Playbooks
Quick Reference
In 1 playbook
Breakdown
RPO Zone Alert Bubble out of Shotgun Wing Stack Wk 12 personnel gives the quarterback a true run/pass conflict read tied to the alert man and a bubble screen to the stack side. The zone run scheme works downhill behind the offensive line while the wing receiver runs a bubble as the alerted flash option, with the backside slot or TE working an inside route to hold second level defenders. The primary read is the alert defender: if that flat or slot defender crashes on the run fit, pull and throw the bubble immediately, if he sits or bails, hand the ball off and let the zone scheme work.
Defensive Reads
Watch the alert defender's depth and shoulder turn before the snap since a shaded outside alignment often means he is keying the run fit hard. Post snap track whether the flat defender flows with the bubble receiver or stays home to spy the zone run, this single key decides the entire play. Cover 3 and cover 4 shells with a deep-sitting corner over the bubble are vulnerable because the flat defender has to choose late, giving the quarterback a clean handoff or throw window. Man coverage teams that blitz off the edge or crash a linebacker into the run gap get exposed by the bubble since nobody is left to defend it, so user players need to peel off a blitzer to cover that space. Disciplined defenses that keep the alert defender squared and patient, neither fully committing to run or bubble, are the best answer and force the quarterback into a low value handoff against a stacked box.
Usage Tips
Presnap identify the alert defender over the bubble stack, usually the slot corner or overhang linebacker, and decide your trigger before the snap so you are not thinking postsnap. Against zone shells with the flat defender sitting deep, take the free run read and trust your zone blocking up front. Against man coverage or aggressive blitz fronts where the alert defender attacks downhill, pull and fire the bubble instantly before he can undercut the throw. Hot route the backside TE into a quick out or speed out if you see cover 0 or man pressure to give yourself a second answer beyond the bubble. Pair this call with RPO Read Bubble and RPO Alert Bubble on early downs to condition the defense into flowing to the alert side, then hit them with RPO Peek Slant or Four Verticals once they start jumping the bubble look.
