Playbooks

Same Side Zone

Shotgun·Tight Flex Wk·11

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Breakdown

Same Side Zone is an outside zone run play out of the Shotgun Tight Flex Wk set that directs the offensive line and TE to flow their blocks in the same direction as the running back's aiming point. The blocking scheme creates a natural cutback lane if the frontside gets sealed too aggressively, so the primary read progression for the ball carrier is to press the frontside edge first, then look for the backside cutback lane if flow overcommits. This is a run play designed to attack gap integrity and outnumbered fronts rather than a pass concept, making it a strong complement to your zone beater and man beater passing plays in this set.

Defensive Reads

Watch for stacked boxes with eight or more defenders near the line, this is a strong signal to abandon Same Side Zone and check to a pass play like Stick or Quick Looks instead Identify linebacker depth pre-snap, if the mike and will are sitting shallow and square to the line they are likely reading run fits and will flow hard to the play call, setting up a cutback Look for a strong safety cheating into the box pre-snap, this often indicates a run blitz or crash call designed to blow up zone runs at the mesh point Post-snap, key the backside defensive end and any user-controlled defender crashing down the line, aggressive crash defenders open the cutback lane for a big gain Against disciplined zone run fits with linebackers reading and staying square, expect minimal gains and consider mixing in HB Slip Screen or Mtn Bunch HB Draw to punish aggressive pursuit

Usage Tips

Check the box count pre-snap and only run Same Side Zone into light boxes of six or fewer defenders to avoid getting stuffed by an extra run defender

Use your fullback or TE motion pre-snap if available to identify whether the defense is playing zone or man run fits, since a hard flow toward the play side signals a cutback opportunity

Hot route the TE into a chip release on the backside if you see an overhang defender crashing down, this keeps the cutback lane clean for the RB

Pair this play with Mid Zone and Inside Zone from the same set so the defense cannot key run direction based on formation tendencies alone

Call this on early downs, especially first and ten or second and short, to keep the defense honest before dialing up PA Same Side Flood or PA Dagger off the same run action

Vision the play side first for two to three steps before committing to a cutback decision, patience is key against disciplined gap defenders

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