Playbooks

Boomerang HB Slip Screen

Shotgun·Y Off Trio Close·11

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Quick Reference

FormationShotgun

SetY Off Trio Close

Personnel

111 RB · 1 TE · 3 WR

In 4 playbooks

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Breakdown

Boomerang HB Slip Screen is a screen play out of the Shotgun Y Off Trio Close set designed to get the running back out into space while the offensive line sells a pass drop before releasing to escort him. The line and TE flow to set up a wall of blockers on the boomerang path, luring the defensive front upfield before the quarterback dumps it off to the HB slipping out of the backfield. This is a blitz beater and zone beater at its core, giving the QB a quick answer against pressure while the primary read is simply the HB out of the backfield, working through blockers as the second read if the first alley closes.

Defensive Reads

Watch for defensive ends and linebackers crashing hard upfield off the snap, that pursuit angle is exactly what the screen wants to bait. Identify Cover 3 or Cover 1 shells with linebackers dropping deep into zone drops, since that clears the underneath alley for the HB. Man coverage with a linebacker spying the backfield is the biggest counter, a disciplined spy or lurk defender can blow this play up before blockers set. Check safety depth pre snap, if a safety sits shallow near the box he can jump the screen lane and force the QB to eat the sack. Post snap, look at edge blitzers, if they contain instead of crashing full speed the timing of the screen breaks down and the HB has no room to boomerang outside.

Usage Tips

Call this on early downs or third and short when you expect a blitz look, since the delayed release punishes aggressive pass rush lanes.

Check the defensive front pre snap for stacked boxes or edge blitz alignments, those are the shells this screen exploits hardest.

Use hot routes sparingly here, the design already isolates the HB, but you can send the TE on a quick release if you see man coverage bracketing the backfield.

Pair this with Inside Zone or Bounce Inside Zone earlier in a series so linebackers start keying run flow, which opens up bigger cutback lanes on the screen.

Sequence this after Mtn PA X Over or PA Power Shallow Cross to keep defenders honest on play action before hitting them with the delayed screen tempo.