Playbooks
Quick Reference
Breakdown
Shock Slot Option is a five wide pass concept out of Empty Trey Stack that isolates the boundary side receiver on an option route while stacking the field side stack with a corner route over a wheel and a vertical seam from the inner slot. The stack receiver runs a quick vertical stem into an option route (can break out or sit in a hole against zone), the field side X breaks up the sideline on a corner route while the stacked receiver behind him wheels underneath, and the inner slot climbs the middle on a vertical seam to hold linebackers and safeties. With no backfield help and five receivers releasing, this is a full man beater with zone beater elements built in through the option route, and the primary read starts with the boundary option route before working to the field side corner and wheel combo.
Defensive Reads
Watch the boundary corner's press alignment presnap, tight press invites an option route breakout while soft alignment signals an in cut is coming. Key the field side safety depth, if he sits shallow he can jump the corner route and take away the top read, forcing a quicker progression to the option side. Track linebacker drops after the snap, a fast flow to the seam route from the inner slot usually signals zone coverage and opens the option route sit down read. Blitz packages with man coverage behind them are vulnerable here since the option route and wheel combo attack space vacated by blitzing defenders. User controlled defenders sitting in the flat or lurking underneath can disrupt the wheel route, so identify user movement presnap and be ready to reroute to the option side.
Usage Tips
Presnap identify if the defense is showing single high or two high, since the option route reads leverage from the corner and breaks accordingly against man coverage.
If you see zone shells like Cover 3 or Cover 4, key the option route to sit down in the void between the underneath and deep zones for an easy conversion.
Use the seam route from the inner slot as a hot beater against blitzes since it clears the shallow area quickly and holds linebackers who might otherwise drop into passing lanes.
Pair this call with Y Stick or Curl Flat Salem earlier in a series so defenses respect the quick game, then hit the corner and wheel combo on the field side once safeties start creeping down.
Best used on second and medium or third and short where the option route conversion and the field side vertical shots both stay live depending on the coverage look.
