Playbooks
Quick Reference
In 15 playbooks
Breakdown
Shock H Option is a pass play out of Shotgun Trio Y-Flex that attacks the field with a three-level stretch on the closed side and a option/flat combo on the open side. To the top of the diagram, the two outside receivers push vertically before breaking, one settling into a deep out and the other stemming to a corner route up the sideline, stacking the defense high and wide. To the boundary, the option receiver runs a settle and option route out of the backfield area while the inside slot works a quick out into the flat, giving the quarterback a built in man beater against man coverage since the option route can break away from a trailing defender. The lone inline receiver runs a vertical seam up the middle as a clock-beater and coverage-conflict route. Primary progression starts with the option route for the leverage read, then works to the flat, and finally to the corner or deep out if the coverage bites underneath.
Defensive Reads
Read the strong safety pre-snap, if he is aligned tight to the slot it signals man coverage or a possible nano blitz look, if he is bailing deep before the snap expect zone. Post-snap, key the linebacker responsible for the option route, if he sinks into a zone drop instead of mirroring the receiver you are facing zone coverage and should work the flat or seam instead. This play beats man coverage cleanly because the option route can break inside or outside off the defender's hip, making it a nightmare for user-controlled corners playing tight man. Watch for a lurking linebacker or safety sitting in the shallow middle zone, that defender can jump the flat route or the seam route if the quarterback stares it down too long. Against Cover 2 or Cover 4 shells with two deep safeties, the corner route can get squeezed, so be ready to check down to the option route or flat rather than forcing the deep throw.
Usage Tips
Use this play on second or third and medium when you need a high-percentage completion but still want explosive play potential off the corner route.
Pre-snap, identify whether the defense is showing a two-high or single-high shell, since the option route thrives against man match coverages found in single-high looks.
Motion the H option receiver before the snap to force the defense to declare man or zone, this pre-snap indicator tells you whether to prioritize the option route or the flat.
If you see Cover 3 or heavy zone drops, hot route the outside corner route runner into a comeback to sit in the void behind the underneath zone defenders.
Pair this play with Mtn Stick and Curl Flat from the same set to keep defenses honest, since all three plays look similar out of the same personnel and formation but attack different levels and hashes.
