Playbooks
Quick Reference
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Breakdown
Clearout SE Opt is a five man route concept out of Singleback Bunch that floods the field with vertical and intermediate breaks while clearing out the boundary corner for the option route underneath. The bunch receivers run a corner and a deep clearout go to occupy the deep defenders, while the isolated receiver to the closed side runs a shallow option route that sits down against zone or works away from man coverage. The lone inline TE releases up the seam as a vertical stretch, and the HB checks release into a flat option route as a built in outlet against pressure. The primary read progression starts with the option route on the option key, then works to the seam if the middle opens, and finally to the corner or clearout go on a deep shot if the coverage bites underneath.
Defensive Reads
Identify the free safety depth pre-snap: if he sits at 10 to 12 yards in the middle of the field, that is Cover 3 or Cover 1 and the seam and corner routes have room to work. Watch the corner aligned over the bunch at the snap, since a hard outside jam means man coverage and the option route should break inside away from him. Key the flat defender or outside linebacker on the option route side, if he sinks with the go route the underneath option sits down for an easy pitch and catch. Against Cover 2, the corner route from the bunch is the primary win since it sits in the honey hole between the flat defender and the deep half safety. Beware disguised zone blitzes where the slot corner drops into a shallow zone, since that can jump the option route and turn it into a user pick six if the quarterback locks on too early.
Usage Tips
Use this on second or third and medium when you expect single high safety looks since the seam and corner combo stresses Cover 3 rotation badly.
Pre-snap, check the corner over the bunch: if he walls off the slot receiver expect man coverage and prioritize the option route breaking away from his leverage.
If the defense shows two deep safeties, the go route clears the corner for the underneath option and the flat should be wide open against off coverage.
Hot route the HB to a stay in block if you see a delayed blitz look, since the flat option is the easy checkdown but you want protection versus 5 or 6 man rushes.
Pair this with Spot Dig or Stick from the same Bunch set to keep the defense guessing between quick game and the vertical shot off similar formation and personnel.
