Playbooks

Same Side Zone

Shotgun·U Off Trips Wk·12

Quick Reference

FormationShotgun

In 4 playbooks

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Breakdown

Same Side Zone is an outside zone run concept out of Shotgun with 12 personnel, sending the offensive line and both tight ends flowing in the same direction to seal the edge and create a cutback lane. This is a pure run play designed to attack the perimeter with the HB reading blocks in real time rather than hitting a predetermined hole. The primary read progression for the ball carrier is press the playside edge first, then work backside for the cutback if the frontside gets clogged, using the double tight end surface for extra sealing power at the point of attack.

Defensive Reads

Count the box pre-snap, this play struggles against 7 or 8 man fronts with an extra run support defender crashed to the play side Watch the play side defensive end and outside linebacker, if they are widened out or showing a hard edge set, plan on cutting back immediately rather than pressing the play side Identify Mike linebacker flow at the snap, a Mike who reads run fast and flows hard playside opens the backside cutback lane behind the double TE surface Look for user defenders spying the HB, aggressive user flow to the play side sideline is your cue to plant and cut back against the grain This run gets stopped cold by inside zone blitzes and A gap pressure since it disrupts the initial zone steps before the line can climb to the second level

Usage Tips

Run this out of the Trips Wk look on early downs to keep defenses honest against your pass-heavy Trips concepts like Dagger Sit and Levels Out from the same set

Check the defensive front pre-snap and if you see a bubble or gap exchange look on the play side, hot route a TE to a different block angle or flip the play strength to attack the weaker edge

Use the second tight end as a lead blocker by controlling him manually if the defense stacks the box, this lets you clear a lane the CPU logic might not find

Pair this with Inside Zone and Outside Zone from the same set to build a run identity that keeps linebackers guessing on flow direction, then hit RPO Zone Alert Bubble off the same look to punish overpursuit

Best used on 1st and 2nd down in normal box counts, avoid this against heavy blitz looks with fewer than six in the box since the cutback lane disappears against extra rushers

Other Plays in U Off Trips Wk