Playbooks

QB Zone

Shotgun·Empty Chips Nasty·11
Run Play

Quick Reference

FormationShotgun

In 3 playbooks

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Breakdown

QB Zone out of Empty Chips Nasty is a designed quarterback run play built off inside zone blocking, using the offensive line to create a clean rushing lane while the QB reads the flow of the defensive front. Since this is an empty backfield look with 11 personnel, the defense has no run fits from a traditional back, forcing linebackers and safeties to declare late, which opens cutback lanes for the quarterback. The primary read progression is not a route tree, it is a horizontal read across the defensive line: identify the first unblocked defender at the point of attack, then decide between the called side gap or the backside cutback based on how the front flows.

Defensive Reads

Check pre-snap box count, if the defense keeps only four or five defenders in the box with no spy or extra hitter, the numbers favor the offense. Watch for defensive ends crashing hard upfield off the snap, this often opens the backside cutback lane that the QB should attack immediately. Identify any defender lined up as a designated QB spy or a linebacker sitting in a shallow hole zone, since these keys shut down the cutback read. Look at safety depth before the snap, if both safeties are playing deep in a two high shell, they are late to fill run support and the play hits faster. Post-snap, track linebacker flow direction, if linebackers overpursue to the play side gap, the backside cutback becomes the higher percentage gain.

Usage Tips

Call this on early downs or short yardage to catch defenses expecting a pass out of empty personnel, since most defenders bail into coverage drops immediately at the snap.

Check the defensive line alignment before the snap, if you see a 4 man or 5 man box with no extra run support, this play has a numbers advantage built in.

Use the QB zone as a changeup after running pass concepts like Dagger or Slot Sail from the same Empty Chips Nasty set, this keeps defenders honest and slows down their pass rush anticipation.

If the defense shows heavy blitz pressure pre-snap, this play can act as a natural blitz beater since the extra rushers vacate cutback lanes for the quarterback to exploit.

Avoid calling this against defenses that spy the quarterback or run added contain packages, since defenders assigned to shadow the QB neutralize the cutback advantage.

Other Plays in Empty Chips Nasty