Jessie “The Body” Ventura famously said, “Win if you can, lose if you must, but always cheat.” You might be wondering what that has to do with Run-Pass Options but for all intents and purposes RPO’s as they’re affectionately nicknamed are cheating the spirit of the rules of college football. While they aren’t cheating the rules to the extent of the A-11 offense which popped up for a short time around football and took advantage of punt rules, eligible numbers, and quarterback depth; RPO’s do violate the spirit of the game. Runs are supposed to be runs, passes are supposed to be passes, and offensive linemen aren’t supposed to go beyond three yards on a forward pass downfield.
The Impact of Run-Pass Options on college football
