Playbooks
Quick Reference
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Breakdown
Stick out of Shotgun Bunch aligns three receivers tight to the formation with an isolated X on the backside. Off the snap the backside X runs an out breaking route to the flat, the bunch releases with the inside receiver sitting down on a stick route while the two outside bunch receivers stretch vertically, one attacking the deep corner and the other working a deep out to the sideline. This is a classic man beater built to pick off tight man coverage with the bunch alignment while also giving you a stick and flat combo underneath to beat zone drops, so the primary read starts with the stick route in the middle of the field before working out to the deep corner or backside out based on leverage.
Defensive Reads
Watch the flow of the linebacker responsible for the stick route, if he sits too deep or gets caught in traffic from the bunch alignment the stick will be open immediately. Key the cornerback aligned over the backside X, if he plays outside leverage the out route to the flat is live but if he sits inside expect the quarterback to look elsewhere first. Identify any user controlled defender lurking underneath the stick route since a good user will sit and rob that throwing lane, forcing the quarterback to work to the deep corner or the backside out instead. Cover 3 zone with a hard flat defender can squeeze the stick concept, so look for the flat defender widening late which opens a window for the stick sitting behind him. Man coverage with no safety help over the top of the bunch is where this play is most dangerous, so an all out blitz or Cover 0 look pre-snap should immediately signal you to attack with this concept.
Usage Tips
Check the safety shells before the snap, if you see two high safeties the stick route in the middle will usually have room to sit down in the soft spot of a zone. If the defense shows press man on the bunch, expect natural pick action from the tight splits which frees up the stick or the corner route depending on how the defenders trail. Use the backside out as a hot route answer versus a corner blitz off that side since it gets the ball out fast to the flat. This play works well on third and short to third and medium because the stick route sits right at the sticks and gives you an easy conversion read. Pair this call with Bunch Verts or PA Divide Wheels later in a series so the defense has to respect the vertical shots off similar bunch alignment before you come back to Stick for the quick underneath answer.
