Playbooks
Quick Reference
Breakdown
RPO Zone Alert Screen out of Shotgun Trips pairs an inside zone run with a bubble/alert screen tag to the trips side, forcing the defense to declare its intentions before the ball is even snapped. The quarterback reads the alert defender (usually the flat defender or overhang linebacker): if that defender crashes down on the run fit, the QB pulls and fires the screen behind the leaking blockers, and if he stays home in coverage, the QB hands off into the zone run scheme up front. This is a true RPO that beats aggressive run blitzes and overloaded box fronts, since the numbers advantage flips to whichever side the defense sells out on.
Defensive Reads
Watch the flat or overhang defender pre-snap since his depth and leverage tell you whether the offense is likely to pull the screen or hand it off. If you see a nano blitz or edge pressure package, user the alert defender yourself and sit on the screen to jump the route before the blockers get set. Zone coverages with linebackers sitting at normal depth and reading run/pass will struggle to get width fast enough to stop the screen once it is thrown. Man coverage with defenders turning their backs to the quarterback in press alignment is vulnerable to the run side since there is one less eye on the backfield action. Aggressive run blitzes and heavy box counts get exploited by the screen, so if you are calling run blitzes on defense, spy the bubble receiver with a linebacker instead of sending everyone downhill.
Usage Tips
Pre-snap, count the box defenders and identify whether the defense is in a run-heavy front with 7 or more in the box, which signals you should be looking screen first.
Key the alert defender immediately after the snap since his first step tells you the entire read, and do not hesitate once you see him flow toward the line of scrimmage.
Use this play on early downs, especially 1st and 10 or 2nd and short, when defenses are more willing to load the box and sell out against inside zone.
Pair this call with 45 Quick Base or Inside Zone earlier in a series so the defense starts keying run fits, then hit them with the alert screen once they overcommit.
If the defense shows two deep safeties with light box numbers, take the give more often since the zone run scheme will have favorable blocking angles up front.
