Rub Route RPOs to Combat Man Coverage

By Steve Rapp
Offensive Coordinator/QB Coach
Dr. Henry A. Wise Jr High School (MD)
Twitter: @CoachRapp_O

At Wise High School attacking man, coverage has become a regular occurrence for us. We are a heavy Run/RPO team, which defenses answer as of late is to play a lot of Cover 1 and Cover 0 to get extra players into the box and take bender/stick throws away. This has led our offense to evolve to man-beater concepts with the sprint out and RPO attached. I will discuss 3 man-beaters, a sprint-out rub combination, an RPO man beater with Gap scheme, and one with the outside zone with an off/bail CB.

Move Concept

Our sprint out move combination is a go-to versus Blitz and Man coverage. It is a 3x1 combination (See Diagram #1). You can dress this up any way you like using bunch/loose trips/TE attached or detached Trips. The premise of this whole combination is #2 and #3 working together to get a rub. #1 strong is 50/50 Fade ball, #2 a 5-yard hitch and expanded inside (like a basketball pivot), #3 a 4 yard out staying straight after coming underneath the hitch. We add full sprint protection opposite of the call for a false triangle read for inside the box backers, which leaves our tailback 1v1 versus the play side DE.

Major coaching point: This 5-yard hitch and 4 out must be worked every day, they are a team and must work together to get each other open. We work it vs press on 2/3 so they can work their releases but still get the timing down. 

To study game film of this concept, click on the video below:

Editor’s Note: Coach Rapp has provided coaching points for each clip below:

Clip 1: Pre-snap read is man and we are working the out to the hitch. Great job on the rub, easy throw and catch. 

Clip 2: We catch them in a full spin and an edge pressure works the out right to the blitzer! Perfect.