Playbooks
Quick Reference
Breakdown
Empty Hitch N Go is a five-wide man beater run from the Shotgun U Off Stack set with 12 personnel. The outside receiver to the stack side runs a stop and go to attack a corner who jumps the underneath route, the inside stack receiver breaks off a quick hitch to give the quarterback a rhythm throw, and the two receivers to the trips side run a deep out and a crossing dig to clear space and occupy underneath defenders. The backside receiver runs a vertical go route up the sideline as an isolation shot play. Primary read progression starts with the stop and go for the big play, works down to the hitch as the quick game answer, then moves to the backside go route if the safety bites on the underneath routes.
Defensive Reads
Watch the corner over the stack receiver at the snap, if he jumps the hitch route hard he is vulnerable to the stop and go double move. Identify single high safety looks pre-snap since this play is built to exploit man coverage with the double move concept. Post-snap, track any user-controlled defender flowing toward the stack side, since that usually signals man coverage and opens the door for the go route. Against zone coverage, look for underneath linebackers sinking into the hitch route area, which tells you to work the crossing dig or backside go instead. Be wary of a lurking safety who can rob the deep stop and go route if the defense shows two high safeties at the snap and does not rotate down.
Usage Tips
Use this play on second or third and medium when defenses expect a quick underneath throw, since the stop and go is designed to punish aggressive corners.
Check pre-snap for man coverage indicators like a single high safety or corners lined up tight on the stack receivers before snapping.
If you see zone coverage or two deep safeties, hot route the stop and go into a simple hitch or speed out to avoid throwing into a deep zone drop.
Pair this play with Empty Slot Under or Empty Y-Choice Under in the same set so defenses cannot sit on the double move once they see the empty backfield alignment.
Look to the backside go route as a home run shot if the defense rotates a safety toward the trips side to help with the crossing routes.
