Playbooks
Quick Reference
In 1 playbook
Breakdown
Fake Screen Wheel is a play-action screen concept out of Shotgun Tackle Over Trips that disguises itself as an HB screen before releasing the back vertically on a wheel route up the sideline. On the backside, the isolated receiver runs a hitch and go, working the corner low before breaking the route back outside, giving you a double vertical threat against overaggressive defenders. The primary read is the wheel route out of the backfield since defenders bite on the screen fake, but if the cornerback jumps the hitch portion of the backside route, work to the vertical break instead.
Defensive Reads
Watch for linebackers flowing hard to the screen side immediately after the snap, that flow confirms man or zone defenders are biting and leaves the wheel route open down the sideline. Identify single high safety looks pre-snap, since Cover 3 and Cover 1 shells leave the flat defender and linebacker vulnerable to the play-action screen fake. Key the cornerback on the backside hitch and go route, if he sits on the hitch and squats, the double move should separate for an explosive gain. Beware Cover 2 or Cover 4 shells with safeties reading the backfield fake, since two deep safeties can rob the wheel route and the vertical break simultaneously. Look for a user-controlled linebacker or safety lurking near the flat, an aggressive user defender jumping the screen action can undercut the wheel route before it develops.
Usage Tips
Call this on early downs or in play-action friendly counts like second and short where defenses expect run or a quick screen out of Tackle Over Trips.
Pre-snap, look for linebackers cheating up toward the line or safeties creeping into the box, both indicate screen recognition tendencies that this play exploits.
Hot route the backside receiver to a fade if you diagnose press man coverage before the snap, since the hitch and go already stresses press corners vertically.
Sequence this play after running HB Slip Screen or RPO Bubble Y Pop earlier in the drive so linebackers and safeties are conditioned to jump underneath routes and screens.
Pair this call with Inside Zone or HB Power O in your play-calling script to keep the defense honest against the run fake before unleashing the wheel route shot play.
