Playbooks
Likely unavailable in the playbook builder
Quick Reference
In 1 playbook
Breakdown
HB Cross Screen out of Shotgun Spread 10 personnel is a designed screen pass that releases the running back laterally across the formation behind a wall of pulling linemen. The offensive line sets up a delayed release, with the play side blockers crossing the formation to get in front of the back while the receivers run vertical clear out routes to pull coverage away from the screen zone. This is primarily a zone beater because it exploits linebackers who drop into their zone drops instead of reading the backfield, and the primary read progression is simply getting the ball to the HB as soon as the blockers set their wall since there is no true route tree progression on this concept.
Defensive Reads
Watch for user controlled defensive linemen who spy or drop into short zones instead of rushing, they can jump the screen lane and blow up the play before blockers set. Cover 3 and Cover 4 zone shells with linebackers sitting short are the most dangerous defensive answers since those defenders sit in the exact lane the HB releases into. If the defense shows a nano blitz or edge pressure package pre-snap, that is the ideal shell to attack since rushers will be too far upfield to recover. Man coverage with a linebacker spying the backfield is a red flag, that defender can read the screen instantly and close before blockers get set. Post-snap, key the flow of the second level defenders, if linebackers bite hard on any run action or drop too deep in their zone drops, the screen lane opens up for a big gain.
Usage Tips
Call this against aggressive four man rush teams or defenses that consistently bring extra pressure since the screen punishes upfield rush lanes.
Check the pre-snap alignment for stacked box fronts or blitz indicators like linebackers creeping toward the line, that tells you the screen has room to develop.
Hot route your clear out receivers deeper if you see man coverage press at the line, this forces the corners to stay locked up and removes short defenders from the screen lane.
Best used on second and long or third and medium when defenses are more likely to dial up pressure looking for a sack.
Pair this with Inside Zone or HB Draw earlier in a drive so the defense respects the run fake, then come back to HB Cross Screen to catch aggressive linebackers flowing hard downhill.
