Playbooks
Wheel Curls out of Shotgun Wide Trips is a man beater built around a wheel route from the backfield or slot that exploits linebackers and slot corners in man coverage, paired with curl routes from the outside receivers to sit down against zone drops underneath. The trips side creates natural traffic that can rub off man defenders trailing the wheel route, while the backside is left uncovered or with a single route to balance the picture. The primary read starts with the wheel route against man coverage for a big-play shot down the sideline, then progresses to the curl routes if the wheel is taken away or if you diagnose zone coverage.
Watch the linebacker or slot corner assigned to the wheel route runner at the snap, if he opens his hips and runs with the route vertically you are likely facing man coverage and the wheel is live Identify single high safety shells like man look one or cover zero, these leave the wheel route with no deep help and are the most vulnerable to this concept Look for two deep safety shells such as cover two or cover four, these shells rotate a safety over the top of the wheel and force you to check down to the curl routes underneath Key the flat defender and any underneath zone dropper on the trips side, if he sinks into a hook zone or shuffles to cover the curl window he can jump the route if you hold the ball too long Beware disguised blitzes off the edge or a delayed linebacker blitz through the trips bunch, if you see extra rushers crash off the snap get the ball out quickly to the curl or checkdown before the wheel route develops
Check the pre-snap alignment of the defender over your wheel route runner, if it is a linebacker or slot corner lined up tight in man coverage this play is money against man look zero press or man look one blitz packages
Motion the trips receiver or check the flat defender depth to confirm man versus zone before the snap, if you see zone shells rotate your eyes immediately to the curl routes for the sit down completion
Hot route the backside receiver into a quick slant or drag if you are getting single high looks with no help over the top, this gives you a checkdown against a spy or extra rusher
This play hits best on second and medium or third and long when defenses lean on zone drops, but the wheel route shot works anytime you diagnose man coverage with no safety help to that side
Pair this call with All Hitch or Hitch Mills earlier in a series to condition the defense into expecting quick underneath throws, then hit them with the wheel route for explosive play once they bite on the shorter routes