Playbooks
Quick Reference
Breakdown
Outside Zone from Shotgun Bunch Spread Nasty is a zone run play designed to attack the edge with the offensive line flowing laterally before climbing to the play side. The bunch alignment stacks receivers to the closed side while the HB takes a lateral track from the backfield, pressing wide before reading blocks and cutting upfield off his linemen's zone flow. Primary read progression is the backside to frontside zone combo up front, with the ball carrier reading the edge defender first, then working his way to the cutback lane if the defense overplays outside.
Defensive Reads
Key the play side defensive end and outside linebacker first. If they crash down hard, the cutback lane opens for the running back. Watch linebacker depth at the snap. Linebackers sitting too deep or flowing too fast toward the sideline get gashed on the cutback. Identify one high versus two high safety shells before the snap. A single high safety often means more defenders in the box, so expect a quicker linebacker trigger. Man coverage on the bunch receivers can free up an extra run blocker if those defenders bite on route fakes, so watch for leverage from the corner over the bunch. Overaggressive user-controlled defenders flying upfield to blow up the play side edge create the cutback lane the design is built to exploit.
Usage Tips
Run this on early downs (1st and 10 or 2nd and short) to keep the offense on schedule and set up play-action shots later in the drive.
Check the box count pre-snap. If the defense stacks the box with 7 or more defenders, consider audibling to a pass concept out of this bunch look instead.
Use the bunch alignment to your advantage by motioning a receiver pre-snap, which can force the defense to declare man or zone coverage before the snap.
Pair this play with Speed Dig or Z Swirl In from the same set so defenses cannot sit on the run tendency once they see the Bunch Spread Nasty personnel.
Bounce outside against light boxes or single high safety looks, but be ready to cut it back inside if the play side linebacker crashes hard to the edge.
