Playbooks
Stick Nod is a quick-game concept out of Shotgun 4WR Pack Trips that layers a nod (skinny post/settle) route on top of the classic Stick concept to attack both man and zone coverage. The trips side runs the traditional stick combo with a flat route, a stick/hitch sitting at five yards, and the nod route breaking inside off the stick to occupy the middle linebacker and hi-lo the underneath zone defenders. Your primary read starts with the flat defender: if he widens with the flat route, throw the stick sitting down in the void, and if the MLB bites on the stick, hit the nod route working across the middle for a bigger chunk gain.
Watch the strong safety and slot corner alignment presnap, since a rolled-up safety over trips often signals man coverage or a robber look that can jump the nod route. Post-snap, key the middle linebacker's drop: if he sinks under the stick route he opens the nod route behind him, but if he sits flat-footed he can undercut the nod for a big hit. Identify user-controlled lurk defenders sitting in the shallow middle zone, since a smart user player can bait the quarterback into the nod throw and jump the route for a pick six. Cover 2 with two deep safeties can be a problem because the flat defender and the underneath linebacker combine to clog both the stick and nod windows, forcing a checkdown. Blitz-heavy fronts that send extra rushers off the edge or through the A-gap open up Stick Nod quickly since the routes are designed to beat pressure with a fast progression read.
Presnap identify whether the defense is playing zone or man across the trips side, because the nod route only creates real separation once the stick and flat routes have cleared out the shallow zone defenders.
Against Cover 3 or Cover 4 shells, key the curl-flat defender first since Stick Nod is designed to hi-lo him with the flat route underneath and the stick sitting on top.
If you see man coverage or a slot corner pressing on the trips side, hot route the nod runner to speed up the break so he can separate before the underneath defender can trail him.
This play works best on early downs and third-and-short to third-and-medium since the routes develop quickly and the ball can come out in under two seconds against a blitz.
Pair Stick Nod with Four Verticals and Slant Slot Fade from this same set so defenses cannot sit on the short stick routes without opening up the deep shots off the same trips look.