Playbooks
Quick Reference
Breakdown
Read Option out of Shotgun Trips Y-Flex is a zone read run play with the QB and HB mesh point shown crossing directly behind the line, giving the offense a true give or keep decision based on the backside end. The offensive line executes a zone blocking scheme, sealing gaps to create a run lane while the QB reads the unblocked defensive end to decide whether to hand off or pull and attack the edge. This is a run-heavy design out of a trips look, using the three-receiver alignment to spread the box and manipulate defender counts rather than featuring a route concept.
Defensive Reads
Watch the defensive end assigned to the mesh point since his crash or contain decision tells you whether the QB will give or keep. Look for a linebacker blitzing off the edge pre-snap, since that defender can be the unblocked read key and force a quick keep read. Check safety depth and rotation, because a safety cheating into the box to defend trips can leave a numbers advantage for the offense on the backside. User the read defender manually in competitive play to take away both options at once, forcing the QB to make a late, low-percentage decision. Stack the box with an extra defender against three-and-out tendencies, but stay disciplined on contain since a spread box invites explosive keep runs to the edge.
Usage Tips
Check the box count before the snap and only run this into light boxes with six or fewer defenders in the tackle box. Identify whether the defensive end is crashing hard or sitting to read, since that dictates your give or keep decision after the snap. Use motion or a quick glance at the trips side to bait the defense into rotating a safety down, which opens up the backside cutback lane. Pair this with Inside Zone and HB Off Tackle from the same set so defenders cannot key run fits based on formation alone. On early downs against aggressive fronts, keep the ball on the read and get vertical quickly before the pursuit closes the edge.
