Coach -
“The quarterback’s eyes can open everything up.”
That’s how Houston offensive line coach Eman Naghavi set the tone during his C.O.O.L. Clinic segment. In today’s game, it’s not just about what’s called—it’s about what the defense sees and how you manipulate their reactions.
Naghavi pulled back the curtain on how the Cougars use motion and personnel to force defenders into impossible choices. His focus? Creating clean angles in the run game while giving the quarterback a built-in answer post-snap.
Why It Matters
Run game efficiency drops when angles disappear. Linebackers bossing over in 3x1? Suddenly, your counter doesn't look so clean. Naghavi’s answer: motion that resets the picture without burning a timeout or changing the play.
“We’d start in a 3x1 and motion over,” he explained. “That forces the defense to declare—are they bumping the backers? Are they static? Now we know what we’re working with, and our angles improve.”
This subtle shift has major consequences. If defenders overreact, your gap scheme gets cleaner. If they don’t? You’ve got leverage to the short side, especially with 12 personnel and a tight end ready to block or release.
Try This
- Motion to balance out linebacker leverage: Start in 3x1 and motion to 2x2 to get better blocking angles or uncover man-zone tells.
- Target the force defender with RPO reads: In quarters, Cover 2, or 3, the safety or corner becomes the read. Use alignment and motion to push the extra hat out of the run fit.
- Coach your WRs to MDM with intent: Teach them not just to block, but to manipulate defenders with the expectation of throwing behind them.
What You Should Remember
As RPOs evolve, quarterbacks want to throw more—but that only works when the picture is clean. “You’ve got to put a stranglehold on these guys,” Naghavi joked, reminding coaches not to let QBs freelance. Instead, use structure—motion, formation, and personnel—to create predictable chaos for the defense and clarity for your offense.
The endgame? Angles that work, reads that punish, and defenders who have no good answers.
See the video here - 12P RPO Glance
Want more like this? Coach Naghavi presented a full session at the C.O.O.L. Clinic—This year’s clinic has a stacked lineup that includes Super Bowl, Grey Cup, and National Championship offensive line coaches and a Keynote from Baltimore Ravens Head Coach John Harbaugh.
Always be Growing!
Coach Grabowski
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