Playbooks
Quick Reference
In 2 playbooks
Breakdown
RPO Duo Alert Post pairs an inside zone/Duo run scheme with a single alert post read from the isolated X receiver at the bottom of the formation. The diagram shows the Bunch Str Offset alignment with three receivers stacked to the top of the screen and the lone X running a hard vertical stem that breaks into a post route once he clears the second level. This is an RPO built to punish light boxes and single high coverage: the QB reads the alignment of the near safety and second level defenders after the snap, handing off into the Duo run scheme if the box stays light or pulling and throwing the post if the safety bites down or the coverage rotates away from the post window.
Defensive Reads
Watch the near safety depth and leverage before the snap. If he is shaded toward the bunch or sitting shallow in the box, the post has a clean throwing lane against single high looks. Identify Cover 3 or Cover 1 shells early since the deep middle void created by rotation is exactly what the post route is designed to exploit. Key the linebacker flow to the strength of the bunch. If the second level defenders flow hard toward run action, the QB pulls the ball and the post is live behind that flow. Watch for a user controlled defender sitting in the deep middle or lurking near the post breakpoint, since that discourages the throw and should push the offense toward the run side of the RPO. Cover 4 or two high shells with disciplined safeties who do not bite on the run fake are the best counter, since they take away the post window and force the offense into the run only.
Usage Tips
Check the safety count before the snap. If you see one high safety already leaning toward the bunch side, the post window opens up and you should be ready to pull and throw immediately off the catch read.
If the box shows six or fewer defenders with no extra run support, trust the Duo blocking and take the handoff for a clean interior run.
Use this play on early downs like 1st and 10 or 2nd and short so the run action stays credible and the defense has to respect both options.
Hot route the bunch receivers into simple option routes or leave them static as blockers if you want max protection against blitz-heavy defenses that crash the alert read.
Sequence this with Duo and Inside Zone from the same set so the defense sees identical run action pre-snap, then punish overaggressive box defenders with the post shot when they start jumping the run fits.
