Playbooks
Quick Reference
Breakdown
Wide Zone is an outside zone run play out of Singleback Spread 10 personnel, with four wide receivers spread across the formation and no tight end on the line. The diagram shows the HB taking a lateral path toward the play side, reading the zone blocking of the offensive line as they flow horizontally to seal running lanes to the edge. This is a run play designed to stretch the defense horizontally, with the primary read being the HB's aiming point off the play side tackle's block before deciding to bounce outside, bend into a cutback lane, or press straight downhill based on how the defensive front flows.
Defensive Reads
Diagnose the play side aiming point immediately and locate the play side linebacker to see if he is flowing hard to the edge or sitting to play the cutback. Key the defensive end and outside linebacker leverage since a strong edge presence forces the HB to cut back inside where a user defender can make a play. Watch for run-fit blitzes and nano blitz packages that shoot gaps quickly, since these can blow up the zone blocking scheme before the HB reaches the line of scrimmage. Against man coverage with single-high safety looks, spy the HB with a linebacker or use the safety to fill downhill quickly since there is minimal pass threat with four receivers occupying the deep defenders. Identify heavy fronts or run commit defenses pre-snap since these alignments clog the zone lanes and force the HB into a difficult cutback read against numbers.
Usage Tips
Use Wide Zone against defenses showing light boxes or split safety looks where the linebackers are aligned wide, since the stretch action forces them to flow hard and opens cutback lanes.
Check the defensive front pre-snap for overloaded fronts or a stacked box with eight or more defenders near the line, and consider audibling to a different concept if the numbers are unfavorable.
Pair this play with HB Draw and Mtn HB Draw in your play-calling sequence so the defense has to respect both the stretch and the downhill run threats from the same formation.
Use PA HB Out or PA Slot Crosses off this same look later in a series to punish linebackers who key hard on the zone run action and bite on the run fake.
Run Wide Zone on early downs in normal down-and-distance situations to stay balanced and set up explosive play-action shots later in the drive.
