Playbooks
Quick Reference
Breakdown
PA Looch Special is a play-action pass out of the Power I Strong formation with 31 personnel, designed to look like a Power O run before pulling into a three level route concept. Off the play fake, the outside receiver runs a deep vertical up the numbers on the far side, one route breaks from the backfield area into a corner route that crosses the field and settles into the flat, and the third route works from the backfield through a shallow flat cut before turning upfield into a deep post/corner that stretches the opposite sideline. This is a zone beater built to stress the flat to deep quarter or deep third defender, with the primary read starting on the deep breaking route working outside then coming down to the underneath flat/crosser if the safety squeezes the top.
Defensive Reads
Pre-snap, check safety depth. Two high safeties sitting shallow (under 8 yards) signal they are respecting the run and will be late getting to the deep corner route, so take the shot outside. Watch linebacker depth at the snap. If linebackers step up hard on the play fake, the underneath crosser and flat route will have wide open grass since the shallow zone is vacated. This beats Cover 3 and Cover 2 zone shells because the flat to corner combination overloads the sideline defender, forcing a horizontal stretch he cannot cover alone. Man coverage with no safety help over the top is vulnerable to the deep vertical route, but a single high safety (Cover 1 or Cover 3 with a deep middle defender) can rob that route if the quarterback holds too long. Watch for a user linebacker spying the crosser or sitting in a shallow lurk. If the defense shows Cover 4 or Cover 6 with a hard flat defender jumping the route stem immediately, check down to the opposite flat before the underneath window closes.
Usage Tips
Sell the play fake by holding the ball at mesh point as long as possible, since linebackers biting on Power O action is what opens up the intermediate crosser underneath.
Use this on early downs (1st and 2nd and short to medium) when defenses expect HB Toss, Power O, or FB Dive out of this heavy personnel look, since the run threat forces linebacker and safety overreaction.
Check the flat defender pre-snap. If a corner or safety is sitting low in a Cover 2 or Cover 3 shell, hot route the deep vertical outside receiver to attack the seam vacated by the flat defender jumping the crosser.
Pair this play with HB Blast, HB Slam, and Power O in your call sequence so the defense keys run every time you break the huddle, then hit PA Looch Special once you see linebackers creeping into the box.
Against man coverage, prioritize the deep corner route breaking to the far sideline since it creates natural rub traffic off the crossing route underneath.
