RPO Questions

[Todd4State]

Out of curiousity about how many RPO's does a typical high school have that runs the spread offense?

It seems to me like there are mainly two types of RPO's. One where it's pretty much two options- either the QB hands it off or throws it or the almost triple/quadruple option type where a QB can hand it off, run, or pull up and then throw it if the defender assigned to the pitch man attacks the QB and a WR is left vacated. Am I fairly accurate in that overgeneralization?

Are RPO's exclusively run with zone blocking schemes? Or are we seeing RPO's where a guard pulls and things like that? I know offensive linemen getting too far downfield can be a risk so I could see where zone blocking schmes may reduce that risk some.

I'm asking this because I'm curious and because I'm expecting to more of this with Joe Moorhead's offense next year.

[sack07]

Out of curiousity about how many RPO's does a typical high school have that runs the spread offense?

It seems to me like there are mainly two types of RPO's. One where it's pretty much two options- either the QB hands it off or throws it or the almost triple/quadruple option type where a QB can hand it off, run, or pull up and then throw it if the defender assigned to the pitch man attacks the QB and a WR is left vacated. Am I fairly accurate in that overgeneralization?

Are RPO's exclusively run with zone blocking schemes? Or are we seeing RPO's where a guard pulls and things like that? I know offensive linemen getting too far downfield can be a risk so I could see where zone blocking schmes may reduce that risk some.

I'm asking this because I'm curious and because I'm expecting to more of this with Joe Moorhead's offense next year.

You can conceivably tag an RPO to any run concept. Identify the defender in run-pass conflict and make him always wrong.

[Coach34]

Out of curiousity about how many RPO's does a typical high school have that runs the spread offense?

It seems to me like there are mainly two types of RPO's. One where it's pretty much two options- either the QB hands it off or throws it or the almost triple/quadruple option type where a QB can hand it off, run, or pull up and then throw it if the defender assigned to the pitch man attacks the QB and a WR is left vacated. Am I fairly accurate in that overgeneralization?

Are RPO's exclusively run with zone blocking schemes? Or are we seeing RPO's where a guard pulls and things like that? I know offensive linemen getting too far downfield can be a risk so I could see where zone blocking schmes may reduce that risk some.

I'm asking this because I'm curious and because I'm expecting to more of this with Joe Moorhead's offense next year.

Anywhere from none to 4-5. As sack said- you can tag an RPO to every run play you have if desired.

As far as blocking schemes- its not just zone blocking but that is the most often used. There are some really good RPO's used with the power:

http://insidethepylon.com/football-101/football-basics/2016/01/18/three-power-schemes-a-guide-to-the-modern-run-game/

as well as the buck sweep:

https://www.bing.com/videos/search?q=run+pass+option-+buck+sweep&view=detail&mid=C7B76BB833B10AE3589AC7B76BB833B10AE3589A&FORM=VIRE

[somebodyshotmypaw]

Coach34, how hard is it in your mind to teach young QB's RPO plays? Where they make the correct decision regularly. I'm talking high school juniors/seniors or college freshmen. In my mind it stresses the QB some. The handoff/fake has to be done carefully to avoid a fumble (running back tries to keep the ball when QB was trying to pull it out, or running back thinks the QB is pulling the ball when QB wants to give it), the throw has to be good, and of course the decision making is key.

Did you run any RPO in the fall of 2017 with your high school team?

[Westdawg]

When you only have the mainly ONE pass option to the backside of the play - like a skinny post or 3 step slant - then it can be extremely effective and simple enough for a young QB to gain great confidence in it. He has to learn to recognize the flow of the backside linebacker to the run, otherwise that LB will either be in his face or dropping to the hook/curl which more or less takes away his passing lane to the slant/skinny post. And he better pray his backside tackle can stop that DE too

[Coach34]

Like with anything else- it takes reps. It's an option- so QB's are going from handing off or running to handing off or throwing. Decision-making is the key and you have to be able to trust your QB. The more you do it- the better you get. The focus needs to be on 1-2 of them for a young QB before adding more. Here is one I did this Fall- The 1st play of the clip and 3 of the last 4 offensive highlights are the same RPO.



http://www.hudl.com/v/27hL8w

[Political Hack]

I know an 8 year old that ran RPO out of a split backs set. This year he’ll run read option RPO out of a split backs set. Won’t always be an active read if the coaches know how the DEs are playing (outside contain, they’ll call the inside handoff from the sidelines... if the DE is crashing, they’ll call the option pitch), but theres also a flat route on the outside to the slot WR with the outside WR as the lead blocker. That’s a presnap read. Looking for green space on that outside CB and leverage for th slot WR to be able to get outside the nickel or OLB (which are essentially the same in youth football).

