In 2001, Joe Osovet started running an offensive scheme called a manipulation within his Bolt offense at Nassau Community College in New York.
20 years later, manipulation plays are executed throughout the sport, as they are known as RPOs.
Osovet later became head coach at Nassau Community College from 2013-15. He then was hired as head coach at ASA College from 2016-17 before joining the Southeastern Conference in an off-field role at Tennessee.
With the Vols, Osovet served as Director of Player Development (2018) and Director of Football Programming (2019). He was tight ends coach for Tennessee in 2020.
Osovet joined the show “Tennessee Two-A-Days” to discuss his Bolt offense.
“When I took over as the OC at Nassau, we were always a hard-nosed, pro-style offense, run the ball down your throat,” Osovet said. “We got to a point where we were seeing so much loaded boxes.
“I figured lets spread things out and we can still maintain our power run game, but now when people start adding that eighth and ninth defender in the box, we’ll be able to do some type of manipulation of them.”
Osovet’s Bolt offense features various formations that can manipulate a defense. The offense is a physical uptempo brand in pistol looks.
His offense showcases a double-stack in 10-personnel, a double stack extend in 10-personnel with wide receivers from numbers to numbers.
2×2 sets are also used with wide receivers typically around four yards apart.
Tiger packages feature 3×1 sets that can provide a two-stack at times.
A down-the-field passing game also places stress on defenses with looks in Hooters, Motorboat, Sting and Sail.
Osovet is also creative in the red zone and uses a yo-yo motion to manipulate defenders to find the end zone.
The entire show with Osovet can be listened to here or below. Valdosta head coach Rush Propst also joined the show and discussed implementing a power Air Raid scheme at the same time Osovet began his Bolt offense. (Note: Propst was in a static reception area during his part of the show).
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