Read option is a great play to handcuff a defensive end to make him wrong. It creates explosive play options for your quarterback when executed correctly.
However, when done incorrectly, it will often lead to fumbles, misreads, and lazy fakes.
In this article, we’ll show you how to run read option with your quarterbacks to guarantee big plays.
Coaching Read Option
When coaching the read option, the quarterback’s footwork, hand placement, and eyes are the three big factors.
Footwork
Based on your offensive system, it’s important to make sure your quarterback’s feet are in line with the track that you want your running back to run on. If you want to run inside zone, for example, and you want the running back to run toward the guard, the front foot of the quarterback should be in line with the guard.
This will put your running back on the right track, and your quarterback in the position to read the defensive end.
Hand Placement & Mesh Point
When running read option, it’s important that the quarterback has two hands firmly on the ball and is reaching behind him.
The mesh point between the running back and the quarterback shouldn’t happen at the quarterback’s belly button, but rather his back hip.
When the mesh point begins, it’s important that the running back has a light grip on the ball, as the quarterback may pull it. If his grip is too tight, the quarterback will fumble it when he tries to pull it. If it’s too loose, the running back will fumble if the quarterback gives the football. This needs to be repped repeatedly.
Read
When the quarterback receives the snap, their head should immediately go toward the read key. Their eyes shouldn’t look back at the running back. This is why repping the footwork and mesh point is so important, so the quarterback can just focus on whether he needs to pull it or not. Everything else should be a subconscious action.
The quarterback is reading the defensive end’s distance to the running back and their shoulder angle.
If they close quickly on the angle that the running back is heading toward, it means their shoulders are angled toward the running back – pull the football.
If their shoulder angle is upfield, and their distance isn’t threatening the running back, give the football.
The whole point of the read option is to eliminate the defensive end in the run fit. By reading him, you don’t allow him to collapse on his C-gap run fit.
After the quarterback hands the football off, he should take 2 hard steps toward the defensive end to freeze him so he can’t tackle the running back.
Inside our membership vIQtory Pro, you’ll find exact instructions and tutorials on how to turn average quarterbacks into elite, confident signal callers.
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