The read option is not new. The Oilers with Mouse Davis ran it in the 80's. You just have to have the right QB that can use his legs and throw from the pocket. More colleges are using it due to better athletes who can throw. The NFL will make you throw from the pocket eventually. Kaepernick can throw, RGIII can throw, Can can throw. Up tempo thrown in is what takes it to another dimension. Up tempo was used by the Bills and Bengals in the late 80's mid 90's, but not the read option with it. Manning and Brady have always used it. NFL DC's will catch up. There is so much of it, though, it will have to stay because both offensively and defensively it changes personnel needs and teams have built their teams to use or defend it. You have to have at least 3 good corners and many times 4. It is taking traditional linebacker play out of the game.

 

Mouse was not with the Oilers of the 80s. In fact he has never coached with the Oilers. The Oilers did run speed option down at the goal line in the early 90s but Moon never was a threat to run.

 

The read option is not just a read the end man on the line on the backside. In fact some NFL teams have started running inverted veer already. The read option part of the game has evolved to where they will read any of the different defenders in any number of ways. You'll continue to see it. A qb can handle running the ball 7 times or so a game and still be safe.

Edited September 12, 201313 yr by JokersWild24

If you watch Kaepernick, especially the Superbowl, he does not read anything, it is not read option. When he pulls it and runs with it, it is a designed keep. If he was reading it he is horrible at it and should have kept it most of the time.

 

RGIII is the only one that actually did the read option last year that I saw. I did not watch Newton so he may have.

Edited September 12, 201313 yr by JokersWild24

Newton does do some read stuff and some of it is designed. RG III does both also. There is a bunch of confusion about when a play is a read and not by the general public. The talking heads on TV don't either

Alot of what makes the spread option attack catching on again in the NFL is penalties, all that space, and the qb faking.. Officials can not even keep up with the rules on how you are allowed to hit and defend on certain plays.... its taking away the speed in which you can play defense, so even when you do stop them chances are high you hold, past interfere, or hit too hard....its ridiculous, in college it gets stopped cause you can knock the heck out of guys NFL is tag when its a spread game.

Alot of what makes the spread option attack catching on again in the NFL is penalties, all that space, and the qb faking.. Officials can not even keep up with the rules on how you are allowed to hit and defend on certain plays.... its taking away the speed in which you can play defense, so even when you do stop them chances are high you hold, past interfere, or hit too hard....its ridiculous, in college it gets stopped cause you can knock the heck out of guys NFL is tag when its a spread game.

 

It still works just fine in college. You haven't seen it slow down but even more teams use it and the variety of different reads has continued to change. Hash marks are another difference. In the NFL you almost play in the middle of the field the entire time. College you get a little more space but not as much as HS.

Both good points on the last two posts.