Playbooks
Quick Reference
Breakdown
Read Option out of Shotgun Trips TE Flex is a zone read run play with the QB and HB mesh point set behind a five man offensive line surge. The diagram shows the HB running a lead path into the backfield while the QB reads the play side end, either handing off on the give path or pulling to keep and attack the edge himself. With three receivers stacked to one side and no route combos drawn, this is a pure ground concept designed to attack light boxes and gap exchange defenders, not a pass beater.
Defensive Reads
Key the play side defensive end first, if he sits and reads instead of crashing he takes away both options and forces a negative play Watch for a spy or scrape exchange linebacker, a defender staying square to the QB shuts down the keep read completely Overloaded boxes with eight in the box are the biggest counter, user controlled defenders flowing hard to the mesh point blow this play up Check safety depth pre snap, a single high safety cheating down signals run support that can outnumber the blockers on the edge Post snap, track any user controlled linebacker crossing the formation early since that lurk threat can beat the QB to the edge on the keep
Usage Tips
Check the defensive end alignment before the snap, if he is crashing hard down the line every play in your call sheet this look will hit big on the keep read
Use this against six or seven man boxes where the play side DE is a true read defender and not spying the QB
Pair Read Option with Inside Zone and Outside Zone from the same Trips TE Flex set so the defense cannot sit on one gap scheme
Mix in PA Fork or RPO Zone Alert Omaha from this set to punish linebackers who start crashing down on the mesh point
Save this for early down and manageable distance situations where a QB run threat forces the defense to respect both the give and the keep
