Playbooks
Quick Reference
Breakdown
RPO Read Flat out of Shotgun U Off Trips (12 personnel) is a run/pass option built off an inside zone look. The offensive line and inline TE run the zone blocking scheme to the strong side while the backfield RB (shown as the dot) runs a flat route out of the backfield as the pass alert. On the trips side, the outside receiver runs a deep vertical while the two inside receivers run a slant and a vertical stem, giving the QB a run key on the second level defender combined with a flat/slant read if he pulls and throws. This is an RPO designed to punish light boxes and attack both man and zone coverage depending on the leverage of the flat defender, with the primary read being the run fit first, then the flat/slant combo if the box is outnumbered.
Defensive Reads
Watch the second level linebacker assigned to the flat/run fit area since his first step tells you run or pass before the ball is even thrown. If the defense shows a heavy box with the strong safety creeping down, that is your cue to pull and throw the flat or slant quickly. Man coverage shells with the corner playing outside leverage on the trips receivers open up the inside slant, while zone shells with a flat defender sitting underneal make the deep vertical from the outside receiver the bigger explosive shot. Beware disciplined defenses that stay home on the RB flat route and squeeze the run lanes simultaneously, since that forces a tougher decision and can lead to a stuffed run or a checkdown with no gain. Blitz packages that send extra defenders off the edge can be countered by getting the ball out fast on the flat, but interior blitzes that collapse the pocket before the RB releases can disrupt the entire RPO read.
Usage Tips
Pre-snap, count the box defenders versus your blockers to decide if you are already leaning run or pass before the ball is even snapped. Use the flat defender as your primary key: if he crashes down on the RB run fit, throw the quick slant or flat immediately for a leverage win. If the linebacker sits or the box is heavy, hand it off on the zone read and let your line work double teams up front. This play pairs well with Inside Zone and HB Power from the same set since the run action looks identical pre-snap, keeping linebackers honest and setting up bigger explosive plays later in the drive. Great on early downs (1st and 10, 2nd and short) where defenses are still guessing run or pass, and it is a low-risk answer versus aggressive nano blitz packages since the quick flat read gets the ball out before pressure arrives. Consider motioning the trips receiver pre-snap to diagnose man versus zone coverage without giving up your run/pass intent.
