Playbooks

Same Side Zone

Shotgun·Bunch Open TE·11

Diagram coming soon

Quick Reference

FormationShotgun

SetBunch Open TE

Personnel

111 RB · 1 TE · 3 WR

In 4 playbooks

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Breakdown

Same Side Zone out of Shotgun Bunch Open TE is a run play that sends the offensive line and blocking assignments flowing toward the bunch side, using the numbers advantage of the trio at the line to seal the edge and create a cutback lane. The HB reads the frontside double team and puckers off the playside guard or tackle, with the primary read progression being frontside gap first, then bend it back if the backside defensive end and linebacker overcommit to the flow. This is a zone run scheme, not a play-action or RPO look, so success depends on the blocking angles from the bunch alignment rather than route manipulation.

Defensive Reads

Watch the linebacker depth pre-snap, stacked linebackers sitting at five yards or deeper give the HB more time to read the frontside double team before committing to a gap Identify if the defense is running a run blitz with a linebacker or safety creeping into the box, this play struggles against overloaded fronts that outnumber the blockers to the play side Key the backside defensive end's first step after the snap, if he crashes down hard to chase the zone flow that is your cutback read opening up User linebackers who stay home and read the mesh point can blow this play up quickly, so avoid calling it into defenses that show disciplined gap integrity on tape This zone run is most vulnerable to fast flow linebackers and edge defenders who set the edge and refuse to get sucked into the frontside blocking, forcing the HB to bounce it outside into unblocked defenders

Usage Tips

Run this out of neutral early down situations like first and ten or second and short to keep the defense honest against your pass-heavy calls from the same Bunch Open TE set

Check the box count before the snap, if the defense has six or fewer in the box this is a green light run with numbers in your favor

Use the bunch alignment to your advantage by motioning a bunch receiver to check the defense's leverage, if they shift with the motion you know it is man coverage and the alley should be cleaner

Pair this with RPO Zone Alert Bubble and RPO Alert Bubble from the same set so the defense has to respect the same zone run action every time you show run flow, forcing linebackers to hesitate on their fills

Against aggressive fronts that crash hard to stop the frontside gap, trust the cutback lane since the zone blocking scheme is designed to funnel the backside defenders out of the play