Run Pass Options (RPOs) are dominant in football right now.
It’s not like they’re even new.
They really took off in the early 2010s, but coaches are still doing new things and we all love to study them.
Every year, some creative play caller runs an RPO that we didn’t even think was possible.
And because of that, RPOs can seem intimidating.
Or, you aren’t intimidated and you copy all the RPOs and put them in your playbook.
Both approaches could be bad for your team.
So, I’ve got 3 RPOs that I know your team can execute and still involve you in all the fun.
And if you’re still unsure of what exactly an RPO is, then check out this post I wrote.
1. The C-Gap RPO
This is built for Spread Formations.
When you have 4 or 5 wide receivers out in the formation, you probably won’t always have enough blockers for the defense in the run box.
So, you need a way to read one of them.
And the C-Gap defender is a great place to start.
Notice, I didn’t say a great defender, but rather I talked about a specific place.
You can’t tell your quarterback to read a defender because defensive coordinators got smart and started telling just about any of their defenders to attack the C-Gap.
So, it could be a defensive end, or it could be the Mike linebacker.
When you tell your quarterback to read the C-Gap, you won’t have to worry about teaching your quarterback all that defensive magickery.
Here’s a drawing:
We’ve got an Inside Zone play going right, and we’re reading the C-Gap defender (triangle) and then then the man over our receiver (box) running the bubble screen.
If that C-Gap defender “crashes” down the line, then the quarterback keeps.
And when that defender over the receiver comes down at the quarterback, then the quarterback flips the ball to the bubble screen.
If that defender covers the bubble, then the quarterback tucks the ball and gets upfield.
2. The B-Gap RPO
You might not even have ever heard of this type of RPO.
But, with the Tite front seeming to creep up more and more every year, it’s become necessary.
The Tite front has those two ends play in a 4i technique (in the B Gap).
Now getting Inside Zone to hit A-Gap to B-Gap just become a lot harder.
So, naturally, we say, “Let’s not block him!”
And the B-Gap RPO is born.
Here’s a drawing:
And now the defensive coordinator is panicking.
He thought that his whole off season deep dive into the Tite front would fix all his problems with the Spread Offense.
Alas, he was wrong.
All you have to do is arc release your tackle and have him block the force player.
And if that 4i crashes, your quarterback shoots up the B Gap for a massive gain.
And soon, the defensive coordinator will scrap the Tite front.
3. The Second Level RPO
You run this RPO once the defense gets tried of you running all those first level RPOs.
Because what they’ll do is start breaking the rules with their linebackers.
And the linebackers will start coming from everywhere and you’ll feel lost.
Unless you have this Second Level RPO.
Here’s a drawing:
You’re still blocking Inside Zone, but now you tell your backside tackle to block the C-Gap defender.
Your quarterback reads the inside linebacker, and one wrong move by him and your quarterback is ripping the snag route to your wide receiver.
If you have all three of these, you’ll have an RPO menu that will make defensive coordinators stay up at night.
And most importantly you’ll be well on your path to Master the Spread, Score Points, and Have Fun.
