Playbooks
Quick Reference
In 2 playbooks
Breakdown
Pitt Z Streak lines up out of Shotgun Trips HB Wk with a lone backside receiver running a vertical streak up the sideline while the trips side stacks a deep streak from the slot, a deep in from the outside receiver breaking underneath it, and the innermost trips receiver clearing out on a shallow drag to the opposite flat. The HB releases out of the backfield on a swing/flare route to the boundary, giving the quarterback a checkdown against blitz pressure. This is a man beater at its core, using the streak and in-cut combo on the trips side to stress corners playing with inside leverage while the backside isolation streak forces single coverage on an island, and the drag underneath gives a answer versus banjo or man match concepts. Primary progression starts with the backside isolation streak, moves to the deep in over the middle from the trips side, then works down to the HB swing as the checkdown.
Defensive Reads
Pre-snap, check safety depth and alignment, if both safeties are deep and wide it signals two high shell which crowds the backside streak and favors the deep in route working underneath. Watch the cornerback aligned on the backside isolated receiver, if he is playing tight man press expect a jam that could disrupt timing on the streak, if he is off you have an easy vertical shot. Post-snap, key the flow of the middle linebacker and any nickel defender over the slot, if they sink deep into a zone drop the deep in route from the trips side has a window to settle in behind them. User the deep half safety to the trips side, this play is vulnerable to a rangy safety who can jump the deep in route or undercut the outside streak if he reads the quarterback's eyes. This play struggles against heavy blitz packages that bring extra defenders off the edge, since the HB swing is the only true answer versus pressure, so if you see a nano blitz alignment be ready to check to the checkdown immediately.
Usage Tips
Use this play on 2nd or 3rd and long when you need an explosive shot play but still want a checkdown safety valve built in.
Pre-snap, identify if the defense is showing single high or two high shell, if you see a single high safety rotate to the trips side, immediately key the backside isolation streak for a one on one matchup.
If the corner over the isolated receiver is playing off coverage with a big cushion, hot route that streak to a hitch or slant to speed up the throw and beat a potential zone drop.
Combine this play with Pitt X Drag or Pitt Choice Zig from the same set to keep the defense guessing between the backside streak shot and quick game concepts, forcing linebackers to respect both the deep and short passing lanes.
Against aggressive man blitz teams, expect the HB swing to be the fastest answer, so practice getting through your first read to the checkdown quickly if the corner blitz shows pre-snap.
