Playbooks

Same Side Zone

Shotgun·Ace Slot Offset·12

Quick Reference

FormationShotgun

In 4 playbooks

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Breakdown

Same Side Zone is an outside zone run concept out of Shotgun Ace Slot Offset that sends the entire offensive line and both TEs flowing toward the play side call, stretching the defense laterally before the back plants and gets vertical. The blocking scheme relies on double teams at the point of attack that release into the second level, giving the HB a cutback lane if the frontside gets sealed too far outside. This is a pure run play, not an RPO, so the primary read progression for the ball carrier is press the frontside hole first, then cutback if the backside linebacker overruns the play or the frontside gets clogged.

Defensive Reads

Pre-snap, check the strong safety depth and box count, if the safety is rolled down near the line the cutback lane will be tighter and you should be ready to bounce it back sooner. Identify whether the defense is in a 4-3 under or 3-4 odd front, odd fronts with a true nose can clog the frontside gap and force an early cutback read. Watch for user-controlled linebackers flowing hard downhill at the snap, if they overpursue the frontside flow the backside cutback lane opens immediately. Beware of nano blitz packages sending an extra rusher off the edge on the play side, since those can beat the zone blocking before the double team gets set. This run struggles against gap-sound 46 fronts or defenses stacked with extra run defenders in goal line and heavy run personnel, so avoid calling it into obvious run-blitz situations.

Usage Tips

Use pre-snap motion or a quick glance at the defensive front to confirm you have a numbers advantage to the play side before the snap.

Attack light boxes with six or fewer defenders in the box, especially against nickel and dime personnel that are trying to defend 12 personnel with speed over size.

Mix Same Side Zone with Inside Zone and Outside Zone from this same set so linebackers cannot sit on zone flow tendencies and start crashing hard to one side.

Pair this run with RPO Alert Bubble or RPO Zone Alert Bubble on early downs so the defense has to respect both the zone run action and the bubble screen off the same look.

On second and short or first and ten, call this after showing PA Verts or PA Y Corner from the same formation so linebackers stay honest and do not sell out against the run fit.

Other Plays in Ace Slot Offset