Playbooks
Quick Reference
In 73 playbooks
Breakdown
PA Sprint HB Flat out of Goal Line Offense is a play-action sprint out concept built for short yardage or tight red zone situations. Off the run fake, the outside receiver runs a deep out that breaks toward the sideline, while the second receiver from that side clears vertically then bends outside on a corner-ish route to stretch the boundary at two levels. The running back releases to the flat opposite the sprint action as the underneath safety valve, and the quarterback sprints out to that flat side, reading low to high starting with the HB flat route before working up to the breaking routes. This is a man beater against aggressive goal line man coverage since the natural rub and flat release create instant separation problems for defenders in tight quarters.
Defensive Reads
Pre-snap, identify if the defense is in man or zone by checking cornerback depth and linebacker stack alignment near the goal line, tight man coverage with no safety help over the top is where this play hurts defenses most. Key the flat defender first since the quarterback progression starts there, if a linebacker widens with the HB release, that opens a window for the deep out and corner route combo behind him. Watch for a user controlled defender lurking underneath the intermediate route since aggressive human players will often sit in the passing lane the quarterback wants to hit on his second read. This play struggles against zone coverage with a flat defender sitting and a deep defender playing the sideline, especially cover 2 or cover 3 shells that keep two defenders on that side of the field. Blitz packages that bring pressure from the backside can still catch the quarterback since the sprint out motion takes time to develop, so track edge rushers crashing from the opposite side of the play call.
Usage Tips
Call this near the goal line or on short yardage third downs when the defense shows man coverage or goal line personnel with tight cushions. Check the flat defender pre-snap, if a linebacker or corner is sitting on the flat, hot route the HB to a quick out or slide him underneath to manipulate that defender before the snap. Use the sprint out action to buy the quarterback extra time against interior pressure since he is moving away from the play side rush lane immediately. Pair this with PA Waggle or PA Y-Corner from the same set to keep defenses guessing between sprint out flat and boot action concepts, since both start with similar run action but attack different levels. Save this for situations where you need explosive yardage or a touchdown since the deep breaking route can hit big if the corner bites on the play fake.
