re: 2023 Fall Camp Thread - Game 1 prep week

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Don’t go too far out on that limb. Heard our WRs are amazing.

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Auburn about to go ham on the SEC

Also are the WRs experienced or not? I need answers

It’s football season. Time to wrap game prep and get to the game threads.

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I’m sure most know the difference in a Gus offense and a Freeze offense.

But if not does anyone need to know the primary differences in a “zone read” offense and an RPO offense? I can try to get an easy answer to anyone needing to know the differences

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I dont even know what Freeze does. I just know wideouts like him. Which is okay with me.

Freeze and Monty run an RPO base

What do you mean WTF? I prefaced it by saying I’m sure most understand the difference but if anyone didn’t I could explain what to look for basically.

Other than that I could see the wtf if you have a reading comprehension issue.

Just offering to help because some people don’t know the difference in zone read and RPO because they look the same

Zone read offenses are a primary run offense sorta like the triple option of old. In game prep a decision is made by the game plan on offense who the read man will be on the defensive side of the ball. Normally that choice is made determine by who on the defense reacts then reads. So on the offensive side the QB is still the guy reading the defense. In Gus’s offense it was generally the defensive end on outside runs or the middle linebacker on inside runs. Movement by the defensive player post snap would determine if the QB handed the ball off to the running back or the QB would keep it and run it. Obviously the blocking scheme would be zone blocking hence the name Zone read. The QB is reading the defender identified as the “read man”.

Also on Gus’s zone read offense the pass game was very simple. Spacing was important and he wanted WRs that could beat the defender in their matchups. Which is fine if you have good QB play and good WRs.

Freeze RPO offense looks very similar while lined up. From just looking you wouldn’t see a difference but there is a vast difference in execution and run/pass ratio. The RPO stands for “Run Pass Option” and is exactly as described in its name. The game plan will determine who the “read guy” is on the defense very similar to the zone read offense. However generally speaking the read goes back a level in the defense to reading a linebacker, safety or the nickel back depending on who you want to attack or what an offensive coordinator would say who on defense do we want to put in conflict. An RPO play might look just like a zone read play. Same movement by the QB and running back, for example if the read guy on defense is the middle linebacker and you want to put him in conflict then you run inside zone with the RPO option. So when the ball is snap like I mentioned same movement by the QB and RB but the QB is looking to see if the linebacker crashes towards the line of scrimmage he pulls the ball back from the running back but doesn’t run it like in a zone read but will pull it and throw the ball behind the line backer either on a slant route or a stop route. That’s essentially a easy to understand RPO play. Other then that Hugh’s pass game is wildly different then Gus’. Most routes have an “option route” built in to the play. We will use a simple pass play for the example. Say we are running the the same slant route from the slot WR. If the defender jumps the route the WR has the option to stop and sit down or change the route to slant to a slant and out away from the defender. Both the QB and WR have to read the defender correctly. Some routes for the outside WRs will be option routes as well depending on what leverage the defender has. Say the DB is set on the inside of the outside WR. In that situation you would want to run a stop route at the stick with the throw to the sideline side of the WR. Or could be a go/fly route again ball thrown to the outside (sideline side of the WR. Or the defender may be setup on the outside of the WR. You would want to run a crossing route, a post route, or on a go route throw to the inside of the WR toward the hash mark however the QB must move the safety with his eyes to opposite side of the field. Those are just some examples of option routes in just the pure route schemes in the offense. Some routes won’t have options attached to them so the QB will know where they are supposed to be if the WR doesn’t get open the QB will know where other WRs are. That’s why Freeze was bitching so much about the WRs that aren’t the intended receiver to continue to sell out on their route.

As far as alignment it will look very much like Gus’s offensive alignment. With either 3 to 4 WRs, 3 WRs and an H-Back, or even 2 TEs attached to the line of scrimmage and 2 outside WRs. As good as our run game should be I expect Hugh and Monty to incorporate some “Bunch sets). Especially to the short side of the field. Bunch sets are a TE attached to the line of scrimmage and 2 WRs stacked beside the TE.

What to expect? A couple things. Early in the season some “what are you thinking” moments where the QB might throw a pass directly into the arms of a defensive back. Meaning either the QB or the WR “read” the coverage incorrectly. Only the coaches will know who is at fault. This should improve on the RPO as the season progresses with the QB and WRs. Beyond the growing pains we will see more complex pass schemes and more yardage and explosive plays from the pass game but will throw more interceptions then in the Gus system. The simplicity of the Gus pass game limited being dynamic in the pass game but also limited unforced turnovers.

Once the right QB the right WRs good running backs and a solid offensive line the RPO offense can put up record breaking points yardage and explosiveness. Under Bryce Young and Tua at Bama they ran a lot of RPO. So that can give you an idea of how much it can score with the right guy making the decision on what to do with the ball. I think Bama averaged over 45 points per game 1 or 2 years.

Ok no one said you had to. Sorry it’s longer then a tictok video

Just funny to me that out of absolutely no where you offer to explain something that no one is remotely talking about and pretty much everyone already understands.

But you do you man.

Also Gus ran RPOs and Freeze will run zone reads.