Playbooks
Quick Reference
In 1 playbook
Breakdown
Stick Nod Vertical is a five man route concept out of Shotgun Wing Tight that stresses the defense both underneath and vertically on the same side. The backside receiver runs an out and up (nod), the two receivers to the strength side stack a shallow out and a vertical release from the slot, and the tight end works a stick route into the flat while the boundary receiver blasts a vertical seam. This is a man beater first thanks to the nod route creating natural separation against trail technique, and it doubles as a zone beater since the stick and out combo fills the flat and hook zones for an easy underneath completion. The primary read progression is stick to flat, then work to the nod route on the backside if the corner bites on the out portion, with the verticals serving as answers versus single high shells that vacate the middle of the field.
Defensive Reads
Identify if the defense shows two high safeties pre-snap, this forces the offense away from the verticals and into the stick and nod underneath game Watch the flat defender at the snap, if he sits on the tight end's stick route the quarterback will look to the nod route breaking upfield behind him Key the boundary corner's depth, soft coverage invites the stick throw while tight press alignment signals the nod route will win on the double move User controlled defenders sitting in the intermediate hook zone can jump the stick route, so quarterbacks must anticipate and throw with anticipation rather than waiting to see the break Cover 3 with a sky safety rotating late can undercut the flat route, forcing the read to speed up to the vertical seam on the strong side before the corner recovers
Usage Tips
Check pre-snap for single high safety looks since both verticals become explosive shot plays if the deep half is empty
Use the stick route as your rhythm throw on third and short or in the red zone where the flat defender has to respect the run fake
If you see man coverage with no safety help over the top, throw the nod route timing so the receiver is already breaking upfield as the corner commits to the out
Pair this with Inside Zone or 0 1 Trap from the same set so defenses cannot sit on pass concepts and have to respect the run fake out of Wing Tight personnel
Hot route the backside vertical into a slant if you face heavy zone drop coverage to give yourself an instant answer against a sinking linebacker
