Playbooks
689 Hook
Quick Reference
In 1 playbook
Breakdown
689 Hook out of Shotgun Split Offset is a quick-game passing concept built to attack zone coverage with five distinct levels. The backside receiver runs an out toward the sideline while the inside receiver breaks off a curl, and on the play side the tight end climbs to a deep curl over the middle, the outside receiver runs a vertical seam that bends toward the numbers, and the flanker at the bottom of the diagram works a quick flat and hitch route on the boundary. This is a classic Levels and Curl Flat combo built to beat Cover 3 and Cover 2 shells, with the primary read starting on the curl flat combination to the flat side before working up to the deep curl and vertical breaking route if the underneath is taken away.
Defensive Reads
Watch the depth of the flat defender and the corner over the boundary receiver, since a hard squat on the flat and hitch combo tells you Cover 3 or Cover 2 zone drops are in play and you should sink your linebacker to the curl. Key the middle linebacker or hook defender's drop on the play side curl route, since a shallow drop leaves the curl wide open while a deep drop invites the underneath flat throw. Track the safety over the vertical breaking route on the play side, because if he bites down on the curl or hesitates in his run fit, the offense has a clean window for an explosive completion. This play struggles against man coverage with a robber or against a well timed nano blitz, since the quick game routes give the quarterback little time to climb his progression if pressure arrives immediately off the edge. If you see Cover 4 or a two high shell rotating late, get depth quickly with your hook and curl defenders since this concept is designed to sit down in the soft spots created by zone spacing.
Usage Tips
Pre-snap, identify whether the defense is showing a two high or one high shell since this concept is designed to exploit the soft spots in zone drops rather than beat man coverage outright.
Start your read on the flat and hitch combo to the boundary since that is the quickest developing route and gives you an easy checkdown against Cover 3 sink or Cover 2 corner jams.
If the underneath defenders sit hard on the flat and hitch, climb your eyes to the curl route working back to the quarterback, which sits right in the honey hole of Cover 3.
Use the vertical breaking route on the play side as a big play window against Cover 2 if the safety bites down on the curl or if a linebacker is late getting depth in his zone drop.
Pair this play with Deep Curls or Hitch Corner from the same set to keep the defense guessing between quick underneath completions and shots down the field, and mix in Bears Dig on early downs to punish defenders who start jumping the curl routes.
