Playbooks
Quick Reference
Breakdown
Inside Switch aligns out of Trips HB Wk in Shotgun with three receivers to one side and the running back releasing on a swing route out of the backfield to the opposite side. The two inside trips receivers run a switch release where the shallow crosser and the vertical route exchange leverage, creating a corner route and a curl route crossing underneath a deep out breaking route from the third receiver, while the single receiver to the boundary runs a straight out. This is a man beater built around natural picks from the switch release, and the primary read progression starts with the corner route created off the switch, then works down to the curl or crossing route underneath, with the running back swing as the checkdown against pressure.
Defensive Reads
Watch pre snap safety alignment. Two high safeties with soft outside corners on the trips side signal Cover 3 or Cover 4 and open up the switch concept for the corner route winner. If the boundary corner is playing a hard outside shade with a single high safety, that is Cover 1 or Cover 3 press, expect the switch release to get picked up late so target the flat route or the swing instead. Post snap key the flat defender or curl to flat player on the trips side. If he sinks with the crossing curl route, the switch release corner route will have room behind him for a big gain. If a linebacker or safety sits in a lurk position at the switch crossing point, that is a strong signal you are facing a lurk zone drop designed to jump the shallow crosser, so hold the ball and let the corner route develop. Man coverage with no help over the top on the corner route is the biggest bust, since the switch route naturally creates a rub that man defenders struggle to fight through, leading to easy separation. Blitz recognition matters too. If you see extra rushers or a nano blitz look, the outlet swing to the backfield is your answer since it releases immediately and does not require route development time.
Usage Tips
Use pre snap motion or a formation check to bait the defense into showing man or zone coverage before the snap, since Inside Switch punishes man coverage the hardest due to the natural pick created by the switch release. On third and medium or third and long, this play is excellent because the corner route off the switch has enough depth to move the sticks while the underneath curl offers a safety valve. If you see the defense rotating to a two high shell post snap, hot route the boundary out route into a deep comeback or take a shot to the corner route since the middle of the field should be more open. Pair this play with Levels Switch or Curl Flat Corner earlier in a drive so the defense grows accustomed to switch releases, then come back to Inside Switch to hit the corner route once defenders start jumping the shallow crossers. Against aggressive user defenders who like to jump routes, use the running back swing as a quick answer since it gets the ball out before a user controlled defender can close on the switch concept.
