Playbooks
Quick Reference
Breakdown
Shakes is a quick pass concept out of Shotgun Split Slot Offset that attacks the flat and underneath zones with a five man route combo. The backside receiver runs a slant while the offset back releases into a flat route, and on the frontside the slot runs a whip while the outside receiver stems vertically before breaking outward on a slant flat, with the boundary receiver pushing a deep out. Blocking is a standard five man protection with no visible screen or play-action elements, and this is a true man beater built to exploit picks and natural leverage created by the whip and slant flat combo. The primary read progression starts with the slant flat and whip combo to the play side, then works back to the backside slant and flat if the frontside is jumped.
Defensive Reads
Watch for corners playing outside leverage on the slot receiver pre snap, since that alignment signals man coverage that Shakes is designed to defeat with the whip route. Key the depth of the underneath linebackers post snap, since sinking flat defenders can undercut both the flat route and the slant flat combo route. Diagnose blitz packages by checking if the defense brings an extra rusher off the edge, since quick game concepts like Shakes are built to get the ball out before pressure arrives. Look for a user controlled defender lurking in the shallow flat zone, as this can jump the flat route or the slant flat combo and turn a completion into a turnover. Against zone shells like Cover 2 or Cover 3, expect the backside slant to be the more open read since zone defenders will squeeze the frontside combo route concentration.
Usage Tips
Use Shakes on early down passing situations or third and short where the whip and slant flat combo can pick up quick yardage against man coverage.
Pre snap, identify if the defense is showing man or zone leverage on the slot defender, since the whip route is designed to shake man defenders who overplay the initial release.
If you see a single high safety with press man on the outside, prioritize the slant flat combo since the natural pick from the whip route creates immediate separation.
Hot route the backside flat defender into a deeper drag if you diagnose zone coverage sitting underneath, since the backside slant and flat can get clogged versus zone drops.
Pair Shakes with Mtn Y Stick or Mtn RPO Peek Stick from this set to keep defenders guessing between quick game and RPO reads, forcing linebackers to hesitate on run fits.
