Playbooks
Quick Reference
Breakdown
Return Go is a vertical shot play out of Pistol Trips Open with a 10 personnel grouping designed to stretch the field on both edges. The two outside receivers run straight Go routes up the sidelines while the inside slot receiver runs a quick drag across the middle that doubles as a hot route or check down against pressure, with the running back releasing on a shallow route underneath. This is a man beater built to isolate cornerbacks deep on the outside releases, and the primary read progression starts with the boundary Go route, works to the field side Go route on a hitch step, and comes down to the drag or backfield check down if both verticals are covered.
Defensive Reads
Pre-snap, check both safeties for depth and alignment, since a single high safety or a safety cheating toward the trips side signals man coverage and opens up the backside Go route. Watch cornerback press alignment on the outside receivers, tight press man with no safety help is the ideal look to attack with this play. Post-snap, key the deep safeties for backpedal speed and angle, if they immediately widen or bail toward the sideline routes it is likely a two deep zone shell that this play struggles against. Look for a user controlled defender flashing into the underneath throwing lane, since the drag route and backfield check down can get jumped by a lurking linebacker or nickel defender in zone coverage. Beware of Cover 3 or Cover 4 shells with deep defenders sitting on the numbers, as these shut down both Go routes and force the quarterback into the low percentage checkdown.
Usage Tips
Use pre-snap motion out of Trips Open to identify if the defense is in man or zone before the snap, since this play thrives against man coverage with no safety help over the top.
Take a hard play fake or shoulder fake to the deep Go route on the side with a favorable one on one matchup, then reset to the other sideline if the first read is blanketed.
Hot route the drag route runner to a deeper crossing route against zone shells if you see two deep safeties sitting on the verticals.
Save this for third and long or off man coverage looks, and pair it with Return X Choice Special or 61 X Choice to keep defenders honest on the same trips formation look.
Use RNS Houston Mesh or Double Out earlier in a series to bait linebackers into shallow zone drops, then hit Return Go once the safeties start cheating toward the shorter routes.
