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Quick Reference
Not in any team playbook.
Breakdown
RPO Alert Split Bubble is a run-pass option out of Shotgun Y Off Trips Wk that pairs an inside handoff read with a bubble screen to the trips side. The diagram shows the backside receiver running a vertical alert route while the trips side runs a bubble screen with the outside receiver sitting flat and the middle trips receiver arcing upfield on a wheel-type release. The quarterback reads the alley defender or overhang: if that defender crashes down on the run action, pull and throw the bubble, and if he sits wide, hand off the run behind the offensive line's zone blocking scheme.
Defensive Reads
Watch the slot or overhang defender on the trips side before the snap, if he is playing tight to the line he is reading run first and susceptible to the bubble. Post snap, track whether the flat defender sinks with the bubble receiver or stays high to spy the run action, hesitation from him means the offense wins either way. Man coverage on the outside trips receiver leaves the bubble screen with a numbers advantage since blockers are already in front. Zone shells with a hard-flowing linebacker to the play side can blow up the run fit, forcing the quarterback into the bubble as the safer option. A disciplined Mike linebacker who reads the mesh point and stays square can shut down the inside run without opening the bubble throwing lane, look for defenses that train that discipline in Cover 3 or Cover 4 shells.
Usage Tips
Check the box count before the snap, if the defense has six or more in the box the bubble read is already in your favor.
Key the flat defender or overhang linebacker on the trips side, his depth and lean tell you whether to pull or hand off.
Use hot routes sparingly here, the concept is designed to be a clean pre-snap answer rather than a play you need to adjust heavily.
Call this on early downs in run-heavy personnel to keep defenses honest, then follow it up with RPO Alert Bubble Dive or RPO Alert Mtn Dive to attack the same look with a different mesh point.
Pair this with Boomerang Y Lead Read Option later in a series so defenses cannot sit on the bubble key without opening up the backside run lanes.
