Speed Option

Offense

An option run with no dive phase. The quarterback attacks the edge immediately with a pitch man beside him, and reads one defender to decide whether to keep or pitch.

The quarterback takes the snap and attacks the edge immediately, with a back maintaining pitch relationship outside and slightly behind him. There is no dive or handoff phase. If the read defender commits to the quarterback, he pitches; if the defender widens to the pitch back, he keeps.

Not to be confused withload option, veer, zone read, toss and pitch

Playbook Examples

  • Speed Optionperimeter option with no dive phase: the quarterback attacks the edge and keeps or pitchesSpread Option

A note on how the term is used

Speed Option and Load Option both put the quarterback and a pitch back on the edge. The load changes the blocking so the defender a basic Speed Option would read may be blocked instead. Treat it as a variation, not an alias.

Where you will hear it

  • option offenses
  • spread offenses with a running quarterback