If a 9 year old can process all that and call the blocking schemes up front, most high school QBs should be able to process it as long as they don’t freak out once the ball is snapped.

[somebodyshotmypaw]

Like with anything else- it takes reps. It's an option- so QB's are going from handing off or running to handing off or throwing. Decision-making is the key and you have to be able to trust your QB. The more you do it- the better you get. The focus needs to be on 1-2 of them for a young QB before adding more. Here is one I did this Fall- The 1st play of the clip and 3 of the last 4 offensive highlights are the same RPO.



http://www.hudl.com/v/27hL8w


Your RPO looks much simpler to grasp for a QB. Because it appears that handing off to the back wasn't really an option. It appears to be more like play action with a rollout, then the QB has the option of running or throwing. Am I seeing that correct? Because on the 1st play, it definitely looked like the handoff to the running back was a planned fake from the beginning (play action because he didn't even stick it in his belly to give him a handoff option). Is that correct?

[Coach34]

Your RPO looks much simpler to grasp for a QB. Because it appears that handing off to the back wasn't really an option. It appears to be more like play action with a rollout, then the QB has the option of running or throwing. Am I seeing that correct? Because on the 1st play, it definitely looked like the handoff to the running back was a planned fake from the beginning (play action because he didn't even stick it in his belly to give him a handoff option). Is that correct?

No- the run option was there but my QB was making a pre-snap decision instead of reading it the way he was supposed to. You can do that shit vs Newton County- but you eventually learn to do what you are told and read it. That comes back to decision-making and trusting your QB. Some QB's listen and do it how you are supposed to- and some have to get hit in the mouth a couple of times by the DE they couldnt outquick for it to sink in. Once mine got hit in the face a couple of times- he got much better with it

It was also the 1st game of the season- which was another reason it looks kinda out of sync.

[somebodyshotmypaw]

No- the run option was there but my QB was making a pre-snap decision instead of reading it the way he was supposed to. You can do that shit vs Newton County- but you eventually learn to do what you are told and read it. That comes back to decision-making and trusting your QB. Some QB's listen and do it how you are supposed to- and some have to get hit in the mouth a couple of times by the DE they couldnt outquick for it to sink in. Once mine got hit in the face a couple of times- he got much better with it

It was also the 1st game of the season- which was another reason it looks kinda out of sync.



Gotcha. Good topic and good discussion.

[BuckyIsAB****]

Out of curiousity about how many RPO's does a typical high school have that runs the spread offense?

It seems to me like there are mainly two types of RPO's. One where it's pretty much two options- either the QB hands it off or throws it or the almost triple/quadruple option type where a QB can hand it off, run, or pull up and then throw it if the defender assigned to the pitch man attacks the QB and a WR is left vacated. Am I fairly accurate in that overgeneralization?

Are RPO's exclusively run with zone blocking schemes? Or are we seeing RPO's where a guard pulls and things like that? I know offensive linemen getting too far downfield can be a risk so I could see where zone blocking schmes may reduce that risk some.

I'm asking this because I'm curious and because I'm expecting to more of this with Joe Moorhead's offense next year.

We have an option on almost every play we call. Mainly the only time its not is when we tell our QB to give it or throw it before the snap.

Even your basic inside zone has a backside route to throw too in our offense. And yes we have an RPO off our power play (pulling a guard) where we can throw anything from a glance, slant, hitch, or flat route off the backside. Like 34 said, we have a backside hitch route off our buck sweep as well. It really gave Pearl problems when we played them

Our QB doesnt pull it and run it much bc its not his strength but we could if we needed too