Playbooks
At a Glance
Overview
Flex Y Off Close is a compressed 11 personnel look inside Shotgun that pulls both outside receivers tight to the formation while placing the tight end off the ball in a flexed alignment next to the tackle. Where other Shotgun sets in 11 personnel spread the field horizontally and ask you to win one on one on the boundary, Flex Y Off Close does the opposite: it squeezes the numbers, shrinks throwing windows for zone defenders, and forces man coverage defenders to navigate traffic. The tight end being off the line is the key detail, because he can motion, insert into the run game as a lead blocker, or release clean without a defensive end chipping him at the snap.
The condensed splits are what make this set dangerous. Rub and switch concepts like Mtn Rub Smash and Mtn Fk Rub get natural collisions because the receivers start within a few yards of each other, so Cover 1 and Cover 2 Man users end up eating traffic instead of playing the ball. Against zone, the Return family (Return PA Z Over, Return Bench, Return RPO Zone Alert) attacks the sideline that the defense just vacated, since compressed sets pull corners and flat defenders inside toward the core. The slot weapon tag on this set matters here, because your best interior mismatch receiver is aligned where he can work both seams and out breaks without a press corner locked on him.
The run game is fully live, which is what keeps the set honest. Inside Zone, Counter Y, and Mtn Counter Y all benefit from extra bodies near the box, and the RPO plays (RPO Read Out, RPO Zone Alert, Return RPO Zone Alert) let you tag a run read to a backside throw when the defense overcommits. Add HB Slip Screen, HB Circle, and Hitch HB Rail for a third down back who can win in space, plus PA Post Shot and TE Wheel as the shot plays off the same alignment, and you have a set that runs an entire game plan from one look.
Strengths
- Compressed splits create natural rub traffic, so Mtn Rub Smash and Mtn Fk Rub shred Cover 1, Cover 2 Man, and any user who tries to shadow the slot
- Return Bench and Return PA Z Over attack the sideline that the defense abandons when it condenses to match your tight formation, which turns Cover 3 and Cover 6 into easy 12 to 18 yard chunks
- The off ball tight end is a free chess piece: motion him for coverage ID, hot route him to a corner or seam against single high, or leave him in to chip the edge against a nano blitz
- Three separate RPO reads (RPO Read Out, RPO Zone Alert, Return RPO Zone Alert) let you punish run commits and overloaded boxes without ever changing the play call
- HB weapons are easy to isolate since Hitch HB Rail, HB Circle, and HB Slip Screen all pull a linebacker into space with no safety help underneath
Weaknesses
- Condensed splits mean edge rushers start closer to the quarterback, so overload blitzes and nano pressures from the tight side arrive fast with the back often releasing on a route
- There is no true vertical spacing at the snap, so a user controlled safety can sit in the middle of the field and cover multiple route stems at once
- Heavy press man with an inside shade jams the rub concepts and kills the timing on Mtn Fk Rub and Mtn Rub Smash before the receivers can cross
- Flood and PA Post Shot take real time to develop, and the play action plays leave you frozen against a single high blitz with no check down in the pattern
- Opponents who scout the set will sit on the outside returns and slip screen, because the compressed look tips that the ball is going to the perimeter more often than not
Usage Tips
Open with Inside Zone and Counter Y to force the defense to load the box, then live off RPO Zone Alert and the Return RPO family when you see the linebackers creeping downhill pre snap
Against single high, hot route the off ball tight end vertically and pair it with Mtn Rub Smash so the rub clears the flat while the seam pulls the safety
Motion the tight end pre snap to identify the coverage: a defender traveling with him confirms man and green lights the rub concepts, while a static shell means go to Return Bench or Curl Ohio
On third and medium, Levels Mills and Curl Ohio give you clean zone answers with an in breaking route at the sticks, and both are safe against a user in the middle of the field
When the opponent starts bringing edge pressure, call HB Slip Screen or Hitch HB Rail out of the same look, since the compressed splits pull defenders inside and leave the screen lane wide open
Save PA Post Shot and TE Wheel for after you have run the ball successfully from this set, because the play action hold only works once the linebackers are honoring the run
Plays (19)
Counter YCounter, Run Play, Power Run
Curl OhioCurl, Pass Play, Fade +2
EscapePass Play, Corner, Out +6
FloodFlood, Pass Play, Cover 3 Beater +5
HB CirclePass Play, Quick Pass, Out +7
HB Slip ScreenScreen Pass, Hb Screen, Pass Play +2
Hitch HB RailHitch, Pass Play, Curl +2
Inside ZoneInside Zone, Run Play, Zone Run
Levels MillsLevels, Mills, Pass Play +5
Mtn Counter YCounter, Motion, Run Play +1
Mtn Fk RubMotion, Curl, In +4
Mtn Rub SmashSmash, Motion, Pass Play +4
PA Post ShotPlay Action, Post, Pass Play +3- Return BenchCorner, Out, Post +2
- Return PA Z OverDeep Cross, Crosser, Dig +3
- Return RPO Zone AlertOut, Swing, Pass Play +1
RPO Read OutRPO, Out, Pass Play +1- RPO Zone AlertRPO, Pass Play, Run Play +3
TE WheelWheel, Pass Play, Post +4
