Howe's Friday 5: Offensive Woes, Oliver Martin, Hoops Recruiting

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Rob, how do you run a RPO when your QB cant run that well or at least that fast. I have not seen any RPO from Iowa the last two years if you are talking about the QB stressing the opposing defense with the treat to run and then running or passng,

What he is referring to is when Stanley is in shotgun, gives the ball to the back and reads a key on defense (usually trying to hold the safety) which will then determine if Stanley pulls it back out and throws it or leaves it with the back. All an RPO means is "run pass option" and doesn't necessarily mean the quarterback is going to run it. Although with Stanley there is only two options: either he keeps it and throws it or he gives it to the back. With a running quarterback you have three: those two options along with the quarterback running it as well. The added dimension is certainly more advantageous, but, at a price because running quarterbacks are much more prone to injury. However, with a non-running quarterback, the RPO action pretty much does the same thing (trying to get the safety to bite on the run) as play-action, but, it is not pre-determined at the snap like play-action is.