Playbooks
Bounce Inside Zone is a run play out of Shotgun Trips TE Flex Close WK that gives the ball carrier a true bounce read on an inside zone blocking scheme. The offensive line executes zone steps and combo blocks at the point of attack, while the RB reads the frontside double team and the play side flow of the defensive line before deciding to press downhill or bounce it outside the tackle box. This is a base run play designed to beat gap-heavy fronts and overaggressive linebacker flow, with the primary read progression starting at the frontside double team, then the play side linebacker fit, and finally the edge defender to determine whether to stick the run inside or bounce it to the perimeter.
Watch the defensive tackle alignment pre-snap since a shaded nose or 3 technique will affect the frontside double team and dictate whether the natural cutback lane opens inside or outside. Identify if the play side linebacker is flowing hard downhill after the snap, which is the key indicator to bounce it outside since he has vacated his gap responsibility. Look for user-controlled defenders spying the RB from depth, especially a linebacker sitting in the B gap, since this is the primary defender that shuts down the bounce lane if he stays disciplined. Check safety depth pre-snap, since a single high safety rotated to the play side can close the bounce lane late, while two deep safeties leave more room to work the edge. Be wary of edge defenders crashing hard inside on the snap, since a disciplined defensive end staying home on the edge can string the run out and force a negative play if the RB commits to the bounce too early.
Check the defensive front pre-snap and look for stacked boxes with 7 or more in the tackle area since this play thrives when there is space to bounce outside.
Use the left or right trigger to manually control the RB and press the hole slightly before committing to the bounce read so the defense fully commits to their flow.
Pair this with Same Side Zone and Inside Zone earlier in a drive to condition the defense to crash down inside, then hit Bounce Inside Zone on second or third and short to punish overpursuit.
Run this on early downs against defenses that show heavy Cover 3 or man alignment with safeties rotated down, since the extra run support is often out of position for cutback lanes.
If the defense shows a stacked box with both safeties creeping into the box, consider hot routing the trips receivers into quick screens or checking to RPO Read Bubble instead to keep the defense honest.