The Tailback’s Role in the Football Option

Video Transcript

"Hi, this is Sean Hobson for Expert Village. What we want to talk about now is when running the option play one of the other key guys that makes this thing work is the tailback. The tailback may get the ball or he may turn into a decoy in this situation based on what the quarterback reads. Once our quarterback fakes it to the fullback, our tailback has to be reading and keying off of the quarterback. He has to stay about one step ahead. They don't want to stay lined up because you don't want the quarterback to turn and throw the option pitch straight back. So, we want him to be about one or one and a half to two steps in front of the quarterback when he makes the read. Once the quarterback makes the read and is going to throw the pitch, the tailback has to have his hands ready to catch the ball. His eyes have to be locked first on the quarterback. Once he receives the catch he has to be ready to take it in and read what the defense has done. This defender may have come out and adjusted on the running back and he may be going too hard to one side and the running back may be able to pop it back up inside or take it to the outside. That has to be his read once he gets the ball. The tailback is a very important part of running the option play and hopefully he'll be able to pick up a big gain off of it."