Playbooks
Quick Reference
In 2 playbooks
Breakdown
Stick Nod H-Angle comes out of Shotgun Trey Y-Flex with a bunch look to the boundary and a lone receiver to the field. The bunch runs a classic Stick concept: the outside receiver clears vertically up the numbers, the middle bunch man runs a nod (stick-nod) route that sits down and works back to the QB, and the inside bunch man runs a quick flat/shoot route underneath. The backside receiver runs a deep corner-breaking route from the field side, while the running back releases from the backfield on an angle route out of the protection. This is a man beater built on the classic Stick triangle combined with an HB angle route to attack linebackers who carry the back in man coverage, with the QB progression starting at the nod route, working to the flat, and checking down to the HB angle if the middle is clogged.
Defensive Reads
Read the flat defender first: if he widens with the shoot route, the nod route sitting down behind him becomes the easy throw. Key the linebacker assigned to the HB out of the backfield, if he is playing man coverage the angle route will beat him to the inside quickly. Watch for a Cover 3 sky or Cover 4 shell with a hard corner squatting on the flat route, this can jump the shoot route and bait a turnover if the QB does not go through the full progression. Against zone blitzes, the QB must recognize hot late and get rid of the ball on the flat or nod route quickly since the protection is not built to hold up against extra rushers. User linebackers sitting in the shallow hook zone can rob the angle route, so if you see a defender spying the middle, look off him before committing to the HB in the check down.
Usage Tips
Pre-snap, identify whether the defense is showing man or zone by checking linebacker depth and whether the Mike is walked out over the bunch.
If you see man coverage with a linebacker matched on the HB, throw the angle route quickly before the defender can undercut it, since the angle route creates natural separation against man technique.
Against zone, work the nod route first since it settles into soft spots between the flat and hook defenders, then progress to the flat route if the underneath zone squeezes.
Use this play on third and short to medium situations since the stick triangle and angle route give the QB three high percentage completion options in the 5 to 10 yard range.
Pair this play with Stick or Empty Stick from the same set to keep the defense guessing on which route in the bunch will settle versus release, and mix in HB Draw or Read Option from the same personnel to punish linebackers who key too quickly on the bunch side.
