Playbooks
HB Slip Screen out of Shotgun Trey is a screen pass designed to get your running back the ball in space behind a wall of blockers while the defensive line flows upfield unblocked. The offensive line sets up a delayed release, slipping out to lead block once the QB releases the throw to the HB, making this an ideal blitz beater against aggressive pass rush packages. Your primary read is simply the HB out of the backfield, but the actual decision point is timing: you want to let the rush get upfield before delivering the throw so your blockers can get in front of the play.
Pre-snap, identify if the defense is showing an overload blitz or extra rushers off the edge, since that aggression is exactly what this screen is designed to punish. Watch for a spy linebacker or a defensive lineman who drops into coverage instead of rushing, this is the classic screen defeater and will blow up the play before it develops. Check safety depth before the snap, if both safeties are shaded deep in a two high shell the underneath defenders are more likely to be aggressive and vacate the screen lane. Post-snap, key on user-controlled defenders flying downhill toward the line of scrimmage, since a smart human defender will diagnose the screen and undercut the throwing lane. If the defense shows Cover 0 or heavy man pressure with no underneath help, this play has a high success rate because there is nobody left to read screen and rally.
Call this play when you see pre-snap indicators of a blitz, such as walked up linebackers, a safety creeping into the box, or a nickel corner showing off coverage responsibility.
Let the pass rush commit upfield before throwing the screen, if you release the ball too early your blockers will not be set and the HB will get dropped for a loss.
Use this as a change of pace after running Inside Zone or HB Delay from the same set, since defenses keying on the run game will overpursue and open up the screen lanes.
Pair this play in sequence with Fake Screen Wheel to condition the defense into flowing hard on screen action, then hit them with the wheel route for an explosive play.
Avoid calling this against disciplined zone defenses that spy the backfield or against defenses that consistently drop a linebacker into screen coverage, since those defenders can sit on the route and blow it up.