Playbooks
Quick Reference
In 11 playbooks
Breakdown
Inside Zone out of Spread Dbl Flex is a pure zone run play with the RB aligned next to the QB in Shotgun and four receivers spread wide with no in-line TE shown at the line. The offensive line flows laterally with zone steps to create a natural cutback lane while the RB reads the frontside double team before pressing the hole. This is a run play designed to attack gaps created by linebacker flow, and the primary read progression is playside double team to backside cutback, letting the RB press the mesh point and decide bounce, bang, or cut based on the first level flow of the defense.
Defensive Reads
Identify the Mike linebacker's depth pre-snap, if he is sitting shallow expecting the run he will crash the frontside gap and you need to bounce it back to the cutback side. Watch for a safety creeping down into the box, that signals an eight man front look which shuts down Inside Zone unless you have a hot route answer. Post-snap key the playside defensive tackle's gap fit, if he gets driven back by the double team the cutback lane opens for a big gain. Beware user controlled linebackers flowing hard downhill on the snap, they can blow up the mesh point before the RB gets to the line if the offensive line does not sustain the double team long enough. This concept beats base fronts and light boxes out of two high shells, but it struggles against dedicated run blitzes and stacked nine man fronts where every gap is accounted for.
Usage Tips
Check the box count pre-snap and only run this into light boxes with six or fewer defenders in the tackle area.
Use the RB's press and cut vision manually if you are struggling with the CPU logic on cut decisions, since Inside Zone rewards patient one cut running.
Pair this play with RPO Zone Peek or RPO Peek Slant from the same set so defenses have to respect both the run action and the quick perimeter throw off the same look.
Run this on early downs like first and ten or second and short to stay ahead of the count and set up play action shots like PA Read or PA Dig later in the series.
Against aggressive fronts stacking the box, hot route a receiver into a quick out or slant to hold a defender and open the cutback lane.
