RPO & Spread
Modern football's most dynamic offensive concepts
⚡ Run-Pass Option (RPO)
An RPO is a play where the quarterback reads a specific defender after the snap to decide whether to hand off to the running back or throw a quick pass. It's a post-snap decision.
The QB identifies one defender (usually a linebacker or edge rusher) pre-snap. If that defender crashes the run, the QB pulls and throws. If he drops back, the QB hands off.
RPOs are designed to always put the offense in a +1 numbers advantage. If you block everyone in the run game, the defense is outnumbered in the pass game.
Bubble screen RPO, slant RPO, boundary RPO, pop pass RPO. The pass is always quick — no more than 1-2 steps.
Linemen rush forward on the run, but the ball is thrown behind them. It stresses every level of the defense simultaneously.