An option pitch in football is a play that gives the player with the ball the option of keeping the ball or pitching it to a teammate. The football usually is in the hands of the quarterback on this play and he must read the defense before making the decision to pitch out or keep the ball.
Basic Option Pitch
The option pitch is primarily used in high school and college football. After taking the snap from center, the quarterback will run down the line and look for a crease or hole to turn the ball upfield. While the quarterback is moving down the line, the running back is running in the same manner about two or three yards behind the line of scrimmage. By the time the quarterback gets past the tight end's original position, he will make a decision to keep the ball and run with it or pitch it out to the running back, who can speed to the outside. The quarterback bases his decision on the positioning of the defense and whether he or the running back has the better chance of making the longer run.
Wishbone Offense
The option pitch is one of the primary plays of the wishbone offense that was prominent in college football during the 1960s and 1970s. Many of the principles of the offense still are used in all levels of football. The wishbone and related offenses like the veer asked the quarterback to read the defense and determine the weak spots and attack.
Requirements
The quarterback in an option offense must have a great understanding of his team's game plan, the abilities of his teammates and the positioning of the defense. A quarterback who plays with patience also helps make the offense go. The quarterback cannot take any preconceived notions into a particular play. For example, the quarterback might have kept the ball on the three previous plays and decide he's going to pitch the ball to the running back regardless. That doesn't work. He must view the alignment of the defense and see how the play unfolds before he makes a decision on what to do with the ball.
History
The option offense is a derivation of the single-wing offense that was prominent in football in the first half of the 20th century. In the single-wing, a running back would take a direct snap from the center and then spin before deciding to run with the ball, pitch it out or throw it. That offense was replaced by the T-formation, but University of Texas coach Darrel Royal made the wishbone offense his team's primary formation in the 1960s and option plays were prominently featured. The NFL has used the wildcat formation since the late 1990s to deceive defenses. The wildcat attack features a direct snap to a speedy running back who can decide to run with the ball, throw it or pitch it out to a teammate.
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