I’ve been meaning to write this post for a few months but have ended up busy with some other shit. With the season upon us, though, I knew it was now or never (damn, it feels good to write those words). In any event, this was an RPO package I noticed in the Spring Game that I haven’t seen anyone else talk about.
This RPO package is a frontside QB counter (or QB GT, because both the Guard and Tackle pull), with a backside RB flare route. The TE runs an arc to the alley, looking to block first force.
Here’s the Xs & Os draw up:
Texas ran this play three times in the spring game--all three times by Casey Thompson. Here's a look at each.
First play: Thompson QB Keeper:
The first time Texas ran the play, Thompson kept the ball, turning the play into an almost twenty yard gain.
Marcus Tillman (13) does a great job, clearly knowing he has responsibility for the RB's route. But watch the effect of the TE and RB's action on Luke Brockermeyer (#47), who takes two false steps toward the field, allowing Reese Moore (76) to complete his wrap and seal him inside.
Tope Imade (67) does a nice job of getting into position to block Byron Vaughns (50), although his execution of the block leaves something to be desired (what old school OL coaches would call "titty rubbin"). Vaughns makes minimal effort to actually get off the block, though, so Imade's block succeeds.
It is not clear whether there's a real RPO on this play, or whether it just an action look with a called run. The second gif sure looks like Thompson is reading Brockermeyer and decides to keep it after seeing his false steps.
Second play: Mr. Glass in the Flats
Later that same quarter, Texas ran the play again, with the RB flat action again going toward the field side. This time, though, Thompson threw the flare to Kirk Johnson, who turned the play into a seven of eight yard game. It is worth noting that Johnson was hit by three defenders on this play and, miraculously, did not burst into fractals of himself.
Unlike Brockermeyer's hesitation on play 1, Caleb Johnson (30) attacks upfield at the initial action. Again, whether there's an actual read being performed by Thomspon or not is unclear. But if there was, Johnson's response would have forced the pass.
Thompson puts the ball slightly behind Johnson, instead of leading him, but it actually allows more time for Johnson's blocks to develop. Unlike Tillman in the original clip, Cort Jaquess (57) lacks the speed to actually flow to the flat with the RB. He ends up getting caught up in Kai Jarmon's (88) block on Donovan Duvernay (27). Side note: the fact that walk on sophomore Kai Jarmon can seal off Duvernay this well is not a great look for Duvernay--in his fourth year with the program. From the slot, Jordan Pouncey (86) takes Mason Ramirez (28) for an absolute ride.
Although Wiley (18) does a nice job of looking for first force, he does a terrible job of getting actually finding work or getting ready to make a block. And Hank Coutoumanos (41) blows right past him to make the tackle.
Third play: Things fall apart; the center cannot hold.
Texas went back to the well one more time behalf the half. It went.... not great.
This actually looks like it was supposed to be a pass. If you watch Bru McCoy (RIP) at the bottom of the screen, he runs a hitch, instead of stalk-blocking the CB.
But Orlando responds to the look with the most Orlando of responses: Fuck it, let's blitz.
Orlando sends 7, although Mason Ramirez (28) does a great job of ditching his blitz and following the RB out of the backfield. If he doesn't do that, the flare might have been able to nibble off some positive yards.
Overshown (31) is screaming to the RB, too. Danny Young is very happy the ball was not thrown to him. Side note: Watch for teams overscheming for this by sending their FS over the top to help on the RB flare (as Overshown does here), which will leave the arc-ing tight end wide open down the middle of the field.
The OL gets absolutely gobbled up by Orlando's blitz. Leitao (81) has no idea what to do, as most of the defense runs across his face.
Thompson does a nice job of eating the ball, rather than forcing the issue, given that this is almost certainly a called pass.
Conclusion
What's the import of this? Why is this specific RPO set interesting?
This is an interesting RPO set, because it shows some air raidy fingerprints of Beaty/Fedora in our RPO game. And it's something that can be super weaponized with an even more spread out field. As an example of the Air Raid tie, here's OU running the exact same look with Kyler Murray in their spring game a few years ago:
I mentioned the TE Seam route above, here's what that would look like:
QB GT-Y Seam
And this QB GT can be run from any formation, and might by most devastating with Ehlinger from an empty set look:
QB GT RPO: Empty Set
Or invert the flare route/bubble screen into the jail break screen that Herman loves to call against aggressive defenses:
The bottom line is: I'm excited to see us roll out this RPO concept (and others) this year, and I think our offensive analysts will add some big time dynamism to this offense.