Playbooks
Quick Reference
Breakdown
PA Fork Shot is a play-action shot play out of Singleback Bunch Ace that sells the run fake before releasing three vertical stems from the bunch alignment. The two inside bunch receivers run a fork concept, splitting outside and inside vertical to stretch the deep middle, while the outside bunch receiver runs a deep out breaking route from the numbers to create width. On the backside, the isolated receiver runs a go route up the boundary, and the fullback or TE checks down into the flat as a late outlet. This is a man beater designed to attack single-high shells and off coverage, with the primary read starting on the fork routes for a vertical seam before working outside to the deep out breaker if the safety rotates to the middle of the field.
Defensive Reads
Pre-snap, check the free safety depth and leverage. If he is aligned deep middle with no rotation, expect the fork concept to split him and create a big play opportunity down the seam. Watch the cornerback over the backside isolated receiver. If he plays with inside shade and no safety help over the top, the go route on the backside is live for a one-on-one shot. Post-snap, key any user-controlled defender dropping into a lurk position over the middle. This play struggles against a rat in the middle who can undercut the inside fork route. If the linebackers show blitz depth or crash hard downhill at the play-action fake, the fullback check release into the flat becomes the safety valve read before the vertical routes develop. Against two-high safety shells (Cover 2 or Cover 4), the fork routes get squeezed by the deep half defenders, so the deep out breaker from the bunch becomes the higher-value read since it attacks the void underneath the safety.
Usage Tips
Use this play on early downs or in shot situations where the defense expects run, since the play-action fake off Bunch Ace personnel (12 personnel with 2 TEs) sells inside zone or duo looks effectively.
Before the snap, identify if the safety is showing single-high or two-high. Single-high shells are where the fork concept does the most damage because the safety cannot cover both verticals from the bunch.
If you see man coverage with a slot corner shaded inside, hot route the outside fork route to a corner or bench to beat the trail technique.
Pair this play with Drive Y Trail or Z Spot earlier in a sequence to condition the defense to expect quick game out of Bunch Ace, then hit them with the shot play once they start jumping short routes.
Against zone coverage, key the flat defender and hi-lo him with the fullback check release underneath while the fork routes occupy the deep zone defenders, opening a window for the backside go route if the corner bites on the play fake.
