Playbooks
Quick Reference
In 1 playbook
Breakdown
Read Option Wk lines up out of Pistol Wing Slot with 12 personnel, showing the QB in the shotgun read stance with the HB offset behind and to the side for the mesh point. The offensive line blocks down with a weak side zone scheme while the QB reads the edge defender to either hand the ball off or pull and attack the perimeter himself. This is a pure run play designed to punish aggressive edge defenders and overpursuing linebackers, with the primary read progression starting at the read defender on the weak side edge before working to the alley defender if the QB pulls the ball.
Defensive Reads
Watch the weak side defensive end pre-snap since his width and hand placement tell the QB whether to hand off or keep the ball. Overpursuing linebackers that flow hard to the mounted side leave the weak side alley wide open for a QB pull. Off-ball linebackers with excessive depth at the snap struggle to fill fast enough against this scheme, favoring the offense. User-controlled defenders who jump the handoff too early get gashed on the keep, so disciplined edge play with contain responsibility is the counter. Stacked fronts with an extra defender assigned to spy the QB take away the keep option and force the offense into the dive read only.
Usage Tips
Check the box count before the snap and only run this into light boxes with six or fewer defenders in the tackle box.
Identify the weak side edge defender's alignment pre-snap because his leverage dictates the entire read for the QB.
Use this play on early downs in run-heavy sequences to set up PA Boot Lt or PA Ctr Waggle later in the series off the same look.
Pair this with HB Dive and HB Power O from the same set so defenders cannot key run direction based on personnel or formation tendencies.
Against aggressive defensive ends that crash hard on the mesh point, pull the ball every time and take the edge with the QB run.
