Playbooks
Quick Reference
Breakdown
Read Option is a run play out of Pistol Full House TE with 22 personnel that puts the QB and HB in a mesh point look behind the fullback and TE. The diagram shows the offensive line blocking down with zone rules while the fullback leads through the hole and the QB reads the edge defender before deciding to hand off or pull and keep. This is a run scheme built to attack numbers advantages at the point of attack, not a man or zone passing beater, and the primary read progression is the QB keying the play side defensive end to decide give versus keep.
Defensive Reads
Pre-snap, check the box count and safety depth, a light box with a single high safety favors the offense and signals the run is live. Post-snap, key the play side defensive end assignment, if he sits and reads instead of attacking he is likely spying the QB keep. Watch for a user-controlled defender crashing down inside, this can open the edge for a QB keep since the natural read defender is out of position. Look for linebackers keying the mesh point too aggressively, this often leaves a cutback lane on the backside since flow defenders overcommit to the play side. This play struggles against disciplined defensive ends who maintain outside contain and stack-and-shed linebackers who stay square and do not bite on the fake.
Usage Tips
Use pre-snap to count the box, if the defense has six or fewer defenders in the box this play has a numbers advantage for the run.
Watch the play side defensive end before the snap, if he is crashing down hard on run downs this is a great keep opportunity for extra yardage.
Pair this with PA Se Cross or PA TE Corner out of the same Full House TE set so the defense has to respect both the run action and the play-action passing game off identical formation looks.
Run this on early downs (first and second) when defenses are more likely to load the box expecting inside runs, since the option keep punishes overaggressive edge defenders.
Mix in Mtn Power O and Counter Lead from the same personnel to keep linebackers guessing between gap schemes and the read option keep, which slows down defensive flow and second level pursuit.
