The Purpose of RPOs
#TXHSFBCHAT recap and Coaching Moves
Since becoming an offensive line coach in a shotgun spread offense, teaching my players how to effectively execute play action protection has been the bane of my existence. No matter how hard I try, something just didn’t work.
I believe play action is difficult to create in the spread, not because of what the offensive line does, but because of the backfield action. An under center reverse out with a good ball fake, only to have the quarterback set up on his platform three steps after the fake is one of the most beautifully executed plays in all of football.
With more and more teams setting up in the shotgun, this footwork and run fake is a disappearing aspect of the game.
Enter the RPO.
I believe the RPO was invented by a coach a lot smarter than me who was having the same experience with his play action passing game. The RPO replaces the play action passing game with a quick read and the OL never has to know it’s not a run play. Protection problem solved.
RPOs create play action by making the defense truly guess whether it will be a run or a pass. Which is why so many defenses will play man or man-free vs a heavy RPO team. You can’t afford to guess what your opponent is doing.
This week’s top question asked what your purpose is in complementing the ever-so popular Power play with an RPO
Which led to these answers:
Handle extra fitters we cannot block
To steal easy explosive plays.
To try to get the LBs the heck out of the way so we can get the ball in the middle of the field for easy yards when running the is tough
To keep the box light. My favorite rpo is the one we don’t have to throw
To control the playside alley defender.
It’s option football. You’re putting a teenager in a conflict defensively. It helps to slow down a downhill safety or a folding backer. With the ways defenses are playing combo it gives a huge opportunity for the second level to be wide open.
Control the overhang defender
It puts that extra fitter in conflict and wrong every time.
To get the box you want for the run game.
These are the same reasons that coaches employed Play Action Passes into their offense. RPOs are the modern offense play action. It may not be as intricately deceptive as an old school ISO pass or, my personal favorite, boot off of under center stretch action. But it is incredibly effective in getting the ball into the hands of a play maker as well as taking advantage of the defense loading up to defend the run or the pass.
This week’s Coaching Moves is all about the hirings announced. Waco Midway hired former TCU defensive coordinator Joe Gillespie. This week also marked the return of championship coach Todd Dodge to coaching high school ball. Coach Dodge is out of retirement and has been named the head football coach at Lovejoy High School.
But who I really want to mention and congratulate is my friend Adam Harvey being named the first head coach of New Braunfels Long Creek High School. Coach Harvey is without a doubt, one of the best men you will ever meet in this profession. I knew that he would achieve his goal of becoming a head coach from the moment I first met him. I am incredibly happy for him and know he will have a great impact on his new school and the young men he leads. Congrats and Good Luck Coach Harvey!
Openings announced this week:
Dayton High School Head Football and Assistant Athletic Director
Tomball Memorial High School Head Football
And with UIL Reclassification on tap for Thursday, February 1st, there could be even more movement in response to new athletic districts.
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