Playbooks

Clearout Rub Return

Shotgun·Trey Open·11
Motion
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This play belongs to no NFL team or scheme playbook, so it may not appear in the in-game builder.
Play diagram for Clearout Rub Return from Shotgun Trey Open in Madden 27

Quick Reference

FormationShotgun
Tags
Motion

Not in any team playbook.

Breakdown

Clearout Rub Return is a route combo designed off the Trey Open bunch look to create a natural rub for the shallow return route. The inside receiver from the trey side runs a deep clearout vertical to occupy the safety and outside corner, while the middle receiver in the bunch runs a quick out that turns into a rub, freeing the outside receiver to break inside on a return route working back to the middle of the field. On the backside, the single receiver runs a deep comeback breaking away from the defense to hold the corner and give the quarterback an outlet if the rub concept is jumped. This is a man beater at its core, using traffic in the bunch to disrupt man coverage leverage, with the primary read starting on the return route coming out of the rub and progressing to the backside comeback if that window is closed.

Defensive Reads

Watch for press man coverage on the bunch receivers pre snap, since that alignment is most vulnerable to the rub creating early separation Check safety depth over the top of the trey bunch, because a single high safety cheating toward the clearout route can bait the quarterback into the comeback throw Post snap, key on whether the defender assigned to the return route fights through or gets picked off by the out breaking receiver, since a clean rub means instant separation Look for a user controlled linebacker or safety sitting in a shallow lurk zone, as that defender can undercut the return route if he reads the quarterback's eyes quickly Zone coverage with a cornerback sinking under the clearout vertical can take away the deep half read and force the quarterback into a contested throw on the return route

Usage Tips

Attack this play on early downs or third and short when defenses are more likely to sit in man coverage looks tied to run support

Pre snap, identify if the defense is showing man coverage with corners lined up tight on the bunch, since the rub concept loses value against soft zone shells

Motion check the trey side receivers if the defense shows blitz, since a natural rub against man defenders can spring an instant open target on the return route

Hot route the backside comeback into a quick out if you see a corner sitting deep in a zone shell, giving yourself a faster underneath answer

Pair this play with Clearout Pick Return in the same set to keep defenders guessing on which receiver benefits from the rub, forcing user defenders to hesitate on jumping routes

Other Plays in Trey Open