Playbooks
Quick Reference
In 1 playbook
Breakdown
Ohio Spacing out of Shotgun Wing Tight lines up with a vertical seam release from the backside receiver, a deep out breaking to the sideline off the backside slot, and a trips-side stick, flat, and shallow drag concept flooding the underneath zones at three levels. It is a classic Cover 3 and Cover 4 zone beater built to stress the flat defender and hook zone defenders with quick, high-percentage throws. The primary read starts with the outside stick or hitch on the trips side, then works to the flat route underneath, and finally to the shallow crosser working across the formation, with the backside deep out and vertical as coverage-dependent outlets.
Defensive Reads
Read the flat defender first, since spacing concepts are designed to put him in a horizontal stretch between the flat route and the stick route he cannot cover both. Watch linebacker depth at the snap, if the underneath hook defenders sink too deep, the quarterback should hit the stick route immediately for a quick gain. Key the backside safety before the snap, if he is rotating down into the box or showing Cover 1 or Cover 0 look, the vertical route and deep out become the priority reads instead of the underneath stick. Look for a user lurk defender sitting in the shallow drag lane, since aggressive human users will often jump the crosser, which opens up the deep out or stick behind him. This concept struggles against disciplined Cover 2 or Cover 4 shells with squatting corners on the flat routes, so if corners are sitting hard on the stick and flat, look to the backside vertical seam instead.
Usage Tips
Presnap, identify whether the defense is showing two-high or single-high safety alignment, since spacing concepts thrive against off-man and zone shells with soft cushions.
If you see press man on the trips receivers, hot route the shallow drag into a slant or speed out to beat the jam instead of letting it sit in a crowded underneath zone.
Use this play on second and medium or third and short to fourth and short situations where the stick and flat combo gives you an easy completion window against zone drops.
Pair Ohio Spacing with PA Double Post or Sluggo Seam later in a series once defenders start sitting on the quick game, since those plays attack the same formation with vertical shots off similar splits.
Against a defense that keys the shallow drag every snap, sequence in Mesh Spot to create rub confusion and free up the crosser on the backside.
