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Wake Forest QB Sam Hartman, left, hands the ball to Christian Turner during a game against Duke on Nov. 26 in Durham, N.C. Missouri faces Wake on Friday in Tampa, Fla.
Wake Forest's Sam Hartman makes a throw during an NCAA college football game in Durham, N.C., Saturday, Nov. 26, 2022.
Wake Forest QB Sam Hartman, left, hands the ball to Christian Turner during a game against Duke on Nov. 26 in Durham, N.C. Missouri faces Wake on Friday in Tampa, Fla.
Wake Forest's Sam Hartman makes a throw during an NCAA college football game in Durham, N.C., Saturday, Nov. 26, 2022.
Missouri is up against an uncommon challenge this week in the Gasparilla Bowl: Wake Forest’s slow mesh RPO offense. It will be unlike anything the Tigers have seen this season or likely will see in future seasons.
“It’s unique, and it’s hard to describe until you see it,” Missouri coach Eli Drinkwitz said.
With this system, decorated quarterback Sam Hartman operating it and five 500-yard receivers — A.T. Perry, Donavon Greene, Jahmal Banks, Ke’Shawn Wililams and Taylor Morin — producing in it, Wake Forest coach Dave Clawson has reached seven straight bowl games and was a top-10 team at multiple points over the past two seasons.
Here is an in-depth look at the Demon Deacons’ system, encompassing what it is, why it works and how Missouri can stop it.
Going word-by-word, “RPO” is a run-pass option, a common term at this point that describes a play where the quarterback has the option to hand the ball off or throw it depending on what he sees in front of him. “Mesh” is the mesh point, or point in time when the quarterback puts the ball in the running back’s midsection, preparing to hand it off or pull it back. “Slow” means … slow.
Basically, a slow mesh RPO is a run-pass option where the quarterback takes his sweet time deciding whether to give it to the back or throw it downfield. While he takes his time, he walks with the running back toward the line of scrimmage, almost to the line itself.
“It could be a handoff or a vertical throw or intermediate throw,” Drinkwitz said. “And it just takes time to develop.”
Because the play takes time to develop, Wake Forest can and will run any route off of it. The Demon Deacons particularly like in-breaking routes like digs and vertical routes like posts, because those take advantage of the drawn-up linebackers and safeties.
Wake Forest makes its money by putting stress on the defense and being more patient than its opponent. Watching some of the Demon Deacons’ film, many second- and third-level defenders have their eyes in the backfield the entire time the slow mesh is happening, which is exactly what Wake Forest wants.
Hartman has his eyes on the defense, too, but he’s reading specific defenders to decide what he wants to do. If one nickelback creeps toward the box, he throws a hitch to the slot receiver. If a safety looks like he’s too close to the line of scrimmage to help out in run support, he’ll throw the post over the top.
Even at the line of scrimmage, defensive linemen have to tread carefully or risk getting out of position, creating a hole and giving up a big run.
“I think it’s more about patience,” MU defensive end Arden Walker said. “Of course, they’re trying to keep the defense honest, so you have to be able to really sit and wait and really hold your gap, because if you give it up, you make a mistake.”
When the defense has to hold its position and attend to its responsibilities for that long, someone is bound to make a mistake. Wake Forest has enough threats all over the field to take advantage.
With the little quirk of walking up to the line of scrimmage at the mesh point, Wake Forest also neutralizes the defensive ends’ ability to get to the passer. With the quarterback so close to the line of scrimmage, the edge rushers have far less of an angle to rush the passer.
“It really stresses on the whole defensive line,” MU defensive tackle Jayden Jernigan said. “Because truly, sometimes you won’t even be able to see the running back, if they have it, if not. It will be a big stress on the (defensive ends), playing that type of mesh, having to look through from the running back to the quarterback.”
When the decision is made to hand the ball off, Wake Forest — not an elite running team by any means, but one that will do it effectively at times — is at an advantage because it faces lighter boxes.
When linebackers, corners and safeties have to hold onto their passing game responsibilities for so long, they can’t help in run support and it’s easier for space to open up for the running back.
When a cornerback does try to look in the backfield, this can happen.
This system is, of course, not unbeatable. If the secondary stays disciplined and patient — and can cover very well, as Missouri’s can, particularly on the outside — the passing game can be slowed down.
“Don’t get early eyes,” cornerback Kris Abrams-Draine said. “Just follow your man, and hopefully somebody else can stop him before they throw the ball.”
Abrams-Draine and Ennis Rakestraw will be huge for Missouri. Wake Forest’s passing game is built on opposing cornerbacks not being able to stick to receivers for long periods of time, and not being able to make a play on the ball on short notice. Missouri’s corners excel at both, which bodes well for the Tigers during Friday’s game.
As much stress as the slow mesh RPOs put on the defense, they put just as much pressure on the offensive line, who now has to hold its blocks for a longer period of time. Sometimes on tape, particularly against Clemson, a guard or center will lose his battle right away, blowing up the play before it starts.
Defensive tackles winning off the snap, which Missouri’s have been known to do, will be the most likely way the Tigers can create havoc on slow-mesh RPOs.
“I’m just like, ‘Okay, at what point do I release?’” defensive tackle Darius Robinson said. “At what point do I transition to rush? Just at what point you do a lot of things, so I gotta make sure I get my film study in.”
The Tigers’ preparation will be put to the test at 5:30 p.m. Central Friday in Tampa Bay.
Soble is a MU Football reporter for the Missourian. Twitter: @jacksoble56
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