12/2/2017 DefeatingRPOs(RunPassOptions)ByUtilizingDefensiveLineMovement&MatchQuartersAFCAWeekly

DefeatingRPOs(RunPassOptions)ByUtilizingDefensive
LineMovement&MatchQuarters
afcaweekly.com /2016/08/defeatingrposrunpassoptionsbyutilizingdefensivelinemovementmatchquarters/
8/15/2016

ByCodyAlexander,CornerbacksCoach,LovejoyHighSchool,Lucas,Texas,&Author,CoachingBlog,
MatchQuarters.com

Thebestoffensesarechameleons.Weknowachameleonisareptile,butchameleonsdosomethingdifferentthan
mostothercreaturestheychangetheirappearancedependingontheirenvironment.
12/2/2017 DefeatingRPOs(RunPassOptions)ByUtilizingDefensiveLineMovement&MatchQuartersAFCAWeekly

Inthepast,toeffectivelychangeandadapt,anoffensehadtohaveahugegrabbagofplays.Asoffensesevolved
andgrewmorecomplex,itresultedinmassiveplaybooks,denseverbiageandconstrictiveoffensiverules.

JustlistentoJonGrudengothroughaplaycall,itslikeaminiparagraph.Nowturnaroundandteachthattoa15,18,
or20yearoldfootballplayer.NFLteamsstructuretheirplaycallsbytellingeachindividualplayerwhattheywilldoon
eachplay.

Thisstyleofplaycallingcreateslong,wordyplaysandrestrictsthespeedofthegame.Offensesthatrunamultitude
ofplaysbecomemastersatnothing.Offensivecoachesandcoordinatorssoonbegantounderstandthatifyoulimit
theplays,andinstead,focusedoncreatingamasteryofanoffense,thatitcanmoveatlightningspeed.Everyone
associatedwithfootballknowstheterm,SpeedKills.

Inoffense,SpeedKillsmeansexplosiveplays,keepingdefensesoffbalance,andplayersstreakinguntouchedinto
theendzone.

Thequestionnowforallcoachesontheothersideoftheballis

Howdodefensescatchup?

Beforedivingintothetacticsnecessarytotrytostoptodaysoffenses,itsimportanttounderstandhowthetrend
towardsimplifyingtheplaybookcameintovogue.

Atthelowerlevelsoffootball,thesedenseoffensiveplaybooksdontmakesense.Overthepastdecade,thespread
hasdevelopedtofittheuniqueneedsofthelowerlevelcoach.

StartingwiththeAirRaid(Leachversion)offense,withplaybooksonawrinkledpieceofpaper,tothespreadoption
attacksofRichRodriguezandUrbanMeyer,thespreadhasexplodedandisrevolutionizingAmericasgame.

Thelatestepochchangeinthedevelopmentofspreadfootballispackagedplays,calledrunpassoptionsknow
primarilyasjustRPOs.

ThroughRPOs,now,withoneplaycall,anoffensivecoordinatorhasseveralwaystoattackthedefense,playingoff
whatthedefensegivesthem.Bypackagingplays,anoffense,theoretically,canneverbewrong.Thatputsalotof
pressureonadefensivecoordinator.

WatchtheDummySnapCountcitedbelowinVideoNo.1anditsnowonderwhyRPOsseemlikeanattractive
offensivesolution.

(VIDEO1)DummySnapCountsInTheNFL

WhatsanRPO?

RunPassOptions,orRPOs,haverevolutionizedthegameoffootball.Offensesatalllevelshavemadeafeaston
opposingdefenseswhilebecomingsimplerandfaster.

Theproliferationofspreadhasevenreachedthehighestleveloffootball.NFLteamsarenowusingsimpleRPOsto
confusedefensesandcreateadvantages.

Theageoftheinchesthickplaybook,withhundredsofdiagramsfilledwithdenseoffensivejargon,aregone.
Manyteamsdontevenhaveplaybooks.Teamsaresheddingtheweighttogainanadvantageonthefield.As
offensivecoachesditchtheplaybookandlooktogainefficiencyandspeed,theycutthefatoutoftheirplaybooks,
trimmingverbiageandredundantplays.
12/2/2017 DefeatingRPOs(RunPassOptions)ByUtilizingDefensiveLineMovement&MatchQuartersAFCAWeekly

Thedilemmaforoffensesincuttingplaysisthattheymaybecomepredictableinnature.Tocounteractthisfact,
offensesspeedthegameupbyrunningplayafterplaywithlittletimeaspossiblebetweenthesnaps.

Asthespreaddeveloped,offensivecoachesrealizedthatbycreatinganuptempostyleofplay,youcanforcethe
defensetobecomemorepredictable.Thespeedoftheoffenseputspressureonthedefensetolineupthesameway
everytimeandreactthesamewayeverytime.

Thereisnosweeterfeelingforafootballcoach,thantoknowexactlyhowanopponentwillreact.Aslongasthe
quarterbackmakestherightread,anRPOteamcanslashadefenseandcreatehavocforadefensivecoordinator.

