Playbooks
Quick Reference
Breakdown
Stick out of Shotgun Trey Open HB Str lines up with a bunched trips look to the right and a single receiver to the left. The backside X runs a deep out breaking to the sideline, while the trips side gives you a vertical seam route that stems into an out at the top of its stem, a flat route from the inline TE, and the HB releasing up the seam as a check-release option out of the backfield. This is a classic stick concept built to beat zone coverage by working the flat-to-curl and seam-to-out combos, with the QB reading high-low from the seam/out combo down to the flat and backside out based on which underneath defender widens or sits.
Defensive Reads
Pre-snap, check if the flat defender to the trips side is a linebacker or a slot corner, since a linebacker in that spot is a green light for the seam-to-out throw. Watch for a two-high safety shell rotating down after the snap, which signals Cover 4 or Cover 6 and tightens the window on the backside deep out. Post-snap, key the underneath zone defender responsible for the curl-to-flat area, if he widens with the flat route the seam-out window opens, if he sits the flat is open. This concept struggles against aggressive man coverage with no help underneath, especially if a user-controlled defender jumps the flat route or sits in a lurk spot near the stick. Look for blitz packages that bring extra pressure off the edge since the quick-hitting nature of stick concepts is designed to get the ball out before a nano blitz can develop.
Usage Tips
Pre-snap, identify if the defense is showing a two-high or single-high shell since stick thrives against zone coverage that has to cover flat-to-curl windows.
Use the flat route as your check-down and rhythm throw against Cover 2 or Cover 3 because it forces the corner or overhang defender to choose between the flat and the seam-to-out combo.
If you see man coverage, hot route the flat defender into a slant or drag to create natural separation instead of running into a defender sitting on the route.
This play pairs well with RPO Zone Peek and RPO Alert Smoke from the same set because the pre-snap look is nearly identical, keeping linebackers and safeties honest.
Best used on second or third and short to medium distance where the sticks and outs stress zone defenders without needing a huge chunk gain, and works well on early downs to set up Inside Zone or HB Mid Draw out of the same formation.
