Playbooks
Quick Reference
In 2 playbooks
Breakdown
Return PA Middle Divide is a play-action pass out of Pistol Y Off Trips that uses a middle divide concept to stress the deep middle and both boundaries at once. Off the play fake, the inside vertical route splits up the seam while the outer route from that stack breaks away to the corner, creating a divide read for the deep safety, and both outside receivers from the trips side and backside run deep comeback breaking routes to occupy the corners. This is a man beater against single high looks and a zone beater versus split safety shells that struggle to cover the seam-to-corner divide, with the primary read progression starting on the deep seam route before working out to the comeback breaking route on the trips side.
Defensive Reads
Read the deep safety leverage first, if he shades over the seam route bail to the comeback breaking route on the trips side outside Watch linebacker depth at the snap, shallow linebackers signal a run blitz look that opens the seam route behind them Identify any user-controlled lurk defender sitting in the middle of the field, since he can undercut the seam route if the quarterback rushes the throw Cover 3 and cover 1 shells are vulnerable to this play because the seam route splits the zone or beats man coverage vertically Cover 4 or cover 2 shells with disciplined safeties can shut this down by sinking on the seam and forcing checkdowns underneath
Usage Tips
Check pre-snap safety alignment before the snap, since single high shells invite the seam shot while two high shells push you to the comeback breaking routes on the boundary
Use the motion to identify man versus zone based on whether a defender follows across the formation
Sell the play fake fully by holding the ball mesh point animation so linebackers bite up and open the seam window
Pair this with Return HB Power and HB Dive from the same set so defenses respect the run fake and stay honest on early downs
Best called on second and short or first and ten when defenses are keying run support and cheating linebackers into the box
