Playbooks
Quick Reference
In 2 playbooks
Breakdown
RPO QB Alert Draw lines up out of Shotgun Trey Open HB Str with the HB set behind the QB and three receivers bunched to the right. At the snap this is an alert RPO: the outside receiver runs a quick corner/flat breaking route while the slot man runs a short hitch, giving the QB a pre-determined smoke/flat throw read against soft coverage, and the offensive line pulls into inside zone draw blocking if the QB pulls it down. The single WR to the left simply runs a vertical clear-out to occupy the deep corner and open the flat throw. This is an RPO run play designed to beat light boxes and soft zone shells, with the primary read progression being flat throw first, draw hand-off second.
Defensive Reads
Watch the box count immediately after the snap, if the defense stacks the box with seven or more defenders the draw is dead and the QB should throw the flat route or bail to the hot route. Key the flat defender and slot corner on the trips side, if they sit at depth in a zone shell the flat throw is there, if they crash hard on the run the draw lane opens up behind them. Identify Cover 3 or Cover 4 shells pre-snap since the deep clearing route from the backside single WR pulls the corner away and creates natural spacing for the flat concept. Man coverage with an aggressive blitz package is the biggest threat to this play, since blitzers can beat the draw blocking before the O-line sets its zone blocks, so be ready to get the ball out fast. User-controlled linebackers sitting in a shallow lurk position can jump the flat route and blow up the alert read, so scan for that lurking defender before committing to the pass side of the RPO.
Usage Tips
Use pre-snap to count the box before the snap, if you see six or fewer defenders in the box the draw is the alert and you should keep the ball on the ground.
If the corner and slot defender to the trips side are sitting deep or backpedaling at the snap, throw the quick flat route immediately for an easy conversion.
Hot route the backside single WR into a slant or quick out if you are facing man coverage on the outside to give yourself an extra option beyond the built in flat throw.
Run this on early downs like 1st and 10 or 2nd and short to punish defenses that load up on pass coverage shells or play two high safeties with a light front.
Pair this with RPO Zone Alert Smoke and RPO Alert Smoke in the same play call sequence so the defense cannot key on the draw versus the smoke throw, keeping linebackers honest and slow to fill run gaps.
