Playbooks
Quick Reference
Breakdown
Inside Zone Split lines up out of Singleback Bunch X Nasty with the extra blocker attached to the formation, and the diagram shows the HB taking the handoff and pressing a downhill lane behind zone steps from the offensive line. This is a pure run play, an inside zone concept designed to attack vertical seams created by double team combo blocks at the point of attack. The primary read progression for the ball carrier is backside to frontside: identify the first bubble off the double teams, and be ready to bend the run back if the frontside gets clogged by flowing linebackers.
Defensive Reads
Key the middle linebacker depth at the snap, since a fast downhill trigger from the Mike means the frontside cutback lane will disappear quickly. Watch for a bear front or heavy run blitz look, which can beat this play if the defensive line wins the double team combo blocks up front. User the backside defensive end or a linebacker to spy the cutback lane, since inside zone lives on backside bend when the frontside is sealed. Look for safeties cheating down into the box pre-snap, which signals run support and should push the ball carrier toward a quicker frontside decision. Zone coverage shells with light boxes are where this run hits hardest, so identify two high safety looks with only six in the box before calling this up.
Usage Tips
Check the box count before the snap and only run this into light boxes with six or fewer defenders in the tackle box.
Use the strength of the bunch look to identify if the defense shifts a linebacker or safety over the top, since that tells you which side the zone read should bend toward.
Pair this with Cheat HB Zone Wk and HB Zone Wk from the same set so defenses cannot key on a single zone concept out of Bunch X Nasty.
On early downs, run this play back to back with HB Dive to keep linebackers flowing hard and set up cutback lanes on the third rep.
If the defense shows a stacked box pre-snap, consider audibling to a play-action shot play like PA Post Curl Shot to punish overaggressive run fits.
