Playbooks
Quick Reference
In 1 playbook
Breakdown
Read Option out of Shotgun Trey 4WR is a zone read run play with three receivers stacked to the trips side and a single receiver split wide left. The QB and HB mesh in the backfield with a designed read on the crashing edge defender, either keeping it himself or handing off based on that defender's leverage. This is a pure run play with no route concept to diagram beyond the trips alignment, and the primary read progression is the backside edge defender first, then the ability to cut the run inside or bounce it outside based on the box count.
Defensive Reads
Pre-snap, check the alignment of the read side defensive end or OLB, if he is lined up wide and upfield he is likely crashing hard on the mound and the QB keep lane opens up. Watch linebacker depth, stacked or downhill linebackers signal run blitz support that can beat this play before the mesh point even develops. User controlled defenders on the edge are the biggest threat, if a human is spying the QB on the read side, expect him to sit and take away the keep option every time. Safety alignment matters too, a single high safety cheating down into the box removes the cutback lane on inside runs. This play struggles against disciplined scrape exchange linebackers who stay square and keep, so if you see LBs flowing correctly without overcommitting, look to counter with a pass off the same formation instead of forcing the run.
Usage Tips
Check the box count before the snap and only call this against light boxes with six or fewer defenders in the box. Identify whether the defense is base or nickel personnel since a slower defensive end or OLB on the read side makes the QB keep far more effective. Use this on early downs like first and ten or second and short to keep the defense honest against your dropback passing game out of the same Trey 4WR look. Pair this with Inside Zone and HB Mid Draw from the same set so the defense cannot key on formation tendency and has to respect both the give and the keep. If the read defender sits and stays home consistently, counter with a play action shot like PA WR In or China N Go to punish an aggressive run fit.
