Playbooks
Quick Reference
In 2 playbooks
Breakdown
Hitches Slot In lines up five wide out of Shotgun Empty Base Trio, with the trio side running a three man hitch combo (outside receiver sits at the sideline, the middle receiver breaks off a deep drag into a hitch, and the inside slot man runs a shallow in) while the backside runs a deep in from the X and a corner route from the Y off the numbers. The lone in-line receiver on the boundary breaks in over the middle as a shallow crosser, giving the quarterback a quick access throw against zone drops. This is a zone beating quick game concept built for sight adjust reads, with the trio side hitches serving as the primary progression and the backside in/corner combo as a way to attack a defense that overcommits to the trip side.
Defensive Reads
Watch for cornerbacks sitting at five to seven yards off the trio side, which signals soft zone and tips the hitch as the quarterback's first read. Key the middle linebacker's depth: if he drops hard to the hook zone, the shallow in from the inside slot receiver will be contested, so bait the quarterback into the outside hitch instead. Identify Cover 3 by the single high safety and outside corners bailing at the snap, this shell is the softest matchup for the trio side hitches. User the underneath zone defender over the crosser to jump the shallow in route, since that is the checkdown answer versus pressure. Recognize Cover 2 or Cover 4 shells with corners squatting at the sticks, since this alignment sits right on top of the hitch depth and can bait the quarterback into a pick.
Usage Tips
Use this on third and short or second and medium when you expect zone drops, since the hitch route sits down in soft spots against Cover 3 and Cover 4.
Pre-snap, check the safety alignment: if both safeties are deep and the corners are playing off, the hitches will have a big throwing window right at the sticks.
Hot route the backside X in route to a fade or a comeback if you see man coverage across the board, since the hitches lose value against tight man leverage.
Combine this with All Hitch and Curl Combo in the same set to keep defenders guessing between quick game and intermediate zone beaters, forcing linebackers to widen their drops.
Look to the shallow crosser from the in-line receiver as a checkdown answer versus a hard blitz look, since it clears underneath quickly and gives the quarterback a built in answer to pressure.
