Playbooks
Quick Reference
Breakdown
Choice Stick Nod is a five-man empty pass concept out of Shotgun Empty Base Flex, 11 personnel. The two outside receivers run vertical routes to occupy deep coverage, the inside slot to the left runs a short vertical/hitch to hold underneath defenders, and the two inside receivers to the right run the stick concept with one sitting on the stick route and the other nodding into a pivot back across the middle. The primary read starts with the stick-nod combo underneath, working from the nod route to the stick sitting man before checking the outside verticals if the defense drops deep, making this an effective man and zone beater against underneath coverage.
Defensive Reads
Watch the slot corner or nickel defender aligned over the stick-nod duo, if he sits at depth pre-snap that signals zone drop and the nod route becomes the priority throw. Key the middle linebacker's depth, if he is shallow and flowing to the flat that opens a throwing window for the stick route sitting behind him. User-controlled defenders sitting in the shallow hook zone can jump the nod route, so quarterbacks need to reset to the stick route or move to the outside verticals if that lurk shows. Cover 2 or Cover 4 shells with corners playing outside leverage will surrender the stick-nod combo underneath since safeties are staying deep, so take the quick underneath completion. Man coverage with an overaggressive underneath defender jumping the stick route leaves the nod route wide open working back across the field, so track the leverage of that man defender post-snap before committing to a side.
Usage Tips
Pre-snap, identify whether the defense is showing zone or man by checking linebacker depth and slot corner alignment over the two inside stick-nod receivers.
Against zone shells, work the nod route first since it settles in the throwing lane vacated by underneath zone defenders sinking too deep.
Against man coverage, the stick route sitting man becomes the go-to since it creates natural separation off the initial break against a trailing defender.
Use the two outside verticals as a built-in answer versus single high safety looks where the corners are playing off, giving you a home run shot if the underneath stuff is jumped.
Pair this play with RPO Q Stick Draw or Stick from the same set to keep the defense honest on run fits while you diagnose coverage rotation before deciding whether to attack the stick-nod or go vertical.
