Playbooks
Quick Reference
Breakdown
Read Option out of Pistol Doubles Hip is a pure zone run play that puts the QB and HB in a true option look with the QB reading the play side defensive end. The diagram shows a standard zone blocking scheme up front with the offensive line flowing right on the zone track, no route concepts drawn for the receivers since this is a run-only design with no pass option attached. The primary read progression is simple: the QB reads the unblocked EMOL, either handing off on the zone track or pulling it and attacking the edge himself based on that defender's crash or contain decision.
Defensive Reads
Pre-snap, identify the play side defensive end alignment and depth, since a wide 9 technique or crashing end is the trigger for the QB keep read. Watch linebacker depth at the snap, if the play side backer is sitting flat instead of flowing with zone motion he is likely spying the QB option keep. This play struggles against disciplined scrape exchange defense where the end stays home on the dive and the linebacker or safety fills the QB lane, so a defense executing that exchange shuts down both options. User the play side DE or a spy linebacker in man defensive control to take away the QB run threat and force the offense into a straight dive that your run fits can swarm. Post-snap, if the defense shows an overloaded box or extra hat in the run fit, the zone track has nowhere to go and the QB keep becomes the only live option, so squeeze the edge with your force defender immediately.
Usage Tips
Pre-snap, check the numbers in the box and confirm you have a light front before calling this, since Read Option loses value against six or seven man fronts.
Look for defenses that crash the EMOL hard on outside zone tendencies, since that is exactly the read that turns this into an explosive QB keep to the edge.
Use this on early downs in run heavy sequences to set up Zone Fake Jet and HB Zone Wk later in the series, since all three plays share the same zone track and force the defense to respect multiple ball carriers.
Pair the pre-snap motion or formation look with RPO Alert Jet Slant and RPO Jet Alert Slant from this same set so defenses cannot key run purely off Doubles Hip Pistol alignment.
Avoid calling this into known run downs against heavy blitz packages, since extra defenders in the box remove the numbers advantage the zone scheme needs to work.
