Playbooks
Quick Reference
In 1 playbook
Breakdown
HB Split Zone is an inside zone run out of Pistol with a slight offset action, showing the offensive line flowing in a zone blocking scheme while a blocker cuts across the formation to seal the backside edge. The stacked receivers to the left and single receiver to the right hold their positions as run blockers or decoys, keeping the defense honest against the run action. This is a pure run play, not a play-action or RPO, and the primary read progression starts with the play side A gap, working through the B gap, and bouncing outside if the backside cutback lane opens up.
Defensive Reads
Key the play side defensive end and 3 tech, since a fast crash inside kills the A and B gap lanes and forces a bounce read. Watch the backside linebacker depth at the snap, because the split zone blocker is designed to seal him and slow-flowing linebackers get erased easily. Identify if the defense is in a run blitz with both safeties crashing down, which shuts this play down hard due to numbers in the box. Post-snap, track the play side outside linebacker or Sam for contain, since disciplined edge defenders that stay home take away the bounce outside. Look for user-controlled defenders spying the backside cutback lane, as a good user rush end reading split zone can blow up the cutback before it develops.
Usage Tips
Check the box count pre-snap and only call this into light boxes with six or fewer defenders in the run fit.
Use the stacked receiver alignment to bait man coverage defenders into crashing down, then trust the split zone action to hold the backside linebacker.
Hot route the single receiver on a quick out or slant if you see a corner blitz coming off that edge, since it removes a defender from run support.
This works best on early downs (first and second and short) to keep the defense guessing between run and pass out of the same Pistol look.
Pair it with Jet HB Zone and Read Option from the same set to keep linebackers flowing hard one direction, then hit the cutback lane with Split Zone once they overcommit.