Addinthefactthattheoffensivelineblocksasthoughitsgoingtobearunningplayoneveryplay,andittakes
advantageofaprimarytechniquethathasbeentraditionallytaughtbydefensivecoachescalled,highhat,lowhat
defensivepositionanditalsoputsthedefenseinarunpassconflict.Now,morethanever,defensivecoordinators
arerelianttohavesound,efficientdefenses.

DIAGRAM1:Typical2BackRPO(RunPassOption).NotehowtheQBcanreadoneofthreedefenderswithfour
differentresults.

SimpleRPOsreadadefensesalignmentpresnap.Inatypical2backset,anoffensecanrunfourplays.Startingto
theboundary,theoffensereadstheleverageofthecorner.

InmostRPOoffenses,thebacksidewidereceiverrunsahitchifthecornerisbackedoff,andaverticalrouteiftheCB
isalignedinpresscoverage.

IftheboundaryCBisoff,theQBreadsthisandthrowstothequickhitchroute.Thishighpercentagepassplay
usuallyresultsinaquickandefficient5yardgain,andisnodifferentthanagood,safeandeffectiverunningplay.
12/2/2017 DefeatingRPOs(RunPassOptions)ByUtilizingDefensiveLineMovement&MatchQuartersAFCAWeekly

Tothefieldside,theQBhasthreeoptions:

Handtheballofftotherunningbackonazone.

PulltheballandtakeoffonQBkeeper.

ThrowaquickscreenpasstotheWRtothefieldside.

AllthreeoftheseoptionsareavailabletotheQBwhileonlyreadingthereactionsofafewdefenders,andthe
leverageofthedefense.

Inaperfectworld,anoffensivecoachcancallthesameplayoverandover,andgetadifferentresultoneveryplay.

AddinateamthatrunsaBaylorstyleofoffensethatoptionstheirverticalroutesandthescoreboardmightbreak.

RPOsarethereasonwhydefensivecoachesarestartingtoadjusthowtheybreakdownoffensesandreadthe
tendencydatawhendevelopingscoutingreports.

VideoClipNo.2(seenbelow),showsoneofthebest,andmostusedexamplesofanohuddle,spreadoffenseat
work.Inthisbowlgame,onfourconsecutiveplays,OleMissrantheexact,sameplay.AlltheQBdidwasreadthe
defenseandtakewhattheygavehim.

(VIDEO2)BBVACompassBowl:OleMissVsPitt

ChangetheBGap

Howcanadefense,especiallyonewithlimitedtalent,containanexplosiveoffensethatreliesheavilyonRPOs?Move
theBgap.

ThelegendaryKansasStatefootballcoach,BillSnyder,oncetoldPhilBennett,thecurrentdefensivecoordinatorat
BaylorUniversity,thatthemostdifficultthingforanoffensetodealwithispostsnapdefensivelinemovement.
12/2/2017 DefeatingRPOs(RunPassOptions)ByUtilizingDefensiveLineMovement&MatchQuartersAFCAWeekly

Bymovingthedefensivelineyoucanplacestressonanoffensesblockingschemesandchangetheread.RPO
teamsrelyonpresnapreads.Bymovingthegapsafterthesnap,adefensechangestheread,andcanconfusethe
QB.

Whendesigningadefense,itiscrucialtostartwiththerunfitsfirst.Mostoffensesunderstandrunningtheballwins
games.Therunpassconflictiswhereteamsgainexplosiveplaysprimarily,byusingtheirlinemanasbait.

Everydefensivecoachinthecountryhasarguedabouthowtoplayoffensivelinemendownfield.Byalwaysfiringoff
theline,andgivingalowhatread,itdrawsthedefenseclosertothelineofscrimmage,andpotentially,opensup
passinglanes.

Sayadefensivecoordinatorssellsoutontherun,theoffenseusesthataggressiveness,andsubsequently,theopen
passinglanes,toblowthetopoff.Thenextplay,whentheDCsellsoutforthepass,andutilizesanaggressivezone
blitz,bysendinganedgeblitztogetasackitusuallymeansthattheyforgottofilltheAgapandnowtheyre
forcedtowatchtheRBscamperuntouchedupthemiddle.

ThesetypesofrunpassconflictscenariosarewhatRPOteamsrelyontogaintheiradvantage.Addanuptempo
styleofplayintothemix,andthedefenseisontheirheels.

Defensescancounteractthisbyusinglinemovementtochangethegapsandhowthedefenselookspostsnap.

Takealookatthetopdefensesincollegefootballandyoullnoticeatrend.Mostareallrunningsomeversionofa
matchquartersscheme.

Whatsthenewenvoguedefensethatmostteamsareswitchingto?Theoldschool43OverDefense.

EvenNickSaban,whotraditionally,utilizesa34defense,nowrunsfourdownlinemenagainstspreadteams.

Whentalkingaboutdefendingthespread,BaylorsPhilBennettalwaysstartsbymovingtheBgap.Mostspread
teamswanttoattacktheopengapandplayofftherunpassconflictcreatedbywhatappearstobethisnatural
opening.

