Playbooks
At a Glance
In 17 playbooks
Overview
Deuce Close is the heaviest pass-run balanced set in Pistol, pairing two tight ends aligned tight to the tackles with two receivers split outside and the back sitting four yards behind the quarterback. Unlike Pistol Slot or Pistol Wing sets that widen a tight end into the flat or bump him to the wing, Deuce Close keeps both tight ends inside the numbers with their hands in the dirt, which gives you seven-man surfaces on both sides and forces the defense to declare a strength before the snap. That closed alignment is why the run game here hits so hard: HB Stretch, Inside Zone Split, Counter Y, and Cheat Counter Y all get real double teams at the point of attack instead of relying on a fullback or a pulling guard alone.
The 12 personnel look also dictates matchups. Base defenses answer Deuce Close with 4-3 or 3-4 fronts and often leave a linebacker on the backside tight end, which is exactly what you want on PA Z Over and PA Boot Y Leak. Both plays sell run action first, then release a tight end into space against a defender who took a run read step. If the opponent counters with nickel or big nickel, you get the reverse advantage: light box against HB Dive, HB Split Dive, and Y Lead Read Option, where the second tight end blocks down and your back reads the unblocked edge player.
Where Deuce Close separates from other Pistol sets is the RPO and gadget layer. RPO Read Cheat Wheel Flat gives you a run read with an attached flat and wheel combo, so a crashing edge or a linebacker who triggers on the mesh point instantly hands you a free throw outside. Mesh Spot supplies the man beater the set needs, using the crossers to rub off coverage while the spot sitter occupies the hook defender. Because your two receivers are isolated on the outside with no help, single-high looks let you hot route a fade or slot streak and attack a corner with no inside leverage help.
Strengths
- Mesh Spot is a legitimate man beater from a run-heavy look, with the crossers creating natural rubs and the spot route sitting down in the vacated hook window against Cover 3 and Cover 4.
- Two-way run threat: Counter Y and Cheat Counter Y attack the edge with a pulling tight end while HB Dive and Inside Zone Split punish light boxes, so the same alignment supports both gap and zone concepts.
- PA Boot Y Leak and PA Z Over are elite against aggressive users because both hold linebackers with run action, then release a tight end behind the second level into space that user-controlled defenders vacate on their run read.
- RPO Read Cheat Wheel Flat gives you a built-in answer to edge crashers and blitz-happy opponents, letting you pull the throw to the flat or the wheel without needing a pre-snap adjustment.
- Isolated outside receivers on both sides mean simple hot routes (fade, slot streak, or in route) turn Deuce Close into a legitimate single-high beater without changing personnel.
Weaknesses
- Only two true receivers on the field, so any defense that plays two-high with a hard flat player takes away the quick game and forces you to hold the ball for the deeper tight end concepts.
- Pistol depth removes the quarterback quick set that shotgun gives you, which makes inside pressure and A gap nano blitzes a real problem on the play-action plays.
- Both tight ends aligned tight means minimal pre-snap width, so a user can sit in the middle of the field and cover the mesh, spot, and Y leak windows from one position.
- Run tendencies leak fast against opponents who scout, and once they know you live on Counter Y and HB Stretch they can slant the front, crash the edge, and play the read option with a spare defender.
- The gadget and read option plays put your quarterback at real injury risk, and if you cannot pull the ball on Y Lead Read Option you are running into a stacked box with no numbers advantage.
Usage Tips
Establish HB Stretch and Inside Zone Split early against base personnel, then run PA Z Over and PA Boot Y Leak off the exact same look once linebackers start jumping downhill.
Check the safety count before the snap: two-high tells you to run HB Dive or Counter Y into a light box, while single-high tells you to hot route an outside receiver on a fade or slot streak and throw into the isolated matchup.
Use Mesh Spot as your third down and medium answer against man coverage and use motion on a receiver to confirm man before the snap, since Deuce Close naturally invites tight coverage looks.
Live on RPO Read Cheat Wheel Flat when your opponent user controls a linebacker or crashes the edge, because the flat and wheel combo punishes both reactions without any manual reads.
In short yardage and goal line, alternate HB Dive and HB Split Dive with Y Lead Read Option so the same closed alignment forces the defense to defend both the interior and the unblocked edge.
