Playbooks
Quick Reference
In 2 playbooks
Breakdown
PA Sprint HB Flat runs a play-action sprint concept out of Singleback Toad X Nasty with 11 personnel. Off the fake, the outside receiver runs a deep comeback/corner breaking route while the TE works a deep crossing route up the seam toward the sideline, stacking two vertical stems on the play side. The HB releases to the flat on a shallow route as the checkdown, while the remaining receiver runs an underneath drag away from the play action fake. Primary read progression starts with the deep comeback route on the boundary, works to the crossing route, and ends with the HB flat route as the safety valve against a hard blitz or if the quarterback needs to sprint out and throw on the run.
Defensive Reads
Man coverage on the outside receiver with no safety help over the top is the green light to hit the deep comeback route on the sprint side. Zone shells like Cover 3 or Cover 4 that keep a deep defender on the boundary should push you to the crossing route since the sprint action stretches the underneath zone defenders horizontally. Watch linebacker depth at the snap, if the play side linebacker sinks hard to cover the crossing route, the HB flat is wide open in the void. User-controlled defenders sitting on the flat route or lurking underneath the crossing route can bait a bad read, so double check the sprint out quarterback movement before committing to a throw. Hard interior blitzes with man coverage on the perimeter are neutralized by the quarterback sprint since it removes him from the pocket collapse, making this a strong answer to nano blitzes and edge pressure packages.
Usage Tips
Call this on early downs like 1st and 10 or 2nd and medium when you have already established the run game with HB Power O or HB Dive to sell the play action fake. Check the safety alignment pre-snap, if you see a single high safety cheating toward the boundary route, take the crossing route underneath instead. Use the HB flat route as your dump-off against blitz-heavy looks since the sprint action gets the quarterback moving away from interior pressure quickly. Motion is not needed here, but audible into this from Mtn Zone Alert if you diagnose zone coverage post-snap presnap read. Pair this with PA Post Dig or Mtn PA Boot Insert Cross in your call sheet to keep defenses guessing between the boundary shot and the crossing route concept off similar play action shells.
