(04-05-2018, 01:48 AM)The_Franchise_QB Wrote: [ -> ]Rudolph would be a statue in the RPO. The dude can barely move.
Wait.. what?
The Oklahoma State offense is predicated on the RPO. Over three quarters of the playbook is variations of the RPO, with reads for the QB, RB and WR. I think we are getting the RPO mixed up with the zone read offense.
Run-Pass Option Offense
At OSU, the spread offense created by HC Mike Gundy and OC Mike Yurcich is predicated on the ability of their offense to read defenses pre-snap. In essence, the only play call coming in is a formation and primary play.
QB- Once the players line up, the QB is accounting for the front seven, the shift of the secondary, and the position of the linebackers. If the QB notices that they have favorable numbers upfront, he knows that the correct option here is a run play. If he sees that he has favorable numbers in the defensive backfield, he will option to a pass play and watch the movements of the DBs post-snap. If they favor the outside, he knows his receivers will cut across their face and he needs to put the ball towards the middle of the field. If the DBs are playing inside coverage, he knows that needs to anticipate the out route or, if the safety is cheating a certain way, he knows his receiver will read that and run a go route and he needs to throw the ball deep. This is obviously heavily simplified, but I just want to provide an overview of Rudolph's responsibilities in the RPO.
RB- In the OSU offense, the RB is also making pre-snap reads. The RB is, just like the QB, accounting for the defensive front and reading whether or not they have favorable numbers. If they do, he knows he's getting the ball. He next looks at the position of the defensive line. Are they playing outside the tackles? Or are they cheating inside? Now he looks at the LBs. Are they cheating towards a side of the field or playing in a more neutral position? Mind you, the OC can manipulate a lot of this to make these reads easier by placing the slot receiver or tight end (a Cowboy Back, as they are called in the OSU offense) on certain sides of the field. Once the RB makes these reads, he knows where he should go with the ball, where he will an advantage of the defense.
WR- The WR reads are a little easier, unless the called play is a run play. If a run play is called, they know that unless the QB reads differently, they will be blocking. If the QB makes the read that they need to option out of the run play and pass the ball, now they start to make their reads. Pre-snap, they are accounting for the position of the CB in front of them as well as the S over the top. Is the CB cheating inside or outside? Is he pressing or giving a cushion? Is the S bracketing you over the top or is he cheating over (maybe single high coverage?)? Once he makes these reads, he knows what he needs to do off the snap and immediately can rule out certain parts of the route tree. Post-snap, it gets a little easier. He's simply reading the hips of the DB and taking what the DB is giving him.
OL- The OLine is making reads too, based on the position of the defensive line and whether or not the defense is showing a blitz. When you watch OSU play, you often see Rudolph approach the line before the snap, confirming reads and where they will and will not have numbers should there be a blitz. It's not uncommon for the QB to sit in on some of the OLine meetings in the days leading up to a game as the two positions are reading a lot of the same thing pre-snap.
Zone Read
In the zone read offense, the QB is the primary position making reads, and most of it occurs post-snap, though some does come before the snap. Pre-snap, the QB is accounting for the position of the front seven of the defense and positioning the RB accordingly. Post-snap, the QB is reading the route the DE (on the RB side) is taking as well as where the LB is. If the DE stays wide to contain the QB, the read is to hand the ball off. If the DE crashes inside to chase down the play, the read is the keep the ball and now looks to the LB. If the LB is outside, he cuts upfield. If the LB is staying inside, he bounces it outside the tackles. This is just part of "trickery" of the Zone Read offense however, as the offense also uses the confusion that the "mesh point" (where the QB and RB both have 'possession' of the ball) creates to slow down the reaction of the defense in order to get the jump on them. This offense is obviously more effective when your QB is highly mobile, although OSU did run Zone Read run plays with Rudolph, especially in the Red Zone (ninja edit: example being his 10 rushing TDs this past season and 6 TDs the year before).
Mason Rudolph, though he has many flaws in his game (as I've listed before), does very well and would feel very comfortable in a RPO-based offense. The comparisons to Bortles are similar, and they could be somewhat similar QBs, but to really compare the two you have to look at where you're taking them. Bortles was taken 3rd, and anymore these days when you take a QB with the 3rd pick, you are expecting them to come in, start right away, and captain the offense. While Bortles has done much of that, there are some fair criticisms of his ability to beat teams consistently with his arm. When you take a QB at the end of the 1st round or in the 2nd round, the expectations change and obviously the value changes as well.
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