Playbooks
At a Glance
Overview
Near Y Left Slot takes the standard Near alignment (halfback and fullback stacked behind the quarterback in a two back look) and pulls the tight end off the line to the left, dropping him into the slot outside the left tackle. That single adjustment turns a heavy 21 personnel run formation into a two receiver strong look on the left side with an isolated X on the right. Defenses that check into single high against Near expecting a downhill run game now have to declare who covers the tight end in space, and that declaration tells you nearly everything before the snap.
The value here is the mismatch. Your tight end is a slot body against either a linebacker with poor coverage ratings or a safety pulled out of the box, and the fullback still sits in protection or leaks into the flat. That combination is why plays like Texas, Post Drag, and Flanker Drive hit so consistently out of this set: you get a legitimate mesh and drive concept from a personnel package the defense wants to play run first. On the opposite side, the single receiver is truly isolated, so a hot route fade, slant, or corner on the backside becomes a clean one-on-one read against man coverage with no help defender nearby.
The run game does not disappear either. 0 1 Trap, HB Inside, FB Dive, and FB Dive Weak all keep the two back downhill identity intact, and with the tight end removed the weak side is genuinely light for FB Dive Weak. Rollout Smash and PA Read Special layer play action and boot action on top of that run threat, which is exactly how you punish users who commit a safety to the box after eating a few traps.
Strengths
- Texas out of this set is a premier man beater: the angle route from the backfield puts a coverage linebacker in conflict while the tight end clears vertically from the slot.
- Post Drag and Flanker Drive give you crossing concepts with natural rubs, and the drag underneath is a reliable answer against Cover 3 and Cover 4 zone drops.
- The isolated single receiver on the right is a free man coverage read, so a pre snap hot route fade or slant there gives you a one on one with no inside help.
- Two back personnel forces run heavy defensive checks, which makes PA Read Special and Rollout Smash lethal once the opponent starts crashing the box.
- FB Dive Weak attacks the side vacated by the tight end, and 0 1 Trap punishes aggressive interior penetration from nano style pressures.
Weaknesses
- Only three eligible receivers release cleanly on most concepts, so heavy zone with a user in the middle can shrink the field fast.
- Edge pressure to the tight end side comes free more often since the tight end is detached and not helping the left tackle.
- Smash and Curl Flat develop slowly for a two back set, and a user controlled safety can bait the corner route and jump it.
- Cover 2 Man with a robber sitting on the drag takes away Post Drag and Flanker Drive, forcing you to hold the ball and eat a sack.
- Predictable if you lean on FB Dive and HB Inside early, since good opponents will pinch the line and play the run first.
Usage Tips
Read the defender over the tight end in the slot pre snap. Linebacker head up means man, and Texas or a slot hot route beats it. Safety depth over the top means zone, and you go to Post Drag or Curl Flat.
Use this set on second and medium after establishing the run so PA Read Special and Rollout Smash sell hard off the trap and dive looks.
Hot route the isolated single receiver to a fade against any press man look, especially when the defense has committed eight in the box.
Block the fullback on Smash and Rollout Smash to buy time, then work the corner route high and low with the flat as your check down.
Against interior blitz tendencies, call 0 1 Trap and let the pressure run itself out of the play rather than trying to slide protection every snap.
