Playbooks
Quick Reference
In 2 playbooks
Breakdown
Deep Stick is run out of Shotgun Y Off Trips with a trips bunch to one side and a lone X receiver isolated to the backside. The trips side runs a classic stick concept: the inside slot sits down on a stick route while the outside trips receiver clears vertically up the seam and the third trips receiver works a flat/pivot route underneath, creating a horizontal stretch on underneath defenders. The backside X runs a deep comeback while the running back checks protection and releases vertically on a check release route up the middle. This is primarily a zone beater built around the stick concept's high low read, though the isolated backside comeback also gives you a built in man beater versus press or off man coverage.
Defensive Reads
Presnap check the strong safety alignment over the trips side, if he is shaded outside expect man coverage on the seam runner and the stick route should be open underneath. Watch the flat defender assigned to the trips side, if he widens too far to take away the flat route the stick sitting down behind him becomes the answer. Key the backside cornerback's press or off alignment on the X receiver, soft coverage with a deep safety in the middle of the field signals cover 3 or cover 4 which limits the comeback route's window. Post snap track any user controlled linebacker sitting in a lurk zone in the stick concept's throwing lane, since a smart user defender can jump the stick route and bait a turnover if the quarterback stares it down too long. This play struggles against a well timed zone blitz that drops a defensive lineman into the flat zone, since that extra underneath defender clogs the stick and flat combination and forces a hurried throw to the backside comeback.
Usage Tips
Presnap identify if the defense is showing a two high or single high shell, because the stick concept on the trips side punishes zone defenders who sit in their drop zones without accounting for the flat to seam stretch. If you see man coverage with no safety help over the top on the backside X, prioritize the comeback route since it is isolated with room to work. Use the stick concept as your first read on early downs and third and short since the flat and stick routes settle in quickly and it is an easy chain mover against zone blitzes and cover 3. Against cover 2 or cover 4 shells with soft corners, hot route the outside trips vertical receiver to a corner route to attack the seam void created by the safety rotation. Pair this play with Stick and Return Curls in the same set to keep the defense guessing between the quick stick reads and deeper curl breaks, forcing linebackers to widen their drops and opening up the RPO Glance Post as a changeup.
