Playbooks
Quick Reference
Breakdown
Curl HB Burst out of Shotgun Trey Open lines up with three receivers to the boundary side and the HB releasing to the field. The two outside receivers on the trips side run an out breaking route to the flat and a deep corner/vertical, the inner slot runs a curl that settles at the sticks, and the backside single WR runs a short square in over the middle while the HB bursts vertically up the seam out of the backfield. This is a zone beater built to attack the middle and flat voids created by defenders sitting in curl to flat and hook zones, with the primary read starting on the HB burst up the seam before working back to the curl and the square in underneath.
Defensive Reads
Read the flat defender first since he determines whether the HB burst has a clean run up the seam or gets reroute at the line. If linebackers drop straight back into hook zones without carrying the HB vertically, this play shreds Cover 3 and Cover 4 zone shells. Watch for a robber or lurking linebacker sitting in the middle hook zone since he can undercut both the curl and the square in route if he reads quarterback eyes. Man coverage with no safety help over the top is vulnerable to the HB burst turning into an explosive seam shot, so check for a linebacker or safety walked down over the backfield. Blitz heavy fronts that send extra rushers off the edge can force a quick decision, so know your hot route adjustments to get the ball out before the curl fully develops.
Usage Tips
Presnap check the middle of the field for single high versus two high safeties since the HB burst up the seam is most dangerous against single high shells with a light box. Use motion or a hard count to see if a linebacker widens or shows blitz, which opens up the underdneath square in route for an easy checkdown. Hot route the backside single WR into a hitch or slant if you see press man to give yourself a quicker outlet against aggressive corners. This play works best on second and medium or third and short to medium since the curl and burst both sit around the sticks. Pair it in sequence with Curls or Curls Combo to keep defenses honoring the same curl to flat stems, then dial up HB Draw or PA Read once linebackers start jumping the curl routes.
