Playbooks
Quick Reference
Breakdown
Close Zona Fade lines up out of Shotgun Trips HB Wk with three receivers bunched to the right, a tight slot receiver in-line, and the HB releasing left out of the backfield. The trips side runs a switch release combo: the outside receiver breaks on a deep vertical, the slot receiver crosses underneath into a deep out that clears to the sideline, and the inline receiver runs a shallow crosser through the formation, creating natural picks against man coverage. The backside features a lone receiver on a skinny post and the HB running a flat route to the boundary, giving you a two level answer if the trips side is jumped. This is a man beater built on rub concepts, with the primary read starting on the trips side crosser working underneath, then the deep out breaking to the sideline, and the backside post as your explosive play answer if the corner overplays the flat.
Defensive Reads
Pre snap, identify if the cornerback over the backside receiver is playing outside leverage, this tells you the skinny post has room to work against a soft shell. Watch linebacker depth at the snap, if they sink hard into the crosser's lane you should look immediately to the deep out breaking to the sideline. Man coverage with no safety help over the trips side is the ideal shell for this play, the rub concept will consistently spring someone open. Cover 3 or Cover 4 shells with a deep half or deep third defender sitting on the fade route can take away the vertical shot and force you to rely on the underdeep out. Watch for a user controlled defender sitting in the shallow crossing lane, that lurk threat can jump the crosser and bait a turnover if you force the first read.
Usage Tips
Check the safety alignment before the snap, if you see two high safeties the deep out and backside post both have room to work against split zone coverage.
Against man coverage, trust the rub concept on the trips side, the crosser will pick off trailing defenders and spring the deep out open at the sideline.
Use the HB flat route as a checkdown against blitz looks, especially when the defense shows five or six defenders on the line pre snap.
Pair this play with Close Zona Cross or Close Zona Stick Flat to keep the same personnel and formation on the field while attacking different levels of the defense, this keeps defenders guessing based on route concept rather than alignment.
Best used on second or third and medium, the multiple route depths give you both a quick underneath answer and a deep shot without changing personnel.
