Playbooks
Quick Reference
In 1 playbook
Breakdown
RNS Hitches lines up in Pistol Spread 10 personnel with four wide receivers and no backfield help on the play diagram. Three receivers push vertically upfield before settling into hitch routes at roughly 5 to 6 yards, while the outside receiver to the right runs a shorter hitch closer to the line, creating a staggered ladder of stopping points across the field. This is a quick-game man and zone beater built around timing and separation at the top of the route, with the quarterback working a horizontal progression from the boundary hitch out to the widest hitch based on which defender sits softest or opens his hips first.
Defensive Reads
Check safety depth before the snap, two high shells tell you corners likely have zone or off man help and will sit on the hitch, so throw with anticipation before the route fully settles. Watch cornerback alignment at the snap, tight press man corners will jump the hitch stem, so be ready to hot route to a slant or speed out against that look. Identify any user controlled defender lurking underneath, since a spy or robber sitting in the shallow zone can jump the shortest hitch and turn it into a pick six. Zone coverages with linebackers sinking to the flats can clog the shorter hitch on the boundary, so progress to the deeper hitch or vertical breakpoint on the opposite side. Blitz heavy fronts with man coverage behind them are vulnerable here because the quick timing of the hitches gets the ball out before pressure arrives, so trust the first open read against Cover 0 or Cover 1 blitzes.
Usage Tips
Fire this out quickly on early downs to keep the sticks manageable and stay ahead of the chains without exposing the quarterback to a heavy pass rush.
Read the cornerback depth pre-snap, if the corners are playing off man or sitting in a zone at 6 to 8 yards, the hitch will snap open in front of them for an easy completion.
Use hot routes to convert one hitch into a speed out or slant if you diagnose aggressive man coverage or a corner jumping the route stem after the snap.
Pair this call with Four Verticals or RNS Streak earlier in a series so defenders respect the deep threat, then come back to RNS Hitches to attack cushion that off coverage creates.
Best used on 3rd and short to 3rd and medium, since all four routes settle within easy pitch and catch range for a quick, low risk conversion.
