By Ross Jackson
The run-pass option (RPO) is one of the latest innovations in football to make the leap from the collegiate level to the pros. The play allows a quarterback, after the snap, to choose whether to hand the ball off to a running back or keep the ball in an attempt to throw a pass. The decision is made based on what the quarterback sees from the defense following the snap exchange.
It’s become more popular by the year in the NFL and has been a constant in the college game for a while. The Saints, who rarely ran any such plays in the not-too-distance past, saw an uptick last year.
The team executed just 33 such play calls last season, with the numbers in the previous year topping 60 thanks to a heavy usage of the concept with versatile playmaker Taysom Hill.
But now with the arrival of new head coach Kellen Moore, more consistent RPO snaps could be on the way. An element of the game that both young quarterbacks Spencer Rattler and Tyler Shough have proven to be very comfortable handling going back to their collegiate days.
Moore Likely to Bring RPOs to New Orleans
With a chance to survey the defense while making a decision, there’s real value in the RPO approach. Playing the run or pass off of the deployment of the defense could be an advantageous wrinkle that could provide big plays off of good decision-making.
While the offensive playcaller didn’t use them a ton during his first years as a coordinator in Dallas, upon arrival at his next two stops, the RPO usage in Moore’s offense skyrocketed.
Moore’s 2024 passer Jalen Hurts saw several of these plays with the Philadelphia Eagles. Moore’s Eagles ran 274 RPO plays last year, the most in the league. 199 of them turned into rushes while 75 became passing attempts. The Saints ran nearly nine-times fewer RPOs in the meanwhile.
In 2023, Moore’s Los Angeles Chargers offense ranked No. 2 in the league in run-pass option play calls.
More RPOs Could be a Good Thing for Saints’ Young Passers
As Moore brings the RPO to New Orleans, the approach should benefit Rattler and Shough. Both saw a fair share of RPOs and play action work during their collegiate years, particularly the latter seasons.
Rattler saw more when he arrived in South Carolina as he transitioned from Oklahoma’s shotgun-heavy approach and went under center more in Columbia.
Shough saw 13% of his passes come from RPO play calls, per Too Deep Zone’s Mike Tanier. He went 43/54 for 520 passing yards and five touchdowns strikes on those calls.
This could be yet another element of the incoming passing attack with Moore that could elevate his young quarterbacks.
