Playbooks
Quick Reference
In 1 playbook
Breakdown
Post Wheel out of Pistol Full House Base attacks the defense with a three level stretch built around a wheel route out of the backfield. The near back releases outside and turns it upfield on a wheel, the outside receiver to that side runs a shallow drag underneath, and the backside receiver breaks into a deep post working across the middle of the field. This is a man beater first and foremost since the wheel route is designed to isolate a linebacker or safety on the running back in space, but the post also gives you a shot answer if the safety bites on the underneath crossing route.
Defensive Reads
Check the linebacker depth pre snap, if the Mike or Will is sitting shallow with no clear man assignment on the wheel back you likely have zone coverage and should look to the drag or post instead. Man coverage shells with a linebacker in man on the back are the biggest vulnerability, this play is designed to exploit exactly that matchup on the wheel. Watch for a safety cheating down toward the flat before the snap, that usually signals help over the top on the wheel and tells you to work the post or drag instead. Post snap, identify any user controlled defender flying toward the flat, if he commits hard to the wheel the post should be wide open behind him. Zone shells with two deep safeties and a linebacker sinking into a curl or flat zone can shut down the wheel by playing the route in front, so trust the post as your answer against that look.
Usage Tips
Use this play on early downs when you expect man coverage since the wheel route is your primary answer against linebackers who cannot stay in phase with a back out of the backfield.
Read the flat defender pre snap, if a linebacker walks up over your wheel back that is your green light to trust the matchup and go to it first.
Hot route the shallow drag into a spot or option route against zone shells if you see two high safeties sitting deep, since the drag becomes your zone beater underneath.
Pair this with Curl Wheel in your play calling sequence so the defense has to respect two different wheel concepts and cannot key on the backfield action every snap.
Best called on second and medium or third and short to medium where a linebacker matched on your back gives you an easy conversion, and the post is your explosive play answer if the defense rotates a safety down to help on the wheel.
