Disguising Coverage to Attack RPO

The Chiefs are in a 4-2-5 nickel personnel. The initial formation is 2x2 with KC showing a low safety weak side indicating a 1 high coverage either a cover 3 variant or Cover 1.

When the motion takes the formation to 3x1 there is no man coverage adjustment. The LB's bump and the weak safety walks into the box. The offense has a clear indication the defense is in a version of cover 3 weak. 

The Chiefs rolled down the weak safety into the box building a 6 vs. 5 box advantage for the defense. Based on that look the run is into an unfavorable look and the ball should go to the screen. 

SF is expecting the Corner to the screen to be slower to secure any screen & go as the deep 1/3 player. That leaves 2 blockers including a TE for two low defenders (Nickel & Mike). The numbers say to throw the screen until KC changes the math post-snap with a cover 2 concept.

The weak side safety pops the top to play the half while the post safety rotates to the strong half. To the bunch the defense is able to aggressively trigger the corner as force. Even if the corner had not made a great play the defense now has 3 low defenders for two blockers.

Great execution from the Chiefs to create a TFL on the screen. The plan here from Steve Spagnuolo and the understanding by the Chiefs players is great stuff. KC manipulated the looks with pre-snap disguise to force the ball to the screen and changed the math post-snap to kill the play off. 

Adjusting FZ Coverage vs. RPO

LSU is in a bunch formation from 20 personnel with a FB body aligned on the hip running a conflict RPO. The concept blends a counter run scheme with a glance route to the X receiver. The read is the weak safety.

QB meshes with the RB reading the weak safety. If the safety rotates/triggers into the run fit the ball is going to the glance behind his head.

If the Safety stays deep the ball is handed to the RB and the defense does not have a +1 to the weak side. The usage of a bunch formation also helps the offensive concept here. The bunch formation strong deters the defense from bumping the LB's weak. Any bump by the backers weak creates stress for  the defense against the possibility of bunch side runs and 4 strong route concepts. 

This is a really nice play design from LSU. The Georgia Southern defense is in a weak fire zone  pressure and has a numbers advantage in the run game if the ball was handed off on the counter. Part of fire zone pressure's success has been the ability to attack run schemes by winning numbers at the point of attack. RPO's are in part a reaction to defensive schemes like fire zone pressure that are problematic. Can't run into the defensive look, just throw the attached pass concept.  Tough to block the +1 defender, just read him. 

This offseason we will be working in spring ball on some fire zone adjustments we have had in the playbook but have not featured. Specifically getting the corners involved as the Seam player.

Same pressure concept with a job swap. The corner is replacing the safety as the seam flat player while the safety is taking over the 1/3 responsibility for the corner. We have used the corner in a trap technique in 4 under 2 deep and sim pressure concepts but not in 3 under 3 deep. This adjustment gives the QB a give read while allowing the defense to remain +1 to the pressure side. 

With offenses continuing to advance with RPO concepts, we are going to have to keep adjusting/adding concepts on defense.

Why do you need all those coverage concepts?

If we keep it simple on defense the reads for the offense are simple and they probably have a really good RPO concept that is going to be a problem. Fundamentals, effort, and physical play will always be our foundation but they don't solve every problem. We have to have scheme answers. 

Understanding RPO

When it comes to RPO's, there are many versions out there. The challenge defensive coaches face is how to teach RPO's to defenders. Every defense has a clearly established progression for concepts like defending triple option but defining roles & responsibilities for RPO's can be less clear. Well we have rules for quick game and rules for power, what do we do if it is both? RPO as a term has even become problematic. RPO has become a blanket term for a wide variety of offensive concepts. In response we have started breaking down RPO's into 4 categories to help defenders better understand how the RPO works. Understanding the play helps defenders better understand their role in defending the play. 

Access - Access RPO's are looking for free access (space) to throw a route. These are pre-snap decisions from the QB.

This is a simple example. The offense is running a zone read concept. The access portion is to the single WR side. If there is no overhang defender and an off corner the QB is free to throw the hitch. QB scans pre-snap and if the look is there he throws the quick game route. This could also be a speed out or slant. This type of RPO is a fusion of 3 step quick game passing and a run. Offenses traditionally have thrown quick game on regular down & distance to get or stay on schedule. The issue was the quick game was good against certain looks and not good against others. Some teams employ kills or alerts that allow the offense to audible in and out of quick game at the LOS. Many teams however are uncomfortable allowing the QB to change the play. Enter access RPO and the OC can call the quick game and the run play with the same call. If quick game access is there take it, if not run the called play.

Access RPO is also used to control box numbers and can even be double sided.

If the defense puts defenders on the LOS, like the under front in this example there may be access to throw quick game to a split WR. The access is on both sides in this example. The thought process is if there is no overhang to the strong side and an off corner the hitch has access. 

