Playbooks

Read Option

Shotgun·Bunch·11
Read OptionRun Play
Likely unavailable in the playbook builder
This play belongs to no NFL team or scheme playbook, so it may not appear in the in-game builder.

Quick Reference

FormationShotgun

In 1 playbook

Henry Special

Breakdown

Read Option out of Shotgun Bunch is a true zone read run play that puts the quarterback's decision-making front and center. The offensive line blocks a standard inside zone scheme while the QB reads the defensive end or edge defender left unblocked at the mesh point, either handing off to the HB on the zone track or pulling the ball to attack the edge himself. This is a run play, not a play-action or RPO, so your primary read progression starts and ends with that first unblocked defender off the edge before the snap even ends.

Defensive Reads

Watch the play side defensive end or outside linebacker at the snap, since his crash or contain decision is the entire engine of this play working or dying immediately. Check linebacker depth pre-snap, shallow linebackers who bite hard on run fakes get gashed if the QB pulls the ball and the edge is soft. Look for a lurking safety or nickel defender sitting in the alley, a defense with a safety cheated down into the box will erase both the handoff lane and the QB keeper lane. Man coverage on the bunch receivers with no extra run support usually loses to this concept since it removes bodies from the box. Heavy blitz packages with an unblocked edge defender who is coached to always crash the mesh point can blow this play up before the read even develops, so be ready to bail into a keeper only if he overcommits.

Usage Tips

Identify the play side defensive end before the snap and check if he is crashing hard on run downs or sitting to contain the QB, since his tendency dictates whether you should key handoff or keep. Use this on second and short or first and ten to keep defenses honest against a run heavy Bunch package, especially if you have already shown HB Base or Inside Zone from the same set. If the defense shows a heavy box with eight or more defenders, hot route the bunch receivers into quick out or speed out routes to force a defender out of the box before the snap. Pair Read Option with PA Divide Wheels or PA Cheat Divide Wheels later in a series so the defense has to respect both the zone read keeper and the play-action shot off similar formation and personnel. Take the keeper against teams that overplay the handoff with aggressive linebacker fills, since a hesitant DE combined with flowing linebackers opens a lane for the QB on the perimeter.

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