Flanker Close

Flanker Close is a 10 personnel Shotgun set that pulls the flanker down tight to the formation instead of stretching him to the numbers, creating a condensed 2x2 look with the back offset next to the quarterback. Where wider Shotgun sets like standard trips or spread alignments force the defense to declare strength early, Flanker Close keeps the split receivers inside the hash, which compresses throwing windows for the defense and gives every route enough grass to break outside. That tight alignment is the whole point: it manufactures natural rub and switch action without needing a motion, and it makes the corner over the closed flanker play with a two way go he usually cannot win.

The route tree here leans hard on switch releases and spacing. RNS Switch Dig, RNS Switch Curl, and RNS Switch Curl Flat all run vertical switch stems that cross defender leverage immediately, which is a straight man beater against Cover 1 and Cover 0 because press defenders get rubbed off on the exchange. On the zone side you get Dragon Spacing, Mesh Spot, Z Spot, Slot Choice Spot, and Stick, all of which flood short zone windows and give you a sit down option against Cover 3 and Cover 4. Weak Flood and Y Sail attack the boundary flat and deep third at the same time, punishing single high defenses that rotate late.

The run game is real out of this set, not filler. HB Counter, Inside Zone, and HB Sweep with the compressed split means extra blocking surface near the box and receivers close enough to crack the flat defender on the sweep. The 3DRB and Power HB tags tell you this set is built to run both third down back packages and downhill carries out of the same look, while Gadget and SLWR tags open Escape and the slot receiver isolation plays. Putting your best slot on the closed flanker spot and motioning him out post snap forces the defense to either bump a safety over or accept a linebacker in space.