Playbooks
Quick Reference
In 2 playbooks
Breakdown
Outside Zone out of Shotgun U Off Trips Wk with 12 personnel is a zone run play design, with the offensive line and both tight ends flowing laterally toward the play side to establish the stretch blocking scheme. The diagram shows the HB taking a lateral path behind the line before pressing the edge, reading his blockers to find a crease rather than a predetermined gap. The two outside receivers are shown running vertical stems, but with no route breaks illustrated, this is purely a downhill zone run play designed to stretch the defense horizontally and let the back cut off the block flow.
Defensive Reads
Key the play side linebacker depth pre-snap, if he is stacked too tight he will get sealed on the zone flow. Watch for user-controlled defenders crashing down hard off the edge, this play beats over-pursuit but a disciplined edge setter can string it out. Identify one-gap penetrating fronts, aggressive gap-shooting defensive tackles can blow up zone blocking angles before the back can cut. Check safety alignment before the snap, a two-high shell with light box numbers is the ideal look to attack with this run. Man coverage on the outside receivers pulls extra defenders away from the box, making this a strong called run against man-heavy fronts, but bring extra defenders into the box against it and force a cutback read.
Usage Tips
Attack light boxes pre-snap, if the defense shows five or fewer defenders in the box this play hits quickly off the edge.
Use this on early downs like first or second and short to medium yardage to stay ahead of the sticks and keep defenses honest.
Motion the trips receivers or check the play side numbers before the snap to confirm you have the blocking angle advantage against the alignment.
Pair Outside Zone with Inside Zone and Read Option from this same set so defenders cannot sit on one run lane, forcing linebackers to hesitate on their fits.
Mix in RPO Alert Bubble or RPO Zone Alert Bubble off the same look to punish overaggressive linebacker flow and second level defenders crashing down too fast.
