Playbooks

RPO Thunder Bubble

Shotgun·Y Off Trips Wk·11
RPOPass PlayRun Play

Quick Reference

FormationShotgun

In 4 playbooks

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Breakdown

RPO Thunder Bubble is a run pass option out of the Y Off Trips Wk set in Shotgun with 11 personnel, pairing an inside run scheme with a bubble screen to the trips side. The QB reads the flow of the second level defender (usually a linebacker or slot corner) to decide between handing off on the run action or pulling and firing the quick bubble to the outside receiver in the trips bunch. This play is designed as both a run play and a zone beater, since it punishes linebackers who crash down on the run fit by leaving the bubble wide open, and it also has man beater qualities if the defense rotates a defender late trying to cover motion. The primary read progression starts with the alley or flat defender to the trips side, then works to the run lane if that defender stays home.

Defensive Reads

Watch the flow of the play side linebacker after the snap, if he steps up to fill the run gap the bubble is wide open for an easy pitch and catch. Check the alignment of the slot corner over the trips bunch before the snap, tight press alignment signals man coverage and a potential jump route on the bubble, while soft zone alignment signals an easier RPO read for the quarterback. Identify if the defense is running a cover 3 or cover 4 shell with deep safeties, since these zone shells often leave the underneath flat defender in conflict and vulnerable to the bubble read. Look for a user controlled defender lurking near the bubble route, since a smart user will sit on the perimeter throw and jump the route, baiting the quarterback into a turnover. Recognize overload blitz packages that bring extra defenders to the trips side, since this often forces a quick bubble throw into a numbers disadvantage and can result in a negative play if the quarterback does not account for the extra rusher.

Usage Tips

Presnap, check the box count and identify if the defense has a true fourth or fifth run defender committed to the box, since that tells you whether the run or bubble is the better option before the ball is even snapped.

Look at the slot corner or nickel defender over the trips bunch, if he is sitting at depth in a zone shell he is likely the read key for the bubble, if he is pressed up expect man coverage and consider running the ball instead.

Use this play on early downs in the second and third quarter to establish tendencies, then come back to it in the fourth quarter or in short yardage since defenses often overcommit to stopping the run by that point.

Pair this with RPO Alert Split Bubble or RPO Alert Bubble Dive from the same set to keep the defense guessing on which bubble action tags to the run fake, forcing linebackers to hesitate on their run fits.

If the defense shows heavy blitz pre-snap with the slot defender crashing hard, get the ball out immediately on the bubble since the RPO read will almost always favor the perimeter throw against blitz-heavy fronts.

Other Plays in Y Off Trips Wk