Playbooks
Quick Reference
In 1 playbook
Breakdown
RNS Hook is a five man route concept out of a 10 personnel Shotgun Spread trips look designed to attack both man and zone coverage with layered horizontal stretch. On the trips side the outside receiver runs a deep go to clear space, the inside slot runs a curl flat breaking underneath, and the tight slot receiver runs a slant into the vacated middle. Backside the isolated receiver runs a vertical go while the running back releases up the seam on a hook read, giving the quarterback a five level progression from the boundary go to the flat curl and slant combo underneath.
Defensive Reads
Pre-snap, check corner depth on the trips side, tight man coverage with no safety help invites an early shot on the deep go while soft corners signal zone drops underneath. Watch the flat defender and underneath linebacker spacing, since the curl flat and slant combo is designed to split the difference between a cover 3 sky defender and an inside linebacker's zone drop. Post-snap, identify any user controlled defender lurking in the shallow middle zone, as this is the primary threat to the slant route crossing into that space. Cover 2 with aggressive flat defenders can undercut the curl flat route, so be ready to reset to the slant or backside go if that happens. Blitz packages that send extra rushers up the middle open up the running back hook release, so track linebacker blitz timing to find the checkdown window.
Usage Tips
Read the safety shell before the snap to determine if this is single high or two high, since the curl flat and slant combo on the trips side is built to sit down in the soft spots of zone coverage.
Against man coverage, key the backside go route matchup at the line of scrimmage and take the shot early if you see a favorable one on one before the underneath routes develop.
Use the running back hook release as a checkdown against blitz looks, especially when linebackers show pressure alignment pre-snap.
Pair this play with Quick Slants or Slants Middle in your play calling sequence to condition the defense to jump underneath routes, then come back to RNS Hook to hit the curl flat when defenders bite.
Best used on second and medium to third and short since the quick developing curl and slant routes give you a fast underneath answer if the go routes are covered.
