Playbooks
Quick Reference
Breakdown
Branch Return is a bunch-based route concept out of Shotgun Bunch Y-Flex with a motion tag that sends one bunch receiver in orbit motion toward the backfield before the snap. At the snap, the deep bunch receiver runs a corner route up the sideline, an inside receiver runs a deep dig that breaks flat across the middle, and the shallow bunch receiver stays low to run an out route toward the sideline underneath everyone. The pre-snap motion man releases into a wheel route up the opposite sideline, giving you two vertical stretch threats on either edge with a crossing dig underneath to attack the middle. This is a man beater at heart, using the bunch alignment to create natural rub and pick opportunities while the wheel route from motion isolates a linebacker or nickel in space.
Defensive Reads
Pre-snap, check safety depth and alignment, a single high safety indicates man coverage or Cover 3 which opens up the dig and corner route combination. Watch the linebacker assigned to the motion man, if he trails across the formation in man coverage the wheel route is your first read and is nearly unguardable against most linebackers. Post-snap, identify any user-controlled defender flying toward the flat or shallow out, this often signals the defense is selling out to stop the underneath route and leaving the dig or corner open behind them. Cover 2 shells with two deep safeties can squeeze the corner route, so key the safety rotation after the snap to decide between the corner and the dig as your primary target. Nano blitzes or heavy inside pressure packages can disrupt the timing of the deep dig, so check for stacked defensive line alignments and be ready to work the quick out as a checkdown against the blitz.
Usage Tips
Use the motion tag pre-snap to identify man coverage instantly, if a defender follows the motion man across the formation you have a clean wheel route matchup against a linebacker.
Against zone shells, prioritize the deep dig sitting down in the void behind linebackers and in front of safeties, especially versus Tampa 2 or single high looks where the middle of the field opens up.
Hot route the shallow out into a quick flat or speed out if you are facing a hard blitz look, this gives your quarterback a fast, easy completion to beat pressure.
Pair this play with HB Choice or RPO Alert Out earlier in a series so the defense respects the run and RPO game, then come back with Branch Return to attack an aggressive linebacker corps with the wheel and dig combo.
Best called on second and medium to third and long situations where you need a defense to declare man or zone, since the corner and wheel routes both need room to operate down the field.
