Two Reasons to Run RPOs
Fixing Numbers and Attacking Space Despite No Numbers Problem
From what I can surmise there are two reasons to run RPOs: attack open space with a receiver to fix the numbers problem in the box or attack open space with a receiver despite no numbers problem. Football is about creating space or constraining space. So RPOs follow that logic, and we will see that play out in the two examples from Tennessee.
Fixing the Numbers Problem
This example shows the Vols in 11 personnel up against the Dawgs’ MOFC structure. MOFC means that there is one more man in the box than the offense can block when in 11 personnel. The offense could run the ball, but they’d be at a numbers disadvantage from the get go. The offense can fix that numbers problem by running the QB or doing this:
The Vols get away with throwing this screen into a down cornerback look because they’re running a stack screen that creates space in front of the cornerback, the cornerback isn’t super aggressive, and the outside WR blocks well. The other reason the screen works is because the other safety over there is playing nine yards off — in other words, the offense has a space advantage. Likewise to the other side, the QB could’ve fixed the numbers problem by throwing the hitch at the bottom of the screen because the cornerback was giving space to that route too.
So this play works because the QB recognizes the numbers problem and then has good space to work the screen.
Attacking Space Despite No Numbers Problem
Another reason to run RPOs is to simply make the defense pay for not covering people in the passing space even though a run play is called. The defense might not be covering someone super well because they’ve allocated more people to the run box — like the example above — but sometimes they don’t cover well despite not having a numbers advantage in the run game. The big reason they don’t cover well in this example is because of tempo:
In 11 personnel against a six man box the Vols should be good to run as long as there is some QB read option available (since they don’t involve the TE in the run scheme). However, Georgia is in disarray trying to figure out how to align since the Tennessee got up to the line of scrimmage so fast. The result is that the seventh man in the box is late to find the TE, and the QB snaps the ball and throws to the TE fast.
So this play works because the QB notices the Dawgs aren’t covering the TE and despite having good numbers in the run box, he makes them pay by getting the ball out into space.
What All This Means
So really RPOs are about attacking open space just like any other good football play. Space is a huge factor in triggering the throw too. If the numbers are bad in the run box, but there is no space to throw a route (like if the defense was playing press against a WR screen) then the offense has to take the run box or change their pass option concept to create space against the look.
You could do this by giving the QB the ability to move in and out of pass concepts on his own to get into the best look. A simple example of this would be having the ability to switch in and out of bubble screens and now screens depending on the cornerback’s leverage. If he’s pressing, call the bubble. If he’s off, call the now. By giving the QB this ability, he can fix the numbers problem in the box and fix the space problem in the pass. In sum, the RPO is simply a tool to create a more sound offense by addressing the immediate issues that prevail against any good defense: numbers, space, and leverage.
Until tomorrow,
Emory Wilhite
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