Playbooks
Breakdown
Spacing HB Wheel from Shotgun Trey Open runs a horizontal spacing concept to the trips side (flat route, hitch, and a corner breaking route stacked on top) while the backside X runs a deep vertical up the sideline, and the HB releases out of the backfield on a wheel route up the numbers behind the trips stem. The offensive line and TE handle a five man pass protection to give the QB time for the wheel to develop deep. This is a zone beater against Cover 3 and Cover 4 that horizontally and vertically stretches the underneath defenders and the deep quarter or third defender, with the primary read starting on the HB wheel against man leverage and working into the spacing flat-hitch combo underneath if the wheel is capped.
Defensive Reads
Identify the deep safety count before the snap, one-high shells with man coverage on the HB are the most vulnerable to the wheel route beating a linebacker or slower defender in space. Watch the curl-flat and flat defenders after the snap, if they widen with the spacing concept it confirms zone coverage and opens the wheel window behind them. Track any user-controlled defender flashing toward the flat or spying the HB out of the backfield, a disciplined lurk defender sitting on the wheel is the biggest counter to this concept. Against Cover 4 or Cover 6, key the corner or safety responsible for the deep quarter to the trips side, if he sinks too early on the corner route the wheel can slip up the sideline behind him. Recognize man coverage with the linebacker matched on the HB pre-snap, a blitz or aggressive man look with no safety help over the top is where this play hits its biggest explosive gain.
Usage Tips
Check pre-snap for single-high versus two-high safety alignment, since the wheel route is your explosive shot play against man coverage or a blown Cover 3 rotation.
If the defense shows Cover 3, key the flat defender and curl-flat player, the spacing hitch and flat route will pull that zone defender out and open the wheel lane behind him.
Use motion or check the HB release path against a linebacker with outside contain responsibility, if a linebacker tries to run with the wheel you have a favorable matchup down the sideline.
Pair this play with Curls or Double Ins earlier in a series to condition the defense to sit on shorter spacing routes, then hit the wheel for the home run when they bite.
Best called on early downs or when you have already established the shorter passing game, since the wheel takes time to develop and needs a clean protection look.
