Playbooks
Ohio Ernie
Quick Reference
In 2 playbooks
Breakdown
Ohio Ernie is a five man route empty concept out of Shotgun Empty Strong Slots designed to attack man coverage with quick, rubbing routes on the strong side. The inside slot runs a mesh style shallow drag underneath while the two outside receivers on that side run a slant flat combo, with the closest slot defender running a go route to clear vertical space and the backside receiver on a deep drag across the field. There is no blocking scheme since it is an empty backfield pass play, and the primary read progression starts with the flat and slant combo to the strong side, then works to the shallow drag underneath before checking the backside drag as a late outlet against zone drops.
Defensive Reads
Read the strong side cornerback and slot defender leverage before the snap. Tight man coverage with no help over the top signals the slant flat combo will win quickly. Watch the middle linebacker and any nickel defender for blitz indicators since empty formations often draw pressure looks, and the shallow drag can act as a built in answer to beat a blitz. Post snap, key any user controlled defender sitting in a shallow zone or lurking near the drag route, since that defender can jump the underneath crossing routes if left unchecked. Zone coverage shells with two high safeties tend to bracket the go route, which opens up the shallow drag and backside drag as the higher percentage completions. Man coverage teams that like to send extra rushers off the edge are vulnerable to the quick slant flat side since the ball can be out before pressure arrives.
Usage Tips
Use this out of Empty Strong Slots on third and short to medium since the quick slant flat combo gives an instant answer against man coverage.
Presnap, identify if the defense is showing single high or two high safety. Against single high man look, the slant flat side should win almost immediately off the snap.
If you see press man on the outside receiver running the go route, consider hot routing that receiver into a quicker option since the go is mainly a clear out route in this concept.
Pair this play with Verticals Under or Hoss Juke from the same set to keep the defense guessing between quick game and shot plays off similar formation looks.
Against zone heavy defenses, lean on the backside drag and shallow cross combination since those routes settle into soft spots vacated by underneath zone defenders.
