Playbooks

RPO Zone Alert Screen

Shotgun·Trips·10
Screen PassRPOPass PlayRun Play

Quick Reference

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Breakdown

RPO Zone Alert Screen is a run/pass option built off an inside zone action with a screen alert tagged to the backside or trips side receiver. The quarterback reads the box count and second level defenders at the mesh point: if the defense crashes down to fill run gaps, he pulls the ball and throws the screen for blockers already in space; if the box stays light, he hands off into the zone run scheme. It functions as both a zone beater and a light box punisher, since the screen alert exploits over pursuit while the zone run attacks light fronts, making it a true hybrid RPO rather than a straight man or zone beater in the passing sense.

Defensive Reads

Watch for a defensive lineman or linebacker with two gap run/pass responsibilities since that player is the actual key the offense is reading Overaggressive linebackers who bite hard on run action every snap get exposed immediately by the screen alert, so disciplined zone drops or delayed pursuit will shut this down Corners playing off man or soft zone on the alert side give the screen blocker room to work, while tight press man with outside contain support can blow up the screen before it develops Blitzing off the edge without accounting for the screen tag is a common way this play gets torched, since the RPO throw negates most standard pressure packages User controlled defenders spying the running back or sitting in a shallow zone lane near the screen side can jump the throw if the offense telegraphs the read too early

Usage Tips

Check the box count before the snap and count defenders in the tackle box versus your blockers to decide your run/pass tendency going in

If a linebacker or safety is creeping down pre-snap that is your cue to prioritize the screen since the alert receiver will have a numbers advantage outside

Use the RPO key (usually LT or the assigned modifier) to manually pull and throw the screen if the AI logic hesitates, since manual control gives you more consistency in tournament play

Pair this play with RPO Alert Bubble and RPO Base Alert Bubble in the same set so the defense cannot key on one alert route without opening up the others

Run this on early downs in normal personnel looks to stay ahead of the chains, then mix in Inside Zone or HB Sweep from the same formation to keep defenders honest on run fits

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