If the defense rotates the coverage to the strong side the weak side access is in play.

With a strong side overhang the access hitch is dead. Now weak side the access slant may be a possibility for the QB to throw. 

Access RPO can also be used as a blitz control.

The offense does not have a blocker to account for the edge blitzer here. If the edge blitzer shows early the QB can throw the access bubble. This same concept is used to control any overhang aligned defender tight enough to the box where the offense may have trouble blocking. If the overhang player is loading the box by alignment the access bubble can be thrown.

Conflict - Conflict RPO's put an off the LOS defender into a run/pass conflict. The defender is being read post-snap. 

This example is the stick RPO play. The QB is reading the LB (Mike) if the Mike drops to cover the #3 receiver the ball is handed off. If the Mike fills to play the run the QB throws the route.

Another example is the stretch with back side slants.

The ILB (Mike) is the conflict player. If the Mike reacts to the stretch play away the QB can pull the ball out and throw the slant. If the overhang squeezes the inside slant the QB can throw the outside slant. If the Mike does not pursue the stretch the RB may have a seam to put his foot in the ground and get vertical as the flow of the play widens the defense. 

Triple - Triple RPO's use the pass as the third phase of a triple option concept. The third phase throw occurs post-snap.

The play is a zone read with the DE as the first read. The triple portion adds a "pitch" phase to the play. Here the WR screen is the third phase. If the overhang player (Sam) steps up to help play the QB the ball can be thrown out wide.

It is not limited to screens.Teams are also running routes as the third phase.

Here the TE arrow route is designed to stress the DE. If the DE widens with the TE release the play is an easy give read for the QB. If the DE chases the dive the QB can keep. Off the keep if QB is attacked by a defender he can rise up and throw the arrow in the flat. 

Hybrid - Hybrid RPO's are a combination of two of the previous types. These RPO's may have both pre and post-snap elements.

Pre-snap the QB can take the bubble if the overhang (Sam) is too tight to the box or showing blitz. Post-snap the safety is the conflict player. If the Safety is aggressive downhill into the alley the QB can pull the ball and throw the 8 yard glance in behind the safety.

Pre-snap if the hitch is there the QB can take it.
Post-snap the ILB is the conflict defender. If the Mike expands with the RB fast motion the QB keeps and runs following the fold block. If the Mike stays put the QB throws the swing to the RB. 

Why the slot fade? To control 1 high safety defenses(Cover 1, Cover 3, & 3 Match)

Now the defense can build a two LB box. If the pre-snap access hitch is there take it. If the corner is pressed throw the slot fade because the likely coverage is either Cover 1 or 3 Match.

Teams are creating all kinds of combinations.

Pre-snap the access bubble can be thrown if the overhang is too tight to the box or showing blitz. Post-snap the QB is running zone read. If the QB is forced to pull the ball, he has the ability to throw the ball out to a third phase on the bubble.

There are countless RPO concepts out there. Far too many to fit in one article. That is why we have tried to develop a categorizing system to make RPO concepts simpler for our coaches and players.

How do we use this info?

When we break down a team we will label the play Run/Pass/RPO. If the play was an RPO we label:

R/P - Did the RPO result in a run or a pass?
Run - What run concept was the play?
Route - What routes are being run? Even if they didn't throw it. 
Type - Access, Conflict, Triple, Hybrid

We want to understand the whole picture of how does the play work? The opposing defense on film played a hand in the outcome so only looking at the outcome does not tell the whole story. Players can then be informed of the play and how it works as well as our plan against it? Understanding how your pre-snap alignment affects access, or you are the read on a conflict, or there is a "pitch" on a triple, or there are pre and post-snap concepts happening are all critical for defenders to understand the play. That understanding helps players grasp the Why? of their responsibility in defending the play.

Attacking Quarters Coverage with a Zone Run/Post RPO

This concept is a Run Pass Option (RPO) play that combines outside zone blocking with a post route. 

Here the concept is being run from 11 personnel and is attacking the weak side of a 4-2-5 quarters coverage defense. The OL and Y are blocking outside zone (stretch) with even numbers (6 vs 6).
The Defense has the advantage of being +1 as soon as the WS reads the TE is blocking and gets into a run fit. This concept is designed to read the weak safety. The QB will shuffle while meshing with the RB. The QB's vision is on the WS. 

If the QB reads the WS coming downhill into the run game, the QB will pull back and throw the skinny post. The post is leaning his outside shoulder on the corner before breaking the route deep and skinny. The goal is for the WR to win the 1 on 1 against the corner who has no post help. 

If the QB reads the WS not committing downhill to defend the run, the ball is handed off on the outside zone. 

This type of run pass option is safe way to take a shot. The play has a chance to be a homerun post or an efficient run.