An offense where the quarterback reads an unblocked defender after the snap to decide whether to hand off, keep, pitch, or throw.
Option football neutralizes a defender by putting him in a post-snap conflict instead of blocking him. Rather than executing a predetermined run, the offense gives the quarterback live choices: to hand off, keep, pitch, or throw, based on how an unblocked read defender moves after the snap.
Double Option
A two-way choice: either hand off or keep (as in Zone Read), or keep or pitch (as in Speed Option).
Triple Option
Traditional under-center schemes (like the Veer and Wishbone) that combine an interior handoff read with a secondary keep-or-pitch read on the perimeter.
Modern Spread & RPO Evolution
In modern Spread Option and Run-Pass Options, the offense spreads receivers out and often replaces the trailing pitch back with a quick perimeter throw (like a Bubble Screen) into the vacated space.
The unifying principle across all option football is reading an unblocked conflict defender after the snap rather than blocking him.
Also calledoption offense, option game
Not to be confused withRPO, option route, play action
Playbook Examples
Zone Readzone run with one defender left unblocked for the quarterback to read after the snapSpread Option
Power Readpower blocking with an edge defender left unblocked to choose between the back's sweep and the quarterback's inside runSpread Option
Speed Optionperimeter option with no dive phase: the quarterback attacks the edge and keeps or pitchesSpread Option
Zone Read + Bubbleinside Zone Read with a Bubble Screen attached to punish an overhang who joins the run fitSpread Option
A note on how the term is used
Option offense historically meant a run-only pitch game. In modern football, the same option math underpins Run-Pass Options (RPOs), where the pass serves as the modern perimeter pitch.