WAKE FOREST’S UNIQUE RPO GAME

• By Keith Grabowski

It’s no surprise that Wake Forest has made their way into the top 25.  At #24 they have a chance to continue to improve and rise in the rankings as the backend of their schedule is end loaded.

They are averaging an explosive 430.4 yards per game (242.2 Pass/182.2 Rush) and are 20th in the FBS at 38.8 points per game.

Head Coach Dave Clawson explains their RPO philosophy here:

I’ve spent some time studying what Wake Forest does with their offense, and it is truly unique.  

The first thing that almost anyone will notice is that on some of their RPO plays the quarterback and running back literally walk to the line of scrimmage on inside runs as they make the decision of who is getting the ball and where it is going. The ride the mesh long laterally on stretch plays.

A typical zone read mesh takes about 1.3 seconds from snap to decision. Charting a game full of plays of the Deacons shows an average of 2.06 seconds from snap to the decision, with the mesh taking as long as 2.5 seconds on some plays. 

For reference, 2.5 seconds in the drop-back game allows a quarterback to get through three receivers in his progression, allowing for one or two hitch steps before throwing the ball and making intermediate routes like digs and comebacks a possibility.

The slower mesh is utilized on their RPO’s with the quarterback spending extra time riding the mesh with the running back to be able to see his key pull and throw the ball for a big play.

The outside zone with a crack route by the receiver makes this a very difficult play to defend.  Head Coach Dave Clawson illustrates the play in this video.

When I first saw this I thought what would make it even tougher for the defense is if they mixed in a normal mesh timing with the slow mesh timing.  Both require different reactions by the defense. This season they are doing that.

Why does this make it difficult?

The interesting part of the slow mesh is when the movement of the offensive line is examined. The line is not passive in any regard. When they fit on a defensive linemen, they are working hard to distort him and help create the running lane, but they are not taking lead steps off of the line. 

They are using brace-pop or scoot footwork (John Strollo technique). They work to cover up the defensive linemen and let gaps be declared.  Level one is distinctly being taken care of and the offensive line will not chase up to level two until level one is secure. 

They let level two (or three) come to them and get their punch underneath the defender. From there the hips are definitely engaged and they are moving defenders. 

Because the line is not running off the ball, the quarterback and running back can take their time getting to the line and see the running lane opening before them. This technique is used with all of their inside runs. 

So what this requires is for the level 2 defenders to be patient on when they fit.  Too soon and the lineman will step off and open a lane for the RB. They have to be patient all game.

Except now the regular mesh is being mixed in. So that means on some plays it is fit fast and on others, it is fit slow.  It definitely messes with a linebacker’s reaction and forces thinking instead of reaction.

The QB even gets involved in the block. In some instances, the QB uses the old Jim McNally “butt block” technique. An extra man off the edge isn’t a problem with this answer. He still executes the slow mesh while looking over his shoulder and maintains the illusion of an RPO threat.

One thing is certain, the Wake Forest offense is fun to watch!

The Demon Deacons put it to the test against Louisville this Saturday.

Now you have something new to watch and learn.

Click the link to find the full Wake Forest RPO System course

Wake Forest RPO System - Dave Clawson