Whetheritiswholelinemovements,orjustmovingtheinteriorline,bymovingthegapsyouchangetheshapeofyour
defense.
12/2/2017 DefeatingRPOs(RunPassOptions)ByUtilizingDefensiveLineMovement&MatchQuartersAFCAWeekly

AnRPOteamreliesonprecisereadsbytheQB.WhenanRPOteamplaysuptempo,adefenseisforcedtolineup
andsimplifythings.Asstatedearlier,simplecanmeanpredictability,andinfootball,predictabilitygetsyoubeat.

Usinggapexchange,postsnap,cancausehesitationintheQB.Hesitationinfootballmeansmistakes.Lookatany
topteaminthecountryandtheyprobablyhaveaplusturnovermargin.Mistakesbyanoffenseleadtoturnovers.

CreatingdoubtinaQBsmindcanderailanyexplosiveoffense.Whetheryouimplementsimplelinemovements,or
exoticstunts,itdoesntmatter.Aslongasadefensecansimplychangetheread,andthegapspostsnap,anRPO
offensewillstruggle.

AsshowbelowinVideoClipNo.3,Baylorusesfulllinemovementwithanedgepressureagainsta31singlewidth
set.ThereadfortheQBinthisclipshouldbeapull,buthehandsittotherunningbackonlytobetackledbythe
MikeLB.WatchastheWillLB,aligninaZerotechniquerockstothefieldside.TheedgepressureLBisincharge
ofthedive,andtheWillLBrockstotaketheQB.Eitherway,thisplaywascovered.

(VIDEO3)Sept6,2014(Week2)BaylorVsNorthwesternState

AttacktheTendencies

Alloffenseshavetendencies,eventhosewhoutilizeRPOs.Todeterminewhattypeoflinemovementtouse,a
defensivecoachmustdeterminewheretheoffensewantstogettheball.Todeterminethis,adefensivecoordinator
mustbeginbyaskingtwoquestions.

Question1:DoestheopposingoffensepreferthattheRBruntheball,ortheQB?

Question2:IsthequickscreentheirgotopassfortheRPO,orisitapasstotheirstudXreceivertothe
boundaryonahitchorverticalroute?

Onceadefensehasanunderstandingofanopponentstendencies,itcanplayonthereads.

MaybeyourdefensehasastudMikeLB,andtheoffensewantstomakehimwrongeverytime,changehisgap
responsibilityandmovehimaround.

Orperhaps,theoffensereadstheleverageofthesafetytodeterminetheRPOroute,inwhichyouplayquartersand
changethecoverageonthesingleWRsidefromCover2,toCover4,tomanfree.

Alwaysbegapsound,andalwayshaveabackupplan.Defensivecoachesshouldregularlymovetheinteriorlinefrom
oneplaytochangethecoverdown,thenutilizefulllinemovementonthenextplaytogettheQBtopulltheball.
12/2/2017 DefeatingRPOs(RunPassOptions)ByUtilizingDefensiveLineMovement&MatchQuartersAFCAWeekly

DIAGRAM2:UsingDefensiveLineStunts.Byutilizinganinteriorlinestunt,thedefensemovestheBgapand
changesthereadoftheopposingQBpostsnap.

Inthisinstance,theQBreadwillnowgofromagivetoapullread.Evenwithaleadblocker,thedefensehasa
plus1advantagewiththeMikeLBinsideandtheSamLBoutside.

Meanwhile,theCoverSafetytriggersonthescreenpasswiththeSamLBservingaslatesupport.Thekeyhereis
SamLBwhocanbepatientandsit.

TheDownSafetyfillstheOgaptotheboundaryincaseofstretch,theWillLBreadsflowandrocksback.

FormationBlitzes,Alignments

AnotherwaydefensescangainanedgeonanRPOoffenseistoformationtheirblitzesandalignments.Notevery
blitz,linemovement,orevencoverage,worksagainsteveryformation.

Iftherewasone,umbrelladefensethatworked,theneveryonewouldrunit.EvenRexRyan,intheNFL,duringa
pressconferencebeforeheplayedthespreadguruChipKellyscheckwithmescheme,remarkedthatallteams
incollegearejustgoingtorunquarters.

Well,theremightbeareasonforthat.Offenseshavetheadvantage,andtheantiquateddaysofputtingyourbest
playersondefensearegone.

DefenseshavetorelyonLESStogetproductionagainstexplosiveoffensesusingschemesthatspreadthemoutand
playofftraditionalrunpassrules.
12/2/2017 DefeatingRPOs(RunPassOptions)ByUtilizingDefensiveLineMovement&MatchQuartersAFCAWeekly

ModernoffensesareputtingtheirbestplayersatslotandQB.Sowhathasbeenthesubsequentreactionby
defensivecoaches?Nothingnew,justusingmatchquarters,the43OverDefense,andmixinginwelltimedline
movementandblitzestochangeaQBsreadsandapplypressure.

CodyAlexanderistheCornerbacksCoachatLovejoyHighSchoolinLucas,Texas.Heisalsotheauthorofthe
coachingblog,MatchQuarters.com

VisitWebsite:MatchQuarters.com

ContactCodyAlexanderbyEmail:coalexan732@gmail.com

FollowCodyAlexanderonTwitter:@The_Coach_A