How the Pre-Snap Process Helps the QB with RPOs

At the Risk of Beating a Dead Horse

When the QB walks up to the line of scrimmage on a run play with a pass option he needs to be figuring out how to solve the numbers problem. The QB needs to know how many people are in the blocking scheme so he knows how many defenders the offense can block. He then needs to count the box. However, the easier way to counting the box is by identifying the structure of the defense. Identifying whether the defense is MOFO or MOFC will tell him how many people are in the box. Then identifying Man or Zone will tell him his best pass option.

MOFO

We have seen this situation plenty at this point so I will be brief: when the defense is in MOFO against 11 personnel and the TE is in the blocking scheme then the numbers advantage is in the offense’s favor.

This is how we teach our QBs — that the QB must understand in his pre-snap process what the defensive structure means for the run game. Understanding whether the defense is in a MOFO or MOFC structure isn’t just for the passing game. So if he sees MOFO, then he knows that any body else that enters the run box — it matters not who it is — will not be accounted for in the blocking scheme. We call this “finding the seventh” since we have six blockers and can’t block a seventh run fitter. That run fitter is the QB’s responsibility. It’s then up to the design of the pass option to give him a good answer to whoever that extra run fitter is.

So in this example the QB is in his right to hand the ball off because there is no immediate seventh fitter. That being said, the offense doesn’t have a great answer to handle a seventh fitter from the boundary — the WR is running a hitch against a press corner. To the field, the WRs are running hitches. So if the nickel had fit, perhaps the QB could’ve ripped the hitch. However, if the field safety had fit, then there was not a good answer. But the offense had a space advantage because the safeties were fitting from depth.

So this play works because the boundary safety is the seventh fitter and the depth of his alignment causes him to fit later. And as you would expect this safety makes the tackle, but the play gets yards. Good operation.

MOFC

When the QB identifies MOFC he must be on alert to get the ball out because the seventh fitter is either already in the run box or awfully close. When the defense is in man, then the offense doesn’t have a lot of open space pre-snap, but there are options. They could deal with the seventh with a QB run read option or they could throw a man beater and play it out like quick game abandoning the run game. However, against zone the QB can take care of the extra fitter somewhat easier because there is more open space pre-snap for him to see. On the play below, the Vols catch MOFC Man:

The offense is running the exact same play as before off tempo (these were back to back plays) and as was foreshadowed on the play before, there aren’t great answers built into the play for when the seventh fitter shows up.

Everyone is running hitches. So the QB can only deal with the extra fitter by finding the softest hitch and hoping for the best. He must hope because they are in man and the hitch is a stand-still route. In other words, it’s not running away from any defensive back so the defensive back can react really quickly and close space fast. On this play, the softest hitch is over the slot.

If the QB had noticed pre-snap that the defense was playing MOFC and didn’t want to run into the box, then he could’ve abandoned the run completely and thrown the slot hitch as fast as possible. Who knows what the Tennessee QB is taught and I’m not saying this is what he should’ve done. This play is simply further evidence to the point to the RPOs purpose: fix numbers in the run game and attack open space. But the important piece is again the pre-snap process. If the QB had seen MOFC and knew he needed to get the ball out, then he could’ve abandoned the mesh and gotten the hitch out quicker than if he’d gone through the mesh.

In Pursuit of a More Sound Offense

If the QB is responsible for the seventh fitter, then he must have the tools to handle that defender. Without multiple options, then sometimes you have to just line up and run into an outnumbered box. And designing an offense with multiple options that work with a variety of a defensive looks — MOFO/MOFC Man/Zone — is tough. However, the pursuit of a design that is flexible against these looks is the pursuit of a more sound offense that gives the QB answers to fix the ever-threatening numbers problem.

Until tomorrow,

Emory Wilhite

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