Playbooks
Quick Reference
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Breakdown
Stick out of Shotgun Wing 12 personnel shows a classic three-level stick concept to the closed side, with the outside receiver running a quick out toward the sideline and the inside slot receiver sitting down on a stick route working the flat to hook zone area. Backside, the isolated receiver runs a deep vertical route up the numbers, stretching the defense and holding the safety over the top. This is a man and zone beater built for quick timing throws, with the primary read progression starting at the stick route in the flat, moving to the out breaking route, and using the vertical shot as a checkdown against soft coverage or a home run ball versus a blown assignment.
Defensive Reads
Pre-snap, check safety depth. Two high shells invite the stick and out combo underneath, while single high alignments open up the vertical shot on the backside. Watch the flat defender and hook defender post-snap. If they widen with the stick route, the quick out to the sideline should come open immediately. Nano blitzes and edge pressure disguised pre-snap can rush the quarterback before the stick concept develops, so identify overloaded fronts and be ready to hot route protection. Cover 3 with a sky safety rotating late is the toughest look for this concept since it clogs both the stick and out windows, forcing the quarterback to trust the vertical route. User controlled linebackers sitting in the passing lane of the stick route are the biggest lurk threat, so watch for spy technique or a linebacker cheating toward the middle before the snap.
Usage Tips
Use this on early downs or third and short when you need a high percentage completion against zone coverage that sits underneath.
Read the flat defender before the snap. If he is sitting inside on the stick route, work the out route to the boundary instead.
Against man coverage, the vertical route on the backside becomes a legitimate first read if you see a corner playing off with no safety help over the top.
Pair this play with PA Boot or Read Option from the same formation to keep linebackers honest and disguise your run and pass tendencies pre-snap.
Hot route the flat route into a corner route against teams that clog the underneath with Cover 2 sink or Tampa 2 to attack the void behind the linebackers.
