work to play the stick route in the passing concept.  

The Stick Draw is by far the most common RPO used by coaches and apparently the most efficient as well.  In fact, 53.9 percent of coaches said they averaged between five and seven yards per play on this concept. Since this entire case is centered on the Stick/Draw concept, we will begin with perhaps the most important element of the play, the pre-snap identification process. For research purposes, the most common Stick Draw route progression is as follows:

Base Stick/Draw Concept Receiver Progression: 

• Z Receiver: Blocks the MDM (most dangerous man) on the edge, just as he would in a bubble screen concept.
• S Receiver: Bubble screen path. 
• H Receiver: Runs a stick route. If the ball is on the hash, he gets on the outside edge of the hash. It’s a vertical, no stem, inside hitch.
• X Receiver: Tagged route based on coverage and leverage.

To watch a video tutorial of Villanova University’s base Stick Draw Concept, click on the video below:

By Mike Kuchar

Senior Research Manager

X&O Labs

Twitter: @MikekKuchar

Introduction:

Case three of our special report will focus on run/pass concepts that put perimeter defenders in a bind, forcing them to defend both run and pass actions. In most cases, perimeter defenders consist of outside linebackers or drop safeties in zone coverage that have both run and pass responsibilities post-snap. It is these defenders that can be manipulated by showing a fast run action (such as Power, Speed Sweep or Outside Zone) then pulling the ball to throw in the area in which he vacated. Since many of the coaches we spoke with prefer to use the Power Read action as the run complement to these perimeter RPOs, we decided to start there. 

Power and Power Read (Inverted Veer) RPO Concepts:

For the last four years (or at least since Cam Newton left Auburn) the Power Read concept has been all the noise among Spread offensive coaches. Since much has been written and reported on this concept, defenses have learned to tighten up their schemes to defend it. As a result, these offensive coaches started getting on the whiteboard to design some lethal play-action concepts off the Power Read action, some of which are the RPOs detailed below. Now instead of the play side defensive end being the read in the run game, the apexed linebacker becomes the movement key. We asked the same set of questions (as we did in case one) to those coaches who are using the Power and Power Read RPO. 

Question: Which kinds of pass route progressions do you utilize in the Power Read RPO concept?

Brett Dietz, Offensive Coordinator, DePauw University: “We are going to run a double post to the number two receiver side with a wheel route with the blocking back coming out of the backfield.”  

Dan Ellis, Great Valley High School (PA): “We choose simple routes that are easy to complete for our quarterback. These consist of hitches, fast screens, bubbles, slots and double slants. The routes must be short so that all throws must be out before the pulling guard can reach the second level. The goal is four yards. But putting horizontal pressure on the defense creates opportunities for short throws to turn into long gains.”

Austin Heaps, Lehi High School (UT): “We utilize route concepts that the back we are faking to will hold the flat defender. In the following example, the back is our flat throw, high/lowing the corner in cover-two with the corner route over top. The snag holds the hook defender and then stretches the flat defender against cover-three or Quarters coverage, while the outside receiver sits on the outside linebacker’s outside hip. The corner route clears the deep coverage.”

Greg Lauri, Offensive Coordinator, Nassau Community College (NY):“We have two route combinations that we utilize in this series, the first is a ‘pop’ concept with the tight end or number in conjunction with an outside smash concept. The second route combination we use is a deep pin-and-post combination with an outside choice route.”

Question/Request: For those that use pass progressions off this concepts, explain the coaching points you use to teach your offensive linemen not to advance downfield.

Editor’s Note: At the college level, offensive linemen are allowed to advance up to three yards downfield before being called for an illegal man downfield if a forward pass is thrown.

Greg Lauri, Offensive Coordinator, Nassau Community College (NY): “As in all of our play-action pass concepts, the most important thing for the offensive line to understand is that it must ‘sound’ like a run play. This means that they need to be aggressive in their initial block and drive the defensive lineman for at least their first two to three steps. We emphasize that they are not to block the linebacker they are responsible for, unless he attacks the LOS. This helps to prevent our guys from going downfield.”

Kyle McKenna, Brooklyn Tech High School (NY): “Our Power Read play-action pass is a perimeter read. If the read fast flows, we throw quick slant to the slot receiver in the vacated area. If the read stays, we run Power to the right side. Our QB takes one crows hop to read the Will, while our offensive line blocks Power with a Y kicking out.”