Every good spread team typically has the speed option in. It is a safe run play, that lets your ball carriers/athletes get into space quickly (which is the premise of spread). The speed option in a double option, meaning that there are two choices the QB can make in the play: Keep or Pitch. It is a easy play to install and adjust, as well as make dynamic.
The easiest way to block the speed option is to use zone principles. Predominatly inside zone principles. Meaning that the OL are blocking zones determined by basic rules. And that within these zones we are trying to create vertical push and double teams up front. The exception or adjustment we make with the speed option is that the frontside OT or TE (or both) will free release or veer release to the 2nd level. This leaves the DE or EMLOS unblocked. This is where the option choice comes into play.
The QB has to make a presnap read to determine who pitch-man is, the defender the QB plays off of. Our rule is going to be the 1st defender outside of the tackle. So in the presnap read the QB has to find him and recognize his alignment. If the alignment is tight, the pitch is going to be quicker. The alignment is looser, the pitch is going to be slower or not at all. The QB’s aiming point is the inside shoulder of the read key. At the snap of the ball, he is downhill at the read. The ball is carried with both hands, chest high. The hand to the pitch side, those fingers should be on the laces. The QB’s eyes get to the read and stay there as soon as the snap is secured.
The QB is watching the jersey numbers. The QB will keep UNLESS the jersey numbers (both) square up and attack him. At the point we pitch to our pitch-man. When we pitch the ball we take the hand and force the thumb down flipping the ball heart-to-heart with the pitchman. ALWAYS FOLLOW THE PITCH. If you follow the pitch you always are ensure better ball security.
The next part is the fun part to me. You can get just about any skill guy into the pitch man position, based on alignment or motion. Let’s start though simply with the pitch relationship, or rather the spacing between the pitch man and the QB. We want the pitch relationship to be 1 yard behind and 4-5 yards wide. No matter the intial alignment at the snap of the ball, whomever is the pitch man has to immediately get into this relationship, with his hands up and ready for the pitch. The pitch man should always trail the QB in the relationship, do not give up on the pitch.
Most commonly you will see the TB aligned next the QB in shotgun as the pitchman. Occasionally you will see a man brought into motion from the away-side or back-side presnap, who quickly gets into pitch relationship. You can even use a man aligned to the call-side via formation, as the pitchman. If this is how you do it, and easy adjustment or tip for pitch relationship is to simply have that man backpedal at the snap, allowing the QB to get infront, then mainting the relationship.
The speed option is a great play to take advanatge of your athletes, by getting the ball in space quickly. It also put stress on the defense by forcing them to play assignment football. Therefore the speed option meets to major goals of most offensive coaches.
