Playbooks

RPO Zone Alert Bubble

Shotgun·U Off Trips Wk·12
RPOPass PlayRun Play

Quick Reference

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Breakdown

RPO Zone Alert Bubble is a true run pass option out of the Shotgun Trips look, pairing an inside zone run scheme with a bubble screen alert to the trips side. The quarterback reads the alert defender, typically the flat or slot linebacker aligned over the trips receivers, and either hands off into the zone run lane or pulls and fires the bubble screen if that defender crashes down to fill the box. Because it stresses both the interior run fit and the flat zone leverage at the snap, this play works as both a zone beater against light boxes and a numbers beater against overaggressive linebackers who bite on the run action.

Defensive Reads

Identify the alert defender to the trips side before the snap, usually the second inside linebacker or a slot cornerback, since his run fit versus flat drop decides the play. Check safety depth and shell shape. Two high shells with soft corners tend to allow the run through the B gap while a single high shell often stacks the box and dares the bubble throw. Watch for a slot blitz or nano blitz from the trips side presnap, since a hard crash upfield forces an immediate bubble read but a wellcoordinated qb spy or contain player can undercut the throw. Post snap, track any user controlled lurk defender sitting in the flat, since a smart user can jump the bubble route and turn it into a house call the other way. Man coverage with press alignment on the outside trips receivers signals the run should hit clean since the underneath defenders are occupied in coverage rather than sitting the flat.

Usage Tips

Presnap, count the box defenders. If the defense has six or more in the box with only one flat defender to the trips side, favor pulling the bubble immediately for a numbers advantage. If the box is light, six or fewer defenders, let the zone run hit downhill without hesitation. Watch the alert defender, usually a linebacker or slot corner, at the snap. If he crashes toward the line of scrimmage or blitzes off the edge, that confirms bubble. If he sits back or shuffles outside, take the handoff. Use this play on early downs, first and second and short to medium, since the built in option keeps the defense honest and avoids predictable run or pass tendencies. Sequence this with RPO Alert Bubble and Inside Zone from the same set so the defense cannot key on formation tendencies, since all three share similar run action but different perimeter answers. Against defenses that consistently sit their linebackers to take away the bubble, pair this call later in a series with HB Power or Read Option to punish inside alignment with a physical downhill run.

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