Playbooks
Breakdown
QB Blast is a designed QB run out of Empty Quads Shotgun, meaning there is no running back in the backfield and all five eligible receivers are removed from a traditional blocking role. The diagram shows the QB taking the snap and blasting straight ahead through the A gap behind the interior line, with the four quads receivers to the right and the single receiver to the left running off their defenders as decoys rather than blocking. This is a downhill designed run play, not a play-action or RPO, so the primary read is simply hitting the interior gap as it opens rather than progressing through receivers.
Defensive Reads
Watch for a light box pre-snap, if the defense shows two-high safeties with only four defenders near the line this run has a clean lane. Key the middle linebacker depth, if he is playing back in coverage rather than sitting on the line the interior gap will be wide open. User the closest defender to the play side A gap immediately at the snap since this is the only way to fill the gap the QB is attacking. Man coverage shells with defenders turned away from the backfield are the most vulnerable since defenders will not see the QB run develop. Disguised blitzes or Cover 0 with extra rushers crashing the line shut this down completely since there is no blocking assignment to pick up an extra man.
Usage Tips
Call this on short yardage or goal line situations where defenses expect a pass out of Empty personnel and sell out on coverage instead of the run.
Check the box count before the snap, if the defense has fewer than six defenders in the box this play has a numbers advantage up front.
Pair QB Blast with QB Draw and RPO Alert QB Draw in the same set so defenses cannot key on run tendencies from Empty Quads.
Use this after establishing pass plays like Four Verticals or Cross Z Post so linebackers stay backpedaling instead of crashing downhill.
Avoid calling this against heavy blitz packages that stack extra defenders in the box since there are no blockers to account for a free rusher.
