Pat Fitzgerald Rips RPOs, Calls Them 'The Purest Form of Communism'

Northwestern head coach Pat Fitzgerald is not a fan of football's latest trend, the run-pass option, or RPO. 

During his press conference Tuesday, he described the play as the "purest form of communism" while taking issue with the rules allowing linemen to block opposing players three yards or less downfield during pass attempts.

"If you're a purist of football, it's not the game," he said. "People downfield blocking, and the ball being thrown should be illegal."

Without question, the RPO has infiltrated football at every level. Last year's Super Bowl champions, the Philadelphia Eagles, utilized the concept extensively last season, for instance. 

The strategy has become popular because it puts a significant amount of pressure on a defense. Over-commit to the run and the quarterback can quickly find a seam in the defense for a quick-hitting pass. Play on your heels and the quarterback can choose to hand the ball off, where a lane likely opened for a running back.

In essence, the RPO is simply an evolution of the option concept that has long been popular in football. Historically, teams would run the triple option, a run play where the quarterback could choose to hand the ball off to the fullback on a dive, keep the ball himself or pitch it out wide to the tailback, all depending on his reads. 

Now, the concept has simply grown to meld run and pass options together, changing the areas of the field where the defense is stretched and which defenders are keyed upon.

How that relates to communism is less clear, though Fitzgerald was likely making the comparison in a tongue-in-cheek manner. After all, college football more closely represents dictatorship, where the players aren't paid and college coaches make millions of dollars while holding all the power over their programs.