Playbooks
At a Glance
In 1 playbook
Overview
Y Trips Offset is Shotgun's RPO hub, pairing an offset back with a three receiver surface built around the tight end aligned as the point of the trips cluster. Unlike standard Y Trips looks that put the slot receivers in tight to the numbers, the offset back alignment shifts the run threat away from the passing strength, which forces the defense to declare whether it wants to add a hat to the box or keep a defender over the trips side. That conflict is exactly what the RPO play art in this set is designed to punish: RPO Glance Post, RPO Duo Alert Glance, RPO Bubble Y Pop, RPO Read WR Screen, and RPO Read Y Flat all give you a hard run key with a built in throw off a single defender's leverage.
Strengths
- RPO menu is deep enough to attack every coverage response: Glance and Duo Alert Glance shred single high safety looks when the alley player crashes, while RPO Bubble Y Pop and RPO Read WR Screen punish soft outside leverage and vacated flats.
- Trips surface with the tight end at the point creates natural rub and levels concepts, so Levels Switch, Stick, Slot Drive, and Y Corner all give you clean man beaters without needing extra hot routes.
- Four Verticals, Comebacks, and Curls give you a mirrored answer set against Cover 3 and Cover 4, and the trips side seam runner regularly splits the deep third defender and the hook player.
- Offset back alignment supports a real run game (Duo, Power O, Counter Trey, Inside Zone, Outside Zone) with the front stressed by three receivers to one side, so you get favorable box counts and clean pulling angles.
- Gadget and screen play art (HB Slip Screen, Fake Screen Wheel, Fake Bubble Go, Speed Option, PA Zone Shot, PA Read Smash) lets you build off tendencies and hit deep shots once the user starts jumping the quick RPO throws.
Weaknesses
- Single back protection means overload and nano blitz pressure to the weak side hits fast, and the offset back will not always pick up the second interior rusher without a manual block assignment.
- The trips cluster is easy for a user to sit in and read, especially on the bubble and flat RPO throws where a good user-controlled defender baits the throw and undercuts it.
- Reduced splits on the trips side compress the field, so tight man coverage with a press adjustment can jam the concepts and take away the quick game before the read develops.
- Run plays with pulling linemen (Counter Trey, Power O) are vulnerable to A gap pressure and pinched fronts, and the offset alignment tips run strength before the snap to opponents who watch the back.
- No second tight end or extra back means no heavy run leverage in short yardage, and HB Dive out of Shotgun with a light box is easy to stuff against a goal line or 3-4 Odd front.
Usage Tips
Read the alley defender pre-snap on the RPO calls: if the box count favors you, hand it off, and if the defender crashes on the mesh point, take the glance or pop throw behind him.
Motion the outside trips receiver across to a balanced look and snap it late to identify man versus zone, then attack the vacated side with Slot Drive or Y Corner.
Against Cover 3 and Cover 6 shells, live with Comebacks and Curls on third and medium, and hot route the tight end to a sit or drag if the hook defender is widening with the trips concept.
Once your opponent starts jumping the quick RPO throw, go to Fake Bubble Go, Fake Screen Wheel, or PA Zone Shot from the same alignment to punish the aggressive user.
Use Duo and Inside Zone on early downs to keep the box honest, then pull PA Read Smash and Four Verticals from the same personnel so nothing tips off the shell.
