Playbooks
Quick Reference
In 2 playbooks
Breakdown
Triple Option Lt is a true option run out of Shotgun Split Twins Offset with 21 personnel, built to attack the edge to the left. The QB rides the mesh point with the dive back on the red arrow while the pitch back stretches wide on the yellow arrow, giving the QB a three way read: give the dive, keep it on the quarterback keep, or pitch outside to the trailing back. The offensive line down blocks and seals inside while the playside blockers climb to the perimeter, making this a pure run play designed to beat overpursuing fronts and force a numbers conflict on the edge.
Defensive Reads
Watch the playside defensive end and outside linebacker pre-snap, if they are aligned tight to the box this play has a clean lane for the QB keep or pitch phase. Post-snap, key the first unblocked defender at the mesh point, that defender dictates whether the dive is live or the QB should pull the ball. User controlled defenders who jump the pitch man early leave the QB keep wide open, so watch for a lurking user LB sitting on the yellow arrow route. Against scrape exchange fronts where the DE stays home and the LB scrapes to the pitch, this play gets shut down quickly, so have a counter run ready. Overloaded fronts with extra defenders stacked to the play side signal a run blitz, in that case audible away from Triple Option Lt or bail to a quick pass concept in the set.
Usage Tips
Use this play against defenses that show a heavy inside run fit pre-snap since the option keep and pitch punish linebackers who crash down on the dive. Check the alignment of the playside defensive end before the snap, if he sits wide and squeezes hard, pull the ball and read the pitch key immediately. Mix this call with Speed Option and Inside Zone Lt from the same set so the defense cannot key run direction or which option phase you are attacking. Save Triple Option Lt for early down situations or short yardage where defenses are more likely to sell out against inside zone runs. If the CPU or user defender crashes the mesh every time, hard commit to the pitch phase on the very next snap to keep the defense honest.
