Playbooks
Quick Reference
In 12 playbooks
Breakdown
Flood HB Swing is a three level flood concept out of Shotgun Y Off Trips Nasty designed to attack Cover 3 and other zone shells with numbers to one side. The backside X runs a deep post to hold the safety while the trips side stacks a deep corner/go route, an intermediate out breaking route from the slot, and the HB swinging out to the flat for the underneath flood level. Blocking is a standard pass protection look with the line sliding to pick up rushers while the HB releases late into his swing route, and the primary read progresses from the deep corner route to the intermediate breaker and finally down to the HB swing if the flood levels are covered.
Defensive Reads
Pre-snap, check the free safety depth and alignment since a single high safety struggling to get width will get exposed by the deep corner route on the flood side. Watch the flat defender or curl to flat linebacker, because if he sinks with the intermediate out route the HB swing becomes wide open in space. Post-snap, key the cornerback over the trips receivers, since zone corners sitting on the intermediate route open a throwing lane to the deep corner. Against man coverage, look for a linebacker or safety matched on the HB, that mismatch in space is an easy completion and yards after catch opportunity. Beware disguised Cover 1 or Cover 0 blitz looks, since the flood concept takes time to develop and a user blitzer off the edge can disrupt the timing before the deep routes materialize.
Usage Tips
Use this on early downs or third and short to medium since the HB swing gives you a built in checkdown against a hard pass rush.
Pre-snap, identify if the corner is playing off or press on the outside trips receiver, since a soft shell invites the deep corner route to win immediately.
If you diagnose Cover 3 with a single high safety, work top down from the deep corner to the intermediate out route before settling for the swing.
Pair this play with Mtn HB Out or RPO Read Y Flat from the same set to keep defenses honest on the flood side without changing your formation tendencies.
Hot route the backside X post into a shallow drag against man coverage if you need a quick answer versus blitz looks.
