Playbooks
Quick Reference
Breakdown
RPO Read Flat Wheel out of Pistol Doubles Y Off is a true run pass option built off inside zone action, giving the QB a pre and post snap read on the play side flat defender. The diagram shows the boundary receiver running a wheel route up the sideline while the inside receiver on that side sits down in the flat, with the backside receiver running a deep comeback and the single receiver away from the run action clearing out on an in and up. Up front the offensive line executes zone blocking with the running back running a designed zone path that shows as the red arrow, so the QB reads the flat defender: if he sits on the flat throw the wheel behind him, if he widens with the wheel throw the quick flat, and if both are covered pull it down and hand off the zone run.
Defensive Reads
Key the play side linebacker or slot defender at the snap, if he steps up to fill the run lane immediately user him or drop a defender into the flat to cut off the wheel throw Watch for Cover 3 sky or Cover 4 shells with a hard flat defender, this look forces the QB into the handoff since both the flat and wheel windows get taken away Spy the backside safety rotation, if he rotates down to help in the box on run action that opens the deep comeback route for a big gain so keep a deep defender home Diagnose blitz packages that send extra defenders off the edge, since the QB has a shortened read window and will often panic into the flat throw which you can jump with a nickel or corner blitz timed to the snap Against Cover 2 look for the corner staying flat footed on the wheel release, a good user controlled corner can carry the wheel vertically and force the QB to check down into a leverage disadvantage
Usage Tips
Presnap identify whether the play side defender responsible for the flat is a linebacker or a nickel corner since linebackers are slower to react to the wheel and get beat vertically more often
If the defense shows a two high shell with soft corners, favor pulling the ball and giving the zone run since the numbers box count usually favors the run
Use the hot route to release the backside comeback receiver deeper if you see single high man coverage, since that comeback becomes a big chunk play against a trailing corner
Pair this play with HB Zone or Zone Split earlier in a series so the defense starts keying run fits, then come back to this RPO to punish overaggressive linebacker flow with the wheel
On third and short call this out of a no huddle look immediately after a successful zone run rep, since defenses tend to crash down the box and open up the flat to wheel window
