Playbooks
Quick Reference
Breakdown
Drag HB Wheel out of Shotgun Split Flanker Close puts four routes into a full-field high-low man beater. The backside outside receiver runs a deep dig across the field, the slot receiver runs a shallow drag underneath, the HB releases out of the backfield on a wheel route up the sideline, and the frontside receiver runs an out that clears the flat for the wheel. The primary read progression starts with the HB wheel against man coverage, checks down to the drag if the wheel is capped, and works back to the deep dig if the underneath routes are taken away.
Defensive Reads
Check the safety alignment pre-snap, a single high safety shading toward the field side signals Cover 3 or Cover 1, both of which are vulnerable to the HB wheel if the flat defender bites on the drag. Watch the linebacker assigned to the HB, if he widens with the wheel route immediately you are likely facing man coverage and should progress to that matchup. Identify Cover 2 shells with two deep safeties, this coverage can squeeze the wheel route with the corner playing over the top, so look to the drag or dig instead. Post-snap, track any user-controlled defender flying toward the flat or drag route, this often signals a lurk technique designed to bait the QB into a turnover. Beware of Cover 4 or pattern-match zones that can pass off the wheel route to a deep safety, in these situations the deep dig becomes the more reliable read against soft zone coverage.
Usage Tips
Attack man coverage first by scanning for the HB wheel matchup against a linebacker or safety, this is the biggest explosive play in the concept.
Use pre-snap motion on the HB or slot receiver to confirm man versus zone before the snap, if the defender follows the motion you know its man.
Hot route the drag route deeper or into a spot route against zone shells like Cover 3 to give your QB a easier completion underneath.
Pair this play with HB Power O and Read Option from the same set to keep defenses honest on early downs, then hit Drag HB Wheel on second or third and medium once the defense starts crashing on run fits.
Protect the QB by keeping the HB in to chip before releasing on the wheel if you are facing a known blitz-heavy defense, this buys time for the deep dig to develop.
