Escort HB Split Zone

Watch the linebacker flow at the snap, since split zone is designed to slow down the fastest flowing linebacker with the kickout block, and this play struggles if defenders diagnose the cutback lane immediately. Check for a defender shadowing the pre-snap motion man, since that confirms man coverage and tells you the defense may be light in the box if a linebacker or safety is pulled out to match. This play is countered hard by gap or blitz heavy fronts that crash down on the mesh point before the split zone blocker can get to his kickout assignment, so avoid calling it into obvious run blitz looks. User controlled defenders sitting in the backside A gap can blow this play up before the escort block develops, so scan for a user spy or mike linebacker cheating downhill pre-snap. Zone shells with safeties rotated down into the box give this play trouble since it adds an extra gap defender, so favor this concept against two high safety looks where the box stays lighter.