Playbooks
Quick Reference
In 15 playbooks
Breakdown
QB Draw out of Empty Bunch Wide is a designed quarterback run disguised behind an empty formation, showing four vertical release routes (two from the bunch on the right, two from the isolated pair on the left, plus one receiver breaking outside on a flat route to hold the corner) to sell pass on the snap. With no running back in the backfield, the offensive line pass sets briefly before releasing into run blocks, letting the QB delay and burst through the vacated interior once the defenders bite on the drop. This is a run play built to punish aggressive pass rush and blitz-heavy defenses, and the primary read is simply patience: let the routes clear the underneath defenders, then hit the gap that opens between the guards.
Defensive Reads
Pre-snap, identify if the defense is in man coverage with press corners on the bunch and isolated receivers, since man coverage often pulls linebackers out of the box on the vertical releases. Watch linebacker depth at the snap: if they immediately drop into zone or bail with the verticals, the middle of the field opens up for the draw. Key any defender assigned to spy or shadow the quarterback, usually a middle linebacker sitting still instead of dropping, since that defender is the primary run stopper on this play. A user-controlled defender staying home in the box or crashing down hard off the snap can blow this play up before the line gets movement, so respect a defense that shows discipline against empty formations. Blitz packages that send extra rushers but leave a linebacker as a spy or a defensive lineman crashing inside will shut down the draw lane and force the QB to bail outside.
Usage Tips
Call this on early downs or in obvious passing situations like 2nd and long or 3rd and medium when defenses expect a drop back and rush upfield. Check the box count pre-snap: if the defense shows five or six defenders crashing off the edge with no spy, this play has a huge lane. Delay the snap timing slightly with your presnap motion or a hard count to bait linebackers into their pass drop before you pull the trigger on the run. Pair this in a sequence with RPO Q Screen Draw or RPO Screen QB Draw from the same set so the defense has to respect both the screen and the draw hitting the same gaps. Avoid calling this against disciplined zone teams that spy the QB, since a linebacker sitting in the middle of the field erases the lane before it opens.
