By Keith Grabowski
It’s a simple objective of the RPO, but in order to have a quarterback who can do that, it does take drill work and repetition.
Here are 3 drill methods to get your RPO game functioning proficiently as you work your way through your installs.
#1) Strip all away but those involved in the read
New offensive coordinator at Shippensburg likes stripping away everything but the essentials in order to get 25-30 extra reps every time he uses this RPO period. These reps are critical because as Coach Ohradzanksy mentions, he can only get 5-7 of these in a 11v11 scout team setting. He explains the set up and coaching points in this video:
#2) Take a Triple Option Approach to Drilling RPO
Having run triple option in the past, Temple OC Mike Uremovich knows that you have to drill exactly what you are asking the players to do in a game. Now running an offense heavy on RPO, Coach Uremovich drills it much like he would an option play. The drills allows him to do multiple things with the drill as he explains here:
#3) Build teaching in a Progression of Drills
Beaumont HS (CA) Head Coach Jeff Steinberg likes to create a progression of drills working the RPO from the isolated key read with QB/RB/WR to half line to half line with 3 receivers. He gives an overview of how it works which you could apply to any of your RPOs:
If RPO is going to make your offense go, the reps you have available against your scout team will not be enough to drill all of the scenarios your players will need to be ready for. Identifying the scenarios and creating drills that can maximize repetitions is the key.
If you’re interested in learning more from these coaches then you can find their courses below:
Kyle Ohradzansky- Game Week QB Prep
Mike Uremovich – Perimeter Run Schemes &10 Personnel RPO’S
Spread and Shred: Simple RPOs for High School by Jeff Steinberg