Playbooks
Quick Reference
Breakdown
HB Off Tackle out of Shotgun Split Slot Offset is a designed downhill run that attacks the edge of the offensive line with the HB taking a lateral path before pressing off tackle. The line blocks down with the offset back sealing the edge defender, creating a run lane between the tackle and the alignment of the offset blocker. This is a run play, not a man or zone beater in the passing sense, and the primary read progression for the ball carrier is to press the off tackle hole first, then bounce outside if the edge is sealed or cut back inside if the defensive end crashes hard.
Defensive Reads
Pre-snap, identify the alignment of the defensive end and outside linebacker on the play side, since a wide 9 technique or an OLB cheating outside can blow up the off tackle lane. Watch for safety rotation into the box, if a safety creeps down before the snap this play is likely to get met in the hole by an extra run defender. Post-snap, key the play side linebacker's first step, if he flows hard downhill without hesitation the cutback lane inside will open up. User-controlled defenders spying the mesh point or crashing down hard off the edge are the biggest threat to this run, since it removes the natural bounce lane. This play is most vulnerable to interior run blitzes and Mike linebacker delayed blitzes that shoot the gap before the offensive line can climb to the second level.
Usage Tips
Use pre-snap motion or a quick glance at the box count to confirm you have a numbers advantage before snapping this run.
Check for stacked boxes with 7 or more defenders inside the tackles, since this play struggles against heavy run blitz fronts and nano blitz packages.
Pair this play with RPO Counter Read and RPO Read Cntr in the same set so the defense has to respect both the downhill hit and the read option bounce, keeping linebackers honest.
Best called on early downs, first and ten or second and short, when defenses are more likely to sit in base fronts rather than sub packages.
If the defense shows a heavy inside shade pre-snap, consider hot routing the offset back's block angle or switching to HB Sweep from the same set to attack a different edge.
