Bounce Inside Zone

Watch for linebackers keying hard downhill immediately after the snap, since overaggressive fills to the inside zone action are exactly what the bounce is designed to exploit. Identify the alignment of the play side defensive end or edge defender, because a wide nine technique or crashing edge can close the bounce lane before it develops. Look for safety rotation into the box pre-snap, as an eight man front with both safeties near the line of scrimmage signals a run blitz that can beat this play if not adjusted with a hot route or audible. Check for user-controlled linebackers spying or flowing hard to the play side, since a smart user defender can sit on the bounce lane and blow up the running back before he gets to the edge. This play struggles against contain-conscious defenses that keep the edge defender squeezed and unblocked, so if the defense consistently sets a hard edge, consider going back to a straight Inside Zone or Mtn Inside Zone to attack the middle instead.