Playbooks
Quick Reference
Breakdown
PA Sprint HB Flat out of I Form Slot 21 personnel shows a play-action sprintout to the boundary side, with the outer receiver running a deep vertical and the inner slot receiver working a corner route underneath him to hold the safety. The HB fakes the handoff then releases to the flat as the checkdown, while the QB sprints out with the run-action fake selling the play fake before working through his reads on the move. This is a play-action man beater designed to attack aggressive linebackers biting on the run fake, with the primary read progression going deep shot first, then the corner route, and finally the HB flat as the built-in outlet against pressure or tight coverage downfield.
Defensive Reads
Watch for safety rotation pre-snap, since a two-high shell holding depth signals the deep shot will be covered and the flat becomes the primary target. If linebackers step up hard on the run fake, the flat route to the HB should come open almost immediately as the built-in check. User-controlled defenders sitting in the flat or curl-flat zone can jump the HB route, so be ready to climb the ladder to the corner route instead. Against Cover 1 or Cover 3 with aggressive linebackers, the vertical route can win over the top if the deep defender bites on the sprintout action. Blitz-heavy defenses that bring extra rushers on the play side can collapse the sprintout lane fast, so know your quick outlet before the snap to avoid a sack.
Usage Tips
Run this on early downs like first or second and short when the defense is keying run based on personnel and formation tendencies.
Check pre-snap for single-high shells like Cover 3 or Cover 1, since the sprintout action and vertical shot route stress the deep half hard.
If linebackers are sitting at depth reading run action, hot route the flat route to a drag or spot route to attack the vacated middle of the field.
Sequence this behind HB Stretch, HB Power O, or HB Counter earlier in a series so the play fake actually freezes second level defenders.
Roll the pocket away from immediate edge pressure and use the sprintout to buy time for the deep route to develop against man coverage.
